June 22, 2024 Ukraine and the World – Against russia’s Aggression. Sanctions in Action

“The EU Council has approved the EU's general positions, in particular the negotiating framework, for accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova. This paves the way for the launch of negotiations on Tuesday, June 25 in Luxembourg”, the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU said in a statement. The day before, the Parliament of the Netherlands voted to approve the negotiating framework for Ukraine and Moldova’s accession to the European Union, removing the last obstacle to the formal start of this process.

White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby has confirmed that the United States will prioritize the supply of anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine over other states that have placed orders.

“We’ve seen russia’s military targeting Ukrainian cities. We’ve seen them targeting energy infrastructure, making clear that they want to turn the lights off and turn the heat off when winter rolls back around. And so it has been clear to us that we needed to do something to increase Ukraine’s air defence capabilities”, Spokesperson for the US Department of State Matthew Miller commented on Washington's decision to prioritize Ukraine in the supply of   interceptor missiles for air defense systems.

Pentagon Press Secretary Pat Ryder has pointed out that Ukraine can use these weapons to strike russian forces that are firing at Ukrainian troops anywhere along the border with the rf, not just on russian territory near Kharkiv region. “It (permission to strike with American weapons) applies to  all places where russian troops cross the border from the russian side in an attempt to seize more Ukrainian territory”, said Jake Sullivan, the US National Security Advisor.

Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Ukraine has attracted $85.4 billion in international financial aid.

The German concern Rheinmetall has announced the largest order in the company's history, worth EUR 8.5 billion, for the supply of 155-mm artillery ammunition to replenish the stocks of the Bundeswehr and its allies, as well as to support Ukraine.

Ukraine is set to host the second Peace Summit in one of the countries of Global South.

Spain has provided Ukraine with two more armored ambulances to evacuate the wounded.

Another group of Ukrainian soldiers wounded in the fighting with the russian aggressor arrived in Latvia for treatment and rehabilitation. Since the beginning of russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, more than 300 Ukrainian servicemen have undergone rehabilitation in Latvia.

Head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) Danielle Belle has pointed out that they have reliable information about the torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war in the rf.

During his visit to China, President of Poland Andrzej Duda is going to talk to the PRC’s leadership about Ukraine and bilateral economic relations, emphasizing that China's position is important in the context of future peace in Ukraine.

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White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby believes that the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement between the rf and north korea should be a concern not only for the United States, but also for China. The Representative of the White House has stressed that any country that cares about security in the Indo-Pacific region and believes that UN Security Council decisions have to be implemented should be concerned.

Spokesperson for the US Department of State Matthew Miller called putin's statement about the possibility of russian arms supplies to north korea “incredibly disturbing”.

Senators from both leading parties in the US Congress propose to recognize russia as a sponsor of terrorism after putin's deal with north korea.

“It (the 14th package of anti-russian sanctions) targets the military-industrial defense complex, financial services, energy sector, sanctions circumvention, war crimes, including those involved in the deportation of Ukrainian children”, said Josep Borrell, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands Hanke Bruins Slot has welcomed the approval of the 14th package of sanctions against russia by the EU member states. “Thanks to this package of sanctions, the “shadow fleet” may be denied access to European ports and services”, said Bruins Slot.

The EU is imposing sanctions and will ban 27 cargo ships from entering its ports, 11 of which are russian, the rest are from the “shadow” fleet or violators of international sanctions.

The government of Japan has imposed sanctions on russia’s 11 individuals and 42 companies, including the largest diamond mining company in russia, “alrosa”, the “tupolev” aircraft design bureau, and others. Personal sanctions have been imposed against the secretary of the russian central election commission budarina and five members of the commission, head of the “tactical missile arms” corporation obnosov, director general of the “uralvagon” plant potapov, and chief designer of the “soyuz” aircraft engine scientific and technical complex okroyan.

At the same time, Japan has imposed sanctions against 11 companies and organizations from China, India, the UAE, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan that violated anti-russian sanctions. The blacklist includes Chinese companies Alpha Trading Investments, Guangzhou Ausay Technology, and Shenzhen Biguang Trading.

South Korea will impose 243 new export bans on russia (currently, sanctions apply to 1,159 items). The South Korean government is also preparing to impose additional sanctions on four russian ships, five organizations and eight individuals it considers involved in the transportation of weapons and oil between russia and the dprk.

Canada intends to join the USA and the EU in imposing new tariffs on electric cars from China.

The Chinese company Wison New Energies, which was responsible for the construction of modules for the “arctic lng-2” project, which is on the sanctions list, has announced that it has suspended operations in the rf. “The board of directors of Wison New Energies has decided to suspend all ongoing projects in the rf, and immediately, indefinitely, stop participating in new ones”, the company said in an official statement. At the same time, the Chinese company is refusing to work with russia's “novatek” on the construction of a coastal power plant for the lng plant. Wison New Energies' plans to leave the russian market may also extend to its subsidiary Wison (Nantong) Heavy Industry, from which “rosatom” has ordered the construction of hulls for floating power units at the baimsky mining and processing plant.

Due to constant threats from the rf, Norway, Finland and Sweden have agreed to create a military transport corridor that will run through the northern territories of those countries.

The Parliament of Latvia has passed amendments to the immigration law that require russians to pass a Latvian language exam to extend their permanent residence permit. The requirement will apply to approximately 5,000 people who acquired this status before 2003.

“gazprom”'s shares have dropped by 3.39% to RUB 110, the lowest price since July 4, 2013.

Poland’s Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz has pointed out that the situation on the border with the rb has recently deteriorated radically: well-trained groups of foreigners are trying to enter his country and attack Polish military, border guards and police.

On June 21, the dollar rose by 1.55% to 3.2257 rubles, while the euro rose by 0.94% to 3.4482 rubles at the rb currency and stock exchange. The yuan rose by 2.9% to 4.4548 rubles per 10 yuan.

As of June 21, there is a total shortage of 4,993 specialist doctors in the rb. There is also a need for 4,150 nurses.

siloviki continue to “punish” belarusians who donated to “protest funds”. But while earlier it was necessary to transfer “compensations” to the accounts of orphanages or hospices, now the payments include one recipient – the “republican center for the organization of medical response”. It is headed by the former chief of the military medical department of the ministry of defense of the rb.

propagandist, student of the philological faculty (specialty – “belarusian language and literature”) of the belarusian state pedagogical university olha bondarieva has sent a complaint to the ministry of emergency situations that belarusian-language information signs in public transport endanger the lives of russian-speaking passengers who do not speak belarusian well. She reminded that in May a bus burned down in minsk, and the passengers did not know three belarusian words: “vechka”, “vyklyuchalnik”, “klyamka”.

On June 20, a verdict was announced in minsk against Elena Tereshkova, a two-time champion of the rb in taekwondo, writer, translator and surgeon, the Human Rights Center “Viasna” has reported. She was found guilty of participating in the 2020 protest and sentenced to three years in prison.