Ukraine war – live: Putin ‘turning back to Wagner’ amid Russian military failures

Vladimir Putin has once again turned to the Wagner Group of mercenaries amid the failure of the conventional Russian military to capture Luhansk and Donetsk by an April deadline, experts said.

“Wagner Group financier Yevgeny Prigozhin is seemingly regaining some favour with Russian president Vladimir Putin, likely as a result of the Russian conventional military’s inability to accomplish the tasks Putin had set for it during the winter offensive in Donbas,” the Institute for the Study of War said in its latest intelligence assessment of the Russian offensive in Ukraine.

It added that the Wagner forces are likely “receiving reinforcements, ammunition, and political recognition – which is a stark deviation from the Kremlin’s previous efforts to expend Wagner forces and Prigozhin in Bakhmut since at least January 2023”.

This comes as Wagner claimed to have made fresh gains in Bakhmut, but Ukraine’s forces are reported to still be holding on in the frontline Donetsk city.

Key Points

• Wagner ‘takes two new districts in Bakhmut' after Kyiv warns of ‘unprecedented’ battles

• British-Russian sentenced to 25 years in jail for criticising Putin’s war

• Ukraine says it is finding more Chinese components in Russian weapons

• Putin meets with China’s defence minister in Moscow

• Ukraine’s foreign minister to visit Iraq for first time since Russia’s invasion

Putin 'turning back to Wagner' amid Russian military failures in Ukraine

04:51 , Arpan Rai

Vladimir Putin is again helping the Wagner Group of mercenaries by providing arms and ammunition along with political recognition after the conventional Russian military forces failed to meet a 1 April deadline to capture Luhansk and Donetsk, experts monitoring the war said.

“Wagner Group financier Yevgeny Prigozhin is seemingly regaining some favour with Russian president Vladimir Putin, likely as a result of the Russian conventional military’s inability to accomplish the tasks Putin had set for it during the winter offensive in Donbas,” the Institute for the Study of War said in its latest assessment of the Russian offensive in Ukraine.

It added that the Wagner forces are likely “receiving reinforcements, ammunition, and political recognition – which is a stark deviation from the Kremlin’s previous efforts to expend Wagner forces and Prigozhin in Bakhmut since at least January 2023”.

On the battle field, Wagner has been asked to train mobilised personnel to reinforce Wagner’s positions in Bakhmut.

“Prigozhin also confirmed that Russian airborne forces (VDV) are operating alongside Wagner and indicated that Wagner is actively receiving artillery shells. Prigozhin advocated for Wagner to receive more artillery shells, which indicates that Prigozhin has reestablished his supply of ammunition from the Russian ministry of defence,” the US-based think-tank said.

“The extent of Putin’s trust and favour for Prigozhin is unclear at this time, but it is likely that Putin halted the Russian MoD’s efforts to avenge Wagner by denying Wagner reinforcements and ammunition,” the ISW said.

US ambassador to Russia makes first visit to jailed WSJ reporter

05:14 , Andy Gregory

Washington’s ambassador to Russia has made her first visit in jail to Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal reporter accused by Moscow of spying.

"This is the first time we've had consular access to Evan since his wrongful detention over two weeks ago,” said Lynne Tracy in a short statement in Russian on Telegram.

“He feels well and is holding up. We reiterate our call for Evan's immediate release.”

Ukraine gearing up for next Ramstein meeting, says Zelensky

04:20 , Arpan Rai

Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine is readying for a second Ramstein meeting of what he referred to as an “anti-war coalition”.

The first round of Ramstein discussions happened in January this year, which saw defence leaders from across the world gathering at Ramstein Air Base in Germany as they hammered out future military aid to Ukraine.

“By the way, we are already preparing for another Ramstein meeting. I held preparatory meetings. And we expect solidly grounded decisions that will meet the prospects on the battlefield. Quite ambitious prospects, which we are approaching with all our might.

“Moreover, we are approaching them not only for ourselves, not only for Ukraine but also for our entire anti-war coalition,” Mr Zelensky said.

He added: “The aggressor must lose. And this is our joint responsibility with our partners – to gain more time for peace, that is, to be as active as possible now in providing weapons and ammunition to speed up our joint victory.”

RAF Typhoons intercept Russian fighter jets and spy plane near Nato airspace

04:13 , Andy Gregory

Russia blocking 50 ships of Ukrainian grain in Black Sea, says EU chief

04:01 , Arpan Rai

Russia is “once again” holding up Ukrainian grain in the Black Sea and blocking the grains onboard at least 50 ships, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said.

The European Union will “continue facilitating exports through the EU solidarity lanes” on Ukraine-EU land borders, the top official said, adding that the route has “brought 25 billion tons of grain to the world”.

This is the second time Russia has been accused of blocking grain shipment from Ukraine after invading the country in February last year.

In May last year, satellite images showed two Russian carrier ships loading up mounds of grain in Ukraine even as the global food supplies remained threatened by Moscow’s invasion.

Moldova warns Russia not to meddle in its internal affairs ahead of election

03:02 , Reuters

Moldova has warned Russian politicians not to meddle in its internal affairs, after barring a Russian delegation from entering the country ahead of a regional election.

The delegation led by Rustam Minnikhanov, governor of Russia’s Tatarstan region, had been due to attend a forum in semi-autonomous Gagauzia region, which holds elections on 30 April to name the head of its government.

Moldova, which applied to join the European Union last year alongside its neighbour Ukraine, has repeatedly accused Russia of trying to destabilise the country, something Moscow denies.

Mr Minnikhanov arrived in an official Tatarstan government plane but was not allowed off the aircraft. Police said in a statement his trip aimed to bolster support for a pro-Russian candidate standing at the elections.

“Supporting a candidate at local elections in Moldova is not a valid reason and the authorities ask Russian bureaucrats to refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of our country,” the border guard service said.

Russia has ‘interest’ in Ukraine war ending as soon as possible, says Lavrov

01:53 , Andy Gregory

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has claimed during a visit to Brazil that Moscow wants its war in Ukraine to end as soon as possible.

At a news conference with his Brazilian counterpart Mauro Vieira, Mr Lavrov thanked Brazil for its “understanding of the genesis of the situation in Ukraine” and said Russia had “an interest” in the conflict ending as soon as possible.

Russia has repeatedly said that any settlement of the conflict must acknowledge the “realities” of its unilateral annexation of four Ukrainian regions, which its armed forces partly control.

British nationals not safe in Russia, warns senior MP

Tuesday 18 April 2023 00:41 , PA

British nationals are not safe in Russia, a senior MP has warned, after a British-Russian opposition leader was jailed for 25 years by a Moscow court.

Conservative MP Alicia Kearns, who chairs the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, urged the government to call any British nationals living in Russia home.

She described the sentencing of outspoken Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza as “a farce” and said ministers should be “working to get him out”.

Video report: Vladimir Kara-Murza: Putin critic found guilty of treason

Monday 17 April 2023 23:33 , Andy Gregory

New Zealand PM to attend Nato summit as Albanese mulls joining him

Monday 17 April 2023 22:42 , Andy Gregory

New Zealand premier Chris Hipkins has announced he will attend the upcoming Nato summit in July, while Australia’s leader said he was still considering whether to travel.

Both countries have a decades-long relationship with the military alliance which has taken on greater importance following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with both attending last year’s summit in Madrid as non-member participants.

Mr Hipkins said he would seek to advance a trade agreement with the European Union while at the July summit in Vilnius.

Local media previously reported that Australia’s Anthony Albanese would not travel to the summit, but he told ABC on Monday that no decision had been made, adding: “I haven’t had a chance yet to talk to the Nato secretary general ... I will give it consideration.

“I attended last year in Madrid and subject to logistical arrangements, then I would be very pleased to accept the invitation.”

Russia’s Lavrov thanks Brazil’s Lula for his words on Ukraine war

Monday 17 April 2023 21:51 , Andy Gregory

Russia’s foreign minster has thanked Brazil for its efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine ahead of a visit with president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, whose remarks on Vladimir Putin’s war have unnerved Washington.

Sergei Lavrov and Brazil’s foreign relations minister Mauro Vieira addressed journalists after a meeting in Brasilia, discussing plans to boost meat exports to Russia and secure fertiliser imports for Brazilian farmers.

Mr Lavrov will meet later on Monday with Lula, who has proposed forming a group of nations not involved in the Russia-Ukraine war to broker peace and discussed the matter in China with counterpart Xi Jinping last weekend.

“The United States needs to stop encouraging war and start talking about peace,” Lula said upon his return. “We are trying to build a group of countries without any involvement in the war, that don’t want the war and defend world peace to have a discussion with both Russia and Ukraine,” he said in separate remarks to journalists.

