Chinese leader Xi Jinping with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Uzbekistan, September 15, 2022
Monday’s Coverage: “Zero Chance” of Russia Breakthrough in Assault on Avdiivka in East
Map: Institute for the Study of War
UPDATE 1934 GMT:
A telecommunication cable connecting Sweden and Estonia has been damaged.
The incident occured on October 8, at the same time as the Baltic Connector subsea gas pipeline and a telecom cable between Finland and Estonia were damaged.
Finnish officials have said that the pipeline was damaged by “quite heavy force”, after the Russian survey vessel Sibiryakov conducted “underwater activities” in the area in June, August, and September.
Estonia’s Economy Ministry said today that its affected cable, owned by Sweden was 30 miles off the island of Hiiumaa in northern Estonia. Service was restored within a few days.
Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson, said Stockholm’s police, military, and coast guard are in contact with Estonian counterparts.
“We see the issue of security for our critical infrastructure as a high priority, and take the current situation seriously,” Jonson told reporters.
UPDATE 1845 GMT:
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has confirmed that Ukraine used recently-supplied US long-range missiles in an attack, presumably the strikes in the east of the country that destroyed nine Russian helicopters (see 1500 GMT).
In his nightly address to the nation, Zelenskiy said, “Today is special, thanks to the United States. Our agreements with President Biden are being implemented. Very accurately – ATACMS missiles proved themselves.”
UPDATE 1600 GMT:
Canada has sanctioned nine individuals and six TV stations over Russian activities in Moldova.
The individuals cited are linked with influential pro-Russian oligarchs such as Vladimir Plahotniuc and Ilan Mironovich Shor, while the TV stations are named for promoting and disseminating disinformation to justify Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Russia has occupied the Transnistria region of Moldova since 1992. According to President Maia Sandu, Moscow and its allies tried to overthrow the government earlier this year by converting protests into armed insurrection.
Shor’s political party has been barred by the Moldovan Supreme Court.
UPDATE 1500 GMT:
Using long-range missiles recently supplied by the US, Ukraine has destroyed nine Russian helicopters at an airfield in the occupied east of the country.
After months of deliberation, the Biden Administration agreed in September to provide the Army Tactical Missile System. The models supplied have a range of about 100 miles.
The Ukraine military said on Tuesday that it “made well-aimed strikes on enemy airfields and helicopters near temporarily occupied Luhansk and Berdyansk”.
Without referring specifically to the helicopters, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said after a meeting with military commanders:
Thanks also to those who powerfully destroy the logistics and bases of the occupiers on our land.
There are results. I thank some of our partners: effective weapons, as we agreed.
UPDATE 1122 GMT:
Imprisoned Russian dissident Alexei Navalny has commented on the detention of his attorneys.
On Friday, Navalny’s lawyers Igor Sergunin and Alexey Liptser and his former lawyer Vadim Kobzev were charged with participation in an “extremist community” because they passed information between Navalny and his supporters.
Navalny noted that the lawyers were “persecuted for their professional activity”: “Of course these are outrageous and illegal acts [by Russia’s authorities]….Nobody is allowed to see me. I am completely isolated from information.”
He explained that the detentions are part of an intensifying campaign by Russian officials to isolate him further.
Navalny, who survived an assassination attempt with nerve agent poisoing in 2020, is serving 30 1/2 years in one of Russia’s harshest penal colonies after an additional 19 years were imposed in August.
The three lawyers have been remanded in pre-trial detention until at least December 13.
UPDATE 0632 GMT:
Payments by India for Russian oil are being held up because of a currency dispute.
The Indian Government’s aversion to payment with Chinese yuan has blocked transactions for at least seven cargoes.
Russian firms such as Rosneft are continuing to supply State-controlled Indian refiners, as alternative ways for payment are sought.
India has been a vital customer for Moscow during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Sharply increasing its purchases, Delhi has taken up to half of Russia’s exports.
However, in September, India said it would decrease imports from Russia, following a reduction in the Russian discount on cargoes.
Indian refiners have struggled over payments since the US and the European Union set a price cap of $60 a barrel on Russian oil last December. Buyers have had to use currencies such as UAE dirhams for cargoes above the $60 level.
The current price for a barrel of Brent crude is $90.
In July, Indian refiners began using yuan to pay for some Russian oil, while continuing to use dollars and dirhams for most purchases.
ORIGINAL ENTRY: Vladimir Putin has arrived in China, hoping for support that he failed to receive after his last face-to-face meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in March.
Putin was greeted at Beijing’s international airport by the Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao. He will attend the third Belt and Road Forum, alongside the leaders of Vietnam, Thailand, Mongolia, and Laos.
It is Putin’s second trip abroad since — days before he hosted Xi in Moscow in March — the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for him over deportations of Ukrainian children.
At the Moscow encounter, Xi invited his “dear friend” to attend the Belt and Road Forum.
However, Putin failed to get a Chinese commitment of political and military support for his invasion of Ukraine.
Warned by the US the previous month not to provide lethal military aid, China pulled back from any supply to the Russians. Through its envoy to the European Union, Beijing said that it did not back the invasion. And it declared “strategic cooperation” with Ukraine as well as Russia.
Ukraine War, Day 455: China Avoids Public Support of Russia’s Failing Invasion
In August — a day after Russia was excluded from a Saudi-hosted summit of 43 countries, including China, on Ukraine — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi maintained a careful line in his phone conversation with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.
China will uphold a fair position on any multilateral occasion, make objective and rational observations, actively promote peace and encourage talks, and seek political solutions.
As Lavrov met Wang in Beijing on Tuesday, the Kremlin said that during Putin’s discussion with Xi, “Special attention will be paid to international and regional issues.”
