It is the 168 day of the war in Ukraine and yesterday the clash reached the Crimea, in the heart of the Russian defense in the peninsula: an important air base, a bridge for the activities of Vladimir Putin’s fleet in the Black Sea, was damaged by several explosions, some of them very powerful, which were felt tens of kilometers away. Also causing one death and seven injuries, including two children. For Moscow it was a simple incident in an ammunition depot. Kiev officially denied knowing the cause of the explosions, but Ukrainian military sources said it was their attack. “It’s just the beginning,” tweeted Mykhailo Podolyak, Volodymyr Zelensky’s right-hand man.
Meanwhile, the Baltic countries and Kiev are calling for an end to EU visas for Russian tourists.
On the energy front, Moscow has announced the cut in oil flows from the Druzhba (Friendship) pipeline, which supplies Central Europe and which has been spared by EU sanctions on black gold. The Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary are the countries involved in the cut, which Moscow accuses of the impossibility of paying the “toll” for transit through Ukraine, due to the sanctions. But the stop came on the day of the entry into force of the EU plan for the reduction of gas, hailed as “fundamental” by Ursula von der Leyen, who congratulated the countries that have already implemented measures in this direction.
The case – Parolin: “Those attacked cannot be asked to give up their weapons”
The note – Biden signs the ratification of accession to NATO of Sweden and Finland: “Be vigilant against all threats”
Updates
00.01 – Zelensky: Russian war started with Crimea, will end with its release
“Russia’s war against Ukraine began with the seizure of Crimea and will end with its liberation.” According to reports from ‘Ukrainska Pravda’, this was stated by the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a video message released this evening. «Today there is a lot of attention on the issue of Crimea. And this is correct, because Crimea is Ukrainian, and we will never give up. Let us not forget that the Russian war against Ukraine began with the occupation of Crimea. Russia has transformed our peninsula, which has always been and will be one of the best places in Europe, into one of the most dangerous places in Europe. Russia has brought large-scale repression, environmental problems, economic stalemate and war in the Crimea ». According to the President of Ukraine, the presence of the occupiers on the peninsula poses a threat to Europe and world stability. “The Black Sea region cannot be safe while Crimea is occupied. There will be no stable and long-term peace in many countries of the Mediterranean coast, as long as Russia has the opportunity to use our peninsula as a military base, “says Zelensky.
Yesterday’s news and insights