“But we also have to talk to the United States and European Union. That is, we have to convince people that peace is the way.”

US cannot take dollar’s dominance for granted, warns ECB president

Monday 17 April 2023 21:04 , Andy Gregory

Though it remains unchallenged for now, the United States cannot take the US dollar’s continued role as the go-to currency for world trade for granted, the president of the European Central Bank has warned.

Speaking to the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, Christine Lagarde warned that a more splintered and less efficient world economy will make it harder for central banks to contain inflation.

Her speech comes as China, Russia and other countries seek to wean themselves off dependence on the US, which has sought to use its dominance to impose sanctions, most notably on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine last year.

Lagarde: US-China split may weaken growth and fuel inflation

Jailed British-Russian dissident’s wife ‘baffled’ by lack of UK sanctions against jailers

Monday 17 April 2023 20:14 , Andy Gregory

The wife of a British-Russian opposition leader jailed for 25 years has said she is “baffled” that those involved in his trial have not yet been sanctioned by the UK.

Vladimir Kara-Murza was sentenced to prison by a court in Moscow after he was convicted of treason and denigrating the Russian military in proceedings the Kremlin critic called a show trial.

The dissident’s wife, Evgenia Kara-Murza, said that while she was “grateful” for the support of the Foreign Office, which has condemned the decision, she feels the UK should do more.

“I would very much like to see the British Government actually doing something in Vladimir’s case,” Ms Kara-Murza said. “I would like to see the British Government introduce sanctions against the violators of my husband’s rights. Canada has already introduced sanctions even though he is not a Canadian citizen”, as have the US and Latvia.

She added: “I know that the UK authorities have had a list of the violators for months, so I am honestly baffled that these sanctions have not been introduced.”

Ukraine infrastructure minister to visit Turkey to discuss deal

Monday 17 April 2023 19:33 , Andy Gregory

Ukrainian infrastructure minister Oleksandr Kubrakov will visit Turkey on Tuesday to discuss the status of a deal that allows the safe wartime export of grain from several Ukrainian Black Sea ports, the Turkish defence ministry said on Monday.

Kubrakov will meet Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar in the central Turkish city of Kayseri, a ministry statement said.

The UN-brokered Black Sea grain export deal was renewed for 60 days last month, but Russia has been signalling it may not agree to extend it further unless the West removes obstacles to the export of Russian grain and fertiliser.

Ukraine said on Monday the grain accord was in danger of “shutdown” after Russia blocked inspections of participating ships in Turkish waters.

Ukrainian Black Sea ports were blockaded after Russia’s invasion last year, but access to three of them was cleared last July under a deal engineered by the United Nations and Turkey.

Kubrakov will visit at the invitation of Akar, the ministry statement said, adding that ministers will discuss several bilateral issues including the Black Sea grain initiative.

Russia claims two new districts in Bakhmut after Kyiv warns of ‘unprecedented’ battles

Monday 17 April 2023 18:47 , Andy Gregory

The Wagner mercenary group has captured two districts in the centre and northwest of Bakhmut, Russia's Defence Ministry claimed today.

“Bloody battles unprecedented in recent decades are taking place in the middle of the city’s urban area,” Serhiy Cherevatyi, spokesperson for Ukraine’s eastern military command said on Saturday.

“Our soldiers are doing everything in bloody and fierce battles to grind down [the enemy’s] combat capability and break its morale. Every day, in every corner of this city, they are successfully doing so,” he told the 1+1 television channel.

Volodymyr Zelensky’s forces have clung on in the frontline city in a seemingly successful bid to inflict heavy losses on Vladimir Putin’s armies, but Britain’s Ministry of Defence warned on Friday that Ukraine had been forced to concede some ground after being bombarded with “particularly intense” artillery fire last week.

Russia’s attack on the Donetsk city has been “re-energised”, amid greater cooperation between troops with Moscow’s defence ministry and the Wagner mercenary group, the ministry said, citing UK intelligence.

Ukrainian forces “face significant resupply issues but have made orderly withdrawals from the positions they have been forced to concede”, it added.

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich to appeal against arrest

Monday 17 April 2023 18:00 , William Mata

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich will appeal on Tuesday against his arrest and detention in Moscow’s most notorious former KGB prison on charges of espionage, according to court documents - Reuters has said.

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said on March 30 it had detained Gershkovich in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg and had opened an espionage case against him for collecting what it said were state secrets about the military industrial complex.

Gershkovich, the first American journalist detained in Russia on espionage charges since the end of the Cold War, and the Journal have denied he was involved in espionage, as has the United States.

According to a public Russian judicial document, Lefortovo District Court will hear on Tuesday a complaint filed by Gershkovich against the decision to keep him in custody in Lefortovo prison while the case is being investigated.

Kyiv aims for ‘first step’ of Poland transit for grain

Monday 17 April 2023 17:30 , William Mata

Kyiv aims to re-open food and grain transit via Poland as “a first step” to ending import bans at talks in Warsaw on Monday as countries halted grain from Ukraine to protect their local agriculture markets from an influx of supply.

Poland and Hungary announced bans on some imports from Ukraine on Saturday. Slovakia said on Monday it would do the same and other countries in central and eastern Europe said they were also considering action.

Some Black Sea ports were blocked after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in February last year and logistical bottlenecks trapped large quantities of Ukrainian grain - cheaper than that produced in the European Union - in Central European countries.

Reuters reports.

Wife of jailed Putin critic says 25-year sentence is 'recognition' of his work

Monday 17 April 2023 16:58 , William Mata

The wife of Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza said on Monday that the 25-year prison sentence a Russian court handed him was recognition of the effectiveness of his work and showed that authorities fear him.

Evgenia Kara-Murza spoke at a Washington Post event about the sentence on charges of treason and other offences Kara-Murza denies committing.

State prosecutors also accused him of discrediting the Russian military after spreading "knowingly false information" about its conduct in what Moscow calls its "special military operation" in Ukraine.

"I understand that this sentence is the high recognition of the effectiveness of Vladimir’s work," she said at the event that was streamed online, alongside an attorney for her husband.

"He has proven time and again that he would not back down, that he would not abandon his fight, that he would not betray his country and betray his ideals, that he would keep on fighting."

Foreign office minister says further sanctions could follow after Vladimir Kara-Murza news

Monday 17 April 2023 16:52 , William Mata

Foreign Office minister Andrew Mitchell said officials are investigating the possibility of sanctioning everyone involved in the trial of British-Russian opposition leader Vladimir Kara-Murza.

He said “the Government agrees with pretty much everything that (Tory MP Alician Kearns) has said, reiterating the Russian ambassador has been summoned “and is expected to arrive shortly”.

He said the UK is seeking to ensure consular access, and said: “Her Majesty’s Government condemn the politically motivated sentencing of Mr Kara-Murza and of all those who speak out against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”

He called for his release, and said “politically the UK has been at the forefront of efforts to pressure Russian to release Mr Kara-Murza”.

Czech Agriculture Ministry will not ban Ukrainian grain imports

Monday 17 April 2023 16:30 , William Mata

The market impact of Ukrainian grain imports to neighbouring countries needs a European Union-wide solution and not individual bans on imports like those taken in Poland, Hungary and Slovakia, the Czech Agriculture Ministry said on Monday.

“The Czech Republic is for now not planning to ban imports of Ukrainian grain and other agricultural commodities from Ukraine,” the ministry said in a statement.

Reporting by Reuters.

Pictures from Ukraine: Monday, April 17

Monday 17 April 2023 16:00 , William Mata

Russia’s foreign minister arrives in Brazil for Ukraine peace talks

Monday 17 April 2023 15:58 , William Mata

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived to the Brazilian capital on Monday as Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s pushes a diplomatic approach for peace in Ukraine that has irked both Kyiv and the West.

The meeting between Lavrov and his Brazilian counterpart Mauro Vieira was set in March, when they held a bilateral at the summit of the Group of 20 leading economies in New Dehli. They met Monday morning and, according to the foreign ministry’s website, both will meet with Lula in the afternoon.

Lula has refused to provide weapons to Ukraine while proposing a club of nations including Brazil and China to mediate peace. On Sunday, he told reporters in Abu Dhabi that two nations - both Russia and Ukraine - had decided to go to war, and a day earlier in Beijing said the U.S. must stop “stimulating” the continued fighting and start discussing peace.

Earlier this month, he suggested Ukraine could cede Crimea to end the war, which the spokesperson for Ukraine‘s foreign ministry, Oleg Nikolenko, rejected.

