Ukraine was working on Saturday, December 17, to restore electricity after the new Russian missile strikes which caused power cuts across the country. These targeted bombings have been denounced as war crimes by the European Union. The head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell condemned this new “example of the blind terror of the Kremlin”, “cruel and inhuman attacks” against the population. The EU has also approved new sanctions targeting Moscow, which notably prohibit the export of drone engines to Russia or third countries which could supply them.
- Ukraine scrambles to restore power after heavy Russian bombardment
Salvos of Russian strikes fell on the country on Friday morning, causing water cuts in the capital, kyiv, and new power interruptions in several cities of the country. The morning bombardments also brought the metro to a standstill, so that the stations could be used as shelters.
According to the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, kyiv and fourteen regions were affected by power or water cuts. In kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko estimates that only a third of the inhabitants had water and heating, and 40% electricity. For its part, France condemned the Russian bombings. “These acts constitute war crimes and in no way weaken France’s determination to support Ukraine and to fight against impunity,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
- Putin talks to officials of Russian operation in Ukraine, Kremlin says
Russian President Vladimir Putin has held talks with those responsible for the Russian military operation in Ukraine, the Kremlin announced on Saturday. “On Friday, the president spent the whole day at the headquarters of the forces involved in the special military operation” in Ukraine, the Kremlin said in a statement.
The Russian Head of State notably “held a meeting” there with the participation of the Minister of Defense, Sergei Shoigu, and the Chief of the Russian General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, and “had separate meetings with the commanders” of the various branches of the army involved in the operation, according to the same source. “I would like to hear your proposals on our actions in the short and medium term,” Vladimir Putin said during the meeting, excerpts from which were broadcast on Saturday by Russian public television.
- Massive bombardments in Ukraine: the EU condemns “the blind terror of the Kremlin”
The head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell qualified as war crimes the firing of missiles carried out by Russia against Ukraine, and denounced “another example of the blind terror of the Kremlin”.
“These cruel and inhumane attacks are aimed at increasing suffering and depriving the Ukrainian population, but also hospitals, emergency services and other essential services of electricity, heating and water. They constitute crimes of war and are barbaric. All those responsible will be held to account,” he said in a statement.
According to the Ukrainian authorities, “about 40 missiles” Russian targeted kyiv Friday, 37 of which were shot down by anti-aircraft defense. “The EU and its partners are further intensifying their efforts to provide the emergency aid that the Ukrainian population needs to restore and maintain electricity and heating”, announced Josep Borrell.
- A former spokesperson for the American diplomacy in charge of the fight against disinformation
American diplomacy intends to strengthen its fight against disinformation coming from Russia and China, in particular. She named former State Department spokesman Jamie Rubin on Friday to head a cell at the State Department tasked with “identifying, understanding, exposing and countering propaganda and disinformation.” from foreign countries or non-state actors “threatening the security of the United States and its allies and partners”, according to a press release from the head of American diplomacy.
He will be responsible for “fighting disinformation and propaganda from foreign actors including Russia, China, Iran and extremist organizations such as the Islamic State group and al-Qaeda”, said Antony Blinken.
- Anti-money laundering organization sanctions Russia for invading Ukraine
The international anti-money laundering organization called the Egmont Group, with 166 member countries, has announced the imposition of sanctions against Russia, nearly 10 months after Moscow invaded Ukraine. “Trust is essential”, wrote this forum for exchange and cooperation for national financial intelligence units – like Tracfin in France or FinCEN in the United States – in a statement Thursday, condemning the “devastating effects of the Russian invasion.
The Ottawa-based organization, of which Russia is a member through Rosfinmonitoring, has notably decided to withdraw all responsibility from its Russian member in the organization of meetings, in the functions of advice, representativeness, as well as physical presence at meetings. “Rosfinmonitoring will only be allowed to attend meetings virtually if this possibility is offered by the host of these meetings”, adds Xolisile Khanyile, President of the Egmont Group. This decision follows another close sanction imposed by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an organization for the fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism.
- EU bans drone engine exports to Russia
The European Union on Friday banned the export of drone engines to Russia and to “all third countries” that can supply it with these elements in order to deprive the Kremlin of these weapons used against Ukraine. This measure is one of the provisions of the ninth package of sanctions approved Thursday evening at a European summit in Brussels, and entered into force Friday with its publication in the Official Journal of the EU.
Brussels also prevents EU nationals from occupying “positions in the governing bodies of all legal persons, entities or entities owned or controlled by the Russian state and located in Russia”. “We continue to target the economy and those who play a decisive role in this brutal war,” European Foreign Minister Josep Borrell said in a statement.