Polish farmers block a street in Szczecin in northwest Poland, protesting Ukrainian grain imports, April 3, 2023 (Marcin Bielecki/EPA-EFE)

EA on UK Outlets: Maintaining Support for Ukraine

Saturday’s Coverage: Russian Missiles Kill 11+ Civilians in Slovyansk

Map: Institute for the Study of War

UPDATE 1742 GMT:

The death toll from Friday’s Russian missile strike on residences in Slovyansk in eastern Ukraine has risen to 15, with 24 people injured.

The rescue operation is now officially over.

UPDATE 1331 GMT:

The European Commission has criticized the bans by Poland and Hungary on imports of grain from Ukraine.

A spokesperson said:

It is important to underline that trade policy is of EU exclusive competence and, therefore, unilateral actions are not acceptable.

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

UPDATE 1021 GMT:

In a “great Easter exchange”, about 130 Ukrainian prisoners of war have been released by Russia.

Ukraine Presidential Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak posted on Twitter:

It is still unknown how many Russians were released on Sunday, Orthodox Easter.

On Monday, 106 Russian POWs were freed in exchange for 100 Ukrainians.

UPDATE 0719 GMT:

A band in Moscow has protested on stage over the imprisonment of a Russian man because anti-war pictures drawn by his 13-year-old daughter in school.

Alexei Moskalyov, a 54-year-old single parent, has been sentenced to two years in a penal colony. His daughter Maria had depicted Moscow’s bombing of a family standing under a Ukrainian flag and drawn another picture with the slogan “Glory to Ukraine!”.

On Saturday, the soloist of the group Naive, Alexander “Chacha” Ivanov wore a T-shirt with the inscription “Masha Moskaleva” and told the audience about the persecution of the family.

Friends, take this opportunity. I can’t pass by, I tried to drive this thing away from myself — I don’t know, I couldn’t….

For some reason, this case of Masha Moskaleva does not let me go. Perhaps because my daughter is also the same age as her – she is 14, and Masha is 13. Friends, I want to ask you: Google this case, find out what happened there, be horrified by what happened to Masha and her family for the drawing at an art lesson.

The crowd responded with applause and the chant, “Fuck the war!”

UPDATE 0710 GMT:

Russian attacks on the Mykolaiv region in southern Ukraine killed 2 teenagers overnight.

Governor Vitaly Kim said Russia used S-300 surface-to-air missiles, damaging an educational institution, a private enterprise, and residential buildings.

Russian forces also launched a “massive attack” for Orthodox Easter on the Zaporizhzhia region, said Governor Yurii Malashko.

A church in Komyshuvakha was among the damaged buildings.

UPDATE 0705 GMT:

A Ukrainian military spokesperson says forces are continuing to resist Russia’s 11-month assault on Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine.

Serhiy Cherevatyi of the Eastern Military Command said in a televised interview:

Bloody battles unprecedented in recent decades are taking place in the middle of the city’s urban area.

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

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed on Saturday that Wagner Group mercenaries occupied areas on the northern and southern outskirts of Bakhmut.

There is no visual confirmation of the Russian claim.

UPDATE 0650 GMT:

Hungary is also imposing a ban utnil June 30 on imports of Ukrainian agricultural products.

The Government of Viktor Orbán sought leverage by calling for changes in European Union regulation, including the possible re-introduction of import duties on Ukrainian produce.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: Poland’s government has adopted a resolution banning the import of grain and many foodstuffs from Ukraine.

Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the leader of the ruling Law and Justice party, told a party congress of the decision on Saturday.

Today the government adopted a resolution prohibiting the import [from Ukraine] of grain into Poland, as well as dozens of other types of food products. I am unable to list them all. They are provided for in the appendix to this resolution — from declared grain to honey products, a lot of products.

Poland’s Economic Development Minister Waldemar Buda said the ban, lasting through June 30, includes milk, eggs, and poultry.

Poland has been a frontline ally of Ukraine during Russia’s invasion. About 8 million Ukrainian refugees have passed through the couuntry, with more than 1.3 million remaining. Warsaw has led the way in pursuing military assistance, including battle tanks and fighters jets, for Kyiv.

However, the Polish Government — facing Parliamentary elections in late 2023 — is under pressure from farmers to reduce any competition for Ukraine’s agricultural products.

Ukrainian officials say the issue is exaggerated, with most of their grain and foodstuff exports transiting through Poland to other countries.

Kyiv responded on Saturday, “Resolving various issues by unilateral drastic actions will not accelerate a positive resolution of the situation.”

An “Unchanged” Friend and Ally of Ukraine?

Kaczynski asserted that there is an “asymmetry between Polish and Ukrainian agriculture, which is a consequence of the quality of the land, significantly lower wages in Ukraine….[where] international companies with extensive infrastructure are operating mainly on large acreages”.

He maintained, “We are and remain unchanged friends and allies of Ukraine. We will support her….But it is the duty of every state, every authority, good authority in any case, to protect the interests of its citizens.”

Poland’s State news agency PAP had reported an agreement following a meeting on April 7 between the Polish-Ukrainian border between Poland’s Agriculture Minister Robert Telus and Ukraine counterpart Mykola Solski.

PAP said the two countries agreed to strictly limit and, for a time, halt Ukrainian grain deliveries to Poland. Solski reportedly said Kyiv will “refrain from sending wheat, corn, sunflower seeds and rape to Poland as a destination country”, although Ukrainian exports will continue to transit to other countries.

Ukraine is also facing a challenge to its grain exports through renewed Russian threats to tear up the July 2022 deal lifting Moscow’s blockade on three Ukrainian Black Sea ports.

Last week Russia blocked all vessels from reaching the ports, scrubbing out the names of three ships submitted by Ukraine. About 50 ships were waiting to dock and load.