Jailed journalist ‘in good spirits’ after spying accusation

Monday 17 April 2023 15:35 , William Mata

Lynne Tracy, US ambassador to Russia, said on Monday she had made a first visit in jail to Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter accused by Moscow of spying, and had found him in good spirits.

“This is the first time we’ve had consular access to Evan since his wrongful detention over two weeks ago. He feels well and is holding up. We reiterate our call for Evan’s immediate release,” Tracy said in a short statement in Russian on Telegram - according to Reuters.

Gershkovich was arrested last month in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg. His newspaper and Washington have rejected the charge of espionage, which carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

Temporary protection status to migrants drops

Monday 17 April 2023 15:30 , William Mata

The number of temporary protection status permits issued to Ukrainians in the European Union dropped in most member states in February, the bloc's statistics institute Eurostat said on Monday.

EU countries had issued over the course of 2022 more than 4 million permits to Ukrainian nationals, Eurostat data shows.

However, the influx seems to be gradually decreasing.

"The number of decisions granting temporary protection to Ukrainians in February fell in 19 of the 26 EU members with available data," Eurostat said.

Poland and Germany, each counting a total of about one million asylum seekers coming from Ukraine, saw in February a monthly drop of 3,540 and 3,080 permits to 24,905 and 25,125 respectively, the agency said.

Of them, more than 6,000 were under the age of 18 in Poland, and almost 8,000 in Germany.

Visit shows strengthening ties between Beijing and Moscow

Monday 17 April 2023 15:00 , William Mata

China’s defense minister on Monday toured the top Russian military academy on a visit to the Russian capital that underscored the increasingly close ties between Moscow and Beijing amid the fighting in Ukraine.

Russian president Vladimir Putin hosted Gen. Li Shangfu in the Kremlin on Sunday, noting that his trip follows a “very productive” three-day state visit to Moscow by Chinese leader Xi Jinping last month.

Putin emphasized that defense cooperation, including joint military drills, has helped “strengthen the trust-based strategic relationship” between the two countries.

International condemnation for Russia over imprisonment of journalist

Monday 17 April 2023 14:15 , William Mata

French and Norweigan governments have also both condemned Russia over the sentencing of Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza to 25 years in prison for treason.

According to Reuters, France said the Russian justice system had become a tool for oppression, adding that the sentencing was another illustration of the Russian authorities' campaign of repression against all voices critical of the Russian leadership and its war of aggression against Ukraine.

Norwegian foreign minister Anniken Huitfeldt said in a statement: "This is a deeply alarming and harsh sentence for exercising the right to freedom of expression.”

Call for WSJ reporter to be released

Monday 17 April 2023 14:07 , William Mata

The United States and more than 40 other countries said in a joint statement on Monday that they are deeply concerned over Russia’s detainment of a Wall Street Journal reporter and protested Moscow’s “efforts to limit and intimidate the media”.

They also said in the statement due to be read at the United Nations later on Monday by US ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield: “We urge Russian Federation authorities to release those they hold on political grounds, and to end the draconian crackdown on freedom of expression, including against members of the media.”

EU condemns sentencing of Vladimir Kara-Murza

Monday 17 April 2023 13:45 , William Mata

The European Union on Monday condemned the sentencing of Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza to 25 years in prison, describing the Russian court ruling as “outrageous” and “politically motivated”.

“Today’s outrageously harsh court decision clearly demonstrates yet again the political misuse of judiciary in order to pressure activists, human rights defenders and any voices opposing Russia’s illegitimate war of aggression against Ukraine,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement.

“We call on Russia to immediately and unconditionally release all those imprisoned for politically motivated charges.”

Ukraine rejects Iraq offer to mediate

Monday 17 April 2023 13:15 , William Mata

Iraq on Monday offered to mediate between Ukraine and Russia to try to find an end to the war in Europe, but Ukraine's top diplomat rejected the offer.

During a rare visit to Baghdad, foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba reiterated his country's position that it will not engage in any peace talks unless Russia withdraws from all Ukrainian territory.

The Kremlin wants Kyiv to acknowledge Russia's sovereignty over Crimea, which Moscow took over in 2014, and also to recognise September's annexation of the Ukrainian provinces of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia.

Ukraine has rejected those demands and insists it will not hold talks with Russia until Moscow's troops pull back from all occupied territories.

Update: UK demands release of Kremlin critic

Monday 17 April 2023 12:16 , William Mata

The UK has demanded the release of a British-Russian opposition leader after he was sentenced to 25 years in prison by a court in Moscow.

Foreign secretary James Cleverly paid tribute to Vladimir Kara-Murza Jr for "bravely" denouncing Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

The Kremlin critic, who has twice survived poisonings, was convicted on charges of treason and denigrating the Russian military in what he denounced as a show trial.

Russian ambassador to the UK Andrei Kelin was summoned to the foreign office for a dressing down over Russia's human rights obligations, including the right to a fair trial.

In a statement, Mr Cleverly said: “Vladimir Kara-Murza bravely denounced Russia's invasion of Ukraine for what it was - a blatant violation of international law and the UN Charter.

“Russia's lack of commitment to protecting fundamental human rights, including freedom of expression, is alarming.

“We continue to urge Russia to adhere to its international obligations, including Vladimir Kara-Murza's entitlement to proper healthcare.

“I pay tribute to Mr Kara-Murza and his family, including his wife Evgenia and her unwavering commitment to raising her husband's cause on the international stage. The UK will continue to support them and to call for Mr Kara-Murza's immediate release.”

Video explainer: Vladimir Kara-Murza: Putin critic found guilty of treason

Monday 17 April 2023 11:56 , William Mata

UN human rights boss: ‘Release Kara-Murza’

Monday 17 April 2023 11:51 , William Mata

Volker Turk, the United Nations’ human rights head, has called on Vladimir Putin to release his namesake and critic Vladimir Kara-Murza who has been jailed for 25 years.

The Guardian reported Turk as saying: “No one should be deprived of their liberty for exercising their human rights, and I call on the Russian authorities to release him without delay.

The statement reportedly added that the sentence was “another blow to the rule of law and civic space” in Russia.

Events so far: Midday on Monday

Monday 17 April 2023 11:30 , William Mata

Here are some of the events and key points that have happened so far on Monday:

- ‘Russia will be free’: Defiant Kremlin critic jailed for 25 years after denouncing Ukraine invasion

Opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza has sentenced to 25 years in prison by a Russian court over charges linked to his criticism of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

- Slovakia gives Ukraine remaining 9 of 13 promised warplanes,

Slovakia has delivered the remaining nine of the 13 Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jets that it promised to Ukraine, the Slovak Defense Ministry said on Monday.

- Putin hails Russian navy's performance in Pacific drills,

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday hailed the military's performance during massive naval drills that have involved the entire Russian Pacific Fleet — a show of force amid the tensions with the West over the fighting in Ukraine.

Moscow: ‘We face threats other than Ukraine'

Monday 17 April 2023 11:10 , William Mata

The Kremlin, asked about Japan's condemnation of exercises by Russia's Pacific Fleet, said that Moscow faces threats other than Ukraine, and that the drills were being held in accordance with international law.

Japan's chief cabinet secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said on Monday that Tokyo had lodged a protest with Russia over its military exercises around disputed islands near Japan's Hokkaido.

Mr Matsuno had raised his displeasure with the Russian troops performing drills at the disputed location.

Full story: ‘Russia will be free’: Defiant Kremlin critic jailed for 25 years after denouncing Ukraine invasion

Monday 17 April 2023 10:55 , William Mata

Opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza has sentenced to 25 years in prison by a Russian court over charges linked to his criticism of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Read Chris Stevenson’s full story here.

Slovakia follows Poland and Hungary in halting grain import

Monday 17 April 2023 10:49 , William Mata

Slovakia will temporarily halt imports of grains and other selected products from Ukraine, a government spokesman said on Monday - Reuters has reported.

The decision, to be discussed in an expert meeting later on Monday, follows similar steps by Poland and Hungary.

Hungary could extend its import ban on Ukrainian grains beyond the current June 30 deadline if the EU does not take sufficient action to protect Hungarian farmers, Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture state secretary Sandor Farkas said on Monday.

Poland and Hungary announced bans on grain and other food imports from Ukraine on Saturday to protect their local agricultural sectors, drawing a warning from the EU's executive.

Who is Vladimir Kara-Murza and what did he do?

Monday 17 April 2023 10:37 , William Mata

Russian opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza was convicted of treason by a Moscow court on Monday and sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Who is he?

