Yesterday, European Union member states officially approved the nineteenth package of sanctions against Russia in response to its aggression in Ukraine, which includes a ban on imports of Russian liquefied natural gas.
The rotating presidency of the EU, held by Denmark, stated that this significant package aims to target Russia’s primary sources of income through measures focused on energy, financial services, and trade.
According to the announcement, the sanctions package also introduces a new mechanism to limit the movement of Russian diplomats within the EU.
Additionally, the EU’s official journal revealed that the bloc has added two Chinese refineries, with a total capacity of 600,000 barrels per day, as well as China Oil Hong Kong, a trading arm of PetroChina, to its sanctions list related to Russia.
The two refineries are Liaoyang Petrochemical and Shandong Yulong Petrochemical, collectively representing about three percent of China’s total refining capacity of 19 million barrels per day.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders in Brussels expressed their support for the US decision to impose sanctions on Moscow.
Zelensky stated on the social media platform X: “This is a strong and necessary message confirming that the Russian attack will not go unanswered.” He emphasized the importance of the sanctions during his arrival at the EU leaders’ summit, which coincided with the announcement from the bloc and the US targeting Russian oil and gas industries.
EU foreign policy chief, Kaia Kallas, expressed her satisfaction with the signals received from the US, adding that their consensus on this issue is a significant indicator.
On the other hand, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio affirmed that the US still desires to meet and communicate with Russia, despite the new sanctions imposed on Moscow. He stated, “We are still interested in dialogue if there is an opportunity for peace.”
In response, the Russian Foreign Ministry claimed that the EU sanctions against Russia primarily harm the EU itself, adding that the EU elites cannot accept the reality that their sanctions are ineffective.
The ministry also condemned the new US sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil, asserting that Russia is resilient against these economic decisions.
Furthermore, China declared its opposition to the recent sanctions imposed by the US on Russia’s major oil companies, describing them as lacking legal basis under international law.
During a regular press conference in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Zhao Lijian, stated: “China consistently opposes unilateral sanctions that have no legal foundation and have not been authorized by the UN Security Council.”
On the battlefield, the Ukrainian Air Force reported that its air defense successfully shot down 92 out of 130 drones launched by Russia during an overnight aerial assault in the northern and eastern regions of the country. Conversely, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that its air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 139 Ukrainian drones the night before.
Tragically, two Ukrainian journalists were killed and a third injured yesterday in a drone strike targeted at the city of Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine, according to their media organization and local officials.
The government-funded channel Freedom TV confirmed that its crew was hit by a Russian Lancet drone while inside a vehicle at a gas station in Kramatorsk. The deceased were identified as Olena Hramova from Donetsk and Yevheniy Karmazin from Kramatorsk, while a third journalist, Alexander Kolychev, was hospitalized following the attack. Zelensky noted on his social media platform that these are not accidents or mistakes but a deliberate policy by Russia aimed at silencing independent voices. Pauline Meufray, spokesperson for Reporters Without Borders, called for a thorough and swift investigation into the circumstances of this attack.
Timur Takatchenko, the head of the military administration in Kyiv, reported that a Russian drone strike on the Ukrainian capital overnight resulted in nine injuries and damage to buildings across the city. He added that ten sites were affected, including two residential buildings that suffered direct hits. Photos shared online depict an overturned vehicle and shattered windows of buildings.
Targeting
An Ukrainian drone attack also targeted a large oil refinery in Ryazan, Russia, leading to a fire outbreak. Ryazan region Governor Pavel Malikov indicated that 14 drones were intercepted over the area, noting that falling debris caused a fire within an industrial facility.
Malikov reminded residents that sharing pictures or videos from the incident site is prohibited. However, unverified videos circulated on social media reportedly show a massive fire at the refinery. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced that Russian air defense shot down a Ukrainian drone heading towards Moscow.
Return of Power
In the meantime, the International Atomic Energy Agency announced the restoration of electricity supply to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine following the longest power outage since the beginning of the war, lasting a full month.
The agency deemed the reconnection a crucial step for nuclear safety and security. It added that it continues to engage with both Russia and Ukraine to facilitate the reactivation of another power line.
Moreover, Russia returned the bodies of a thousand Ukrainian soldiers killed in the conflict, according to the Ukrainian administration responsible for prisoners of war.
The administration reported that the repatriation of the bodies occurred on Thursday and expressed gratitude for the assistance provided by the International Committee of the Red Cross. The RBC news site highlighted that Russia and Ukraine exchanged the remains of fallen soldiers, with Moscow returning the bodies of a thousand Ukrainian soldiers in exchange for 31 Russian soldiers who died in the conflict.