May 6, 2022 Ukraine and the World – Against russia’s Aggression. Sanctions in Action

Within the framework of the International High-Level Donor Conference on Fundraising for war-torn Ukraine due to the russian invasion, donor countries raised $ 6.5 billion. The Conference, initiated by Poland and Sweden and supported by the European Union, took place on the 5th of May. The results of the fundraising were announced by the Prime Minister of Poland Mateusz Morawiecki.

There will be virtually no border between Poland and Ukraine. This was stated by President of Poland Andrzej Duda in an address to his citizens on May 5. “There will be no more borders between our countries – Poland and Ukraine. There will be no such border! So that we live together on this earth, building and restoring our common happiness and common strength, which will allow us to repulse any danger or any possible threat”, said the President of Poland.

Poland will help Ukraine strengthen its defense capabilities. The relevant memorandum was signed on May 5 by the Prime Ministers of Ukraine and Poland Denys Shmyhal and Mateusz Morawiecki during a meeting in Warsaw. “The parties discussed strengthening cooperation in the defense sphere. During the meeting, Denys Shmyhal and Mateusz Morawiecki signed an agreement by concluding a memorandum on Poland's support for strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities”, the press service of the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers said.

The European Commission (EC) has announced a new € 200 million aid package to Ukraine. The funds will be used to support refugees from Ukraine and internally displaced persons. This was stated by President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen at the International Donors' Conference. She pointed out that in April, together with Canada, they managed to raise 9.1 billion euros “for Ukrainians inside and outside Ukraine”. The EC has also provided about 4 billion euros in macro-financial assistance, humanitarian aid and support to member states that accept refugees from Ukraine. Besides, the European Commission is ready to help rebuild Ukraine after the war. To do this, it is proposed to begin work on a package of measures for recovery.

The authorities of Finland have decided to provide financial assistance to Ukraine in the amount of 70 million euros and provide additional military equipment. This was stated by Prime Minister of Finland Sanna Marin at the International High-Level Donor Conference for Ukraine in Warsaw. She pointed out that the country would spend 700 million euros to help Ukrainian refugees in Finland. “In addition, we are currently preparing an additional contribution to cover current needs and help with the reconstruction. Also today, we have decided to send additional military equipment to Ukraine”, said Sanna Marin.

Hungary has condemned russia's military aggression against Ukraine and called for an investigation into possible war crimes by russian invaders. Budapest also provides and is ready to continue to provide assistance to Ukrainian migrants. This was stated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary Peter Siarto in Poland at the International Conference of Donors for Ukraine. According to him, Hungary is ready to take part in rebuilding the infrastructure destroyed during the war in Kyiv region. According to Siarto, Hungary has already accepted 627,000 refugees from Ukraine, provides them with shelter and food, and offers jobs to those who want to stay longer. “We are also ready to provide thousands of scholarships for Ukrainian students at Hungarian universities so that they can continue or complete their studies. We are also ready to accept for treatment the Ukrainian military without restrictions on the number, and 130 children who need specialized treatment”, said Peter Siarto.

Ministers of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia signed a declaration on strengthening and developing cooperation. It will speed up the restoration of peace and security in the European region. “Following the working meeting, the Ministers of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania and the Republic of Poland jointly declared their desire to intensify and develop cooperation”, the Ministry of Internal Affairs said. In particular: strengthening efforts in fighting cross-border crime, illegal smuggling of persons across the state border, and human trafficking; strengthening protection against criminal encroachments of Ukrainian citizens who have been forced to leave the territory of Ukraine and are temporarily on the territory of the Member States of the European Union; assistance in rebuilding the war-damaged infrastructure of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine; providing assistance to address the priority needs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in repulsing the armed aggression of the russian federation and exchanging experience in the field of competence of the relevant ministries.

