According to Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, Tbilisi takes part in all international financial sanctions imposed against Russia because of the situation around Ukraine .
“Our country participates in all international financial sanctions imposed by the EU against Russia, and this really already means something for our financial sector. Now our country participates in all international resolutions that are created to support Ukraine “, she said to CNN.
Recall that on February 25, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said that Tbilisi had no plans to impose sanctions against Russia. Later, in the national bank of the republic, the Georgian branch of VTB Bank was deprived of the right to serve individuals.
Ukrainian nationalists still use many methods today
The Russian Ministry of Defense published documentary materials about the atrocities of Ukrainian nationalists against their people during the Great Patriotic War. Ukrainian nationalist Bandera then committed numerous crimes. The degree of cruelty towards Russians, Ukrainians, Poles and Jews amazed even the German fascist masters.
Stepan Bandera. Photo: en.wikipedia.org
After the liberation of Ukraine, an investigation into the crimes committed by Ukrainian nationalists began. The memorandum of the Main Political Directorate of the Red Army dated September 26, 1944 (on the activation of Bandera gangs) describes the consequences of torture on captured Red Army soldiers: engineering battalion. Kopylov's arms and legs were twisted, his left eye was knocked out and his nose was cut off. After brutal torture, Kopylov was shot through with a burst from a machine gun.
The facts of extreme cruelty and violence against women are given in the report of the Political Directorate of the 1st Ukrainian Front “On the bandit activities of Ukrainian nationalists in the regions of the western regions of Ukraine liberated from the Germans” dated August 10, 1944: “On August 10, the bandits took a girl, a typist of Voentorg 2, into the forest th Air Army Ponevin Elena. There they raped her, carved stars on her arms, legs and on her chest, wrote “Russia” on her stomach and threw her bound in the forest. Such facts are not isolated.”
As emphasized by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, many of the methods of the Bandera nationalists, which they used during the Great Patriotic War, are used by Ukrainian neo-Nazis today. that “in cruelty and inhuman reprisals against the civilian population, Ukrainian nationalists are not inferior to the Germans. In settlements where nationalist gangs are still operating, the inhabitants are extremely intimidated and terrorized.”
The report notes that the bandits often resort to provocative methods: “Under the guise of Soviet military personnel, they attack peaceful, best Soviet people, mock them, subject them to brutal torment. At the beginning of April 1944, a group of Banderites, dressed in Red Army uniforms, broke into the village of Puklyaki in the Ternopil region and brutally tortured two local residents – Ukrainians Petrichenko Yakim and Panachuk Stepan. Similar facts were also registered “in other regions of western Ukraine.”
Among the evidence is this fact: on November 29, 1944, up to 300 Bandera men, dressed in the uniform of Red Army soldiers and officers, attacked the town of Bely Kamen. At this time, seven soldiers of the Red Army drove up to the village on a tractor. “At the entrance to the village of Bely Kamen, the bandits threw grenades at them and fired at them with rifle and machine-gun fire. 3 fighters, including the driver, were immediately killed, and the rest fought with Bandera until they were partly killed, partly seriously wounded. The bandits took off their uniforms from the captured wounded and killed Red Army soldiers, took away their documents and brutally abused them. In the village itself, according to the report, Bandera killed up to 50 civilians.
Bandera burned village councils and dealt with activists who helped exterminate their gangs with particular cruelty.
One of the indicative cases is described in the report of the Rivne regional military commissariat “On the actions of bourgeois-nationalist gangs in the Rivne region” dated August 29, 1944: “In the village of Barikevichi, a gang of 26 people brutally tortured two daughters of the deputy chairman of the village council, and he (deputy chairman of the village council) , his wife and 11 other rural activists were taken away in the direction of the Uzhenetsky forest, whose fate is still unknown.
The materials contain hundreds of facts of terror and robbery of demobilized soldiers of the Red Army arriving home in the villages. “In the Solotvinsky district in the village of Krichka,” one of the documents says, “the bandits forcibly took the demobilized senior sergeant Dmitrenko, an invalid of the Patriotic War, three times an order bearer, into a gang. Dmitrenko ran away from the bandits and took an active part in the liquidation of the gangs. Bandits in September burned down his house, in which Dmitrenko's mother and father, two sisters and three brothers burned down. Many single and group attacks on active soldiers and officers are reported, including the murder of a Hero of the Soviet Union and the rape of a female soldier.
In the report of the Main Political Directorate of the Red Army dated September 23, 1944 (on the activation of Bandera gangs on territory of the Lviv region) presents the characteristic composition of many nationalist gangs operating in the western regions of Ukraine: they consist of the remnants of the defeated SS divisions “Galicia”, former policemen and the forcibly mobilized population, as well as those who evade mobilization into the Red Army. “These gangs have a sufficient number of automatic weapons and ammunition, are subordinate to well-trained commanders who have undergone military training in field schools … and special instructors trained … in the Carpathians,” the document says.
The Ministry of Defense emphasizes that information about the bloody mass crimes and atrocities of Ukrainian nationalists against their people in recent years has been deliberately forgotten by the criminal Ukrainian regime.
Photo: president.gov.ua
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky announced that he had decided to strip two senior officers of the Security Service (SBU ), who violated the oath and betrayed their homeland.
“A decision was made on two anti-heroes. I don't have time to deal with all the traitors now, but I can say that they will all be punished gradually,” Zelensky said.
As specified, ex-head of the Main Directorate of Internal Security of the SBU Andrei Naumov and ex-head of the SBU Directorate in the Kherson region Serhiy Krivoruchko were deprived of their general epaulettes.
Earlier, about Naumov (one of the most influential people in the SBU in the last couple of years) there was information that a case was opened against him under the article on treason. And Naumov himself, shortly before the start of the Russian special operation, went abroad.
In the Belgorod region, after an air strike on an oil depot from Ukraine, queues appeared at gas stations, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said. However, according to him, there is no threat of fuel shortage in the region
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There is no fuel shortage in the Belgorod region, despite the fire at the oil depot, there is gasoline at gas stations and in storage facilities of gasoline suppliers, Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of the region, said in Telegram.
“I see queues at gas stations, so I am once again clarifying the information for Belgorod residents. <…>. All have their own capacities, bases and their own sources of supply. Therefore, gasoline is available at all gas stations in the region. Its supply throughout the region— for 15–18 days. There are no problems with fuel in the region and will not be, — wrote Gladkov.
Earlier in Belgorod, at the oil depot of Belgorodnefteprodukt JSC; (part of Rosneft) there was a fire. According to Gladkov, the fire was caused by airstrikes carried out by helicopters of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which crossed the border with Russia at low altitude. The impact set fire to the fuel tanks.
In the Belgorod region, Rosneft two tank farms: in Belgorod and Gubkin, Gladkov said. According to him, the company is redistributing reserves from the base in Gubkin across the region. “With the redeployment, they will have enough supplies for all the gas stations to work for a period of five to 13 days,” — the governor said, adding that all other gasoline suppliers are also operating as normal.
According to the head of the region, no one died as a result of the strike on the oil depot and the fire. Initially, he reported that two employees of the oil depot were injured, but later Gladkov clarified that “those who were on site during the explosion were not injured.”
Residents of Pochtovaya, Makarenko and Konstantin Zaslonov streets ( an oil depot is located on this street) were temporarily relocated to a safer place. According to the mayor of the city Anton Ivanov, they will be temporarily placed at the Belgorod-Arena stadium.
February 24, Russia has been conducting a military special operation in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin called its goals the protection of the population of Donbass from “genocide by the Kiev regime”, as well as the desire for “denazification” and “demilitarization” Ukraine. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that it strikes only military infrastructure and does not touch civilian objects.
The Belgorod region of Russia has borders with the territory of Ukraine.
