The Kremlin denounces the transfer of frozen Russian assets to Ukraine by Washington

2023-09-07 07:43:13

Since February 2022, this is Antony Blinken’s fourth visit to kyiv. Barely arrived, the American Secretary of State announced new aid from the United States to Ukraine worth nearly a billion dollars and the delivery of depleted uranium munitions. Controversial munitions as they can be dangerous for the military and the population, with Moscow denouncing Washington’s “inhumanity”.

After an explosion in a market in eastern Ukraine yesterday which left 17 dead, drones sent by kyiv were shot down near Moscow this Thursday, September 7 in the early morning.

In addition, the British tobacco giant British American Tobacco (BAT) announced on Thursday the sale for an undisclosed amount of its activities in Russia and Belarus to the group’s local managers, concretizing an announcement made in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine, almost a year and a half ago.

British tobacco giant BAT sells its operations in Russia and Belarus

The group has “officially reached an agreement to sell its Russian and Belarusian operations”, and the buyer is “a consortium led by members of the BAT Russia management team which (…) will own 100% of both companies “, he announced in a press release.

The group had indicated during the publication of its half-year results last July that it had incurred charges linked to its activities in these two countries, for impairment of assets and associated costs, of 629 million pounds (733 million euros) for 2022 and the first six months of 2023. BAT has a head office in Moscow, 75 regional offices and a manufacturing plant in Saint Petersburg. The group also has an office in Belarus. As of June 30, 2023, these two countries represented approximately 2.7% of the company’s revenue, at constant exchange rates. Like many other foreign companies, BAT announced shortly after the start of the war in Ukraine (begun in February 2022) its intention to withdraw from Russia, believing that its presence was “no longer tenable in the current environment” – two days after first saying he would stay in the country.

Supply of American depleted uranium munitions to Ukraine: “very bad news”

The Kremlin on Thursday castigated the promised supply to Ukraine by the United States of depleted uranium munitions, capable of piercing armor but controversial because of the toxic risks for the military and the population. Their use in the past has “led to a rampant increase” in cancers and it is therefore “very bad news” for which the “responsibility will lie with the United States”, declared Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov.

The Kremlin denounces the transfer of frozen Russian assets to Ukraine by Washington

The Kremlin denounced Thursday the handover by Washington to Ukraine of $5.4 million in frozen Russian assets, announced the day before by American Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a visit to Kiev. “We perceived it in a completely negative way,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the press, stressing that Russia considers any seizure of Russian assets “illegitimate,” “that they whether public or private.

The United States will supply controversial munitions to kyiv, Moscow denounces Washington’s inhumanity

The supply of depleted uranium munitions to Kiev, provided for in aid of an additional billion dollars announced by American Secretary of State Antony Blinken, shows the “inhumanity” of Washington, Moscow castigated on the night of Wednesday to Thursday. Visiting Kiev, Antony Blinken unveiled new aid worth a billion dollars to Ukraine, the Pentagon revealing from Washington a component providing for the supply of 120 mm depleted uranium munitions intended for the American Abrams tanks promised to Kiev.

These, capable of perforating armor, are controversial because of the toxic risks for the military and the population. During the night from Wednesday to Thursday, the Russian embassy in Washington condemned this decision which, according to it, is “a clear sign of the inhumanity” of the United States. “The progress of the ongoing counter-offensive (of the Ukrainian army) has accelerated in recent weeks and this new aid will help give it new momentum,” said Antony Blinken, whose fourth visit to Ukraine since the start, in February 2022, of the Russian invasion.

Ukrainian drones shot down near Moscow Thursday morning

Ukrainian drones were shot down near the Russian capital and in the south of the country on Thursday morning, Russian news agency RIA reported, citing the defense ministry. A drone was shot down near Moscow and two others near Rostov-on-Don, RIA said.

Chinese, Russian and American leaders meet at ASEAN summit

US Vice President Kamala Harris, Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov are meeting in Jakarta on Thursday at the East Asia Summit, a rare opportunity for rival nations to have talks. diplomatic exchanges. The 18-nation meeting in the Indonesian capital brings top officials from Washington and Beijing to the same table, a day after Premier Li Qiang warned that major powers must rein in their differences to avoid a “new Cold War.” “.

Thursday’s summit will also be the first opportunity for senior American and Russian officials to meet, almost two months after a previous tense ASEAN meeting in July in Jakarta during which the West demanded accountability from Sergei Lavrov over the invasion of Ukraine. Joining them will be Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, Canadian Justin Trudeau and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, as well as leaders of the Association of Nations. Southeast Asia (Asean).

Ukraine: new American aid of more than a billion dollars

American Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on a surprise visit to Kiev, announced on Wednesday new aid from his country to Ukraine “totaling more than a billion dollars” to give “momentum” to the counter- offensive against Russia. “The United States is committed to giving Ukraine the means to write its own future […]. Today, we are announcing new aid totaling more than a billion dollars,” he declared. Welcoming the “progress of the counter-offensive” which has “accelerated” in recent weeks, he estimated in press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart that this boost “will help give it new momentum. “This includes $665.5 million in new military aid and for civil security,” he added, then that American aid since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022 totals more than $40 billion.

For his part, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kouleba recalled that this support “is not charity”, Ukraine “is curbing Russian aggression thanks to its partners” without putting “any American life in danger”. . “We will never call for the deployment of American troops in Ukraine,” he clarified, also wanting to “separately thank” Washington “for the decision to allow other countries to transfer” F-16s.

EU and White House condemn latest Russian ‘brutal attacks’ on Ukraine

The White House on Wednesday condemned Russia’s latest “brutal attacks” against Ukraine, including the strike against a market in the east of the country which left at least 17 dead. “These brutal attacks by Russia underscore the need to continue to support the Ukrainian people in defending their territory,” President Joe Biden’s spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said.

For its part, the European Union condemned a “barbaric” and “hateful” attack carried out by Russia. “Russia continues to terrorize the civilian population in Ukraine,” an EU spokesperson said in a statement. “Intentional attacks against civilians are war crimes. All perpetrators, perpetrators and accomplices of these atrocities must be held accountable.”​​

The UN humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine Denise Brown condemned the “despicable attack” on Wednesday. “The despicable attack a few hours ago hit a busy market in Kostiantynivka, killing and injuring dozens of adults and children in this war-torn community,” she wrote in a statement. saying “upset”.