UN to investigate horrors in Ukraine
The United Nations Human Rights Council voted Thursday to deepen an investigation into alleged rights abuses by Russian forces near Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, and other regions of the country.
The measure passed with 33 votes in favor and only two countries — China and Eritrea — voting against. Russia was suspended from the council last month and has denied that its troops targeted civilians for abuse.
Blockade of Ukrainian ports brings famine in the world
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Russia to end the blockade of the Black Sea and not create global food problems by disrupting exports from Ukraine. Blinken emphasized that Ukraine is a “critical source” of agricultural products and is a key link in the food supply chain in the world. “Russia’s blockade is preventing these goods from leaving and threatening millions of people around the world with malnutrition and famine. The blockade must end.”
The European Commission has provided Kyiv with an action plan aimed at helping Ukraine export its agro-industrial products, the so-called Solidarity Lanes. The plan was presented by European Commissioner for Transport Adina Velyan. According to the European Commissioner, 20 million tons of grain should be shipped from Ukraine in less than three months, using EU infrastructure.
It is noted that despite the emergency efforts of the EU and its member states aimed at facilitating the border crossing between Ukraine and the EU, thousands of wagons and trucks from the Ukrainian side are waiting for customs clearance. On average, the current waiting time for wagons is 16 days, and at some borders – up to 30 days.
Nothing good from such a move, but no other way is possible
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted a document according to which Russian assets in the territory of Ukraine become the state property, being transferred to the State Enterprise “National Investment Fund”, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced.
“We will take away everything that Russia owns in Ukraine and channel these assets into strengthening the army, supporting the people, and rebuilding our country. Today, the Cabinet of Ministers approved a document according to which Russian assets in Ukraine are transferred to the state property, or more precisely to the State Enterprise ‘National Investment Fund’. Both the President and the Government have repeatedly stated that Russia must pay for what it has destroyed in Ukraine,” Shmyhal posted on Telegram.
And you, friend Yusheng?::
A former Chinese ambassador to Kyiv strongly criticized Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in an unusual statement, as Beijing refrained from condemning Vladimir Putin’s invasion. The Chinese press reported on his speech, but immediately removed the information. Gao Yusheng, who retired more than 10 years ago after a diplomatic career in Russia and Central Asia, told an online seminar at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences that Russia’s war is a failure.
Gao said that under Putin’s leadership, Moscow had never truly accepted the sovereignty and independence of the former Soviet states, and its frequent “violations” of their territories were “the greatest threat to peace, security and stability in Eurasia.” He added that after the end of the war in Ukraine, a new world order is likely to emerge, in which Kiev will step out of Moscow’s “sphere of influence” and move even closer to Europe. Instead, Russia will be politically, economically, militarily and militarily weakened and drastically isolated.
“Slavic unity” turned out to be “Russian world”
In the village of Senkovka in the Chernihiv region, the process of dismantling the Three Sisters monument dedicated to the “friendship of peoples” of Ukraine, Belarus and the Russian Federation has begun.
The monument was erected at the junction of the borders of Ukraine, the Russian Federation and Belarus in 1975 and was considered a reminder of history. The OVA will hand over to the Ministry of Culture the necessary documents on deregistration of the structure, and then the monument will be dismantled.
Key Russian gas transit to Europe halted
Ukraine shut off on Wednesday the flow of natural gas exported from Russia to Europe from a station located in Donbas, now controlled by Russian forces. In a statement, the operator of the gas transmission system in Ukraine (GTSOU) announced its decision to suspend transit operations due to security reasons and “force majeure”.
According to the note, the company blocks the flow of gas from the Sokhranivka connection point, located in the eastern Ukrainian region of Lugansk, in the conflict-ridden Donbas area, which is currently under the control of the Russian Army.
However, Poland can manage without reverse gas flow on the Yamal pipeline, climate minister Anna Moskwa said on Thursday.
Concerned about foreign territories, Russia does not have time to put tundra to good use
First Deputy Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN Dmitry Polyansky said that Russia has changed its position on Kiev’s desire to join the EU. In his opinion, this is now similar to the Russian position on Ukraine’s accession to NATO
“Right now, frankly, I don’t see any possibilities for a diplomatic solution given Ukraine’s position and attempts by Western countries to foment this conflict. I have to admit that there is no room for diplomacy at the moment,” he stated.
Dmitry Polyansky also said that when Finland and Sweden becomes NATO members and the Alliance’s units will be there, these territories will become a possible target for the Russian army.
In parallel, key Finnish politicians have been warned that Russia may cut off the gas supply to Finland on May 13 due to the country’s potential accession to NATO, Finland’s media outlet Iltalehti reported, citing anonymous sources.
