Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó (R) and Alexey Likhachev, the head of Russian State nucelar energy firm Rosatom with signed documents after their meeting in Moscow, April 11, 2023 (Ivan Fedorenko/AP)
Tuesday’s Coverage: Russia’s “Stalinist Show Trial” of Vladimir Kara-Murza
Map: Institute for the Study of War
UPDATE 1930 GMT:
Ukraine Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal is welcomed at the Pentagon by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
The Ukrainian delegation includes Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko and Central Bank Governor Kyrylo Shevchenko.
The group will have bilateral meetings with finance officials from the G7 countries — the US, Canada, Japan, France, Germany, Italy, and the UK — and take part in a World Bank roundtable on Ukraine.
Shmyhal appealed again for US F-15 and F-16 fighter jets and longer-range missiles: “We will win this war, but to achieve it faster and with fewer casualties, Ukraine still needs intensive military support.”
Pentagon Press Secretary, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, said Shmyhal and Austin “discussed security assistance priorities, such as air defense and artillery, and training for the Ukrainian armed forces”. They “agreed on the importance of ensuring accountability of security assistance”.
UPDATE 1918 GMT:
The US has added more than 120 individuals and entities to its sanctions list over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Those sanctioned are in more than 20 countries and jurisdictions such as Turkey, the UAE, and China. They include a private military company and entities connected with Russia State nuclear company Rosatom.
The US followed the UK (see 1233 GMT) in citing a network around Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov. His company, USM Holdings, and multiple firms associated with it are named.
The Patriot private military company is listed for its association with Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu.
Separately, the US treasury said it imposed sanctions on Russian financial facilitators and sanctions evaders around the world, including Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and China-based people and companies.
UPDATE 1902 GMT:
Belarus has extradited Russian citizen Alexei Moskalyov, who was sentenced to two years in prison after his daughter Maria drew anti-war pictures at school.
Alexei, a 54-year-old single parent, fled house arrest last month just before the court imposed the sentence for “discrediting” the Russian military. He was detained two days later in neighbouring Belarus after police detected the apartment in which he was sheltering.
Maria Moskalyova, 13, drew pictures showing the launch of rockets at a family standing under a Ukrainian flag. Another had the slogan “Glory to Ukraine”.
She was taken to an orphanage when his father was placed under house arrest. Last week she was released to her mother.
UPDATE 1257 GMT:
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine says it is “appalled” by “gruesome” videos of Russian fighters beheading captured Ukrainian soldiers (see 1040 GMT).
The mission said the executions are “not an isolated incident”:
In recent reports the Mission documented a number of serious violations of international humanitarian law, including those committed against prisoners of war. The latest incidents must also be properly investigated, and the perpetrators must be held accountable.
UPDATE 1233 GMT:
The UK has sanctioned companies and individuals linked to Russian tycoons Roman Abramovich and Alisher Usmanov.
The Foreign Office said it is targeting actors who “knowingly assisted sanctioned Russia oligarchs to hide their assets”.
Among those sanctioned are Demetris Ioannides and Christodoulos Vassiliades, Cypriot citizens who allegedly helped Abramovich and Usmanov avoid financial sanctions on UK assets. London-based firms — USM, Curzon Square Limited, and Hanley Limited were cited because of links with Usmanov.
Family members of Russian oligarchs and Putin allies Vladimir Evtushenkov, Suleyman Kerimov, and Victor Medvedchuk were also sanctioned.
UPDATE 1217 GMT:
South Korea has agreed to lend the US 500,000 rounds of 155mm artillery shells, enabling Washington to provide more munitions to Ukraine.
Seoul is lending rather than selling the ammunition to US to comply with a provision that South Korea cannot directly provide lethal military aid to a party in a war.
South Korea has provided hundreds of tanks, aircraft, and other weapons to Poland during the Russian invasion of neighboring Ukraine. But President Yoon Suk Yeol ruled out weapons to Ukraine, citing South Korean security in the face of threats from North Korea.
Purported US military documents, posted last month on social media, described internal discussions among senior South Korean officials about US pressure on Seoul to help supply weapons to Ukraine.
UPDATE 1040 GMT:
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has asked for international action over beheadings of Ukrainian troops by Russian forces.
One video on social media shows the beheaded corpses of two Ukrainian soldiers lying on the ground next to a destroyed military vehicle. An off-screen witness says, “They killed them. Someone came up to them. They came up to them and cut their heads off.”
A second video, apparently from last summer, shows a Russian fighter using a knife to cut off the head of a captured Ukrainian.
Zelenskiy said in a video message:
There is something that no one in the world can ignore. How easily these beasts kill….
There are no people for them. A son, a brother, a husband, someone’s child. This is a video of Russia just trying to make that the new norm. Such a habit of destroying life.
This is not an accident. This is not an episode. This was the case earlier. This was the case in Bucha [where Russian forces carried out mass killings of civilians in March 2022. Thousands of times. Everyone must react. Every leader.