The joint ministerial declaration calls for co-operation to speed up the investigation of war crimes committed by russian servicemen in Ukraine. There is also an opportunity to help our services and bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which cooperate directly with the services and bodies of the above-mentioned countries and other countries of the European Union. Besides, assistance with humanitarian demining is important. “The parties have agreed to help create the necessary conditions for intensifying cooperation in other spheres of mutual interest”, the Ministry of Internal Affairs informs.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a video conference with the 43rd President of the United States George W. Bush, who expressed support for Ukraine in the fight against the russian aggressor, the Office of the President of Ukraine reported. Zelenskyy called it a great honor to meet Bush and thanked the United States and the American people for their attitude to Ukraine and support. “Our conversation is important to me because you are an example of a strong leader”. “Americans are sincere, open-minded people, and I feel this. We have common values. I feel it is from the bottom of the heart”, he said.

For his part, Bush praised the fortitude of the Ukrainian people and the President in resisting the occupiers. “Your courage is very important for further success. If you continue to do what you do, you will always have our support, if you continue to fight as you do now ... Your country has been invaded by forces that want to kill innocent people. And the fact that you stand firm inspires Americans”, Bush said.

The Central Bank of Estonia will issue a 2-euro coin dedicated to Ukraine and showed its design, the bank's press service said. The design of the coin was created by Ukrainian student Daryna Titova, who left Kharkiv because of the war and is currently studying at the Estonian Academy of Arts, and has already been approved by the Bank's supervisory board. This is a record-breaking fast development of a new coin – usually it takes a year and a half or more. This is also the first time that a foreign text has been used in the design of the Estonian coin – “Slava Ukraini” ( “Glory to Ukraine”), albeit in Latin, said the Head of the Bank of Estonia, Madis Müller. The coin should come into circulation by the end of 2022. The proceeds will be transferred by the Bank of Estonia to the Ukrainian National Bank. In total, they plan to issue 2 million such coins.

The Office of the Prosecutor General has seized 33,000 tons of mineral fertilizers with an estimated value of 650 million hryvnias, which belong to enterprises of the aggressor country of the russian federation and the republic of belarus, the Office of the Prosecutor General said.

The property was seized as part of a criminal investigation into the fact of intentional evasion of taxes in especially large amounts.

During the pre-trial investigation it was established that the mineral fertilizer - potassium chloride - was imported into the territory of Ukraine in violation of customs legislation. Its estimated cost is 650 million hryvnias. The issue of confiscation of seized property to the state revenue is being resolved.

The Bureau of Economic Security has detected 17.8 thousand railway wagons from russia and belarus, valued at UAH 15 billion – they were arrested and handed over to Ukrzaliznytsia, the press service of the Bureau of Economic Security reported. UkrZaliznytsia has the right to commercial use, ownership of property, and may dispose of funds received from their use. As for the loaded wagons, a total of 1,625 were detected. Some of them, 470 wagons, carried potassium and coke worth UAH 650 million – those wagons belong to the enterprises of russia and belarus. As part of the same criminal proceedings, a Kyiv court also arrested these wagons. The cost of raw materials in all 1,625 wagons reaches UAH 3 billion.

The villa of the sanctioned russian oligarch mikhail friedman, officially belonging to his daughters and wife, was arrested in Saint-Tropez, France, on the Cote d'Azur, the russian investigative agency The Insider reported, citing a document from the French Ministry of Finance. friedman used to make 180 to 440 thousand euros per month at the villa due to its lease. The villa has a swimming pool, sauna, hammam, jacuzzi and a separate helipad. friedman's apartment was also arrested in Paris. It also formally belongs to friedman's daughters and wife through SCI.

The United Kingdom has revoked the status of a recognized stock exchange on the moscow stock exchange. Under royal law, this deprives investors of tax benefits.

The British car oil manufacturer Castrol has stopped supplying its products to russia since February 24, and now the country is beginning to experience an acute shortage. The official distributors have almost no oil left. According to expert estimates, even in the best of times, up to 60% of counterfeit automobile oils were sold in russia.

