November 18, 2024 Ukraine and the World – Against russia’s Aggression. Sanctions in Action

The Czech company STV GROUP has handed over to the Ukrainian Armed Forces a check for EUR 765 thousand to be used for the purchase of grenade launchers.

Representatives of the Artillery Coalition member countries have worked out the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine until 2027. They discussed potential contributions from states and opportunities to invest in the Ukrainian defense industry.

Ukraine and the United States have launched three new projects in the field of small modular reactors.

“Norway condemns this illegal war and continues to support Ukraine by providing weapons and support against russia’s aggression”, – Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway Espen Barth Eide has condemned russia's massive attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure on November 17.

President of Moldova Maia Sandu has strongly condemned russia's massive attack on Ukrainian energy infrastructure on November 17. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania Luminița Odobescu has also condemned the russian attack.

“russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine poses a threat to the security of the entire Europe”, US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink commented on the rf’s attack on Ukrainian energy infrastructure on November 17.

“Let's not forget that putin's attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure are war crimes. Attacks on civilian essentials, such as electricity, violate international law, including the Geneva Conventions. It is illegal, immoral, and demands accountability”, former UK Secretary of Defense Grant Shapps commented on the russian attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure on November 17.

“putin is once again using energy as a weapon. He is trying to blackmail Austria and Europe by cutting off gas supplies. We are ready for this and ready for winter. Gas storages across the EU are full”, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen commented on “gazprom”’s suspension of gas supplies to Austria.

“The statement that Moldova's economy depends on trade ties with russia grossly distorts reality. The facts are clear: Moldova exports more than 65% of its goods to the EU, and only 3.7% to russia. Even Transnistria exports 80% of its products to the EU. The countries of the European Union are our reliable partners that provide open access to markets”, Moldova’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned the rf’s ambassador to Chisinau oleg ozerov’s statements.

At a meeting with leader of the PRC Xi Jinping, US President Joe Biden condemned the deployment of the dprk’s troops in the rf and expressed deep concern over China's continued support for russia's defense industry.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland Radosław Sikorski is ready to “look with great sympathy” at our country's request to organize a Ukrainian consulate in the place of the russian one in Poznan, which is being closed at the request of Poland.

rf

The rf continues being absorbed by China: since the beginning of 2024, 55% of all new brands that have appeared in the rf, have come from China – 11 companies. The population of the rf is skeptical about the quality of their products, but buys them because of the low price. Only two companies came from Turkey, and the share of brands from the CIS countries decreased to 4%.

In the first three quarters of this year, clothing exports from Türkiye to the rf halved to $253 million. The supply of knitted men's outerwear decreased 12 times, of women's – 5 times; of knitwear – 8 times.

39% of the russians surveyed have said that the quality of Chinese clothing is poor, has informed kermedchieva, the vice president of the union of trade centers of the rf. At the same time, she emphasized that the russian population still prefers Chinese products to russian ones, and this trend will continue in the coming years.

The national medical research center of endocrinology of the ministry of healthcare of the rf has stated that the rf is experiencing “a pandemic of diabetes mellitus, which is a real threat to national security”. According to official data, more than 10.5 million people have been diagnosed with diabetes – one in 15 russians.

Due to rising prices, russians are losing interest in New Year's travel: the number of hotel bookings for the holidays has increased by only 9%, while last year the figure was 55%. The primorsky krai and murmansk region became the priority vacation destinations within the rf.

In December, roskomnadzor will conduct a “training” to disconnect the russian runet from the global Internet.

This week, the dollar set a historic high at the rb currency and stock exchange and then broke it twice. The new record for the US currency exchange rate at the auction was 3.38 rubles. The highest rate of dollar sales by banks was 3.399 rubles.

The government of the rb has extended the “people's goods” loan program until 2025. But it will work under new rules. People will only be able to buy with this money from manufacturers who produce fully belarusian goods, not just assemble products from imported parts. So the list of goods offered for purchase has been significantly reduced.

Former Ukraine’s Ambassador to the rb and current Ambassador-at-Large Ihor Kizim has said that twelve Ukrainian citizens were detained under “extremist” articles in the rb.

On November 16 alone, 38 new people were added to the “list of citizens of the rb, foreign citizens or stateless persons involved in extremist activities”. Among the “extremists” there are both, those who are currently in penal colonies and those who are free.