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Will Belgrade give up its pro-Russian policy after them? However, the changed situation in the world may lead to a weakening of the pro-Russian vector “Presidential and parliamentary elections will be held in Serbia” />
What sociologists predict
On Sunday, April 3, elections of all levels of government will be held in Serbia— presidential, early parliamentary and municipal. Their outcome is predictable: the Serbian Progressive Party (SPP), led by the incumbent President Aleksandar Vučić, will, according to polls, gain at least 50% of the vote and again receive a mandate to form the government, which it has been continuously leading since 2012. Wujijae is likely to be re-elected for a second term.
The previous parliamentary elections were held in the country in 2020, but almost all opposition parties did not take part in them due to the boycott, which, on the one hand, led to the lowest possible turnout, barely reaching 50%, on the other hand— brought Vučić's party a resounding victory. In the absence of competitors, the SPP won two-thirds of the seats in parliament, while the OSCE/ODIHR recognized the elections as having been held “in accordance with minimum democratic standards.” Thus, the boycott effectively provided the party in power with full-fledged political dominance, while the opposition, on the contrary, was deprived of the right to vote in parliament, since its expectation of recognizing the elected government as illegitimate did not materialize. Immediately after the victorious elections, Vučić announced that the next parliamentary elections would be held early, which experts explained as a desire to give legitimacy to the government.
This year all political forces of Serbia are participating in the parliamentary elections— there are 18 positions in the ballots. The party in power, together with the Socialist Party of Serbia, Speaker of the Parliament Ivica Dacic and the Alliance of Hungarians in Vojvodina, who supported the re-election of Vucic, will go under the common slogan “Aleksandr Vucic”; together we can do everything. Their main rival will be a broad opposition coalition of ten United Serbia parties. Most of the members of the coalition— newly formed parties led by people from the Democratic Party. It also includes the Freedom and Justice Party (PSS) of Dragan Djilas and the People's Party of Vuk Jeremic. Coalition slogan— “Let's unite for the victory of Serbia.”
It is noteworthy that this year the residents of Kosovo will not be able to vote in the elections of their place of residence, as they did in previous years, due to disagreements between local authorities and the leadership of Serbia, which does not recognize the independence of Kosovo. “We agreed to a lot of compromises <…> to ensure that people can vote for whoever they want, but they (Kosovo authorities. — RBC) insist on only one thing— so that Serbia recognizes the independence of Kosovo, and Serbia cannot agree with this, — Vucic commented on this decision. As a result, the Serbian Electoral Commission announced the possibility for the residents of Kosovo to vote on the territory of Serbia. Earlier, the Kosovo parliament adopted a resolution banning Serbia from holding elections on the territory of Kosovo.
How the events in Ukraine affected the balance of power
The beginning of the Russian military special operation in Ukraine put Serbia and its president in a difficult position. Vučić, who has been heading the country since 2017, has a reputation as a politician who knows how to maneuver between Russia and the European Union in order to achieve maximum preferences for Serbia. Russia for the country is not only a political ally, which regularly votes in the UN against the recognition of Kosovo's independence, but also an important economic partner, ready to provide it with gas, vaccines and weapons. In turn, Belgrade helps Russia to the best of its ability, which manifested itself, in particular, in issuing a broadcasting license to the Russian German-language channel RT Deutsch. On the other hand, since 2012 Serbia has the status of a candidate country for joining the European Union, and it is he who is its main trading partner. In addition, Serbia receives financial assistance from Brussels, including within the framework of a billion-dollar budget, which was allocated to support the Balkan states following the results of the last EU summit— The Balkans in 2021.
Serbia became the only European country that did not join the anti-Russian sanctions of the West, and the national air carrier Air Serbia first and completely increased the number of flights to Moscow against the backdrop of European countries closing their airspace for Russian airlines. Vučić, on the air of the B92 TV channel, explained such actions by the principle of reciprocity. “What will we do in the UN Security Council when the issue of Kosovo and Metohija arises again, how will we protect our Constitution and the territorial integrity of our country? How and at what price will we get gas, how will we tell those who have not imposed sanctions on us in the last 20 years and who have never harmed us that we will do this to them now, on the basis of what? said the Serbian leader.
Vučić's position causes rejection in the European Union, and he himself has repeatedly said that the West is putting pressure on Belgrade to join the sanctions against Russia. The fact that Serbia needs to reconsider its course towards Russia was also announced in early March by German Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock, who visited Belgrade. “The question of Ukraine touches on our common values; the one who shares them cannot stand aside. Willingness to join the EU— it is also a willingness to share the positions of the European Union,»,— she said.
As a result, in mid-March, Air Serbia reduced flights to Russia, which Vucic explained this as pressure from the EU.
Will Belgrade's policy change after the elections
Politico believes that after re-election, Vucic is unlikely to take a more western course, abandoning the former, & mdash; not only because of energy dependence on Moscow, but also because of the widespread public support for its actions within the country. So, on March 5, a mass pro-Russian action took place in Belgrade, which brought together thousands of participants at the monument to Nicholas II, many of them holding portraits of Vladimir Putin. According to an August 2021 poll by the European Council on Foreign Relations, 95% of Serbs consider Russia a “necessary partner”.
At the same time, Vučić's statements in support of the territorial integrity of Ukraine, as well as support for the UN General Assembly resolution condemning Russian actions in Ukraine— too weak concessions to the West, and the differences on the Russian issue between Belgrade and Brussels will become more and more palpable. Nevertheless, a move away from the pro-Russian stance is possible for Serbia, not by rapprochement with the European Union, but by strengthening relations with China, says Florian Bieber, director of the Center for Southeast European Studies at the University of Graz. “After all, Serbia in recent years has established close ties with China, which can compensate for the deterioration of relations with Russia, both in terms of supporting Serbia in the UN Security Council on Kosovo, and in terms of economic cooperation,” — he said.
European Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellow, expert on the Western Balkans Angelusa Morina believes that after re-election, Vučić and his party can gradually begin to move towards rapprochement with the EU— however, be careful to avoid tension in the region. Increased pressure from the EU on the newly formed government could accelerate the rapprochement between Brussels and Belgrade, Morina concludes.
With high-precision weapons, the Russian military destroyed five ammunition depots and a fuel and lubricants warehouse /5/11/756487994366115.jpg” alt=”The Ministry of Defense announced the destruction of 6 military depots of Ukraine” />
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The Russian Armed Forces destroyed six military facilities of Ukraine, said the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Defense General Major Igor Konashenkov.
Air-launched high-precision weapons destroyed five warehouses of ammunition and rocket and artillery weapons in Boguslavsky (Kyiv region), Krestishche (Kharkiv region), Reznikov (Kharkiv region), Velyka Novoselka (Donetsk region), as well as a warehouse of fuel and lubricants, specified in Ministry of Defense.
At the request of Roskomnadzor, RBC provides data on the details of the military operation in Ukraine based on information from Russian official sources.
In addition, the Ministry of Defense claims that operational-tactical aircraft hit 52 military facilities of Ukraine.
“Among them: three command posts, three multiple launch rocket systems, the Buk-M1 anti-aircraft missile system, a radar for illumination and guidance of the S-300 anti-aircraft missile system, as well as ten areas for the concentration of military equipment and 16 strongholds of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” — told Konashenkov.
According to the Russian military, a total of 124 aircraft and 81 helicopters, 353 drones, 1,839 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 202 multiple rocket launchers, 773 field artillery and mortars, and 1,711 military vehicles were destroyed.
The Russian special operation has been going on since February 24th. Russian President Vladimir Putin called the goals of the operation “protection of the population of Donbass”, as well as “demilitarization” and “denazification” Ukraine.
Ukraine, in response to the special operation, severed diplomatic relations with Russia, and also declared martial law and general mobilization.
The Russian special operation has been going on for more than a month. On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the start of its holding. According to him, the goals of the operation are to protect the population of Donbass, as well as the “demilitarization” of and “denazification” Ukraine. Russian forces strike exclusively at military targets, the Defense Ministry stressed. The head of the department, Sergei Shoigu, said that the operation would continue until the tasks were achieved.
