DThe US government sees a new movement in the war with Russia given the military successes of Ukrainian troops. “I think what you’re seeing is definitely a shift, a momentum, in the armed forces of Ukraine, particularly in the north,” National Security Council communications director John Kirby said Tuesday in Washington. However, he prefers to leave to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky whether a breakthrough has actually been reached.
Asked by reporters if there was a turning point in the war, US President Joe Biden said it was difficult to say. According to journalists traveling with him, Biden emphasized that the Ukrainians have made significant progress during a visit to Wilmington, Delaware. But it will be a long way.
Referring to the latest development, Kirby said: “I don’t want to speak for the foreign military, but we’ve seen the Russians in the north vacate their defensive positions and retreat.” Russian troops left their fighting positions. Items left behind. “They’re calling it a transfer, but it’s clear they retreated in the face of Ukrainian forces.” At the same time, Kirby emphasized that Russia still has great military capabilities.
Regarding the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the South Caucasus, Kirby said it was difficult to talk about the motivation for the renewed conflict. Russia has traditionally been considered Armenia’s protecting power in the Caucasus. However, the Russian military’s forces have been largely drawn down due to the six-month-old war of aggression in Ukraine. So some leaders may think that Russia is busy elsewhere, Kirby said when asked if Azerbaijan is currently taking advantage of this. “But even here we have to be careful with speculation.”
10:04 am – Ukraine will be granted unfettered access to the EU internal market
The European Commission wants to give Ukraine unfettered access to the European single market. In her annual State of the Union address to the EU Parliament in Strasbourg, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that she would travel to Kyiv on Wednesday to discuss the details with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Import duties on Ukrainian exports to the EU have already been suspended. Ukraine should also be included in the European Roaming Zone.
9:36 am – Van der Leyen travels to Kiev today to meet Zelensky
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen plans to visit Kyiv today to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The head of the German Commission announced this in his State of the European Union speech in Strasbourg on Wednesday. Van der Leyen said he wanted to take the opportunity “to work with Ukraine to provide unhindered access to the single market – and vice versa.” She wanted to discuss this “in detail with President Selenskyi”.
9:01 am – Report: Russian government wants to announce fertilizer exports
According to a media report, in the wake of the global food crisis, the Russian government plans to increase the cost of exporting fertilizers through tariffs.
The export tax on fertilizers should generate 105 billion rubles (1.75 billion euros) of additional revenue for the Russian budget a year, the daily wrote. Commercial On Wednesday. Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin recently lamented that Western sanctions are hampering Russian fertilizer and food exports, fueling a hunger crisis in poor countries.
The proposal is explosive. Russia has pressed for the easing of sanctions against the sector, citing the global food crisis. In exchange for a grain deal that would lift the embargo on Ukrainian ports for food exports, Moscow negotiated an easing of sanctions on Russian fertilizer and food exports.
8:18 am – Great Britain – Russia is believed to be using Iranian drones
Russia has used Iranian-made drones for the first time, according to British intelligence. “Russia is certainly increasing its purchases of weapons from highly embargoed countries such as Iran and North Korea, while its own supplies are limited,” the intelligence agencies said in a daily report. Ukraine said it shot down one of the drones it described on Tuesday.
7:15 am – Ukrainian First Lady is the guest of honor
Olena Zelenska, wife of the Ukrainian president, will be the guest of honor at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday to hear the State of the Union address.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced Zelenska’s visit on Twitter on Tuesday evening: “The courage of the Ukrainian people touched and inspired the world.”
Russia’s war in Ukraine is likely to be one of the topics the commission’s president will comment on from 9 a.m. on Wednesday. In the EU’s annual speech, van der Leyen explains her political priorities to the European Parliament.
6:13 am – Saxony-Anhalt allows municipalities to place residency requirements on Ukrainians
In the future, the municipalities of Saxony-Anhalt will be able to impose residence requirements on war refugees from Ukraine under certain circumstances. This should increase planning security and better control movements within the country. Interior Minister Tamara Szeissang (CDU) issued the regulation.
The condition is meant to prevent Ukrainians from going to areas that have already taken many war refugees. It currently also applies to Halle and Magdeburg and Burgenland District, Jerichoover Land District, Salzland District and Stendal District.
Now those counties and urban districts may impose a residency requirement that has already taken in fewer war refugees than provided for in the statewide distribution key. A residence requirement is imposed when victims first obtain a residence permit. However, this does not apply to war refugees who already have a residence permit and wish to stay in their host community.
5:28 am: US Intelligence – Russia Secretly Funded Foreign Politicians $300 Million
According to US intelligence services, Russia has secretly supported political parties and candidates abroad with hundreds of millions of euros. At least $300 million has been transferred from Moscow to more than two dozen countries since 2014 to influence national politics, according to an intelligence report released Tuesday. A senior US government official told the AFP news agency that the amount mentioned was probably “the tip of the iceberg”.
A government representative said Russia probably “secretly transferred a large amount of money that was never traced.” The report did not contain any information on which countries Russia’s donations allegedly went to. Among other things, the Russian ambassador allegedly made several million dollars available to a presidential candidate in an unspecified Asian country.
A source familiar with the report’s findings also said Russia spent about half a million dollars to support Albania’s center-right Democratic Party in the 2017 election. Accordingly, funding was allegedly given to parties or candidates in Bosnia, Montenegro and Madagascar.
It’s the story of a German who leaves his life in Bavaria to fight for Ukraine. “Closer to It – The Report Podcast” Subscribe now at Spotify, The Apple Podcast, Teaser or directly RSS-Feed.
. “Amateur alcohol specialist. Reader. Hardcore introvert. Freelance explorer.”