Mr Kara-Murza, 41, is a historian, journalist and opposition politician who holds Russian and British passports and studied in England at Cambridge University. He was a close associate of Boris Nemtsov, a leading opposition figure who was assassinated near the Kremlin in 2015, and continued to speak out against president Vladimir Putin despite the mounting risks.

What is he accused of?

Mr Kara-Murza was arrested in April 2022, hours after CNN broadcast an interview in which he said Russia was being run by a “regime of murderers”.

He was declared a “foreign agent” and accused of spreading false information about the actions of the Russian military in Ukraine in connection with a speech he had given the previous month in the Arizona House of Representatives, where he said Putin was “dropping cluster bombs on residential areas, mothers’ homes, hospitals, and schools”.

Prosecutors requested a 25-year jail term.

How did he respond to the charges?

The trial was held behind closed doors but Mr Kara-Murza’s wife and lawyer released a copy of a speech he delivered to the court. He said he had done nothing wrong and compared the proceedings to Josef Stalin’s show trials of the 1930s.

British government condemns ‘politically motivated’ conviction of Vladimir Kara-Murza

Monday 17 April 2023 10:33 , William Mata

The British government on Monday summoned the Russian ambassador to make clear its condemnation of what it described as the “politically motivated” conviction and sentencing of outspoken Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza, a British dual national.

Mr Kara-Murza has spent years speaking out against President Vladimir Putin and lobbied Western governments to impose sanctions on Russia and individual Russians for purported human rights violations.

He was jailed for 25 years by a Moscow court on Monday after it found him guilty of treason and other offences he denied.

“Russia’s lack of commitment to protecting fundamental human rights, including freedom of expression, is alarming,” British foreign secretary James Cleverly said in a statement.

“We continue to urge Russia to adhere to its international obligations including Vladimir Kara-Murza’s entitlement to proper healthcare.”

Britain has already sanctioned the judge that presided over the trial for previous involvement in human rights violations, and said it would consider further measures to hold to account those involved in Mr Kara-Murza’s “detention and mistreatment”.

Critic sentenced to 25 years in prison

Monday 17 April 2023 09:53 , William Mata

A Russian court on Monday sentenced Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza to 25 years in prison for treason, among other charges.

The journalist has previously been aligned to the opposition People's Freedom Party and has written books and produced films.

He was a close ally of John McCain and informed the United States senator on movements of Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Mr Kara-Murza was chosen to be a pallbearer for Mr McCain’s funeral in what was seen as a dig at Mr Putin and then US president Donald Trump, who had been criticised for his relationship with the Kremlin.

Reuters shared the announcement of his sentence on Monday.

Gazprombank expands in India while Japan complains of Russians training

Monday 17 April 2023 09:52 , William Mata

Gazprombank, one of Russia’s largest banks, has expanded its links in India - Reuters has reported.

Trade has surged between India and Russia since western sanctions began to be imposed in response to the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine.

Meanwhile, in Japan, chief cabinet secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said it had lodged a complaint with Russia about its troops completing military exercises around dispited islands.

The Guardian wrote that the training was being completed near the Hokkaido region.

G7 leaders pledge tough stance on Russia

Monday 17 April 2023 09:22 , William Mata

Top diplomats from the Group of Seven wealthy democracies (G7) are pledging a tough stance over China’s increasing threats to Taiwan and North Korea’s unchecked tests of long-range missiles, while building momentum on ways to boost support for Ukraine and punish Russia for its invasion.

Russia’s war in Ukraine will consume much of the agenda on Monday as the envoys gather in the Japanese hot spring resort town of Karuizawa for the second day of talks meant to pave the way for action by G7 leaders when they meet in Hiroshima next month.

According to a Japanese summary, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi told his colleagues the world is at a “turning point” on the fighting in Ukraine and must “firmly reject unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force, and Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and its threats of the use of nuclear weapons”.

For the American delegation, the meeting comes at a crucial moment in the world’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and efforts to deal with China, two issues that G7 ministers from Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, Italy and the European Union regard as potent challenges to the post-Second World War rules-based international order.

Russia completed ‘imitation’ strikes on enemy

Monday 17 April 2023 08:52 , William Mata

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on Monday informed president Vladimir Putin about drills conducted by the Pacific Fleet, Reuters has reported.

In footage broadcast on state television, Shoigu was shown saying that the drills included "imitation strikes on enemy navy groups" in the Pacific.

Putin responded by saying that snap checks had shown the Pacific Fleet, which is based in Far Eastern Russia, was at a high level of readiness, and that Russia's priority was Ukraine.

The drills are occurring while Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu is visiting Moscow. On Sunday, he held a meeting with Putin.

Ukraine seeks re-opening of food transit via Poland at talks

Monday 17 April 2023 08:22 , William Mata

Kyiv will aim to secure the re-opening of food and grain transit via Poland as a "first step" at talks in Warsaw on Monday, Ukraine's agriculture minister said, after Poland and Hungary announced bans on some imports from Ukraine.

Some Black Sea ports were blocked after Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year and large quantities of Ukrainian grain - which is cheaper than that produced in the European Union - ended up staying in Central European countries because of logistical bottlenecks. This hit prices and sales for local farmers.

Ukraine usually exports most of its agricultural goods, especially grain, via its Black Sea ports which were unblocked last July in line with an agreement between Ukraine, Turkey, Russia and the United Nations.

Risk of civilian mine incidents 'to increase'

Monday 17 April 2023 07:30 , Katy Clifton

The risk of civilian mine incidents is set to rise during spring, the Ministry of Defence has warned.

In its daily intelligence update on Monday, the MoD said that the incidents will rise as when more people get involved in agricultural activities.

It added: "Over 750 mine related casualties among civilians have been reported since the start of the invasion - one in eight has involved a child. It will likely take at least a decade to clear Ukraine of mines."

G7 diplomats reject Chinese, North Korean and Russian aggression

Monday 17 April 2023 07:00 , Namita Singh

Top diplomats from the Group of Seven wealthy democracies are vowing a tough stance on China’s increasing threats to Taiwan and on North Korea’s unchecked tests of long-range missiles, while building momentum on ways to boost support for Ukraine and punish Russia for its invasion.

Russia’s war in Ukraine will consume much of the agenda today as the envoys gather in the Japanese hot spring resort town of Karuizawa for a second day of talks meant to pave the way for action by G7 leaders when they meet next month in Hiroshima.

The world is at “turning point” on the fighting in Ukraine and must “firmly reject unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force, and Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and its threats of the use of nuclear weapons,” Japan’s foreign minister Yoshimasa Hayashi told his colleagues, according to a Japanese summary.

More in this report:

G-7 envoys urge tough stance on Chinese, N Korean aggression

Putin praises relationship with China as he meets defence minister

Monday 17 April 2023 06:30 , Namita Singh

Russian president Vladimir Putin met with China’s defence minister on Sunday, underscoring Beijing’s strengthening engagement with Moscow, with which it has largely aligned its foreign policy in an attempt to diminish the influence of the United States and other Western democracies.

Mr Putin and Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu met with general Li Shangfu less than a month after Chinese leader Xi Jinping held a three-day state visit to Moscow.

China has refused to criticise Russia’s military actions in Ukraine and blames the United States and Nato for provoking Moscow.

But China’s foreign minister said last week that China would not be helping Russia with weapons, as the US and other Western allies have feared.

Officially, China remains neutral in the Ukraine conflict.

However, Mr Xi’s trip emphasised how China is increasingly becoming the senior partner in the relationship as it provides Russia with political cover and an economic lifeline during the Ukraine conflict.

In comments opening the meeting in Moscow, Mr Putin praised the general development of Russia-China relations.

“We are also working actively through the military departments, regularly exchanging information that is useful to us, co-operating in the field of military-technical co-operation, conducting joint exercises, moreover, in different theatres: in the Far East region, and in Europe, and at sea, and on land and in the air,” he said, according to the Kremlin.

Mr Li said that the countries’ relations “outperform the military-political unions of the Cold War era. They rest on the principles of non-alignment, and are very stable.”

EU leaders beat a path to Xi's door seeking China's help

Monday 17 April 2023 06:00 , Eleanor Noyce

In the weeks since Chinese leader Xi Jinping won a third five-year term as president, setting him on course to remain in power for life, leaders and diplomats from around the world have beaten a path to his door. None more so than those from Europe.

French President Emmanuel Macron made a high-profile state visit to Beijing last week accompanied by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, just days after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock arrived in the northeast port city of Tianjin on Thursday, following a visit by Chancellor Olaf Scholz in November. The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, would have been in China this week, too, but he tested positive for COVID-19.

For the 27-nation trading bloc, the reasons to head to China are clear.