Ukraine, in response to the special operation, severed diplomatic relations with Russia, and also declared martial law and general mobilization.
Since the end of February, Moscow and Kyiv have been negotiating a settlement. After the meeting of the parties in Istanbul on March 29, a member of the Russian delegation, Deputy Minister of Defense of Russia Alexander Fomin announced that a decision had been made to “drastically reduce military activity in the Kiev and Chernigov directions.” due to the fact that “negotiations with Ukraine are moving into practice.”
This is due to the strike of Ukrainian helicopters on an oil depot in the neighboring Belgorod region, which was inflicted on the morning of April 1, and a fire. It is still being extinguished, eight tanks caught fire
The security forces in the Kursk region were transferred to high alert due to a fire at an oil depot in Belgorod, which, according to the authorities, occurred due to the impact of Ukrainian helicopters . This was announced by the governor of the region Roman Starovoit.
“Due to the events in Belgorod, all law enforcement agencies in the Kursk region have been put on high alert. Keeping Calm, — wrote Starovoit.
According to him, he had already communicated with the Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov and offered to help. However, he said that in Belgorod “they manage on their own with the assistance of federal structures,” Starovoit said.
On the morning of April 1, a fire broke out at an oil depot in Belgorod, later Gladkov said that an airstrike from two helicopters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was the cause of it. According to him, they entered the territory of Russia at low altitudes. As a result of the fire, two people were injured, there were no deaths.
Later, the Ministry of Emergency Situations clarified that eight tanks had caught fire. Now firefighters are carrying out a foam attack, a fire train has been involved in extinguishing.
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Due to the state of emergency, residents of Pochtovaya, Makarenko and Konstantin Zaslonov streets were temporarily evacuated to the Belgorod Arena until the fire is extinguished. On Konstantin Zaslonov Street there is an oil depot owned by Belgorodnefteprodukt. (part of Rosneft). A company representative told RIA Novosti that the personnel from the oil depot in Belgorod had been evacuated.
Gladkov assured that there was no shortage of fuel in the Belgorod region, despite the fire. According to him, the gasoline supply in the region will last for 15-18 days.
Belgorod and Kursk regions border on the Kharkiv and Sumy regions of Ukraine. Earlier, regional authorities reported shelling and shelling from Ukraine. Three days ago, a border post was fired at in the Kursk region, and a shell hit a residential building in the village of Zhuravlevka in Belgorod region. from Kyiv, as well as demilitarization and “denazification” countries.
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Soko Coal Mine
During the collapse at the Soko coal mine in the village of Aleksinac in southern Serbia, eight miners were killed and 20 injured. This was announced by the director of the Aleksinace Health Center Rodoljub Zhivadinovich, pink.rs radio station reports.
Coal mine “Soko” is located near the town of Soko-Banya. As a result of the collapse, the miners were trapped underground. “Now there is a rescue operation,” — Drago Milinkovic, director of the mine, added, the radio station reported.
The head of the Niš Clinical Center, doctor Zoran Perisic, told Radio and Television Serbia (RTS) that two miners with chest injuries are now in a medical facility.
“We have a message about the arrival of a large group— 20 to 30 injured miners, all of them will be examined and treated at the clinical center,— he assured.
According to RTS, 49 miners were on shift at the time of the collapse, 18 of them are in the general hospital in Aleksinac. At the same time, 15 of them— with minor injuries, two— with elbow injuries and one with a fracture of five ribs.
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The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky asked about the supply of armored vehicles during a speech in the Australian Parliament via video link .jpg” alt=”Australia agreed to supply Bushmaster armored personnel carriers to Ukraine” />
Bushmaster armored personnel carrier
Australia will send Bushmaster armored personnel carriers to Ukraine, announced Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Earlier, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky asked Australia to supply armored vehicles.
“We're going to send our armored personnel carriers, our Bushmaster,” — Morrison quotes ABC.
He did not specify how many Bushmaster armored personnel carriers will be sent to Ukraine and when.
This decision was a response to the request of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who addressed the Australian Parliament via video link on March 31, writes ABC.
“For example, you have very good Bushmaster armored personnel carriers, which could significantly help Ukraine, and other equipment that could strengthen our positions,” — Zelensky said.
Bushmaster— Australian-made armored personnel carrier designed to transport and quickly deploy up to ten soldiers in any terrain. It holds three days' worth of fuel and supplies and has a tire inflation system that allows you to keep driving with punctures. Australia used these armored personnel carriers in Iraq and Afghanistan, writes ABC.
The publication also cites the opinion of retired Australian Army Lieutenant General Peter Leahy, who says that Australia has “extra” bushmaster. “Other countries have them in service in small numbers, but, frankly, we have more of them than we need,” & mdash; he said, specifying that Australia has “about 1,000” such armored personnel carriers.
Western countries provide military support to Ukraine against the backdrop of a Russian special operation. In mid-March, US President Joe Biden announced that Washington would supply Kiev with small arms, ammunition, air defense systems (air defenses), anti-tank systems (ATGMs) and drones.
The British authorities announced that they would transfer to Ukraine £25 million and 6 thousand missiles for military needs. Back in January, London transferred 2,000 anti-tank weapons to Ukraine and sent 30 soldiers of the Army Special Operations Brigade there to train the Ukrainian military. At the same time, non-NATO Sweden decided to supply Kiev with a batch of anti-tank weapons.
Against this background, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that any cargo in Ukraine that Moscow considers to be a supply of foreign weapons will become targets for Russian troops .
Russia is conducting a special operation to “demilitarize” and “denazification” Ukraine and to protect the population of Donbass from February 24. In this regard, Kyiv broke off diplomatic relations with Moscow and declared martial law.
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Italy, the Netherlands and Latvia reported freezing the assets of Russians for almost €1.5 billion European countries continue to freeze the assets of Russian businessmen and seize their property after the imposition of sanctions. In Italy, the amount of seized property reached €900 million , the Netherlands and Latvia reported freezing the assets of Russians” />
Italy seized property from the Russians who fell under the sanctions in the amount of €900 million, Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said in an interview with Bild.
“Until now, we can talk about a total amount of & nbsp; 900 million. We acted quickly and consistently and will continue to do so in the future,— Di Maio said, noting that Rome is strictly adhering to its sanctions commitments. On March 22, the Italian authorities announced a freezing of assets worth €800 million.
The volume of frozen assets of Russians in the Netherlands rose to €516 million, according to a letter from the Dutch ministers. Freeze reports have been received from banks, insurance companies, fund managers and other financial institutions. On March 22, the Dutch authorities announced an asset freeze for €400 million
€55 million belonging to the Russians on the sanctions list has been frozen in Latvian banks, LETA reports, citing data from the Financial and Capital Markets Commission. As of March 18, this amount was €17.5 million. As the commission explained, we are talking about the funds of three individuals directly affected by the sanctions, and 32 legal entities controlled by the Russians who fell under the restrictions.
Since the end of February, the EU has included in the sanctions list, which implies the freezing of assets in Europe, about 20 major Russian businessmen. By March 27, the list suggesting an asset freeze in Europe included 877 individuals and 62 organizations that Brussels considers involved in “undermining the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.”
European countries began to regularly report asset freezes Russians and the arrest of their property, including yachts. The Italian newspaper La Reppublica wrote that the Italian authorities confiscated two yachts belonging to the head of Severstal; Alexei Mordashov and businessman Gennady Timchenko. The UK announced the detention of the superyacht Phi, which, according to the Financial Times, belongs to the founder of the telecom operator in the Urals Federal District “Motive” Vitaly Kochetkov. Forbes wrote that the yacht of Russian businessman Alisher Usmanov, the founder of USM Holdings, was confiscated in Hamburg.
