Newsletter 04/03/2024
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IAEA chief to discuss with Putin latter’s plans for seized nuclear plant in Ukraine
Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi will visit Moscow on Tuesday to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, including to discuss the president’s vision on further operation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and ways to ensure nuclear safety at the facility.
Rise of Russian export into EU must be studied - Ukraine’s PM
"What’s striking me is that the total weight of exports from Russia to EU countries in 2022 stood at 4.9 million tons, of which about 300,000 tons was grain and 200,000 tons was other agricultural products. And in 2023, it was 5.1 million tons in 11 months. That is, despite the war, sanctions, and the blocked border, exports from Russia to Europe are on the rise. And this includes grain, corn, and other agricultural products. And this is also all in millions of tons. And this is, accordingly, funding the Russian budget. And this is the share where Polish and Ukrainian farmers could be on the market. That is the issue," Shmyhal said.
Germany not to allow Russian propaganda to shift focus from aid to Ukraine
The recent publication by Russian propagandists of the content of communications between Bundeswehr officers is part of a large-scale disinformation campaign run by Russia against Germany and other Western partners of Ukraine but the attempt to destabilize the situation will not make Berlin refuse from supporting Kyiv.
Two missiles hit Russian air base in occupied Crimea
Two unidentified missiles hit the airbase (military unit 46451) around 16:00 last Friday, March 1. Both missiles exploded. The taxiway sustained damage.
Ukraine's PM announces one-third reduction in number of ministries
"The president announced that we are working to change the format of the government, i.e. reducing the number of ministries. We want to reduce the number of ministries by a third. We want to reduce the number of civil servants. We have already started to do this, and this year 20,000 civil service vacancies have been reduced," Shmyhal said.
War
Security forces moved from Moscow to Dzhankoi to fight resistance movement - partisans
FSB groups from Moscow have arrived in temporarily occupied Dzhankoi, Crimea, to fight the underground.
Intelligence confirms disabling railway bridge in Russia’s Samara region
“The Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine confirmed the fact that the railway bridge over the Chapayevka River in Russia’s Samara region was disabled," the statement said.
Defense
Belgium ready to use part of profit from frozen Russian assets to cover Ukraine’s defense needs
Belgium is ready to allocate part of the EUR 1.7 billion profit derived from frozen Russian assets for covering Ukraine’s defense needs.
Shmyhal says Ukraine set up five joint ventures with Western arms manufacturers
Ukraine has already signed five agreements on the joint production of weapons with the world's leading companies, with dozens more such joint ventures to be set up this year.
Politics
Macron changes paradigm of support for Ukraine - MFA Estonia
French President Emmanuel Macron's statement about the potential possibility of sending troops to Ukraine shows that the understanding of the importance of Kyiv's victory in the war has reached Western policymakers so they are ready to do more.
Kremlin exploiting China and Turkey's initiatives for settlement in Ukraine to discourage Western support - ISW
China and Turkey continue to pursue their negotiation platforms for a settlement in Ukraine, which the Kremlin is exploiting to further its information operations aimed at discouraging continued international support for Ukraine.
Exclusive
“Kyiv in three days,” “dirty bomb,” and “another Stalingrad”: Russian propaganda adapting over two years of full-scale war