As an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Xi could play a pivotal role in helping to end the war in Ukraine. The conflict has dragged on for over a year, driven up energy prices and inflicted more damage on economies struggling to rebound from the coronavirus pandemic.

Lorne Cook reports:

EU leaders beat a path to Xi's door seeking China's help

Ukraine names Chinese manufacturers supplying components to Russia

Monday 17 April 2023 05:30 , Namita Singh

Ukraine was able to identify some manufacturers or suppliers and share that information with Western allies, said a senior adviser in president Volodymyr Zelensky’s office.

Vladyslav Vlasiuk, who advises the president’s chief of staff on sanctions policy, named China North Industries Group (Norinco), a Chinese weapons maker, as one supplier and military supplier Xinxing Guangzhou Import & Export Co as another, without saying what they had supplied.

A member of staff at Norinco, who declined to give their name, said the company was “not providing military equipment components to Russia”.

Xinxing Guangzhou Import & Export Co did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Russia’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The top US diplomat Antony Blinken last month said China had not “crossed that line” yet of supplying Russia with lethal aid.

However, US officials are watching developments closely and are concerned, in particular, by so-called dual-use products, such as electronics that can be used in, say, a microwave or a missile.

“We and our partner governments are relentlessly focused on restricting Russia’s access to key technologies that fuel its brutality in Ukraine,” said a senior State Department official. “We will continue to take action to degrade Putin’s war machine.”

China enjoys ‘normal trade cooperation’ with all countries, says Beijing

Monday 17 April 2023 05:00 , Namita Singh

China has responded to claims from Ukraine that more Chinese components are appearing in Russian weapons, without categorically denying the accusation.

Asked whether Chinese companies had provided parts for Russian military hardware, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson’s office told Reuters: “Throughout history, China has launched normal trade cooperation with all countries, including Russia, on the basis of equality and mutual benefit.

“As for military item exports, China has throughout adopted a prudent and responsible attitude. China’s position and actions have always been this way.”

Ukraine says it is finding more Chinese components in Russian weapons

Monday 17 April 2023 04:35 , Namita Singh

Ukrainian forces are finding a growing number of components from China in Russian weapons used in Ukraine, a senior adviser in president Volodymyr Zelensky’s office told Reuters, as Western supplies are squeezed by sanctions.

In “the weapons recovered from the battlefield we continue to find different electronics,” said Vladyslav Vlasiuk, who advises the president’s chief of staff on sanctions policy.

“The trend is now that there is less Western-made components but more – not hard (to) guess which country – made components. Of course, China,” he said.

China has repeatedly denied sending military equipment to Russia since Moscow’s all-out invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The assault triggered Western sanctions, including on sending military and dual-use technology such as microchips that could be used in either ordinary appliances or weapons.

Intelligence gathered by Ukrainian experts from the battlefield and shared with Reuters stated that Chinese-made components were found in a navigation system in Orlan aerial drones that had previously used a Swiss system.

The experts also reported finding Chinese parts in the fire control system in Russian tanks that had earlier used French-made parts.

Reuters could not independently verify the intelligence, including whether the components mentioned may have been intended for non-military use or whether they were moved to Russia by a third party.

“We’re picking (up) a lot of different stuff, China made,” Mr Vlasiuk said.

Putin meets with China’s defense minister in Moscow

Monday 17 April 2023 04:00 , Eleanor Noyce

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with China‘s defense minister on Sunday, underscoring Beijing‘s strengthening engagement with Moscow, with which it has largely aligned its foreign policy in an attempt to diminish the influence of the United States and other Western democracies.

Putin and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu met with Gen. Li Shangfu less than a month after Chinese leader Xi Jinping held a three-day state visit to Moscow.

China has refused to criticize Russia’s military actions in Ukraine and blames the United States and NATO for provoking Moscow. But China’s foreign minister said last week that China wouldn’t be helping Russia with weapons, as the U.S. and other Western allies have feared.

Officially, China remains neutral in the Ukraine conflict. However, Xi’s trip emphasized how China is increasingly becoming the senior partner in the relationship as it provides Russia with political cover and an economic lifeline during the Ukraine conflict.

In comments opening the meeting, Putin praised the general development of Russia-China relations.

Read more:

Putin meets with China's defense minister in Moscow

Evan Gershkovich pens letter home from Russian prison: ‘I am not losing hope’

Monday 17 April 2023 02:00 , Eleanor Noyce

In case you missed it...

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich has sent his first letter home after being detained and imprisoned by Russian intelligence forces.

Mr Gershkovich, 31, has been accused Russian officials of engaging in espionage. The reporter has categorically denied the allegations.

In his letter home, Mr Gershkovich said he was optimistic, looked forward to seeing his family, and poked fun at Russian prison food, according to the Wall Street Journal.

“I want to say that I am not losing hope,” he wrote. “I read. I exercise. And I am trying to write. Maybe, finally, I am going to write something good.”

The letter was addressed to his family in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and dated 5 April. His mother told the paper that he tried to comfort them by adding humour to the note, joking about her cooking.

Read more:

Evan Gershkovich pens letter home from Russian prison: ‘I am not losing hope’

Ukraine’s foreign minister to visit Iraq for first time since Russia’s invasion

Monday 17 April 2023 01:00 , Eleanor Noyce

Ukraine’s foreign minister is to visit Iraq for the first time since Russia’s invasion in February 2022.

Dmytro Kuleba will land in Baghdad on Monday, AFP reports. Here, he is expected to hold talks with Iraq’s foreign minister alongside Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani.

Last week, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky held a telephone call with Mr Sudani.

Notably, Iraq has adopted a neutral stance since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, maintaining economic ties with both nations.

Russia attempting to deport Ukrainian children in occupied zone, Ukrainian official claims

Sunday 16 April 2023 23:49 , Eleanor Noyce

Russia is attempting to deport children in the occupied city of Zaporizhzhia in southeastern Ukraine, a Ukrainian military spokesperson has said.

According to CNN, Oleksii Dmytrashkivskyi made the claim on Ukrainian national TV. Some children were reportedly taken from their families and transported to Crimea in buses, Sky News reports.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin last month, citing an alleged scheme to deport Ukrainian children to Russia.

14-year-old girl rescued from rubble following Russian rocket attack

Sunday 16 April 2023 19:57 , Eleanor Noyce

A 14-year-old girl has been rescued from the rubble following a Russian rocket attack in eastern Ukraine, Sky News reports.

Russian forces destroyed a five-storey building in Slovyansk, Donetsk on Friday. The bodies of two men were also retrieved from the ruins on Sunday afternoon, bringing the death toll up to 15.

A further 24 people have been injured, with the strike further hitting flats, cars and houses across the city.

Putin hails military cooperation in meeting with Chinese defence minister - Reuters

Sunday 16 April 2023 19:15 , Eleanor Noyce

On Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu in Moscow, notably hailing the military cooperation between the two nations.

Footage of the meeting posted by the Kremlin showed Putin shaking hands with Li. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu was also present.

“Development of relations between our two nations is going well in all areas -- in the economy, social, cultural and educational sectors, and in military departments,” Putin said in opening remarks.

Beijing had previously announced Li’s visit to Moscow last week, but made no mention of a meeting with Mr Putin.

‘America’s latest intel leak is more Jim Carrey than James Bond', writes Borzou Daragahi

Sunday 16 April 2023 18:46 , Eleanor Noyce

It’s like the plot of a John le Carre novel, if spymaster George Smiley’s people were a clique of confused, pimple-faced gamers. Or James Bond, if 007 were a peach-fuzz-faced lad asked by the bartender for proof of age every time he ordered his vesper martini.

“Shaken, not stirred.”

“Er, how about an apple juice instead, son?”

This week came the revelation that America’s latest intelligence breach was not the work of a crafty Russian mole seeking to undermine the US, nor even a wannabe do-gooder hoping to strike a blow against the abuses of America’s deep state. He was Jack Teixeira, a 21-year-old Massachusetts Air National Guard IT specialist who leaked documents to impress his buddies – a couple of dozen young video game and gun aficionados on an online message board.

Perhaps the key to uncovering America’s most precious secrets is not to graduate with a journalism degree, but to join a group of teenagers on a messaging board trading tips about guns and video games, writes Borzou Daragahi:

America’s latest intel leak is more Jim Carrey than James Bond | Borzou Daragahi

Easter: church head laments conflict in 'historical' Russia

Sunday 16 April 2023 18:15 , Martha Mchardy

Worshipers including President Vladimir Putin crowded into Moscow‘s vast Christ the Savior Cathedral for Easter services led by Russian Orthodox Church head Patriarch Kirill, a supporter of Russia’s military actions in Ukraine.

