May 5, 2022 Ukraine and the World – Against russia’s Aggression. Sanctions in Action

Germany may hand over to Ukraine Cobra radar systems, which will significantly increase the accuracy of the Panzerhaubitze 2000 howitzers. Ukraine may get five out of the 19 systems currently in the Bundeswehr's stockpile.

The Cobra (Counter Battery Radar) radar technology is an artillery reconnaissance system that allows to detect enemy howitzers and mortars with a caliber of 80 mm and above. The radar will be able to detect 40 enemy firing positions within two minutes.

In addition, the package of proposals for Ukraine should include more Spexer radars and Nightowl cameras. The Spexer technology is used to detect and protect against drones, but can also identify helicopters, fighters or armored vehicles. Special cameras can detect vehicles or people at a distance of several kilometers, even at night.

The United Kingdom is handing over another batch of mobile generators for the needs of Ukrainians, according to the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine. The generators will be used for sustainable electricity supply to hospitals, shelters, communication stations, water supply, etc. The UK handed over the first part of 570 generators – almost 200 – to Ukraine in April. They already serve as sources of backup power for reliable power supply in cases of damage to electrical equipment and networks.

President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier is ready to speak in person with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He also promised Germany’s further assistance to Ukraine. “We, Germans, wholeheartedly support Ukraine”, Steinmeier said. He also said that he would like to personally express his support and exchange views with Zelenskyy, “if possible”. The German government stated that Steinmeier “clearly and unequivocally takes a position on the side of Ukraine”.

During a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of France Emmanuel Macron promised to increase the aid to Ukraine. Macron “promised to increase support by transferring weapons and humanitarian aid”. “Our support with military equipment will continue. France has already sent humanitarian aid to Ukraine, which includes more than 615 tons of equipment”, the French President wrote on Twitter.

President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, plans to offer a large-scale package of assistance to Ukraine in the war with russia and the reconstruction of Ukraine. “We want Ukraine to win this war”, she said, emphasizing that Ukraine needed to be rebuilt. The planned package should bring significant investment to meet needs and carry out the necessary reforms. “That is why I propose to start work on a large-scale recovery package for our Ukrainian friends”, said Ursula von der Leyen.

The donors' conference, which will take place in the Polish capital Warsaw on the 5th of May, could be the starting point for the European Marshall plan for Ukraine. “In my opinion, this conference should be the starting point for a sort of European Marshall Plan for Ukraine. This is exactly what we need to do, we need to send a very strong signal that we will support Ukraine as much as possible”, said President of the European Council Charles Michel. “Now in this century, the war against Ukraine is a human tragedy, which means that clairvoyant leaders must stand up today and signal that we will be courageous, firm, to support Ukraine not only in words, not only in speeches- this is not enough.

Decisions are needed, money is needed, we need strong coordination, we need political will. I understand that it is extremely important for us as the EU to be concrete in our actions, to set priorities, and to mobilize the necessary resources. This is the first element. The second element. I invited the European Council to politically support the launch of this conference”, Michel added. Speaking about the restoration of post-war Ukraine, Michel pointed out that “the aim is not to restore the Ukraine of the past”. “The aim is to build a modern, successful, forward-looking Ukraine. This means, for example, that when infrastructure is rebuilt, it is important to rebuild it according to the needs of the future, taking into consideration climate change, digital transformation of the world and the problems we face in the EU and the world”, he explained.

The Bulgarian Parliament has decided to repair Ukrainian military equipment at the country's enterprises. The package includes measures to overcome the effects of economic sanctions, humanitarian, financial and military assistance to Ukraine, continued support for Ukraine's accession to the EU, assistance to Ukrainian refugees, opportunities to import Ukrainian grain to Varna, as well as strengthening energy cooperation, repairing Ukrainian military equipment, continuing to supply humanitarian aid.

May 4, Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova Igor Grosu, and Chairperson of the Parliamentary Commission on National Security Lilian Carp, arrived in Kyiv. “Today I am visiting Bucha, one of the cities in the suburbs of Kyiv, which has suffered incredible atrocities by the russian army. This war must be stopped, and war crimes must be investigated and punished”, said Grosu.

The Embassy of Sweden in Ukraine has returned to Kyiv, said Ambassador of Sweden to Ukraine Tobias Thyberg. “The Embassy team has returned to where we need to be: to Kyiv, supporting Ukraine and its heroic citizens who are defending the freedom of their country and freedom in Europe”, Thyberg wrote on Twitter.

The British government has expanded the list of sanctions against russia. In particular, a ban on providing russian companies with services in the field of PR, accounting and consulting. “By limiting russia's access to our world-class management consultants, accountants and PR firms, we are stepping up economic pressure on the kremlin for it to change its course”, said Secretary of State at the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Kwasi Kwarteng. The United Kingdom has also imposed sanctions against PJSC “kamaz”, chairman of the board of the bank “otkrytie” zadornov, chairman of the board of the sovkombank gusev, aide to the President of the rf oreshkin.

 At the same time, restrictions were imposed on the head of the state corporation “rostekh” chemezov and members of the federation's council kress, nekrasov, ponomarev, rossel and umakhanov. The moscow institute of physics and technology, “izhmash – unmanned systems” LLC, radioavionika”, and “baikal electronics” have been subject to certain restrictive measures.

All those affected by the sanctions are banned from entering the UK and their accounts will be frozen if detected.