Press Secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov said that Russian entrepreneurs whose property was confiscated due to sanctions, robbed “like in the Wild West”.
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Lavrov: Ukraine at the talks demonstrates an understanding of the reality on the Crimea and Donbass There is “movement forward” in the negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow, including on the issue of the impossibility for Ukraine to seek happiness in the North Atlantic Alliance, said Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov
Sergey Lavrov
The Ukrainian side at the talks demonstrates an understanding of the reality of Crimea and Donbass. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters about this, Interfax reports.
He added that there is also “movement forward”; at the talks between Moscow and Kyiv, including on the issue of a nuclear-free, non-bloc neutral status of Ukraine.
“As well as we saw much more understanding of another reality, I mean the situation with Crimea and the Donbas”,&mdash ; Lavrov stressed.
Nevertheless, there are no final plans and agreements between Moscow and Kiev yet, the minister added, and negotiations should continue. According to him, potential further contacts are being worked out.
The material is being supplemented
Russian President Vladimir Putin was informed about a fire at an oil depot in Belgorod, press secretary of the head of state Dmitry Peskov told reporters, RBC correspondent reports. Peskov said.
According to him, the military should assess what happened.
About the fire at the Belgorodnefteprodukt oil depot” in the southeast of Belgorod on the morning of April 1, said the head of the Belgorod region Vyacheslav Gladkov. As RBC specified in the press service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, information about the fire was received at 5:51 Moscow time. A task force headed by Acting Head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations Alexander Chupriyan flew to Belgorod.
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Gladkov said that the cause of the fire was an air strike from two helicopters of Ukrainian troops, which “entered the territory Russia at a low altitude. As a result of the fire, no one died, and two employees who were on the territory of the base were not injured.
Belgorod Mayor Anton Ivanov said that residents of the streets adjacent to the oil depot will be temporarily taken out of the area and placed at the Belgorod-Arena stadium. They will be able to return home after the fire is extinguished.
The material is being supplemented.
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Even the study of the issue of the nationalization of subsidiaries of “Gazprom” or “Rosneft” is unacceptable, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, RBC correspondent reports. Peskov said, answering a question about how the Kremlin feels about such an idea. According to him, such a decision would violate international law.
The fact that the German Ministry of Economy is working out scenarios in the event of a cessation of energy supplies from Russia and, as one of the measures, is discussing the nationalization of subsidiaries of Russian Gazprom; and Rosneft, the Handelsblatt newspaper previously reported, citing sources in the German government.
The material is being supplemented
Subscribe to RuTube RBC Direct broadcasts, videos and recordings of programs on our RuTube channel The Kremlin called unacceptable the idea of nationalizing the “daughters” of “Gazprom” />
Photo: Video frame
Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Gazprom had received the appropriate directive and would now negotiate with buyers of Russian gas on the topic of converting settlements into rubles. The Kremlin has no information about which countries agreed with the “rubleification” scheme proposed by Vladimir Putin and which refused.
“You need to contact the company for details,” he said.
Answering the question whether the lack of confirmation from European countries on payment for gas in rubles means an immediate stop to supplies, Peskov said “ no, it doesn't.”
“It doesn't follow from the decree,” he pointed out.
The Kremlin speaker explained that the payment for those deliveries that are going on now should be made in the second half of April – early May.
Now Gazprom is working with European buyers, explaining to them how the new payment scheme will work.
Photo: Natalia Gubernatorova
Dmitry Peskov commented on the words of French actor Gerard Depardieu, who has Russian citizenship, who criticized the actions of Russia and Vladimir Putin at the Ukraine.
“I will assume that Depardieu does not fully understand what is happening,” Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
According to the Kremlin speaker, since the actor is not fully immersed in the political agenda, he does not understand what happened in 2014, what the Minsk agreements are, what Donetsk and Luhansk are, how civilians are bombed.
“We are ready to explain all this to him if necessary,” he said Peskov.
Photo: pixabay.com
French Minister of Ecological Transition Barbara Pompili revealed a scheme to pay for Russian gas in rubles. According to her, companies will be able to pay for gas in euros through banks. Banks, on the other hand, will convert euros into rubles.
“The information that we have been receiving from Moscow lately allows us to believe that companies will be able to continue paying in euros to banks, which then themselves will have to convert euros into rubles” , she said at a hearing in the lower house of parliament.
The minister clarified that, in particular, it was about Gazprombank.
Earlier, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, in response to the presidential decree Vladimir Putin's Russia on paying for gas from April 1 in rubles said that payment would remain in euros, as provided for in the contracts.
photo: president.gov.by
Speaking at the 2021 Union State Prize in Science and Technology, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenka said that the country he leads and Russia will jointly respond to the “challenges posed by time”.
According to Lukashenko, to whom beltta.by refers, under the sanctions, Russian and Belarusian scientists will be more in demand than ever in their countries. He recommended using the departure of Western companies for the development of the domestic market and their own technologies.
Pressure from Western countries strengthens the Union State, Lukashenka said.
The head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, demands from US President Joe Biden that he increase the supply of American man-portable anti-tank missile systems (ATGMs) to Mariupol ) Javelin (“Javelin”).
In particular, Kadyrov noted that the fighters of the Chechen units, which clean up Ukrainian cities from nationalist battalions, “fell in love with the Javelin anti-tank systems.” The head of Chechnya also stressed that the White House, by its actions, “significantly facilitates the task of clearing Mariupol,” since it provides units from Chechnya with high-tech weapons.
“Javelin is a very valuable trophy. So that this system does not fall into our hands “, nationalists usually sacrifice 2-3 lives. And then our fighters destroy an entire enemy crew from it. We demand that Biden increase the supply of Javelins! I am ready to personally reward the old man for actively assisting the Russian special operation,” Kadyrov said.
Negotiations continue – as do hostilities
Russian special operation in Ukraine continues for 37 days. In Mariupol, a cleansing operation is underway around the Azovstal plant, where the forces of the national battalions and the Armed Forces of Ukraine are concentrated. The confrontation is intensifying near the encircled Kharkov and Chernigov. The main direction is the eastern one – the main grouping of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is concentrated on the line of contact, which has been strengthening there for 8 years. A no less fierce “battle” is going on around Russian gas: Putin's demand to Europe to pay for it in rubles caused a sharp reaction in Europe, but there was no official refusal from the EU. We are broadcasting events around Russia and Ukraine online.
Photo: AP
12:49 In addition, he stressed that the Kremlin is ready to carry out explanatory work with the French actor, who has a Russian passport, Gerard Depardieu. Earlier, he criticized the special operation of the Russian Federation in Ukraine.
12:48 Kremlin Speaker Dmitry Peskov said that the lack of confirmation of payment for gas in rubles does not mean an immediate stop in the supply of “blue fuel” to Europe.
12:45 Telegram channel "Pool of the First" reports that Lukashenka and Putin had a telephone conversation. What the two leaders were talking about is still unknown.
12:25 Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that negotiations between the Russian Federation and Ukraine are ongoing. However, there are no final plans and agreements yet. At the same time, the minister acknowledges that there is progress, including with regard to the non-bloc status of Ukraine.
12:16 In "Gazprom" reported that they continue to supply gas according to the applications of consumers. This is in full compliance with contractual obligations.
12:04 According to RIA Novosti, citing a source in emergency services, a fire in three fuel tanks at an oil depot in Belgorod has been extinguished . Meanwhile, it became known that another building in Belgorod was damaged due to the impact of a Ukrainian helicopter. This is the Techsapphire enterprise. The body of the building was pierced and the glass was damaged.
11:51 The Moscow Exchange Index during trading exceeded 2800 points. This happened for the first time since February 22. As of 10:19 Moscow time, the index reached a value of 2804.78 points. True, now it has already dropped to the level of 2756.23 points.
