October 13, 2024 Ukraine and the World – Against russia’s Aggression. Sanctions in Action

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte believes that NATO members should not fear nuclear threats made by the kremlin in an attempt to weaken Western military support for Ukraine.

Minister of Defence of the Netherlands Ruben Brekelmans has said that his country has reserved a total of EUR 10.4 billion for military aid to Ukraine, of which more than EUR 6 billion remains unspent.

Minister of Defence of Denmark Troels Lund Poulsen has announced plans to create a special fund in the country to pool investments into expanding Ukraine’s defence industry and speeding up manufacturing weapons.

The Ministry of Defense of Norway has created a position in the office of the Military Attaché of the Embassy in Ukraine responsible for military cooperation between the two countries.

On October 14, in Luxembourg, EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs will discuss further military support for Ukraine.

“We (the FRG) will also continue our military support for Ukraine next year, and the budget already provides for EUR 4 billion in direct bilateral aid”, said Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the FRG Annalena Baerbock has said that putin is not ready to talk to Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz about a peaceful settlement of the war in Ukraine.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovakia Juraj Blanár has announced his country's readiness to expand military equipment repair operations on the border with Ukraine as part of a joint service hub with Germany.

During a telephone conversation, US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State for Defence of the United Kingdom John Healey reaffirmed their resolve to support Ukraine against russia's unjustified and unprovoked war.

European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders has pointed out that the goal of the EU and Ukraine in investigating the rf’s war crimes is the inevitability of punishment.

President of Poland Andrzej Duda has emphasized that one of the priorities of the Polish presidency in the EU in the first half of 2025 will be Ukraine's European integration and the “open door” policy for new countries.

Vinnytsia region will receive a EUR 13 million loan from the EBRD to modernize its heating system.

The United States has handed over to Ukraine a new auto-transformer to replace the one destroyed in the frontline zone, which will provide reliable electricity for about 50,000 households.

Since the launch of the Ukrainian Sea Corridor, the ports of Greater Odesa have handled 75 million tons of cargo, 50.1 million tons of Ukrainian agricultural products included.

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The United States has imposed sanctions against Iran's oil and petrochemical industries and all individuals involved in these sectors of the economy. The sanctions were also imposed on 16 legal entities and 23 sea tankers. The sanctioned entities include companies from China, India, the UAE, Malaysia, Panama, Liberia, Suriname, and the Marshall Islands, as well as vessels flying the flags of Malaysia, Barbados, Belize, Cameroon, the Cook Islands, Palau, Panama, Saint Kitts and Principe, and Eswatini. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has said that the sanctions are aimed at limiting funding for the nuclear program and missile production. Iran is one of three countries supplying missiles to the rf for strikes against Ukraine.

The UK authorities have initiated 52 investigations on suspicion of violating the price ceiling on oil exported from russia.

Japan has rejected russia's protest over joint military exercises with the United States to be held in October.

Slovenia has closed the only branch of the moscow state university in Europe in Koper.

Over the year, the cost of servicing aircrafts at russian airports increased, most notably in vladikavkaz – by 57%, in novosibirsk – by 38%, in blagoveshchensk – by 36%, in orenburg – by 32%, in bratsk – by 30%, in yuzhno-sakhalinsk – by 119%, and in novy urengoy – more than twofold.

Between January 2023 and August 2024, airfares in russia rose by an average of 49%, from RUB 5.28 thousand to RUB 7.9 thousand.

80 % of the surveyed representatives of russian businesses believe that in the fourth quarter the shortage of working specialists in the rf will increase, 35 % are considering the possibility of attracting senior people. The shortage of personnel will be exacerbated by mid-November, said the deputy director general of the job search service rabota.ru.

The specialized agency “sovekon” has lowered its forecast for the 2024 harvest of grain and legumes in the rf to 122.9 million tons from 124.4 million tons. The wheat harvest forecast has been lowered to 81.5 million tons from 82.9 million tons. The barley harvest forecast has been lowered to 16.5 million tons from 17.2 million tons.

In 2023, the Department of State Security of Lithuania recognized 1,421 belarusian citizens as a threat to national security. Since the beginning of this year, 224 belarusians have been recognized as a threat to national security, nine of whom were forcibly deported to the rb.

In September, 336 new trucks of the minsk automobile plant (maz) were sold on the rf’s market, which is by 41.2% fewer than in the same month of 2023 (572). Last month, maz took only 10th place (in August it was 8th) in the list of the best-selling brands in this segment of the russian car market.

According to belstat, in September, prices for footwear (+7.6%), fruit (+4.1%), coffee (+2.8%), cereals and legumes (+2.1%), refrigerators (+1.7%) and furniture (+1.1%) rose in minsk. Travel and cultural services went up by 9.2% and 4.4% respectively. Food prices in the capital went up by 7.2%, while non-food prices went up by 5.1%.

self-proclaimed president of the rb lukashenko has signed the law “on amendments to the laws on employment of the population”. The maximum period of registration with the employment service is reduced from 18 to 12 months, and the period of unemployment benefits is halved from 6 to 3 months.

The ministry of information of the rb on the basis of the decision of the court of myadel district of minsk region has included the telegram channel “for the union state of belarus and russia” in the list of “extremist materials”.