Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has been going on for 514 days. Russia is shelling Ukraine’s grain infrastructure and threatening to escalate in the Black Sea in order to force concessions from the West and underline the importance of the Kremlin in the grain deal, the Institute of War Research estimates in an analysis. Experts point out that Russia wants to set Ukraine and the countries of Central Europe at odds. Here are the highlights of the last hours.
> President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday during an online appearance at the Aspen Security Forum conference that the Russian bridge to occupied Crimea is a “hostile facility” built illegally, in violation of international law, and is also a “target that must be neutralized.”
> Russian investigators detained a popular nationalist commentator on Friday Igor Girkin Reuters reported. Girkin publicly criticized Vladimir Putin and the Russian command for insufficiently sharp and effective guidance war in Ukraine.
> Ambassador of the Russian Federation will be summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs – said the Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in response to Vladimir Putin’s words about Poland. “The historical truth is not subject to discussion,” added the head of government in an entry on the Internet.
> US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that on the spot Yevgenya Prigozhinand he would be concerned because “NATO has an open door policy and Russia has an open window policy.” He also added that the appearance of Wagner Group mercenaries in Belarus is bad news for this country.
> Russia is shelling Ukrainian grain infrastructure and threatens to escalate in the Black Sea in order to force concessions from the West and emphasize the importance of the Kremlin in the grain agreement, the Institute of War Research assesses in the analysis. Experts point out that Russia wants to set Ukraine and the countries of Central Europe at odds.
A damaged grain terminal after a Russian missile attackIGOR TKACHENKO/PAP/EPA
> President Joe Biden will decide whether to transfer ATACMS long-range missiles to Ukraine; he talked about it with President Volodymyr Zelensky, the US President’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan announced on Friday.
> The Bulgarian Parliament has urgently adopted the law on the first and second reading depriving the Russian company Lukoil of its license for the use of the Rosenec oil terminal north of Burgas on the Black Sea. The new law is due to come into force in two weeks.
> The presidents of Ukraine and Turkey, Volodymyr Zelensky i Recep Tayyip Erdoganspoke on Friday by phone about the situation related to Russia’s withdrawal from the grain agreement, as well as the return of Ukrainian prisoners of war, especially Crimean Tatars, who were imprisoned by Russia.
Main photo source: IGOR TKACHENKO/PAP/EPA