Russia Won’t Close Tsar Peter’s ‘Window to Europe,’ Kremlin Says
The Kremlin said on Thursday that Russia did not plan to close “the window” to Europe that Tsar Peter the Great sought to open 300 years ago even though the West has imposed the most onerous sanctions in recent history over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion has killed thousands, displaced 13 million and raised fears of a broader conflict between the United States and Russia, by far the world’s biggest nuclear powers.
President Vladimir Putin says the West wants to destroy Russia, that the economic sanctions are akin to a declaration of economic war and that now Russia will turn towards building ties with other powers in Asia and the Middle East.
Asked if Russia would now turn the clock back on Peter I’s efforts to open Russia up to Europe, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “No one is planning to close anything.”
Peter, who ruled from 1682 to 1725, oversaw Russia’s transformation into a major European power and founded the city of Saint Petersburg, dubbed Russia’s “window to Europe.” He founded the Russian Empire in 1721.
Putin is a “deep connoisseur of history” and is well aware of Peter’s legacy, Peskov said.
“If we are talking specifically about Peter the Great, Putin very much appreciates the role of this particular individual in the history of our country,” he said.
Peter sought to import Western technology and battled against traditions that he felt were hindering the development of Russian power, though many of his reforms strengthened Russian autocracy.
Zelenskyy Says Russia Controls 20 Percent of Ukraine’s Territory
Russia is currently occupying about 20 percent of Ukraine’s territory, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Luxembourg’s parliament in a video address on Thursday.“We have to defend ourselves against almost the entire Russian army. All combat-ready Russian military formations are involved in this aggression,” he said, adding that the front lines of battle stretched across more than 1,000 kilometers (620 miles).
Moscow Calls EU Move to Phase Out Russian Oil ‘Self-Destructive’
Russia warned on Thursday that the European Union’s decision to partially phase out Russian oil was likely to destabilize global energy markets, calling it a “self-destructive” step that could backfire on the bloc.EU leaders agreed in principle on Monday to cut 90 percent of oil imports from Russia by the end of this year, the bloc’s toughest sanctions since the start of the invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow calls a “special military operation.”
“The European Union’s decisions to partially phase out Russian oil and oil products, as well as to ban insurance on Russian merchant ships, are highly likely to provoke further price increases, destabilize energy markets, and disrupt supply chains,” Russia’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
The Kremlin said on Thursday that the oil sanctions would hurt global oil flows and destabilize the world’s energy market.
“But, of course, Russia will not sell anything at a loss. If somewhere demand is falling that means that in another place it is increasing—the flows are re-routed,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told his daily conference call with reporters.
European Council President Charles Michel said the move to phase out Russian oil would deprive Moscow of a huge source of financing and put pressure on it to end its military campaign, but Moscow warned that the measures would end up harming the EU’s economy.
“Brussels and its political sponsors in Washington bear full responsibility for the risk of an exacerbation in global food and energy issues caused by the illegitimate actions of the European Union,” Russia’s foreign ministry said.
US Engaged in ‘Offensive’ Cyber Operations Against Russia in Ukraine: NSA Director
The head of the U.S. Cyber Command and National Security Agency (NSA) confirmed the United States conducted cyber operations after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.“We’ve conducted a series of operations across the full spectrum; offensive, defensive, [and] information operations,” NSA Director Paul Nakasone said in a recent interview. That includes “offensive hacking operations” he said, without elaborating on the details.
Ukraine Calls for More Arms Supplies to Help War Reach ‘Inflection Point’
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on the West on Thursday to step up its supplies of weapons to Ukraine to push Kyiv’s grinding war with Russia towards an “inflection point” that would allow it to win.Addressing the GLOBSEC 2022 Bratislava Forum in the Slovak capital by video link, the Ukrainian leader said that divisions in Europe created opportunities for Russia to exploit, but said that Kyiv was grateful for assistance from the West so far.