The services began late Saturday and were to extend long into Sunday as phalanxes of white-robed clerics circulated through the cathedral swinging smoking censers and a choir sang and chanted.

Most Western churches observed Easter on April 9, but the Russian Orthodox Church follows a different calendar.

In a video message broadcast on state televison before the start of the service, Kirill lamented the “grave events taking place on our Russian historical land, ” echoing the claim of Putin and other Russian officials that an independent Ukraine is essentially a fiction.

Kirill called for prayers “so that peace and a common good life, fraternal relations again unite our peoples, who were once the one people of united Russia.”

Putin was shown among the standing worshipers, holding a thin red candle.

EU says unilateral action on trade unacceptable after grain import bans

Sunday 16 April 2023 17:45 , Martha Mchardy

Unilateral action on trade by European Union member states is unacceptable, a European Commission spokesperson said on Sunday, after Poland and Hungary announced bans on grain and other food imports from Ukraine to protect the local agricultural sector.

After Russia’s invasion blocked some Black Sea ports, large quantities of Ukrainian grain, which is cheaper than that produced in the European Union, ended up staying in Central European states due to logistical bottlenecks, hitting prices and sales for local farmers.

The issue has created a political problem for Poland’s ruling nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party in an election year as it has angered people in rural areas where support for PiS is usually high.

“We are aware of Poland and Hungary’s announcements regarding the ban on imports of grain and other agricultural products from Ukraine,” the spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “In this context, it is important to underline that trade policy is of EU exclusive competence and, therefore, unilateral actions are not acceptable.”

“In such challenging times, it is crucial to coordinate and align all decisions within the EU,” the statement added.

The Polish ban, which came into effect on Saturday evening, will also apply to the transit of these products through the country, the development and technology minister said on Sunday.

“The ban is full, including the ban on transit through Poland,” Waldemar Buda wrote on Twitter, adding that talks would be held with the Ukrainian side to create a system that ensures goods only pass through Poland and do not end up on the local market.

Ukraine’s ministry of agrarian policy and food said on Saturday that the Polish ban contradicted existing bilateral agreements on exports, and called for talks to settle the issue.

Ukraine’s state-run Ukrinform news agency said Ukrainian and Polish ministers are due to meet on Monday in Poland and the transit arrangement would be focused on in the talks.

Poland’s Agriculture Minister Robert Telus was quoted as saying on Sunday that the ban was necessary to “open the eyes of the EU to the fact that further decisions are needed that will allow products from Ukraine to go deep into Europe, and not stay in Poland.”

Ukraine exports most of its agricultural goods, especially grain, via its Black Sea ports, unblocked in July in line with an agreement between Ukraine, Turkey, Russia and the United Nations.

Around 3 million tonnes of grain left Ukraine every month via the Black Sea grain corridor while only up to 200,000 tonnes are moving to European ports through Polish territory, according to the Ukrainian ministry.

Ukraine’s farm minister Mykola Solsky said at the weekend that 500,000 to 700,000 tonnes of various agricultural products cross the Polish border every month, including grain, vegetable oil, sugar, eggs, meat and other products.

Dozens of POWs freed as Ukraine marks Orthodox Easter

Sunday 16 April 2023 17:15 , Martha Mchardy

More than 100 Ukrainian prisoners of war have been released as part of a major Easter exchange with Russia, a top official said Sunday, as Orthodox Ukrainians marked the holiday for a second time since Moscow unleashed its brutal full-scale war last February.

While celebrations were subdued due to security risks, with a curfew barring the faithful from customary all-night services, Ukrainian authorities and ordinary people shared messages of hope, linking the story of Jesus’ resurrection to their longing for peace and a Ukrainian victory.

Dozens of families had special reasons to rejoice, as presidential adviser Andriy Yermak announced that 130 soldiers, sailors, border guards and others captured by Moscow were on their way back home following a “big Easter prisoner exchange.”

Yermak said in a Telegram post Sunday that those released included troops who fought near Bakhmut, the eastern mining city which has for months been the focus of Russia’s grinding offensive.

“The lives of our people are the highest value for us,” Yermak said, adding that Kyiv’s goal was to bring back all remaining POWs.

There was no immediate information on how many Russian prisoners were released, but the press service of the founder of the Wagner Group, the Kremlin-affiliated paramilitary force whose fighters are prominent in eastern Ukraine, also released a video Sunday showing Ukrainian prisoners of war being readied for an exchange.

The video, published on the Telegram messaging service, features Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin instructing a soldier to prepare the Ukrainian captives to leave Russian-controlled territory “by lunchtime” on Sunday. The POWs are then shown boarding trucks and walking along a road.

Hanna Arhirova reports:

Dozens of POWs freed as Ukraine marks Orthodox Easter

Brazil's Lula calls for 'peace group' to broker Ukraine-Russia deal

Sunday 16 April 2023 16:44 , Martha Mchardy

Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Sunday again proposed establishing a group of countries not involved with the Russia-Ukraine war to broker peace, saying he had discussed the matter with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping earlier this week.

“I think we need to sit on a table and say, ‘that’s enough, let’s start talking’ because war never brought and will never bring any benefit to humanity,” said president Lula, who has been critical of the United States and the European Union for their role in the conflict.

The Brazilian president told reporters in Abu Dhabi, where he finished a trip to Asia, that he was trying to gather a group of leaders that “prefer to talk about peace rather than war.”

He cited Xi and the president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, both of whom he met this week.

President Lula had previously said the group should gather countries not “encouraging” war, adding that nations that are supplying weapons should be convinced to stop doing so.

The United States and the European Union have been providing Ukraine with weapons and other support since Russia invaded the neighbouring country more than a year ago. Germany earlier this year reportedly asked Brazil to supply arms as well, but president Lula refused.

The Brazilian president repeated that the decision to start war was “made by two countries,” appearing to also place some blame on Ukraine, and added that ending it will be harder as more nations would need to be persuaded.

“We are trying to form a group of countries that have no kind of involvement with the war to talk to Russia and Ukraine, but also the U.S. and EU, to convince people that peace is the best way to establish a process of conversation,” president Lula said.

Mr Lula had a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy earlier this year. On Monday, his administration will host Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Brasilia.

Putin admits he is facing ‘serious challenges’

Sunday 16 April 2023 15:40 , Tara Cobham

Russian President Vladimir Putin has admitted he is facing “serious challenges” as he celebrates the second Orthodox Easter of his war with Ukraine.

“The wonderful, beloved Easter holiday gives believers hope, inspires good thoughts and deeds, and serves to affirm high moral ideals and values in society,” said Putin, who is waging a war on Ukraine that is feared to have already killed more than 200,000 people.

“The Church has always been together with the people, sharing joys and hardships with them. And today, in the face of serious challenges, it is actively involved in the affairs of mercy and charity, helping people find a strong spiritual support.”

Putin attended an Easter service conducted by the Russian Orthodox Church, which has strongly backed the Kremlin leader’s decision to invade Ukraine, on Sunday.

Putin, dressed in a dark suit, white shirt and dark purple tie, stood to one side in Moscow’s Christ the Saviour Cathedral, holding a lit red candle, live images of the midnight service showed. He also attended last year.

The Russian leader crossed himself several times during the ceremony, known as the Divine Liturgy. When Patriarch Kirill announced “Christ has risen”, Putin joined the other members of the congregation with the reply “Truly he is risen”. He otherwise did not speak.

Kirill’s statements backing Russia’s invasion, which Kyiv and Western nations condemn as an act of aggression, have splintered the worldwide Orthodox Church.

In January, Putin praised the church for supporting Moscow’s forces fighting in Ukraine in an Orthodox Christmas message designed to rally people behind his vision of modern Russia.

Polish ban on Ukrainian grain imports to apply to transit

Sunday 16 April 2023 12:28 , Tara Cobham

A Polish ban on imports of Ukrainian grain and other food will also apply to the transit of these products through the country, the development and technology minister said on Sunday.

Poland and Hungary said on Saturday that they had decided to ban imports from neighbouring Ukraine to protect the local agricultural sector after a flood of supply depressed prices across the region. The Polish ban came into effect on Saturday evening.

"The ban is full, including the ban on transit through Poland," Waldemar Buda wrote on Twitter, adding that talks would be held with the Ukrainian side to create a system that ensures goods only pass through Poland and do not end up on the local market.

Ukraine's ministry of agrarian policy and food said on Saturday that the Polish ban contradicted existing bilateral agreements on exports, and called for talks to settle the issue.