The government of Australia has expanded sanctions against russia, as well as the so-called dpr and lpr.

In particular, the black list includes 75 mps of the State Duma, 20 “ministers” of the so-called dpr, 12 “ministers” of the so-called lpr and the odious putin’s herald – tv presenter soloviev. Earlier, Australia imposed sanctions on 214 russian citizens, imposed economic sanctions on 14 russian companies, organizations and enterprises.

The European Commission has proposed to introduce a ban on all services for the transportation of russian oil within a month. This ban will apply to all shipping, brokerage, insurance and financial services offered by European companies.

The European Commission proposes to ban the sale of real estate to citizens and legal entities of the russian federation in the European Union.

Minister – President of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Manuela Schwesig, said that the fund set up to support the Nord Stream-2 project should be disbanded due to the inability to cooperate with russia.

India, taking advantage of russia's helplessness, expects to buy russian oil at a reduced price – less than $ 70 per barrel.

According to the Financial Times, Chinese refiners are secretly buying russian oil at discounted prices.

South Korean airline Korean Air has decided to extend the suspension of flights to russia until the situation in Ukraine stabilizes, Yonhap news agency reports.

The American engineering corporation Emerson is closing its business in russia due to the rf’s invasion of Ukraine and is studying options for selling its Metran plant in Chelyabinsk, which manufactures measuring equipment.

The Austrian group Raiffeisen Bank International is studying the possibility of selling the russian subsidiary, said RBI CEO Johann Strobl.

The Web of Science information system (a multidisciplinary platform that helps to quickly find, analyze and provide general access to information in natural, social and human sciences, as well as arts) is no longer available to russian scientists – it has stopped working in all scientific institutions and universities.

rf

russia's ministry of foreign affairs has announced cancelling the visa-free regime for diplomatic representatives and journalists from the European Union. This is stated in the statement on the official website of the ministry. Separately, russia has introduced additional visa procedures for members of official delegations, governments, parliaments, courts and journalists from Denmark, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. “Thus, guided by the principle of reciprocity, the russian federation in response to the unfriendly steps of these European states by suspending certain provisions of relevant international treaties abolished visa-free travel for holders of diplomatic passports, as well as simplified visa procedures for official members of EU member states, Denmark, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland”, the statement said.

Russia has banned Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishidi and more than 60 other people, including ministers, media representatives and intellectuals, from entering because of sanctions against moscow over its unprovoked large-scale invasion of Ukraine. the foreign ministry has said the ban is permanent. The list includes, among others, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, Finance Minister Sunichi Suzuki, Defense Minister Nobuo Kisi and Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno.

Following in the footsteps of the United States, the European Union, and many of its allies, Japan has imposed several rounds of devastating sanctions against russia over its war in Ukraine.

Against the background of EU and US sanctions for russia's invasion of Ukraine, oil refining in russia continues to decline. According to preliminary data, in April there was a decrease of 7% compared to March, to 670 thousand tons per day. But the problems of russian refineries will worsen in May, when the largest traders will stop buying at least from state-owned oil companies.

russia's ministry of transport predicts the russian pilots’ leaving for abroad, which could lead to a shortage of aircrew in the near future. The second most likely scenario is unemployment, which threatens every second pilot by 2025 due to reduced passenger traffic. Now more than 10% of pilots are “idle”.

Every month, the ministry of transport receives almost 70 requests from foreign airlines to confirm the relevant specialist certificate – this is the number of pilots looking for work in foreign airlines.

Prior to russia's aggression against Ukraine, in the aviation industry, almost 9,000 line pilots worked on 120 cargo and 670 passenger aircrafts. The council for professional qualifications of air transport has also provided its pessimistic forecast: by 2025, 50% of pilots, like other personnel in the industry, may lose their jobs. According to the latest data from the council for professional qualifications of air transport, about 1.5 thousand or 13% of the total number of line pilots and 1.3 thousand flight attendants (5%) are “idle”.

The federal antimonopoly service has advised russian coal companies not to tie product prices to foreign exchange rates and to use russian indicators instead of foreign ones to curb rising prices.

According to the moscow stock exchange, the russian stock market fell by 2.94% on May 4.

sberbank identifies those russians who raise funds for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and also sends information to the rosfinmonitoring on transfers of funds, the possible purpose of which is a donation for the military purposes of Ukraine, – said deputy chairman of board of sberbank zlatkis.

the ministry of internal affairs of the russian federation has declared the russian journalist Aleksandr Nevzorov wanted for condemning the war in Ukraine. The reaction of the oppositionist did not take long. “In fact, these guys need to look not for me, but for their brains. For themselves, and at the same time for the crazy sadist, whom they call their president”, the journalist emphasized.

russia's Chief Rabbi, Berl Lazar, called foreign minister lavrov's statements about Jews and Nazi Germany's leader Hitler shocking, and urged the minister to apologize for them. “It would be good if he apologized to the Jews and simply admitted his mistake”, Lazar stressed.

The co-founder of the chain of restaurants “culinary shop of karavaev brothers” lakishev committed suicide. The body was found in moscow, he committed suicide while his wife was walking the dog. The man did not leave a death note.

karen shakhnazarov, director of the “mosfilm” film concern, said that opponents of the symbol of the invasion of Ukraine – the letter Z – should understand the consequences of their position – concentration camps and re-education are in store for them.