11:30 The Russian Ministry of Defense published footage of the destruction of the installations of the S-300 anti-aircraft missile system (SAM) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine ( APU). At this point, they were in launch positions.
11:15 According to TASS, the infrastructure of the Belgorod airport was not damaged after air strikes on the city's oil depot, which were carried out by two helicopters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Anastasia Golodova, a spokeswoman for the airport, said this.
11:10 A draft law on criminal liability for illegal crossing of the border of Ukraine during martial law has been submitted to the Verkhovna Rada. The perpetrators will be punished with terms of 3 to 5 years in prison. For those liable for military service, reservists and representatives of state bodies, from 5 to 10 years are provided, and if weapons — up to 15 years.
10:55 The Ministry of Defense also reports the destruction of six military facilities, including five ammunition depots, using air-based precision weapons.
10:50 The fire at the oil depot in the Belgorod region will not affect the region's fuel supply and prices for consumers, the Ministry of Energy said
10:43 Russian air defense shot down a Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter and 8 drones, the Ministry of Defense reported.
10:34 One of the printing houses was damaged in the Belgorod region as a result of shelling by Ukrainian helicopters. The employees were evacuated, TASS reports.
10:19 Almost 19,000 more refugees arrived in Russia from the DPR and LPR over the past day, RIA Novosti reports. Since the start of the special operation, 548,110 refugees from Donbass have crossed the Russian border, including 110,290 children.
10:10The dollar and euro continue to decline. The dollar currently costs 83.15 rubles, the euro – 92.1.
10:00 The security services of the Kursk region were put on high alert after the attack of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Belgorod, which happened last night.
9:40 Meanwhile, the head of the DPR, Denis Pushilin, said that the liberation of Mariupol was “a matter of a matter of days.”
9:15Ukraine has told the IAEA that it has regained control of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. This is stated on the website of the agency. At the same time, the Ukrainian side adds that Russian soldiers still remain at the Chernobyl site, but they supposedly have to leave it.
Today, April 1, negotiations between Russia and Ukraine will resume online. The Russian side reacted ambiguously to Kyiv's proposals. Foreign Minister Lavrov called the results of the negotiating round in Istanbul a positive move forward, the power bloc made it clear: the special operation will continue, the main direction now is the liberation of Donbass, that is, an attack on the largest military group in Ukraine, the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the line of contact.
From today, European importers of Russian gas, in order to receive it, will have to open currency and ruble accounts with Gazprombank; – credit currency to one, after converting by a bank on the Moscow Exchange, receive rubles to the second account, the money will go to Gazprom from it. Formally, according to this scheme, it will not be necessary to rewrite contracts, because the initial payment is in euros and dollars. "Gazprombank" is not under European sanctions (but is under US sanctions).
There is no understanding yet of how the EU countries will act. Germany and France took the innovation negatively. But the refusal of Russian gas will be fatal for European economies – at least in the foreseeable future.
Meanwhile, the West is preparing new sanctions against Russia, as the active part of the special operation continues.
We are monitoring for events online.
EU calls for tougher treatment of Beijing
On the eve of the April 1 virtual summit between China and the European Union, EU leaders called for tougher treatment of Beijing if the Chinese support Russia in its actions on Ukraine.
The European Union is going to threaten China with sanctions at a bilateral summit if Beijing offers military assistance to Russia in the conflict on Ukraine, writes The Guardian.
Senior EU and Chinese leaders are expected to discuss Friday at a video summit that is likely to be dominated by the Ukraine crisis.
EU diplomats have said the bloc needs to signal that Beijing will pay the price for any intervention and support for Russia's actions.
“We do not expect the summit to take place as usual, — said a senior EU diplomat ahead of the talks. – The message must be clear: any military or financial support from China to Russia, including to circumvent sanctions, will have serious consequences for EU-China relations.
Another European diplomat said the summit would be a defining moment that would define relations between Brussels and Beijing for years to come. “The EU will not take this lightly if China openly sides with Russia,” — diplomatic sources added, saying there was “great agreement” among the 27 EU member states; on this issue.
China has denied reports that it is ready to provide weapons to Russia. Zhang Pei, a fellow at the China Institute of International Studies at China's Foreign Ministry, said Beijing has been alarmed in recent weeks that Europe is “copying the US rule book by saying China is considering providing military assistance to Russia.” The Chinese authorities accused the United States of spreading misinformation.
Beijing abstained from voting on UN Security Council resolutions condemning the armed conflict, while, The Guardian notes, it also accused NATO of the conflict, and the United States and Ukraine – in the joint implementation of the biological weapons program. The Chinese Foreign Ministry insists on a stance that some Western analysts call “pro-Russian neutrality.”
Three weeks before Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine, recalls The Guardian, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at the Beijing Winter Olympics. On February 4, they released a statement promising “limitless” partnership and stated that “there are no” forbidden ” areas of cooperation».
At the Munich Security Conference last month, EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell called the pact between China and Russia an “act of defiance”; and “a revisionist manifesto against the rules-based international order and universal rights.”
Reinhard Bütikofer, head of the European Parliament's China Delegation, told reporters that relations between Beijing and the EU have become “more complex and contentious” than they have been in a long time. Beijing imposed sanctions on Butikofer and accused him of “promoting an anti-China agenda.” The europolitician claims that the Russian-Chinese statement of February 4 was “clearly aimed at creating a new world order”, adding that “China has provided political support” Russia's actions against Ukraine.
“China abstained in two votes in the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly, but these abstentions can hardly hide the ambiguity of China's abstention, — he said. – The veil is worn out and will not deceive anyone.
Butikofer, MEP for the Greens Germany, declined to give details of possible sanctions against Beijing, but said that “the evidence that China is supporting the Russian military effort in Ukraine… should lead to European Union action to punish China for this.
As The Guardian recalls, relations between the EU and China have been deteriorating since 2020, when, under pressure from former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the bloc signed an investment agreement with Beijing. However, the Comprehensive Investment Agreement (CAI) quickly stalled in the European Parliament over concerns over reports of human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities in Xinjiang. As long as MEPs like Bütikofer remain on Chinese sanctions lists, European experts say the deal will not be revived.
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated Europe's efforts to reduce its reliance on Chinese goods and supply chains. The chill is causing a diplomatic dispute between Lithuania and China after the Baltic nation announced the opening of mutual diplomatic missions with Taiwan.
At least outwardly, China's expectations from the summit are more positive. Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Wednesday that Beijing hopes it can “promote the sustainable and healthy development of China-EU relations and bring stability and positive energy to the complex and turbulent international situation.”
U.S. President Tries to Blame Russia for Gas Prices
White House Chief of Staff Ron Klein has been ridiculed for touting the Biden administration's taking unprecedented amounts of oil from the federal reserve for emergencies situations.
Photo: Global Look Press
Ron Klein posted a link on social media to an article in which a story about President Biden's attempt to lower gasoline prices was accompanied by the caption “HISTORIC”.
However, as noted by the American Fox News channel, critics had a different opinion about that the Biden administration is further depleting the nation's oil reserves for emergencies.
“You guys are really bragging about having to release a record amount of oil from strategic reserves,” wrote Stephen Miller, contributing editor of The Spectator, on social media.
Commentary Magazine Associate Editor and MSNBC contributor Noah Rothman reminded Klein that “historical” isn't always a good thing. “This is akin to a ‘historic’ air flight from Afghanistan. The “historic” events of the Biden administration are unprecedented in their horrificness,” he said.
Conservative commentator R.B. Pandit expressed his disappointment in his social media post, which sarcastically read, “This. Not. That. For what. Strategic. Stocks. Oil, Destined.”
As The Guardian writes, Joe Biden announced a “largest release of oil inventories” in an attempt to curb gasoline prices. The President will release up to 1 million barrels of oil per day from the strategic reserve over the next six months to curb inflation exacerbated by the conflict in Ukraine.