Kremlin Confirms That Yeltsin Son-in-law Quit as Putin Advisor
The Kremlin on Thursday confirmed a Reuters report that Valentin Yumashev, the son-in-law of former Russian leader Boris Yeltsin, had quit his role as an unpaid advisor to President Vladimir Putin.“I can confirm that about a month ago he stopped being an advisor on a voluntary basis,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
Yumashev did not play a major role in decision-making as a Putin advisor, but he represented one of the few remaining links in Putin’s administration to Yeltsin’s rule, a period of liberal reforms and an opening-up of Russia towards the West.
Kremlin Denounces Western Arming of Ukraine
The Kremlin has again denounced Western plans to supply more weapons to Ukraine.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters during his daily conference call that “the pumping” of weapons “will bring more suffering to Ukraine, which is merely a tool in the hands of those countries that supply it with weapons.”
Britain said Thursday that it is sending sophisticated medium-range rocket systems to Ukraine. The pledge came a day after the United States and Germany said they would equip the nation with advanced weapons for shooting down aircraft and knocking out artillery.
Peskov warned of “absolutely undesirable and rather unpleasant scenarios” in case “they hypothetically try to use these weapons against targets on our territory.”
“This will significantly change the situation in an unfavorable direction,” Peskov said.
Russia Tightens Grip on Ukrainian Factory City, Decries US Rocket Supplies
Russian forces tightened their grip on an industrial Ukrainian city as part of their drive to control the eastern Donbass region and targeted rail links used to ferry in weapons from Kyiv’s Western allies as the war approaches its 100th day on Friday.Russia has accused the United States of adding “fuel to the fire” after President Joe Biden announced a $700 million weapons package for Kyiv that will include advanced rocket systems with a range of up to 80 km (50 miles).
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Ukraine had promised it would not use the systems to hit targets inside Russia. Biden hopes extending Ukraine’s artillery reach will help push Russia to negotiate an end to the war.
Moscow has said it regards Ukrainian infrastructure used to bring in Western arms as a legitimate target in what it calls its “special military operation” to disarm Ukraine and rid it of ultra-nationalists the Kremlin says threaten Russian security.
Four Russian missiles hit railway infrastructure targets in two places in the western Lviv region bordering Poland late on Wednesday, governor Maksym Kozytskyi said, injuring five people and causing significant damage.
Russian forces, backed by heavy artillery, control most of Sievierodonetsk—now largely in ruins—after days of fierce fighting in which they have taken losses, Britain’s defence ministry said in its daily intelligence report.
If Russia fully captures Sievierodonetsk and its smaller twin Lysychansk on the west bank of the Siverskyi Donets river, it would hold all of Luhansk, one of two Provinces in the Donbass.
Donetsk’s regional governor said Lysychansk was under constant Russian shelling but remained in Ukrainian hands.
Besides the advanced rocket systems, called HIMARS, the new U.S. military support package includes ammunition, counter fire radars, air surveillance radars, additional Javelin anti-tank missiles, and anti-armor weapons.
Sweden Wants to Help Ukraine With Economic Aid and Military Hardware
The Swedish government said Thursday it wants to help Ukraine with economic aid and military hardware amid “a new phase of the Russian invasion.”The Swedish government said it wants to donate anti-ship missiles, semi-automatic rifles and munitions, anti-tank weapons and give financial support to Ukraine, Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist said.
The missiles “can reach targets both on land and at sea. The automatic rifle that we will donate ... can be used with several different types of ammunition that can be used for different purposes,” Hultqvist said.
Sweden also plans to contribute 578 million kronor ($59 million) to “strengthen Ukraine’s ability to combat Russian aggression at a critical time,” a government statement said.
US Sending Kyiv Four Rocket Systems to Extend Ukraine’s Artillery Reach
The United States will initially provide Ukraine with four High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems to extend Kyiv’s reach in its war against invading Russian forces, the Pentagon said on Wednesday, adding about three weeks of training would be needed.Colin Kahl, the Pentagon’s top policy advisor, claimed the United States received assurances from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and others throughout his government that these new systems would not be fired into Russian territory.
