TopU.S. The Treasury official said the war in Ukraine forced the US to revise its sanctions policy
Economist Adewale “Wally” Adeyemo answers questions during the Senate Finance Committee’s nomination hearing for the position of Deputy Secretary of the Treasury at the Dirksen Senate Office Building, in Washington, DC, February 23, 2021.
Greg Nash | Lake | Reuters
Russia’s war with Ukraine requires the United States to change its approach to international sanctions, US Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo wrote in a new essay in Foreign Affairs.
The reform began in early 2021, when Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen commissioned a review of US sanctions policy. The review found that sanctions work best when they are coordinated with America’s partners, aligned with foreign policy goals and rooted in comprehensive economic analysis.
“Restrictions in the past were not properly regulated,” Adeyemo wrote. “In total, the number of U.S. sanctions grew more than 900 percent from 2000 to 2021 — some more carefully crafted than others.”
Since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, US sanctions against Russia have been directed at three goals, Adeyemo wrote. “It denies Moscow access to the money it needs to pay for its war, cuts Russia off from resources to boost its faltering economy, and undermines its military capabilities.”
Read the entire article on Foreign affairs.
– Christina Wilkie
Ukraine’s energy infrastructure is planted in the south, east of the country, the energy minister says
Russian attacks have damaged energy infrastructure in southern and eastern Ukraine, German energy minister Galushchenko said on Facebook, according to a Google translation. He warned about the reduction of power generation or sudden accidents.
Ihor Terekhov, the mayor of the city of Kharkiv, earlier today confirmed the damage to the region’s energy infrastructure and the latest Russian airstrikes against Ukraine. Moscow has already fired more than 60 missiles as part of the attack, Ukrainian state media agency Ukrinform quoted Yuriy Ihnat, a spokesman for the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as saying.
Damage to infrastructure in Kharkiv
The mayor of Kharkiv, Ukraine, Ihor Terekhov, has said that essential infrastructure has been destroyed following the latest bomb attack in Russia.
“There is a huge destruction of infrastructure, first of all, power systems,” he said, according to Google’s translation of his Telegram message.
“I ask you to be patient for what is happening now. I know that there is no fire in your house, there is no electricity, there is no water… We will do our best to restore the equipment tool made by a Russian criminal.
Other reports say that the entire city of Kharkiv is now without power, and emergency restrictions have been implemented across the country.
– Matt Clinch
Four killed, nine wounded in the Kherson bombing on Dec. 15, officials said
A view of the first hotel that was hit by a mortar shell in Kherson, Ukraine, on December 15, 2022.
Artur Widak Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
Russian forces shelled the Kherson region 30 times on Dec. 15, killing four people and wounding nine others, said Yaroslav Yanushevych, head of the Kherson regional military administration. Ukrainian state news agency Ukrinform reported what he said.
Russian raids hit homes, transportation routes, health care facilities and humanitarian aid centers, Yanushevych said.
MSC continues to transport cargo through the Black Sea
The world’s largest shipping company, MSC, said on Thursday that it is continuing to transport goods through the Black Sea, avoiding Ukrainian ports that are considered dangerous, like Odessa.
MSC Caitlin is pictured in the port of Chornomorsk, Chornomorsk, Odesa Region, southern Ukraine.
Nina Liashonok Future editions | Getty Images
CEO Soren Toft told CNBC that although it is “complying with the sanctions,” it continues to deliver food, humanitarian aid and medicine to Russia.
“I don’t think it’s my job to do politics,” he said. “There are 150 million Russians, I don’t think I want to deprive them of the basics.”
—Karen Gilchristand
Russia will launch a new attack, Ukraine says
Russia may launch a new invasion of Ukraine as soon as January, according to Ukrainian officials.
The head of the Ukrainian army, General Valery Zaluzhny, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and General Oleksandr Syrsky have told the newspaper The Economist, published Thursday, which explained their predictions for the coming year.
“The Russians are preparing about 200,000 new soldiers,” Zaluzhny told the paper.
Read more here.
– Matt Clinch
At least three cities are under attack
Ukrainian state firefighters work to put out a fire at a building damaged by a Russian attack in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, Friday, December 16, 2022.