The President of the United States stepped out of the White House to announce the move. “Look, I know gas prices are painful. I understand. My plan will help ease that pain today and protect against tomorrow,” Biden said.
The American president, of course, blamed the Russian leadership for the price increase: “I will do everything in my power to protect you from Putin's price increase. No time for politics. Americans can't afford it right now.” It must be remembered that this year the US midterm elections are coming up, in which the positions of the ruling Democratic Party look rather shaky – so for Biden to shift the responsibility for the failures of his policy to Russia, it looks like a completely understandable opportunity.
It is reported that the US administration is considering extending the release of oil reserves for up to six months, with a potential limit of 180 million barrels taken from the current national reserve of 568 million barrels.
The Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which is designed to protect the country's access to oil in the event of natural disasters or national security concerns, is located in salt dome caves along the Gulf Coast in Texas and Louisiana.
Possible injection into the market of oil reserves, o first reported by Bloomberg as the Biden administration grapples with the political fallout from high gas prices and rising inflation. According to the American Automobile Association, the average US fuel price is now $4.23 per gallon, up from $2.87 a year ago.
Emergency measures, including gas rebates, are being considered in California, the hardest-hit state, where the average gallon of gasoline now costs about $6, writes The Guardian.
Any disclosure of US national reserves will likely be coordinated with others countries under the auspices of the International Energy Agency. Oil producers OPEC have so far resisted the increase in production after the start of Russia's military operation in Ukraine, insisting that there is no global shortage of “black gold”.
Biden confirmed that he made the decision after consulting with Western partners who have joined the US in imposing economic sanctions on Russia over the conflict in Ukraine. Earlier this month, the US imposed a ban on Russian oil imports. Russia is the second largest exporter of crude oil in the world.
“While these actions harm the Russian economy, isolate Putin from the world and help Ukrainians fight for their country,” Joe Biden explains his policy, the consequences of which hit ordinary Americans.
Biden’s plan did not only provide for an immediate increase supply, but also an increase in domestic production. The White House statement said the oil and gas industry is using more than 12 million acres of unproductive federal land with 9,000 unused but already approved production permits. Biden will also call on Congress to force oil companies to pay fees for unused wells and land.
“We need to use all the tools and technologies that can help us break free of our dependence on fossil fuels and move towards more domestically produced clean energy technologies created by American companies and American workers,” said the President of the United States.
Biden said he would use the Defense Production Act to secure America's supply chains for critical materials used in electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy storage, such as lithium, graphite and nickel.
” We need to end our long-term dependence on China and other countries for resources that will shape the future,” Biden said.
High oil prices are giving Biden a growing headache ahead of the November midterm elections, The Guardian notes. Inflation surged to a 40-year high in January, with prices up 7.5% from the previous year.
Republican leaders mounted a relentless campaign to attack Biden over oil prices. Kevin McCarthy, House Minority Leader, said: “These are not Putin's prices. These are President Biden's prices.”
Analysts attribute high gas prices, driven in large part by the Ukraine conflict and inflationary crisis, to Biden's decline in popularity and the medium-term prospects for the Democratic Party.
An NBC poll this week showed Biden's approval rating at just 40%, the lowest of his presidency to date.
Biden said that in addition to new oil production, investment in green energy also reduce energy prices. “Yes, building a clean energy base in America will help protect our national security. Yes, it will help us deal with climate change. Yes, it will help us ensure that Americans create millions of well-paying jobs for future generations. But most importantly, what my plan will do right now is save your family money.”
The President of the United States said, “We can take advantage of the next generation of electric vehicles. A typical driver will save about $80 a month by not paying for gas at a gas station. If your home is powered by safer, cheaper, cleaner electricity like solar power or heat pumps, you can save an average of about $500 a month.”
“The United States most harms the situation in Ukraine and European security”
Amid attempts by the West, led by the United States, to increase pressure on China in connection with the Ukrainian crisis, the Chinese media criticized Washington's actions that “most harm the situation in Ukraine, European security.”
Photo: Global Look Press
After the latest round of talks between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey on Tuesday, both sides said the talks gave positive signals… But such positive signals were clearly not what the US wanted, according to the Chinese edition of the Global Times.
On Wednesday, during a press briefing at the White House, Director of Public Affairs Kate Bedingfield was asked: “Is the United States ready to become a guarantor of Ukraine's security, or is it considering this option?” Bedingfield replied: “We are constantly discussing with the Ukrainians ways in which we can help ensure their sovereignty and security. But at this time, I can't speak to any specific security guarantees.”
Some Chinese netizens ridiculed Bedingfield's words, reacting with jokes like “We won't give any security guarantees unless you fall.”
This statement shows that the US does not want Ukraine and Russia to get along peacefully, continues Global Times.
Li Haidong, a professor at the Institute of International Relations at the China University of Foreign Affairs, believes that the US is using Ukraine as a tool to make Russia bleed, so Washington will continue to support Kyiv. “If Ukraine and Russia reconcile, the US will not be able to make Russia bleed to the last drop of blood,” Professor Lee comments to the Global Times.
The United States also urged caution about Russia's promise to reduce military operations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy briefed US President Joe Biden on the progress of the peace talks on Wednesday during a phone call, during which Biden told Zelenskyy that the US would send an additional $500 million in aid to Ukraine, reports say.
Conflict tied Ukraine even more closely to the United States, and Kyiv will act more in line with Washington in the future. Zelensky's video message was already a clue. If we look at it from a different angle, the Chinese edition writes, it looks like this: the United States said: “Ukraine, you need to continue the impasse with Russia so that I can help you,” and Ukraine replied: “Okay, I'll do something I will.”
Professor Li Haidong said that another reason the US does not want to resolve the Russian-Ukrainian crisis soon is that Washington wants to use the crisis to effectively control Europe and marginalize Russia. Given recent developments led by the United States, Washington has at least achieved some of its goals. For example, the US and the EU signed a historic gas agreement – outwardly the agreement aims to help Europe reduce dependence on Russia, but in essence it will make Europe even more dependent on the US.
As Global Times recalls, 24 In March, NATO confirmed that it “will continue to provide further political and practical support to Ukraine” and “Allies are significantly increasing their defense spending.” By elevating NATO's role, the US is tying Europe more tightly to its chariot. The ultimate goal is to keep Europe under its control at all times.
By chilling peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, the United States is stepping up its efforts to foment conflicts, claims the Global Times. This is in line with Washington's strategic needs If Ukraine's call for security guarantees is met, a new model of international security guarantees will open up, which will mean a weakening of the role of the US and NATO. The US clearly does not want to see such a result. “You can say that the United States is the biggest security destroyer in all of Europe. The United States most of all does not want to see a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine,” concludes the Chinese edition.
U.S. radio-technical satellites are used in the interests of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
The fire at the Belgorod oil depot occurred after a strike by Ukrainian helicopters that flew into Russia at low altitude. Governor of the Belgorod region Vyacheslav Gladkov wrote about this on his Telegram channel. “MK” asked the air defense expert to comment on the situation.
Photo: MK-Belgorod
A video has appeared on the Web in which helicopters fire unguided rockets at fuel tanks. After the explosions, several tanks catch fire. The helicopters flew at ultra-low altitude, about 50-100 meters.
As MK said; former head of the anti-aircraft missile forces of the Special Forces Command (Moscow Air Defense District), reserve colonel Sergey Khatylev, it was the low altitude that helped the helicopters to carry out the raid.
-incut__label”> Watch related videos
– Our borders are covered by long-range anti-aircraft missile systems — regiments S-400. They control the airspace at a distance of up to 600 kilometers, the expert said. – That is, at high and medium altitudes there is a continuous zone of detection and destruction of any targets. But the fact is that these helicopters flew at extremely low altitudes. Extremely small – this is about 100 meters. For the S-400, such targets at a certain range fall into the “dead zone”.