But he pushed back at Russia’s warnings against provision of such precision weaponry to Ukraine, saying Moscow did not have a veto over Western assistance to Ukraine to defend its own territory.
Russia Says It Shoots Down Ukrainian Su-25 Fighter Jet
Russia’s defence ministry said on Thursday its military had downed a Ukrainian Su-25 fighter jet in the Mykolaiv region.It also said in a briefing that it had struck command points of Ukrainian forces near Kharkiv.
It was not possible to independently confirm the information.
Denmark to Join EU Defense Policy After Historic Vote
Denmark will join the European Union’s defense policy after a referendum on Wednesday, final results showed, signaling the latest shift among Nordic countries to deepen defense ties in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.Denmark is the only EU member that is not part of the bloc’s defense and security policy. The referendum marks the first time a government has succeeded in abolishing one of several exemptions secured in a 1993 referendum on the Maastricht Treaty.
Final results showed almost 67 percent of voters were in favor of removing an opt-out to the EU’s so-called Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), in what was the largest recorded show of support in a referendum on an EU matter in Denmark.
Around 33 percent of voters polled were opposed.
The vote to abolish the opt-out is a win for those in favor of greater EU cooperation, while those against have argued that the EU’s defense pact is strained by bureaucracy and that Denmark’s participation in EU military operations will be too costly.
In historic policy shifts, Sweden and Finland this month decided to apply for NATO membership, while both Denmark and Germany have already promised to sharply raise defense spending.
Denmark is a founding member of NATO, but the alliance’s biggest military power, the United States, has signaled European allies must take greater responsibility for their own security.
Russia Warns US Rocket Supplies Could Widen Ukraine Conflict
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday that the supply of advanced rocket launchers to Ukraine by the United States raised the risks of a “third country” being drawn into the 3-month-long conflict.The plans “firstly, overstep all bounds of decency and diplomatic relations and, secondly, are a direct provocation aimed at drawing the West into combat,” Lavrov told Russian media at a news conference in Saudi Arabia.
The Russian foreign minister was reacting to news that Washington plans to provide Ukraine with advanced rocket systems that could strike with precision at long-range Russian targets.
U.S. President Joe Biden has agreed to provide Ukraine with the advanced rocket systems as part of a $700 million weapons package unveiled on Wednesday.
US Providing New $700 Million in Military Aid for Ukraine
President Joe Biden on Wednesday announced another $700 million in military aid to Ukraine, coming just days after he signed a Congress-passed deal worth $40 billion.“The United States will stand with our Ukrainian partners and continue to provide Ukraine with weapons and equipment to defend itself,” Biden said in a statement released by the White House.
In the statement, Biden said he is now sending precision, advanced rocket systems after receiving assurances from Kyiv’s government that it would not fire on targets inside Russia, which would surely escalate the conflict.
“Thanks to the additional funding for Ukraine, passed with overwhelmingly bipartisan support in the U.S. Congress, the United States will be able to keep providing Ukraine with more of the weapons that they are using so effectively to repel Russian attacks,” said Biden.
The advanced weapons include High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) “with battlefield munitions,” said the president in the statement. “We will continue to lead the world in providing historic assistance to support Ukraine’s fight for freedom.”
Ukraine Losing 60–100 Soldiers per Day in Fight Against Russia
Ukraine’s president says the country is losing between 60 and 100 soldiers a day in the fighting with Russian forces.President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told American TV channel Newsmax that “the most difficult situation is in the east of Ukraine,” including Donetsk and Luhansk Provinces.
“The situation is very difficult. We’re losing 60–100 soldiers per day as killed in action and something around 500 people as wounded in action. So we are holding our defensive perimeters,” Zelenskyy said.
Ukraine has largely refrained from disclosing its military losses since the beginning of the Russian invasion, but Zelenskyy previously said the country was losing between 50 and 100 soldiers a day.