UK sanctions against russian microchip developers could lead to problems with the production of the “baikal” processors. The day before, the British government released an expanded list of individuals and legal entities that will be subject to anti-russian sanctions, including “baikal electronics”. Its assets will be frozen, and British companies are prohibited from doing any business with them. The main problem is that the russian “baikal” is based on the processor architecture of the British company ARM Holdings.

The World Health Organization may close the European Regional Office in moscow. The decision will be made on May 10. All meetings scheduled in russia by the World Health Organization will be canceled.

 

Shell's executive directors, management and technical staff have stopped working on the “sakhalin -2” project.

Spain has frozen 12 bank accounts and funds linked to five russian businessmen who have come under EU sanctions. Three yachts have also been detained and measures have been taken against 23 real estate objects related to russian businessmen.

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has stated the country is imposing additional sanctions on russia and freezing the assets of 140 individuals.

The Finnish company Paulig, which specializes in coffee production, has sold its business in russia.

James Quincey, CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, has said that he does not rule out a complete curtailment of the production and sale of beverages in the russian market.

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Russian steelmakers are complaining about the pricing of non-ferrous metal suppliers, including the “ural mining and metallurgical company” and the “rusal” aluminum company, which is leading to “unpredictable cost increases” in steel products.

The ban on flights to 11 airports in the southern and central russia has been extended again, now until May 13. The airports of anapa, belgorod, bryansk, voronezh, gelendzhik, krasnodar, kursk, lipetsk, rostov-on-don, elista and Simferopol, which is temporarily occupied by Russia, have been closed for more than two months.

While in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, the first deputy head of the russian presidential administration kiriyenko has admitted that “it is impossible to hold a parade of victory and march of the “immortal regiment” in Donetsk and Luhansk”.

According to a study by the russian academy of postgraduate education, most heads of medical institutions do not have the appropriate training – less than 20% of chief doctors were able to demonstrate strategic thinking. More than 50% of heads of medical institutions do not have the necessary managerial competencies and overestimate their professional skills. Against the background of international sanctions, in particular, stopping the supply of medical equipment and access to the latest technologies, this will inevitably lead to the degradation of russian medicine and reduce the life expectancy of russians.

Owners of shopping centers began to sell their facilities in russia. the head of the union of shopping centers shakirov has said that almost 100 objects appeared on the market, which is 2-3 times higher than last year. These are shopping centers with an area of ​​10 to 50 thousand square meters in moscow, moscow region, st. petersburg, kazan, as well as other cities with a population of millions. “Traffic in the shopping center has decreased. At the beginning of March, foreign brands closed –30-40% of tenants who do not work now. Accordingly, the profit of shopping centers from sales has has decreased significantly”, said shakirov.

The October district court of st. petersburg has dismissed a case of discrediting the russian armed forces against vadym dudarev, who marched on st. isaac's square on April 8 with placards “Icons are mirrh-streaming” and “ You also Try to” The court did not find this fact an offense.

 

Mondi will sell JSC “mondi syktyvkar lpc”, one of the largest producers of pulp and paper products in russia.

russian “aeroflot” refused to publish financial statements for the first quarter of this year.

russians chew the cheapest sweets in the world, preferring biscuits and chocolate bars, reads the analysis of analysts of express delivery company “perekryostok". Also, residents of russia more than 100 thousand times bought caramel on a stick, a little less russians chose milk chocolate. Experts analyzed information on user preferences in more than 90 cities in russia and on four million orders.

Foreign food retailers are likely to leave the russian market, – predicts the ministry of industry and trade of russia. The ministry has said that after foreign food retailers close their business in russia, it will lead to rising unemployment, as many workers will lose their jobs: cashiers, store employees and loaders. At the same time, the country may have problems with the availability of essential goods.

belarusian alpha bank (“daughter” of the russian one) has warned customers that from May 5, its Visa and Mastercard cards will not pay abroad in stores or withdraw cash.