According to the expert, everything that flies below 100-200 meters should be tracked and hit by military air defense, that is, those systems that work in the interests of covering our troops. These are such complexes as “Pantsir”. At this height, our radar stations of all types – centimeter, decimeter, meter range – can detect targets at a distance of up to 30 kilometers. But they do not create a continuous detection zone, but are object air defense. That is, they cover individual objects.
– Apparently, the Ukrainians chose the moment when they knew for sure that the control of the airspace in our specific air defense zones was not what it should be. This suggests that they had accurate intelligence, which is not surprising, since all of NATO is working for them in terms of intelligence, – said Sergey Khatylev.
Helicopters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine fired at an oil depot in Belgorod: video from the scene of the emergency
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The fact that the United States and NATO share intelligence with Ukraine has been said more than once by representatives of the Pentagon. In particular, the US orbital constellation of electronic intelligence satellites constantly collects information about all sources of radio emission on our territory, especially in the zone of the Russian-Ukrainian border.
Using this data, Ukrainian helicopter crews could choose the most optimal flight route. According to the expert, there are questions for our warning service.
– I think that after this state of emergency, the Russian air defense forces will draw the right conclusions and provide continuous radar coverage on the entire Russian-Ukrainian border, Khatylev said. – Not to mention that the airfield where the helicopters took off from will become the primary target for our missile attack.
Oil depot in Belgorod caught fire after shelling from helicopters: fire footage
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Full control
Russian marines plan to gain a foothold in positions near Kiev, Zvezda TV channel of the RF Ministry of Defense reported.
Photo: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
The commander of one of the Marine Corps units, Aleksey Shabulin, said that the military is now conducting search and reconnaissance operations and clearing settlements in the Kiev region for further occupation positions there.
According to the officer, during the destruction of enemy forces, a lot of captured weapons of Soviet and foreign production and ammunition were captured. Among them, Javelin anti-tank systems, M-16 rifles, the Marine shared the details.
He noted that the units of the airborne troops, together with the Marine Corps, had held back the actions of enemy forces in the Gostomel-Bucha-Ozera direction for five days . As a result, the military personnel of the Russian Federation managed to establish full control over the territory from the Irpin River towards Kiev with a total length of 5 km.
On March 29, the Russian Defense Ministry decided to reduce military activity in the Kiev and Chernihiv directions. On the same day, the head of the Russian military department, Sergei Shoigu, announced the infliction of serious damage to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which allows him to focus on the liberation of Donbass. The minister also reported on the fulfillment of the main tasks of the first stage of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine.
Their withdrawal from Russia opens a window of opportunity for Russian networking platforms
“Toward Digital Sovereignty: The Development of Russian Internet Platforms in Conflicts with Global Internet Companies”. The topic of Thursday's meeting of the Federation Council Commission on Information Policy and Interaction with the Media spoke, as they say, for itself: everything is clear both with the subject of discussion and with the immediate tasks of the Russian authorities. But, as in any important business, the details are interesting. They were largely clarified by the speech of the chairman of the commission Alexei Pushkov.
Photo: Gennady Cherkasov
“At the moment, we are seeing a sharp complication of the situation around global Internet companies and their activities in Russia,” the head of the commission said. The obvious reason for this, the senator called a sharp increase in tension between Russia and Western countries. According to Pushkov, the current crisis is unprecedented in its severity and goes “further than the Cold War – such a degree of rupture between the West and Russia has not yet been observed.”
“Under these conditions,” the senator continued, “foreign Internet giants have almost automatically become part of the active information war that the West is unleashing against Russia.” According to Pushkov, there have been serious claims against Western companies before, but recently their anti-Russian activities have taken on completely frank forms.
In this regard, the head of the commission recalled, decisions were made to block such companies as Facebook, Instagram (both recognized as extremist and banned in Russia) and Twitter in Russia. Claims are also multiplying against the remaining Google and its YouTube video hosting. The situation with them, according to Pushkov, is completely unbearable: “There are already about 60 cases of restrictions on the part of YouTube in relation to Russian information resources.”
“Already open war on the part of YouTube, in my opinion, the senator said. – And the First Channel, and the Fifth Channel, and NTV, and “Russia-1”, and “Russia-24” – Almost all political news channels are blocked on YouTube. In addition, Google and YouTube still shy away from removing “illegal content”.
Such behavior “should not go unanswered,” Pushkov believes. – Forms of reaction can be different. From the further reasoning of the senator, it followed that the reaction could be severe penalties: “Here, in my opinion, we should not embarrass at all. We have the concept of turnover fines. This is from 10 to 20 percent of the turnover of a particular campaign. This is a very large amount. I think that we need to use the system of large fines more resolutely and tougher.
But another scenario is also possible, the senator hinted: “I remember the conversations that were going on last year that there would be a catastrophe, that people would almost take to the streets if they suddenly turned off Facebook and Instagram. I did not notice: someone took to the streets? It seems to me that the importance of these platforms for our social life is greatly exaggerated. Including, apparently, the lobbyists of these platforms and these platforms themselves … And I think YouTube also should not count on the fact that it will test the patience of the Russian state indefinitely.
In general, who is to blame is clear. What to do with them – more or less too. The main question today is what to do with Russian Internet platforms? How to develop them? According to Pushkov, the United States should serve as an example for us in this regard: “We must understand that Twitter and Google are tools of American information policy. They work in constant contact – which is not even hidden – with the intelligence committee of the United States Senate, with the specialized commissions of the Congress, with the relevant departments. This is the information-digital wing of the American political machine… This is how the modern state works in the information sphere. It is absolutely not a sin for us to think that our state should work in the same way in the information sphere.
The withdrawal from Russia – both voluntary and forced – of a number of foreign Internet giants, Pushkov emphasized, opens a window of opportunity for Russian Internet resources: “Please – the glade is partially freed.” But there are risks here. “We must be careful,” the senator warns, “that our platforms do not turn into a replica of Western ones – with all their covert talk about freedom of speech, toxic and outright illegal elements. These trash streams, child pornography, violence… I'm not talking about extremism, terrorism and other things that are found on Western Internet platforms.
We need not just digital sovereignty, but " such an Internet space that will be freed from these generic features, these original sins of Western Internet platforms, – Alexey Pushkov concluded. – So that it doesn't happen that Tik-Tok is gone, and we will rapidly create a new Tik-Tok – just as stupid and just as stupid. We don't need this. We must think about the quality of the content that will be produced on the territory of the Russian Federation, about what, in fact, we want to say to our citizens. First of all – to the younger generation".
Torahs will appear in all dangerous directions
The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) have recently checked our air defense in the zone of the special military operation several times. For the most part, air defense checks for Ukrainians ended badly. But, unfortunately, the Belgorod raid of Ukrainian helicopters achieved its goal. A military expert spoke about the lessons to be learned.
Photo: RF Ministry of Defense
Initially, the Armed Forces of Ukraine made several desperate attempts to rescue from the Mariupol “cauldron” with the help of helicopters. some important officials from the Nazi formations. The route through the Sea of Azov turned out to be impassable. Two helicopters were shot down and crashed into the sea.
The next attempt to break through to the surrounded national battalions was chosen over land. On March 31, up to five helicopters took off in the morning from the Dnieper (former Dnepropetrovsk), passed the positions of the DPR troops and landed at the Mariupol airfield. Having unloaded and taken on board some leaders of the “Azov” (an extremist organization, banned in the Russian Federation), the helicopters flew back.
The moment of shelling by helicopters of an oil depot in Belgorod was caught on video
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Two were shot down. It was reported that they were shot down by fighters of the people's militia of the DPR, moreover, from captured American “stingers”. There were up to 15 people on board one of them. Two survived and were taken prisoner.