After Russia's invasion blocked some Black Sea ports, large quantities of Ukrainian grain, which is cheaper than that produced in the European Union, ended up staying in Central European states due to logistical bottlenecks, hitting prices and sales for local farmers.

The issue has created a political problem for Poland's ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party in an election year as it has angered people in rural areas where support for the party is usually high.

Wagner releases 100 Ukrainian prisoners of war for Easter

Sunday 16 April 2023 10:48 , Tara Cobham

Wagner, Russia’s most powerful mercenary group, sent at least 100 Ukrainian prisoners of war back to Ukrainian forces to mark Orthodox Easter, according to a video posted by the group's founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, on Sunday.

"Prepare all of them, feed and water them, check the wounded," Prigozhin was shown saying in a video posted on Telegram by his press service.

A group of Ukrainian prisoners was then shown being told that they would be passed back to Ukrainian forces to mark Orthodox Easter.

"I hope you don't fall back into our hands," an armed Wagner soldier was told telling the men before they were ordered into a truck, some loading packs of water bottles.

More than 100 men, some limping and some being carried on stretchers by their comrades, were shown making their way in line along a muddy road as a man standing on a tank held a white flag.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said 130 Ukrainian prisoners of war have been released and returned home in a "great Easter exchange". It was not clear how many Russians were sent back the other way.

Russia's Wagner Group has been gradually pushing out Ukrainian forces from Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine. Wagner now claims control of most of the city, though Ukraine has repeatedly disputed claims its forces have almost been pushed out.

Prigozhin was shown greeting refugees in the city, including a boy named Vladimir, before they were evacuated. The people appeared to be sleeping in a cramped underground cellar of some kind. Prigozhin handed out chocolate bars to the children.

YouTube ‘hosting videos glorifying and fundraising for Wagner'

Sunday 16 April 2023 08:42 , Tara Cobham

YouTube is hosting videos glamorising and raising funds for the Wagner Group, it has been reported, leading to claims the platform could have breached sanctions law.

Multiple propaganda clips feature on the video and social media platform glorifying the Russian private military company accused of war crimes, reported The Sunday Times. The videos also raise money for ammunition for the mercenaries, who have been accused of rape, torture and murder in Ukraine and elsewhere. The clips, which include rap songs, even encourage viewers to join the paramilitary organisation, which include tens of thousands of convicts from jails in Russia and Africa.

The group, which is leading the bloodiest battle of the war in Bakhmut, eastern Ukraine, has been sanctioned by many western governments, with the US designating it a “transnational criminal organisation” and the UK sanctioning its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin.

Experts said YouTube, which is owned by Google, could be breaching sanctions law. Jonathan Winer, a former deputy assistant US secretary of state for international law enforcement, told The Sunday Times: “Tech platforms like YouTube do not get a free pass in providing services to sanctioned entities like the Wagner Group.”

The algorithm of YouTube, which is owned by Google, also appears to be fuelling pro-Russian disinformation, evidenced by the platform directing viewers to more violent Wagner videos after the previous one ends.

The clips also seem to break the platform’s community guidelines, which ban “content praising or justifying violent acts carried out by violent extremist, criminal, or terrorist organisations”.

One recruitment promotional video is of dancing balaclava-clad mercenaries chanting the lyrics: “War is our element / Come on, Russia, get up / Come on Russia / Come on, Wagner play / It’s the breath of Armageddon / This is the birth of a new country / Russia, rise under the holy banners / Holy banners of holy war.”

A YouTube spokeswoman told The Sunday Times: “Content intended to praise, promote, or aid violent extremist or criminal organisations is not allowed on YouTube. Google is committed to compliance with US sanctions laws and enforces related policies unader its terms of service.”

‘Unprecedented bloody battles’ in Bakhmut, says Ukraine

Sunday 16 April 2023 07:27 , Tara Cobham

“Bloody battles unprecedented in recent decades” are taking place between Ukrainian and Russian armed forces in the eastern city of Bakhmut, but pro-Kyiv forces are still holding on, Ukraine’s military reported on Saturday.

Fighters of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group also captured two more areas of Bakhmut, Russia’s Defence Ministry said earlier on Saturday, but the report could not be independently confirmed.

Serhiy Cherevatyi, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s eastern military command, told the 1+1 television channel: “Bloody battles unprecedented in recent decades are taking place in the middle of the city’s urban area.

“Our soldiers are doing everything in bloody and fierce battles to grind down [the enemy’s] combat capability and break its morale. Every day, in every corner of this city, they are successfully doing so.”

As Russia launched a renewed assault in Bakhmut, Ukrainian troops had been forced to cede some territory there, the UK said in an intelligence update on Friday.

The extraordinarily bloody fighting comes as the death toll from a Russian attack on residential buildings in nearby Sloviansk rose to 11. Russian missiles hit residential buildings in the eastern Ukrainian on Friday, killing 11 people, wounding 21 and reducing parts of apartment blocks to a tangled mess of metal and concrete.

Russia should pay for damage caused in Ukraine, US treasury secretary says

Sunday 16 April 2023 06:40 , Vishwam Sankaran

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says Russia should pay for the damage caused in Ukraine during Moscow’s invasion.

Ms Yellen said talks are ongoing on the potential mechanisms to make that happen.

“That’s a responsibility that I think the global community expects Russia to bear. This is something we’re discussing with our partners, but there are legal constraints on what we can do with frozen Russian assets,” she said in an interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria.

Finland unveils first section of fence under construction along border with Russia

Sunday 16 April 2023 06:20 , Vishwam Sankaran

Finland has unveiled the first section of its barbed-wired fence under construction along its long border with Russia, mainly meant to curb illegal migration.

The Finnish Border Guard showcased the building of the initial 3km (1.8 mile) stretch of the fence on Friday less than two weeks after the Nordic country joined NATO as the 31st member of the military alliance.

The border’s construction was approved last year amid wide political support mainly to prevent illegal immigration from Russia.

In 2015-2016, as a show of its strength Moscow organise large numbers of asylum-seekers, mostly from Afghanistan, Iraq, and other Middle Eastern countries, to northern Finnish crossing points.

Putin signs bill allowing electronic conscription notices

Sunday 16 April 2023 06:00 , Eleanor Noyce

In case you missed it...

Russian President Putin has signed a bill allowing authorities to issue electronic notices to draftees and reservists amid the fighting in Ukraine. The bill signed into law by Putin was published Friday on the official register of government documents.

Russia’s military service rules previously required the in-person delivery of notices to conscripts and reservists who are called up for duty. Under the new law, the notices issued by local military conscription offices will continue to be sent by mail but they would be considered valid from the moment they are put on a state portal for electronic services.

In the past, many Russians avoided the draft by staying away from their address of record. The new law closes that loophole in an apparent effort to create a tool for quickly beefing up the military ahead of a widely anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive in the coming weeks.

Recipients who fail to show up for service would be prohibited from leaving Russia, would have their drivers’ licenses suspended and would be barred from selling their apartments and other assets.

Read more:

Putin signs bill allowing electronic conscription notices

Brazil's president says US should stop 'encouraging war'

Sunday 16 April 2023 05:40 , Vishwam Sankaran

After his China visit and meeting his counterpart in Beijing, Brazil’s president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said the US should stop “encouraging war” in Ukraine.

“The US needs to stop encouraging war and start talking about peace. The European Union needs to start talking about peace,” Mr Lula said, according to AFP.

With that, he said, the international community could “convince” the Russian and Ukrainian presidents that “peace is in the interest of the whole world.”

Zelensky discusses China over phone call with Macron

Sunday 16 April 2023 05:20 , Vishwam Sankaran

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said he had an “hour and a half” phone call yesterday with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, discussing the latter’s recent visit to China.

Mr Macron made a three-day visit to China earlier this month along with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hoping to talk the Chinese president out of supporting Russia in its invasion of Ukraine.

“The time is not for negotiations, even if we prepare them, we have to set milestones,” the French president said after his China visit.

Over the phone call, Mr Zelensky said he also discussed “the need for Ukraine to obtain effective security guarantees even before our country joins (NATO)” with Mr Macron.

From Putin’s health to spying on allies: Five key takeaways from leaked Pentagon documents

Sunday 16 April 2023 05:00 , Eleanor Noyce

Highly classified military documents shedding light on American intelligence gathered about other countries were released online this week, sending the Pentagon into full-speed damage control to assure allies and assess the scope of the leak.

On Thursday, armed FBI officers arrested a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard. Authorities raided the home of 21-year-old Jack Teixeira — who worked in cyber security for the Guard — and took him into custody.

