February 4, 2023 Ukraine and the World – Against russia’s Aggression. Sanctions in Action

The United States allocates new $2.2 billion military aid package to Ukraine, – said the Pentagon Press Secretary Brigadier General Patrick Ryder. The military aid includes: additional 155mm artillery shells; additional 120-mm mortar shells; 190 heavy machine guns with thermal imaging sights and ammunition; 181 MRAPs; 250 Javelin ATGMs; 2 thousand anti-tank missiles; Claymore anti-personnel mines; 2 HAWK air defense systems; anti-aircraft guns and ammunition; equipment to integrate Western launchers, missiles and air defense radars with air defense systems of Ukraine; equipment to support the existing air defense capabilities of Ukraine; air defense generators; anti- UAV systems; 4 radars; 20 anti-mortar radars; spare parts for counter-artillery radars; Puma surveillance drones; equipment for secure communication; winter gear, helmets and other field equipment, medical supplies. The package also includes funding for the training of Ukrainian servicemen, maintenance and support.

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen has said that the scope of restrictions within the tenth package of sanctions against russia would be 10 billion euros. Ms. von der Leyen has also announced the allocation of the first billion euros to Ukraine for the restoration of destruction in accordance with the Rapid Recovery Plan.

President of the European Council Charles Michel has said that the European Union will not stop supporting Ukraine despite the kremlin's threats, and Ukraine will become an EU member.

The EU has agreed to provide Ukraine with an interim assessment of the implementation of the seven criteria obtained with candidate status, which will speed up accession negotiations.

Ukraine has signed an agreement on participation in the EU Single Market program. The program aims to simplify access to EU markets, promote business and its development, competitiveness, sustainability of companies and entire sectors of the economy. Ukraine and the EU have also signed a memorandum on a strategic partnership in the field of renewable gases, bio-methane, hydrogen and other synthetic gases.

The German government wants to buy 15 Gepard anti-aircraft guns and ammunition from Qatar for further transfer to Ukraine.

Germany and Sweden are negotiating a new military aid package, under which Stockholm will provide Ukraine with air defense missiles and launchers for German IRIS-T systems.

Germany has provided Ukraine with nine powerful generators that will help maintain heat supply in Kharkiv region.

According to Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, the SAMP/T anti-aircraft missile system, which Rome, together with Paris, intends to transfer to Ukraine, can be deployed within two months.

In Lithuania, a coalition of four initiatives to support Ukraine –Blue/Yellow, Laisvės TV, 1K fondas and Stiprūs kartu (Stronger Together), as well as the public broadcaster LRT within five days raised more than 5 million euros for five modern air defense radars for Ukraine. On the morning of February 3, the fundraising campaign already had more than 3 million euros out of the planned five. During a special “happy hour”, which was launched by one of the benefactors, it was possible to attract more than a million euros, and the Lithuanian IT company Tesonet doubled the amount to 2,012,000 euros. “Absolute record. Worldwide... Our nation will stand with Ukraine until the very end. Until victory!” said the coordinator of the fundraising, Andrius Tapinas. All the money will be spent on the purchase of multifunctional tactical radars to monitor the airspace around critical Ukrainian facilities, such as power plants, water towers, etc.

European and Ukrainian telecom operators have signed a new joint statement-memorandum, which declares the extension for six months of agreements on affordable roaming for Ukrainians who found themselves in different European countries due to the war.

Finland has joined the group of countries working on the creation of a Special Tribunal on the crime of russian aggression against Ukraine.

District Judge of the Federal Court of Manhattan (USA) allowed the Prosecutor's Office to confiscate $ 5.4 million belonging to the russian sanctioned oligarch and owner of the tsargrad TV channel konstantin malofeev. The funds are intended to be used to help Ukraine.

The government of Switzerland is developing a new foreign policy strategy in which bilateral relations with russia will be revised due to the fact that the Confederation has joined all the EU’s anti-russian sanctions. Swiss authorities have imposed sanctions against 141 individuals and 49 russian companies.

Minister of Sports of Poland Kamil Bortniczuk predicts that at a meeting of Sports Ministers from the European Union, as well as from the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, South Korea and Japan, scheduled for February 10, about 40 countries will oppose the inclusion of athletes from russia and belarus in the program of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

The government Plenipotentiary for the Security of the Information Space of the Republic of Poland, Stanisław Żaryn, has warned about a disinformation campaign taking place in the country concerning refugees from Ukraine. According to Żaryn, similar campaigns are ongoing in Ukraine and Lithuania, and he believes that they may be associated with the rf.

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Turkish Airlines continues to block paying for tickets with the russian payment card “mir”.

British luxury clothing chain Paul Smith has announced a complete suspension of operations in russia. The company will not supply goods to the rf and has terminated the contract with its russian franchising partner.

The far eastern generating company, which manages large thermal power plants in the Far East of russia, is on the verge of bankruptcy due to the rise in price of coal in the domestic market of the rf.

In russia, issuing new passports with microchips has been completely stopped. The problem is systemic in nature: due to international sanctions, russian manufacturers are unsuccessfully looking for alternative materials and components. According to experts, the volatility of production will continue until complete import substitution, which will take russians years.

The IT company miro, which in 2022 stopped the activities of its office in perm, is firing 119 employees in russia.

In January, sales of avtovaz products decreased by 3% (in 2022, sales collapsed by 46%).

In 2022, the products of milk processing plants of the rf increased by 20.1 %.

At the belarusian currency and stock exchange, the dollar exchange rate increased by 0.0088 BYN to 2.6840 BYN/USD. The dollar is rising in price for the seventh time in the last eight trading sessions and rose to its highest in 3.5 weeks.