Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj sees the tenth package of EU sanctions, which came into force on Saturday, as a major blow to aggressor Russia. “It is powerful, directed against the military industry and financial sector of the terrorist state and against the propagandists who have drowned Russian society in lies and are trying to spread their lies all over the world,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly video message. “She certainly won’t.” At the same time, he once again called for punitive measures against the Russian nuclear industry.
The current developments around the war in the live ticker:
The EU has this time sanctioned 87 individuals and 34 organizations that it says contributed in one way or another to Russia’s war against Ukraine. Among them is Alfa-Bank, which is considered Russia’s largest private financial institution. The sanctions list also included state secretaries, Russian government officials, those responsible for the deportation and forced adoption of Ukrainian children, and new members of the Council of the Russian Federation.
According to the Council of Member States, the EU has now placed 1,473 individuals and 205 organizations on its sanctions list for undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.
Among other sanctions regimes, the EU has now imposed sanctions on eleven other members and seven institutions linked to the Russian mercenary group Wagner.
According to the deputy head of Ukrainian military intelligence, Wadym Skibizkyj, he expects his army to launch a counter-offensive against the Russian occupiers this spring. “I think we are ready for a counter-offensive in the spring,” Skibizkyj told the newspapers of the Funke media group. However, the exact time depends on several factors, such as the supply of Western weapons, which are very important for the attacked country.
Skibizkyj stressed that Ukraine’s goal is the liberation of its entire territory, including the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014. “We will not stop until we get our country back to its 1991 borders. That is our message to Russia and to the international community.”
The secret service agent also did not rule out attacks on arms depots in Russian border areas: “It is possible that we will also destroy arms depots or military equipment on Russian territory, for example around the city of Belgorod. Attacks on Ukraine will be launched from there. That is a threat to Kharkiv.”
French President Macron plans to travel to China in early April to try to end the war in Ukraine. The head of state announced this on Saturday in the margins of his visit to the International Agricultural Exhibition (Salon de l’Agriculture) in Paris, according to a video from the news channel BFMTV. Macron said he wanted to convince the Chinese government to help stop Russian aggression and bring about peace.
China has not condemned the Russian attack on Ukraine to this day – this has long caused resentment among Ukraine’s Western allies, as happened now at the meeting of the finance ministers of the G20 countries. He also deeply regrets that China’s attitude has changed, Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner said on Saturday after meeting his colleagues from India’s leading industrialized and emerging countries in Bengaluru.
On the first anniversary of the Russian invasion on Friday, China presented a position paper calling, among other things, for a ceasefire and negotiations. Western politicians and pundits reacted skeptically to disappointment, as the 12-point document did not indicate any new initiative, nor does it provide for the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine. Due to the dispute over the Russian offensive war, the G20 could not agree on a joint final statement.
In addition to many other effects, the war also has profound consequences for the energy sector. According to the Polish oil company Orlen, Russia has now stopped deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline. People were prepared for this step, CEO Daniel Obajtek wrote on Twitter. “Only 10 percent of the crude oil still came from Russia and we will replace it with oil from other supplier countries. This is the result of the diversification we have implemented in recent years.”
The company also announced that it can supply its refinery entirely by sea. The suspension of deliveries will therefore not affect the supply of petrol, diesel or other products of the company to Polish customers.
A destroyed Russian tank was erected as a sign of protest on the anniversary of the start of the war in Ukraine, and not just in Germany. A T-72 wreckage was also presented as a memorial on Freedom Square in Estonia’s capital, Tallinn. “This tank is a symbol of Russia’s ruthless invasion,” Estonia’s defense ministry said. The wreckage had been transported from Ukraine to the EU and NATO country. (sda/dpa)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
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