EA-Ukraine VideoCast: Zelensky at the United Nations

EA-Ukraine VideoCast: When Zelensky Met CIA Director Ratcliffe in Ireland

UPDATE 0619 GMT:

The Kremlin is shifting the burden of anti-drone defenses onto businesses, warning that companies who fail to protect themselves from Ukrainian strikes could be taken over by the State.

In late August, Putin signed a decree allowing the introduction of “temporary management” at “critical infrastructure objects” that are not protecting themselves.

A former Kremlin official told the Financial Times that Russian intelligence services and the military “complained that businesses were sitting on their hands and don’t want to lift a finger, and Putin agreed. The message is: guys, get your act together and start spending.”

UPDATE 0522 GMT:

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that the Kremlin is beginning mobilizations following Russia’s staged Parliamentary elections last week.

On Monday, Vladimir Putin ordered ⁠an increase ​in the Russian army to 1.55 ⁠million ​active ‌servicemen, an increase of 15,500. The expansion, the fourth this year, follows a similar increase in August.

In his nightly video address to the nation, Zelensky said Russia is looking to “increase the involvement of foreigners”. He asserted that North Korea is preparing to deploy another 10,000 troops, in addition to more than 8,000 military personnel currently stationed in Russia. In return for troops, Russia is providing technological assistance to North Korea, which is now producing Shahed attack drones.

“This is how evil spreads and how a threat to life in one part of the world spreads to other parts of the world,” Zelensky said. “This can only be overcome together.”

Russia is planning to spend a record 17.1 trillion roubles ($202.58 billion) on its military in 2027, an increase of around 27% over the previously-budgeted amount.

Russian budgeting documents indicate Moscow plans to spend 50 trillion roubles ($591 billion) over the next three years.

Russia’s budget deficit rose to 3.2% of its GDP, up from the 1.6% listed in estimates earlier this year.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: Amid Ukraine’s counter-attacks and international sanctions, Vladimir Putin has signed a decree restricting access to data on Russia’s oil refineries and energy exports.

The decree covers the volume of oil processed and products manufactured by individual Russian refineries. It also applies to the refined product slate of exports; quantities; pricing; the supply chain of sellers, buyers, and intermediaries; transportation routes and vehicles, terminals, and storage locations; and delivery dates.

Putin gave the Russian government a 10-day deadline to determine which specific products will be subject to the restrictions.

The Kremlin is hoping to make Western sanctions against Russia more difficult to enforce. Limiting information can make it more difficult for governments and researchers to track Russian energy flows and identify sanctions evasion.

The European Union is scheduled to end all imports of Russian oil and gas in January 2027.

Ukraine’s General Staff said last week that long-range strikes had knocked out 45% of Russia’s total oil refining capacity.