2024-01-29 23:57:26
The war in ukraine This Monday, January 29, it turns 705 days since its inception. Russian forces advance near Kupyansk, Kreminna and Avdiivkaamid persistent positional clashes along the entire line of contact.
Reports published by the Financial Times (FT), reveal a strategic plan by the European Union (EU) to sabotage Hungary’s economy, in response to the veto of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in relation to financial aid of 50 billion euros to Ukraine and ensure the achievement of the unanimous agreement of the 27 member states during the summit scheduled for February 1.
Putin travels to the Kaliningrad region amid the start of NATO’s largest maneuvers in decades, since the start of the Cold War.
The chairman of the State Duma (Lower House) of RussiaViacheslav Volodin, warns about the threat of a third world war for the support of the Western powers for kyiv.
On February 24, 2022, President of Russia Vladimir Putinordered the Russian offensive in the country in what he called a “special military operation.”
Since then, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that More than 31 million people have fled Ukraine, since the beginning of the Russian military offensive, which considers that it is already the Fastest exodus in Europe since World War II. That is, about 76% of the population –estimated at almost 41 million in 2021– would have left Ukrainian territory.
The latest report of Institute Study of War (ISW) (1), highlights that Russian forces carry out advances “near Kupyansk, Kreminna and Avdiivka amid continuing positional clashes along the entire line of contact“.
The ISW, also notes thatRussian forces carried out a limited series of drone and missile attacks against Ukraine on January 26 and 27“.
The European Union (EU) seeks to reach a unanimous agreement of the 27 member states on the aid of 50 billion euros for Ukraine during the summit on February 1, despite the previous veto of the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, at the December leaders’ meeting. Several sources explained this intention, in response to the revelation by the Financial Times (FT) of an alternative plan to sabotage the Hungarian economy.
He document mentioned by Financial Timeswhat lays out strategy to attack Hungary’s economic vulnerabilities if veto is upheld, is an information note written by the Council Secretariat under its own responsibility. Sources from the European institution point out that this report describes the current situation of the Hungarian economy and does not reflect the state of the ongoing negotiations on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), which frames the discussion on 50 billion in aid to Ukraine. They assure that talks on the EU’s long-term budget have always sought a compromise “acceptable” for the 27 member states.
European Commission spokesman Eric Mamer admitted at a press conference that he had not seen the document mentioned by the FT. However, affirms that the objective of the community Executive is to achieve an agreement that allows the arrival of financial support to Ukraine.
The European Union decides to extend economic sanctions against Russia for an additional six months in response to the invasion of Ukraine. The decision was approved this Monday by the Member States, just one month after the second anniversary of the military conflict.
The Twenty-Seven followed the established procedure to extend the restrictive measures against Russia until at least July 31, 2024, specifically for its destabilizing actions in Ukraine. These sanctions were first implemented in 2014, in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea..
In 2022, following the large-scale invasion of Ukraine, the European Union responded with the most extensive set of sanctions ever approved by the Twenty-Seven, effectively cutting trade and political relations with Moscow.
The sanctions cover a variety of sectoral measures, including rrestrictions on trade, finance, technology, dual-use goods, industry, transportation and luxury goods. In addition, a veto was imposed on the import of Russian crude oil transported by sea and certain petroleum products. Several Russian banks were also removed from the SWIFT systemand the broadcasting activities and licenses in Europe of several Russian media linked to the Kremlin were suspended.
In addition to the economic measures, the Twenty-seven maintain in their blacklist to almost 2,000 people and entities linked to attacks against the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Among them are Vladimir Putin himself and his closest political, family and business circle.
Putin travels to the Kaliningrad region amid the start of the largest NATO exercises in decades. Last Thursday, the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, made a surprise visit to the Russian territory of Kaliningrad, located between Poland and Lithuania. This move occurred shortly after NATO began its largest military maneuvers since the beginning of the Cold War. Despite this temporal coincidence, the Kremlin has assured that there is no relationship between the two events.
Russian authorities say the purpose of Putin’s trip is to meet with local leaders and participate in a meeting with students. Dimitri Peskov, the main spokesman, stressed that when the president visits regions of Russia does not seek to send messages to NATO countries. “He has been doing it for years, working to improve the country and its regions,” he added, according to reports from the TASS news agency.
In relation to the maneuvers of NATO, which plans to deploy around 90,000 troops in exercises simulating a conflict in Europe, Peskov avoided confirming the adoption of exceptional security measures. He pointed out that any movement of the president already implies “special” controls and ruled out that Russia has requested a specific air corridor to Lithuania for this trip, which by land involves crossing European Union territory.
After the start of the Russian military offensive in Ukraine, the countries of the European Union closed their airspace to official Russian aircraft. As a result, senior Russian officials often avoid restricted airspace, opting to circle the area and fly over international waters in the Baltic Sea.
The chairman of the State Duma (Lower House) of Russia, Viacheslav Volodin, warned this Saturday about the threat of a third world war, attributing it to the support of Western powers for the “crimes of the kyiv Nazis.” His statements coincide with the 80th anniversary of the end of the siege of Leningrad.
Volodin, through his Telegram channel, denounced that fascist ideology has become the norm for the leaders of NATO countries. He expressed his opinion that this dangerous path could trigger a new world war.
The Russian parliamentarian he pointed directly to some of Ukraine’s main allies, such as “Biden, Trudeau, Sunak, Macron and Scholz”criticizing his justification of the crimes of the kyiv Nazis and their support for the Zelensky regime’s policy of genocide and terrorism.
In the context of the commemoration of “one of the most tragic pages in the history” of Russia, Volodin recalled that the war affected all homes and families. He urged doing everything possible to prevent this from happening again, lamenting the resurgence of Nazism after eight decades.
Exactly 80 years ago, On January 27, 1944, Soviet troops lifted the German Wehrmacht’s siege around what was then Leningrad, now Saint Petersburg.where more than a million people lost their lives due to bombings, hunger and cold.
Flow of refugees from Ukraine to other countries as of January 8, 2024 / Map: EA
UNHCR estimates that more than 31 million people have fled Ukraine since the start of the Russian military offensive, which it considers to be the fastest exodus in Europe since World War II.
He High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)) estimates that More than 31 million people have fled Ukraine, since the beginning of the Russian military offensive, which considers that it is already the Fastest exodus in Europe since World War II. That is, about 76% of the population –estimated at almost 41 million in 2021– would have left Ukrainian territory.
According to the latest data from UNHCR (2), 31,155,555 people have left Ukrainian territory as of January 8, 2024. By countries, 17.293.665 Ukrainian refugees have already arrived Poland (December 15, 2023), 2.852.395 a Russia (June 30, 2023), 4,133,720 a Hungary (January the 8th), 3.879.160 a Romania (January 7th), 1.982.815 a Slovakia (December 31, 2023), 997.090 a Moldavia (December 24, 2023) and 16.705 a Belarus (November 1, 2023).
The High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that More than 5.9 million Ukrainian refugees have already been registered in European territory, while worldwide the number of people from Ukraine in the same situation reaches 6.3 million, due to the Russian invasion of his country.
On the other hand, UNHCR estimates up to 20,588,715 movements (and not of people) back to Ukraine who have recurrently crossed the border without establishing permanent residence back to Ukraine from February 28, 2022.
These border movements towards Ukrainian territory are highly volatile and unpredictable, and related to temporary return decisions. to visit their families or carry out procedures, among many others without being considered sustainable returns due to the war situation in the country.
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