The information has apparently highlighted potential vulnerabilities in Ukraine’s air defence capabilities and exposed private assessments by allies on an array of intelligence matters, raising questions about whether the leak will erode allies’ trust in sharing information with the US or affect Ukraine’s strategic combat plans.

My colleague Tara Cobham reports:

What was in the Pentagon leak?

Ukraine pushes back on Poland's food grain import ban

Sunday 16 April 2023 04:40 , Vishwam Sankaran

Following Poland’s move to temporarily ban grain and other food imports from Ukraine to soothe its own farmers, Ukrainian agriculture minister has said the decision violates an agreement reached earlier this month.

The Ukrainian minister Mykola Solskyi said during a briefing that he hopes the issue would be resolved in a week.

“We understand this tough competition, which resulted from the blockade of Ukrainian ports. But, it is obvious – for the whole world and for any person in this world – that the Ukrainian farmer is in the most difficult situation. And we ask the Polish side to take this into account,” Mr Solskyi said, according to local news.

“Considering our strong firm and ongoing cooperation with the Polish side...I hope that we will reach an agreement early next week,” he added.

Russia trained Belarusian pilots in nuclear weapons use

Sunday 16 April 2023 04:00 , Martha Mchardy

Belarusian air force crews have completed their training for using tactical nuclear weapons as part of Russia‘s plan to deploy the weapons to its ally Belarus amid the fighting in neighboring Ukraine, the Russian Defense Ministry said Friday.

The ministry released a video in which a Belarusian pilot said that the training course in Russia had given the crews of the Belarusian air force’s Su-25 ground attack jets the necessary skills for using the weapons.

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared last month that Moscow planned to put some of its tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. It was another attempt by the Kremlin leader to dangle the nuclear threat to discourage the West from supporting Ukraine.

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Russia trained Belarusian pilots in nuclear weapons use

Hungary temporarily bans food imports from Ukraine

Sunday 16 April 2023 03:38 , Vishwam Sankaran

Following Poland, Hungary has also banned the import of food grains and agricultural products from Ukraine to soothe its own farmers.

“The government is committed to representing the interests of the Hungarian farming community, which is why, in the absence of meaningful European Union measures, it is temporarily prohibiting the import of grain and oilseeds originating from or coming from Ukraine,” Hungarian Agriculture Minister Istvan Nagy said.

Since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, cheap Ukrainian grain has been flooding the market in Europe, helped by the EU waiving customs duties and import quotas to help keep Ukraine’s agricultural sector running.

The import restrictions are to last until 30 June, which the minister said should be enough time for the EU to introduce measures.

Poland prohibits food imports from Ukraine to soothe farmers

Sunday 16 April 2023 03:00 , Martha Mchardy

Poland’s government said Saturday that it has decided to temporarily prohibit grain and other food imports from Ukraine as it seeks to soothe the rising anger of Polish farmers, who say they are losing huge amounts of money to a glut of Ukrainian grain on the market.

Ruling party leader Jarosław Kaczyński said at a party convention in eastern Poland that the Polish countryside is facing a “moment of crisis,” and that while Poland supports Ukraine, it was forced to act to protect its farmers.

“Today, the government has decided on a regulation that prohibits the importation of grain, but also dozens of other types of food, to Poland,” Kaczyński said.

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Poland prohibits food imports from Ukraine to soothe farmers

Watch: Clean-up efforts underway after volcanic eruption buries Russian villages in ash - ICYMI

Sunday 16 April 2023 02:00 , Martha Mchardy

James Cleverly to discuss support for Ukraine at G7 ministers' meeting

Sunday 16 April 2023 01:30 , Eleanor Noyce

James Cleverly will use a trip to the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in Japan, and then to the Pacific Islands and New Zealand, to promote a “free and open” Indo-Pacific.

The Foreign Secretary and his counterparts from the Group of Seven of the world’s advanced economies begin their three-day gathering in Karuizawa on Sunday, ahead of the G7 leaders’ summit in Hiroshima in May.

Discussions are expected to focus on support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia‘s invasion, and closer security and defence ties in the face of China’s growing assertiveness in the Pacific.

Ahead of his travels, Mr Cleverly said: “With increasing competition in the region, it is more important than ever that we promote a free and open Indo-Pacific.

“It is critical to the UK, to our economy, our security and our values.

“Throughout my visit, I will build on commitments to our friends across the Pacific nations in their bid to promote peace and prosperity in the region.”

In pictures: Eleven killed in Russian rocket attack in eastern Ukraine - ICYMI

Sunday 16 April 2023 01:00 , Martha Mchardy

Putin signs bill allowing electronic conscription notices

Sunday 16 April 2023 00:00 , Martha Mchardy

Russian President Putin has signed a bill allowing authorities to issue electronic notices to draftees and reservists amid the fighting in Ukraine. The bill signed into law by Putin was published Friday on the official register of government documents.

Russia’s military service rules previously required the in-person delivery of notices to conscripts and reservists who are called up for duty. Under the new law, the notices issued by local military conscription offices will continue to be sent by mail but they would be considered valid from the moment they are put on a state portal for electronic services.

In the past, many Russians avoided the draft by staying away from their address of record. The new law closes that loophole in an apparent effort to create a tool for quickly beefing up the military ahead of a widely anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive in the coming weeks.

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Putin signs bill allowing electronic conscription notices

NATO member Finland breaks ground on Russia border fence

Saturday 15 April 2023 23:00 , Martha Mchardy

The construction of barbed-wired fence along Finland’s long border with Russia - primarily meant to curb illegal migration - has broken ground near the southeastern town of Imatra less than two weeks after the Nordic country joined NATO as the 31st member of the military alliance.

The Finnish Border Guard on Friday showcased the building of the initial three kilometer (1.8 mile) stretch of the fence to be erected in Pelkola near a crossing point off Imatra, a quiet lakeside town of some 25,000 people.

Finland’s 1,340 kilometer (832 mile) border with Russia is the longest of any European Union member.

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NATO member Finland breaks ground on Russia border fence

Spring call-up is running as planned, Russia confirms

Saturday 15 April 2023 22:45 , Eleanor Noyce

Russia’s regular spring military draft campaign is going ahead as scheduled, with no new plans to send out mass electronic notices under a system recently signed into law by President Vladimir Putin.

The announcement was made by Colonel Andrei Biryukov, an official in an armed forces department responsible for the draft. The statement appeared to be aimed at quelling speculation that Russia may quickly use the new system to launch another mass call-up for the war in Ukraine.

Russia is currently in the process of calling up 147,000 men aged 18 to 27 between 1 April and 15 July to perform compulsory military service as part of its longstanding twice-yearly conscription cycle.

Biryukov said the first conscripts would be dispatched to “permanent deployment points on the territory of the Russian Federation” from 20 April.

He emphasised that some people were still entitled to defer their military service, and said there would be no mass mailings of new electronic summonses to people of conscript age.

Ukrainian prime minister Denys Shmyhal discusses country’s future in Washington DC

Saturday 15 April 2023 02:30 , Sam Rkaina

Ukraine’s prime minister Denys Shmyhal made an address in Washington DC today (14 April), ahead of the country’s risky decision to launch a counteroffensive in the ongoing war with Russia.

The timing also closely aligns with a classified documents leak, sharing the plans for both Ukraine and Russia as the invasion moves forward.

Yesterday (13 April), Shmyhal welcomed the “continuous, ironclad and unprecedented support” of the United States, insisting that Ukraine had accounted for every dollar it had received in help.

The prime minister now plans to focus on Ukraine’s reconstruction, and restoring it to its pre-war state.

Energy, humanitarian demining, housing, critical and social infrastructure, and private sector development were all seated firmly at the top of his list of priorities.

Five people and 17 wounded in Russian missile strike on Sloviansk

Friday 14 April 2023 18:42 , Sam Rkaina

A Russian missile has struck the eastern Ukrainian city of Sloviansk, killing at least five people and wounding 17, officials said.

Ukraine’s National Police, in a post on Telegram, put the death toll at five after S-300 missiles damaged 10 apartment buildings and other sites.

A senior official in President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office, Daria Zarivna, said a child pulled alive from the site of the attack had died on the way to a hospital.

Donetsk Region Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said seven people were believed to have been trapped under rubble.

“The evil state once again demonstrates its essence,” Zelenskiy wrote in a separate post accompanied by footage of a damaged building. “Just killing people in broad daylight. Ruining, destroying all life.”

The police said the two top floors of a five-storey building had collapsed after the strike and a fire had broken out opposite the site.

Rescue teams were combing through the affected area. Sloviansk is one of two eastern cities coveted by Russian forces, currently bogged down in nearby Bakhmut, as they push ahead with their invasion of Ukraine.