Despite this result, the experts had questions about the military air defense. Why were helicopters that flew about 300 kilometers, including over the combat zone, not shot down by air defense systems even before they reached Mariupol? It turns out that the airspace over eastern Ukraine is not controlled by our radars?
Unfortunately, the same questions arise after the raid of two Ukrainian helicopters deep into Russian territory, to Belgorod, where they were able to fire unguided rockets at the oil depot. It turns out that helicopters flying at low altitude found loopholes in the radar field created by our air defense radars?
Indeed, our main defense against air attack — anti-aircraft missile systems S-400 — work on targets at medium and high altitudes. And then the helicopters were flying at ultra-low altitudes. How to deal with such goals. Editor of the magazine “Arsenal of the Fatherland” Alexei Leonkov believes that Russia has such air defense systems.
“Recently, the Belgorod region has been attacked by Ukraine,” he wrote in his Telegram channel “Maduro is not a fool.” – Missiles and helicopters using low-altitude approach tactics became the means of air attack.
Armed Forces helicopters fired at an oil depot in Belgorod: video from the scene of the incident
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Answering the question of how to deal with these, Leonkov noted: “There is a solution – this is an autonomous combat module of the Tor-M2KM anti-aircraft missile system.
According to him, such a module can be installed on any platform of the appropriate carrying capacity – whether it be an automobile chassis, an automobile semi-trailer or trailer, a railway platform, a ship deck, a roof of buildings and structures.
At the same time, “Thor -M2KM" able to protect objects occupying a large area. So, one autonomous combat module covers an object with a total area of up to 200 square meters. km.
«The lower limit of target interception at Tor-M2KM» is 5 meters, and the reaction time is less than 5 seconds. I hope such autonomous combat modules will appear in all dangerous directions,” the expert concluded.
Oil depot in Belgorod caught fire after shelling from helicopters: fire footage
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Fossil fuel storage facilities are obsolete
United States President Joe Biden's plan to supply oil from the strategic reserve to the market may run into some difficulties. Oil storage tanks are worn out and pipelines are corroded, according to Bloomberg.
Photo: Global Look Press
In the material we are talking about the fact that these tanks, which are considered the largest in the world, were built in the 1970s after the Arab oil embargo. However, as the authors of the article note, due to severe deterioration and corrosion in pipelines, it will be difficult to start pumping oil from them. In addition, the fossil fuel itself is no longer up to standard, since the distribution system was designed with a service life of 25 years, the journalists shared the details.
According to experts, now the reserve contains 568 million barrels of oil located in four vaults in underground salt caverns in Texas and Louisiana. However, experts expressed doubt that the obsolete facilities would be able to cope with the withdrawal of 1 million barrels per day.
Recall that US President Joe Biden, amid interruptions in oil supplies, announced that the country would release oil every day for six months from strategic reserves up to 1 million barrels of fuel. The issue of using up to 180 million barrels of oil from reserves in a few months is being discussed, which could be a record volume used by Washington from its reserves in history.
The Russian financial regulator went to ease the conditions for transfers to individuals.
The Central Bank of the Russian Federation suspended transfers abroad from the accounts of individuals = non-residents from unfriendly countries working in the Russian Federation for a period of six months.
This is stated in the message of the regulator.
In addition, for the same six-month period, transfers abroad of funds of individuals and legal entities-non-residents from the accounts of brokers of the Russian Federation are suspended.
At the same time, the Bank of Russia decided to ease the measures for transferring funds to countries that did not support the sanctions.
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Each month, individuals have the right to make transfers from their account in the Russian Federation to such countries, but for an amount not exceeding $10,000.
Previously, this amount was limited to $5,000.
Earlier, TopNews wrote that from April 1, 2022, Western Union will stop transfers within Russia. In this case, transfers abroad will be carried out as usual.
Experts talked about pensions, benefits, child benefits and more.
From April 1, new laws in the areas of social policy, road transport, payments and others will come into force in Russia. In a conversation with “MK” economists explained how things will change in the lives of Russians from April 1.
A new “children” payout
From April 1, low-income families with children 8 & # 8211; 16 years old can apply for a benefit, the amount of which, depending on the region, is 50%, 75% or 100% of the subsistence minimum.
The Ministry of Labor specifies that the amount will be 6,000 – 12,000 rubles. The percentage will depend on the specific amount that is needed to get the family out of poverty.
The application for benefits can be submitted from May 1. At this point, the child must be 8 years old and not 17 years old.
The Ministry of Finance allocates 455 billion rubles to finance the payment.
According to the expert “MK”, there will be difficulties with the calculation of income, which is recorded for the past year. But a person could lose his job in the current one.
The procedure for assigning benefits will become easier
From the first day of April, when assigning social benefits owned by the family and arrested ( wanted) auto-moto funds and housing will not be taken into account in the total family income.
The same applies to property, transport and housing that people bought through targeted subsidies.
The family income will exclude the funds that she received to develop her own business, maternity capital, tax deductions, money from the state that were received to purchase property.
As for the “zero income” of pregnant Russian women, if half a year of pregnancy coincided with the period for calculating the average per capita income, a pregnant unemployed woman is entitled to a lump sum payment. The second condition under which a pregnant woman can also receive payment – if the application for it was submitted after the 12th week of pregnancy.
Indexation of social pensions
From this month, social pensions will be indexed by 8.6%. They will be able to get Russians who do not have enough years of experience to accrue insurance. The Ministry of Labor specifies that such – about 4 million people. Funds that will be spent on innovation – 33.7 billion rubles.
Social payments will be credited to a bank card under a new scheme
The rules for transferring pensions, benefits and other payments to a bank card are changing. If the client agrees, the bank will transfer the details of his account to the ESIA. The latter can be accessed through the State Services, and the Russian will be able to agree to the use of details for receiving social benefits without physically walking around the organizations.
Also, the PFR and social security will be able to track the relevance of the details in order to prevent erroneous payment of funds. When a bank account is closed, data on this will be sent to ESIA the next day
Changes in the fast payment system
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Banks connected with the SBP will be required to provide customers with a mobile payment application. Those who receive a license will have to give Russians a chance to pay using a QR code, with the exception of housing and communal services.
The conditions of preferential mortgages are changing
The preferential mortgage rate for new buildings will increase from 7% to 12% per annum. Also, for Moscow and the region, St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region, the loan amount will be up to 12 million rubles, for the rest – up to 6 million. The new conditions work from April 1 to July 1.
As for family mortgages at 6%, Far Eastern mortgages at 2% and rural mortgages at 3%, their conditions do not change.
Discount on CMTPL policy for driving without accidents
Once a year, on April 1, the bonus-malus coefficient (MBM) is recalculated, which is provided for accident-free driving. From this date, it will be set new for absolutely all drivers, regardless of whether they have been in an accident.
Those who have not been in an accident for the past ten years will receive a coefficient of 0.46 (not 0, 5), discount amount – 54%. And the cost of their OSAGO policy will be 8% less than the minimum.
At the same time, the maximum coefficient for car owners who have been in an accident several times will increase: from 2.45 to 3.92, and the policies will increase in price by half.
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More features on Public Services
From April 1, Russians from 14 to 18 years old will be able to register for the State Services. If the child is under 14, parents who already have an account can register for him.
This will provide an easier way for schoolchildren to access digital resources, for example, use an account to enter an electronic diary, clarify homework, inform on admission to a university or college.
Completion of the stage of the program for purchasing tours with cashback
This month, the 6th stage of the compensation program for traveling around Russia will end. Even before April 30, Russians will be able to choose a tour, cruise or hotel, receiving 20% cashback.
Recall that the maximum refund amount is 20,000 rubles. You need to pay for the trip using the Mir card, after which compensation automatically comes to it after 5 days. The rest must last at least two nights.
Offers are presented on the portal of the Federal Tourism Agency.
You can go on a trip according to the program from March 15 to July 1.
Formerly Topnews wrote what will change in the life of Russians from March 1.
