January 20, 2025 Ukraine and the World – Against russia’s Aggression. Sanctions in Action

“We are the largest NATO partner in Europe. So obviously, we will play a certain role and must take responsibility”, – Minister of Defence of the FRG Boris Pistorius believes that the German military could take part in ensuring the security of the demilitarized zone in Ukraine in case of a ceasefire. He has also emphasized that in some spheres, our country is the most modern in Europe, in particular, Ukrainians are more innovative in the defense sector.

The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and the NATO Science and Technology Organization will coordinate military research.

Pyrotechnic units of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine have received special demining vehicles “Kozak PM-L” from Slovenia.

Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania believes that russia's war against Ukraine will end on the worst possible terms if Kyiv agrees to negotiate out of despair.

The Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine has signed a memorandum with its counterparts from Lithuania and the United Kingdom to fight the trade in stolen Ukrainian grain.

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“Unless you fight back and make them (rf) pay for the consequences of what they are doing, they will continue to do it.” According to former US Army Commander in Europe Ben Hodges, the only way to end the war is to destroy russia's economy by the West.

The rf’s navy is facing increasing challenges in the Baltic Sea due to efforts by NATO and its new members to block russian ships. Sweden, which joined NATO in 2024, has deployed a new RBS 15 Mark 3 anti-ship missile capable of hitting russian ships in st. petersburg and kaliningrad.

The largest Western sanctions imposed on russia's oil sector could cut russian oil exports in half. Their introduction the other day has sent Brent crude futures up by $5 a barrel. Some ships have already stopped, while others are turning back from the russian ports from which they were supposed to pick up cargo. Some ships heading for fresh cargo are refusing to make the voyage. At least 5 of the 77 ocean-going oil tankers, excluding shuttle tankers associated with specific projects sanctioned by OFAC, have given up the voyages they were on at the time. The vessels Atlas, Heng Tai, and Venture, which were heading for the Baltic, turned around off the west coast of Europe and headed for the Mediterranean. According to London-based EA Gibson Shipbrokers, the 161 tankers hit by the latest sanctions can carry about 1.4 million barrels of oil a day, which is almost half of russia's crude oil exports by sea. According to Macquarie Group, the consequences could be even greater: up to 2.15 million barrels a day of oil exports could be lost.

China is gradually pushing russia out of traditional arms markets, particularly in Algeria, which was previously dominated by the russian military-industrial complex. An example is Algeria's order of Chinese Type 056 corvettes to replace russian warships of the “vasily bykov” 22160 project and the 22380 project missile corvettes. Algeria received the first Chinese corvette in March 2023, and a large-scale order for six ships is currently being discussed, one of which will be built at Algerian shipyards. Rejection russian corvettes in favor of China was a clear signal for the rf of the loss of a part of market.

Syria has begun to allow civilian commercial vessels to enter the port of Tartus, while russian warships “sparta” and “sparta II” remain banned and for two weeks have been circling in neutral waters nearby.

Syria has banned the import of goods from iran and russia.

In 2024, at least 165 cases of the russian aviation’s “losing” bombs were recorded.

rosstat has published inflation data: butter (+36.2%), vegetables and fruits (+22.1%), milk and dairy products (+15.7%), fish and seafood (+14.9%), sunflower oil (+12.7%), bread and bakery products (+13%) rose the most. The price increase continues in 2025. From January 1 to 13, 2025, the leaders in consumer price growth were cucumbers (+8.6%) and vodka (+3.7%).

In 2024, petrol prices in russia increased by 11.1%, which was significantly higher than the inflation rate of 9.5%. The 1.6 % increase in fuel prices outpaced the overall rise in prices for goods and services. The key factors that contributed to the rise in fuel prices were an increase in excise taxes, which affected the final cost of petrol; fluctuations in global oil prices, which affected production costs; increased domestic demand for fuel; and limited fuel exports due to government quotas.

At the end of 2024, more than 6,500 people (1,380 women included) in the rb were convicted for political reasons. As of today, there are 1,247 political prisoners in detention. 71 people have been convicted of “terrorism”, including the defendants in the “Avtukhovich case” and the railway partisans. According to Viasna, political prisoners are held in particularly harsh conditions, often deprived of the permitted by law parcels and packages, including medicines, relatives, spouses and lawyers’ visits.

belarusian authorities continue to auction off the property of the opposition. On January 15, an auction was to be held to sell the house of former presidential candidate Valery Tsepkalo and his family, who left the country and are living abroad. Valery Tsepkalo was sentenced in absentia to 17 years in prison.