Don’t expect it to be forgotten. That time will pass. We are not going to forget anything. Neither are we going to forgive the murderers. There will be legal responsibility for everything. The defeat of terror is necessary.
No one will understand if the leaders don’t react. Action is required now.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba added, “It’s absurd that Russia, which is worse than Islamic State, is presiding over the UNSC [UN Security Council]. Russian terrorists must be kicked out of Ukraine and the UN and be held accountable for their crimes.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov carried out damage control, saying the video of beheading was “awful” but declaring that its authenticity needs to be checked.
UPDATE 0840 GMT:
The latest Russian shelling of the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine has killed a civilian in Vuhledar and wounded eight people across the area.
UPDATE 0831 GMT:
During a three-day visit to the Indian capital Delhi, Ukraine Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparov has asked the Indian Government for additional medicines and medical equipment.
The Indian Foreign Ministry said Dzhaparov also recommended that Indian companies invest in Ukrainian infrastructure.
Dzhaparova said before meetings on Tuesday that Ukraine would like India’s involvement to help resolve the Russian invasion.
Delhi has maintained political neutrality throughout the invasion while benefitting from discounted Russian oil and gas.
UPDATE 0643 GMT:
Ukrainian officials say Russia has effectively reimposed its blockade of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports.
Moscow’s 5-month blockade, preventing export of Ukrainian grain, was lifted in a July deal brokered by Turkey and the UN. Despite the Kremlin’s threats, it was extended in November and in March —- although it is unclear if the latter extension is for 60 or 120 days.
On Tuesday Russia blocked all vessels, scrubbing out the names of three ships submitted by Ukraine.
About 50 ships are waiting to dock and load at the three ports.
Ukraine’s Deputy Infrastructure Minister Yurii Vaskov described the situation as “critical”: “Russia is violating the conditions of the deal. They decided to change the plans of Ukrainian ports. This is unacceptable.”
He noted that Moscow is intensifying pressure to try and get the removal of international sanctions, including those affecting Russia’s agricultural sector.
If the Russians collapsed the deal, global food prices would rise by 15%, Vaskov warned, as more than half of Ukraine’s grain exports – 6 to 7 million tons per month – are moved by sea.
UN officials said they are talking intensively to all parties: “It is in everyone’s interests to keep the initiative going”, .The Kremlin was ratcheting up “pressure” because it wanted the west to drop sanctions that impact its agricultural sector, he said.
Vaskov warned that if the deal collapsed global food prices would rise by 15 per cent. More than half of Ukraine’s grain exports – 6-7 million tonnes a month – went by sea, he said. On Tuesday the UN said it was talking intensively to the “parties”. “It is in everyone’s interests to keep the initiative going,” including “millions of vulnerable and low-income households around the world”.
UPDATE 0501 GMT:
Canada has imposed sanctions on another 14 Russian individuals and 34 entities, including some with links to the mercenaries of the Wagner Group.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the measures after meeting Ukraine Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in Toronto.
Trudeau said Canada is also sending 21,000 assault rifles, 38 machine guns, and 2.4 million rounds of ammunition to Ukraine.
UPDATE 0452 GMT:
The Kremlin is pursuing new digital authority to ensure the mass call-up of men in conscription and mobilization campaigns.
On Tuesday the Duma, the lower house of the Russian Parliament, passed the bill to create a digital unified register of Russian citizens eligible for military service. The register will be used to issue mandatory summonses.
The database mines the personal identification information of Russian citizens, including medical, educational, and residence history; foreign citizenship status; and insurance and tax data.
Summoned individuals may not leave Russia and must appear at a military recruitment office within 20 days. Those who do not comply are banned from driving vehicles, buying or selling real estate, or taking out loans.
ORIGINAL ENTRY: Hungary has announced new agreements for the supply of Russian energy, reinforcing Budapest’s position of economic lifeline for Moscow amid European Union and international sanctions.
At a press conference in the Russian capital, Foreign minister Péter Szijjártó said Russian State energy company Gazprom will continue deliveries under a long-term deal, and will maintain an option to supply additional gas this year. The price of the gas will be capped at €150 per cubic meter./p>
Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has navigated between his long-time relationship with Vladimir Putin and Budapest’s EU membership throughout the Russian invasion.
Orbán has objected loudly to the sanctions, even as the EU and other countries imposed the measures over Russian aggression and war crimes. Hungary has obtained exemptions from the 27-nation bloc’s restrictions on imports of Russian oil, gas, and nuclear fuel.
The Kremlin ensured a high profiel for Foreign Minister Szijjártó’s visit. He met the Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, who holds the energy portfolio, and the chief executive of the Russian State nuclear energy company Rosatom, Alexey Likhachev.
Szijjártó insisted, “As long as the issue of energy supply is a physical issue and not a political or ideological one, like it or not, Russia and cooperation with Russia will remain crucial for Hungary’s energy security.”