Evgeniy Maloletka AP
The Associated Press is now reporting, citing Ukrainian authorities, that explosions were reported in at least three cities in Ukraine on Friday morning – Kyiv, Kryvyi Rih and the southern and northeastern city of Kharkiv. .
“Explosions in Kharkiv for the second day in a row. The infrastructure company is carrying weapons. There may be electrical problems … Be careful and stay covered,” Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said via Telegram, according to Google’s translation said. .
– Matt Clinch
Explosions in Kyiv, the mayor said
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the blast on Friday morning had rocked the capital after air sirens were heard across the country.
“Explosion in the Desnyan area of the capital. All operations are going there… Stay safe!” Klitschko said, according to a Google translation of his Telegram message.
“Another explosion in Kyiv, in Dnipro district.”
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko stands in front of a damaged building after the Russian attack on Kyiv on April 29, 2022, amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Genya Savilov AFP | Getty Images
Airstrikes sound across Ukraine
Civilians sit on inflatables as they run into a train station during an air raid in central Kyiv on December 16, 2022, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
Dimitar Dilkoff AFP | Getty Images
A new Russian airstrike was expected early Friday as Reuters reported that air raid sirens were sounding in places like the capital Kyiv.
Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of the presidential office, said via the Telegram messaging app: “Don’t ignore air raid alerts, stay safe.”
— Matt Clinch
US to expand combat training for the Ukrainian army
US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, Lloyd Austin and Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov on October 12, 2022 in Brussels, Belgium. The North Atlantic Council (NAC) and the level of defense ministers are meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels for a two-day meeting as the war in Ukraine continues in its seventh month.
Omar Havana Getty Images
The Pentagon will expand combat training for Ukraine’s military, using the slow winter months to train larger units in tougher combat skills, US officials said.
The U.S. has already trained about 3,100 Ukrainian soldiers on how to use and maintain certain weapons and other equipment, including launchers, vehicles and the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, known as HIMARS. But military leaders for several months have discussed expanding the training, citing the need to improve the ability of Ukrainian companies and battalion members to move and coordinate combat on the battlefield.
A battalion may consist of 800 soldiers; a smaller company, maybe two hundred.
According to officials, the training will take place at the Grafenwoehr training ground in Germany. And the goal is to use the winter months to improve the skills of the Ukrainian army so that they will be well prepared to prevent any increase in Russian attacks or attempts to expand Russia’s territorial interests.
– Associated Press
EU approved new sanctions against Russia, diplomats said
The President of the European Council Charles Michel and the President of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal attend a news conference, as the Russian attack on Ukraine continues, in Odesa, Ukraine May 9, 2022.
Ukrainian Government Press Service Reuters
The European Union said it approved a new package of sanctions to increase pressure on Russia over its war in Ukraine.
The package, whose details have not been disclosed, was approved after a day of scrutiny during a meeting of representatives of 27 countries.
The Czech Republic, which holds the presidency of the EU Council, said the package would be approved in writing on Friday. Details will be published in the association’s legal journal.
The European Commission, the EU’s main body, last week proposed a travel ban and asset freeze on nearly 200 more Russian officials and military personnel as part of a new set of measures.
The targets of the proposed new restrictions include government ministers, legislators, regional governors and political parties.
– Associated Press
Four ships leave Ukrainian ports under the Grain Initiative
A Maltese ship with the flag of Zante bound for Belgium was transiting the Bosphorus carrying 47,270 metric tons of crude oil from Ukraine when it was detained at the entrance to the Bosphorus because of Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea grain agreement and November 02, 2022 in Istanbul. Turkey.
Chris McGrath | Getty Images
Four ships carrying wheat and cooking oil have left a port in Ukraine, the country’s agricultural export agency said.
These ships go to India and Turkey.
The Black Sea Grain Initiative, an agreement reached in July between Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations, saw three key Ukrainian ports reopened after a Russian blockade halted exports for months. More than 13.9 million tons of grain and other products have left Ukraine since the agreement began.
The contract between the subscribers will expire in about three months.
– Amanda Macias
