A painting showing the Nord Stream pipelines is displayed on a container near the Nord Stream 1 Baltic Sea pipeline in Lubmin, Germany. (AP)Russia Ukraine War Live Updates: Russia’s Gazprom Wednesday halved the amount of natural gas flowing through a major pipeline from Russia to Europe to 20% of capacity, reported the news agency Associated Press. It’s the latest reduction to Nord Stream 1 that Russia has blamed on technical problems, but Germany calls a political move to sow uncertainty and push up prices amid the war in Ukraine.
Prices surged to the highest levels since early March for natural gas, which is used to power industry, generate electricity and heat homes in the winter. Climbing energy prices are fueling inflation, further squeezing people’s spending power and heightening concerns that Europe could plunge into recession if it does not save enough gas to get through the cold months.
Authorities in the Russian-controlled Ukrainian city of Kherson have closed the city’s only bridge across the Dnieper river after it came under fire from US-supplied high mobility artillery rocket systems (HIMARS), according to Interfax and TASS reports on Wednesday. The Antonovsky bridge has been closed for civilians but its structural integrity has not suffered from the shelling, Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the Russian-appointed city administration, told Interfax.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, listens to Yuri Borisov, the new CEO of the Russian State Space Corporation "Roscosmos", at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, July 26, 2022. (Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Fearing Russia could shut the taps this winter, the European Union agreed to a deal Tuesday to curb natural gas consumption starting next week, the latest show of resolve and solidarity in its push and shove with the Kremlin over President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
The deal highlighted the continued ability of the EU to forge agreement, even if blunted by compromise, and signified an important step in managing its dependence on Russian energy and overcoming divisions in the face of Russian threats.
At least one person was killed by a Russian strike on a Ukrainian hotel in the Donetsk region town of Bakhmut on Wednesday, local authorities said.
"According to preliminary information, there are dead and wounded, a rescue operation is underway," local governor Pavlo Kyrylenko wrote on Facebook. The local emergency service said a toll of one dead and four wounded had been confirmed so far. (Reuters)
Russia’s Gazprom on Wednesday halved the amount of natural gas flowing through a major pipeline from Russia to Europe to 20% of capacity. It’s the latest reduction to Nord Stream 1 that Russia has blamed on technical problems, but Germany calls a political move to sow uncertainty and push up prices amid the war in Ukraine.
Data on the Nord Stream website and the head of Germany’s network regulator, Klaus Mueller, confirmed the reduction.“Gas is now a part of Russian foreign policy and possibly Russian war strategy,” Mueller told Deutschlandfunk radio. (AP)
Iran will soon start accepting payments made with Russia's Mir bank cards, a top official was quoted by Russia's RIA news agency as saying, making it the latest country to adopt the Russian-made alternative to Visa and Mastercard.
"I think this payment system will be activated in Iran soon," RIA quoted Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy Medhi Safari as saying on Wednesday. (Reuters)
The headquarters overseeing exports of Ukrainian grains is set to be unveiled in Istanbul on Wednesday after a landmark UN deal last week, and a senior Turkish official said the first ship is likely to depart Black Sea ports in a few days.
A Turkish official said all the details had been worked out, including a safe route for ships that will not require the clearing of sea mines.
"It will not take more than a few days. It looks like the first grains will be loaded this week and its export from Ukraine will take place," said the official, who requested anonymity. (Reuters)
Sweden has not yet extradited suspects Turkey seeks over terrorism-related charges despite signing an accord to lift Ankara's veto to its NATO membership last month, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Wednesday.
Sweden and Finland applied for NATO membership in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but were faced with opposition from Turkey which accused the Nordic countries of imposing arms embargoes on Ankara and supporting groups it deems terrorists.
The three countries signed an accord to lift Ankara's veto in exchange for counter-terrorism promises, but Turkey has said it will block their membership bids if the pledges are not kept. It has sought the extradition of 73 people from Sweden, as well as a dozen others from Finland. (Reuters)
Russian private military firm Wagner has likely made tactical advances in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, British military intelligence said on Wednesday.
The advances were made around the Vuhlehirska Power Plant and the nearby village of Novoluhanske, the Ministry of Defence said on Twitter, adding that some Ukrainian forces have likely withdrawn from the area. (Reuters)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has nominated Andriy Kostin, a lawmaker from the president's Servant of the People party, to be the country's next prosecutor general.
Zelenskyy submitted a formal request to parliament for the assembly to vote to confirm Kostin's appointment to replace Iryna Venediktova, who was removed as prosecutor general earlier this month.
It was not immediately clear when parliament will vote on Kostin's appointment. (Reuters)
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Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska posed for US-based Vogue magazine. In a free-wheeling interview, Zelenska spoke about life in wartime, meeting the Zelenskyy in high-school and Ukrainian fashion.
“I like being backstage—it suited me,” Ukraine's First Lady told the magazine. “Moving into the limelight was quite difficult for me.”
She also revealed that like the rest of Ukraine, her family has been separated too. Speaking of his wife, President Zelenskyy said: “Of course she is my love. But she is my greatest friend. Olena really is my best friend. She is also a patriot and she deeply loves Ukraine. It’s true. And she is an excellent mother.”
Authorities in the Russian-controlled Ukrainian city of Kherson have closed the city's only bridge across the Dnieper river after it came under fire from US-supplied high mobility artillery rocket systems (HIMARS), according to Interfax and TASS reports on Wednesday.
The Antonovsky bridge has been closed for civilians but its structural integrity has not suffered from the shelling, Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the Russian-appointed city administration, told Interfax.
Separately, TASS quoted the official saying that HIMARS had targeted the bridge.
A Ukrainian counteroffensive to recapture the southern region from Russia could potentially benefit from the destruction of the bridge. (Reuters)
US-based think tank Institute of War, in their daily bulletin, have pointed out the areas where the fighting is ongoing in the Russia- Ukraine war.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson presented Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with the Sir Winston Churchill Leadership Award, drawing comparisons between the two leaders in times of crises.
Zelenskyy accepted the award by video link during a ceremony at Johnson's London office that was attended by members of the Churchill family, Ukrainian Ambassador Vadym Prystaiko and Ukrainians who have received training from British soldiers. (AP)
The Pentagon formally approved in late June a plan to help treat wounded Ukrainian troops at a US military hospital in Germany, a defense official said on Tuesday.
The Kyiv government said in June that 100 to 200 Ukrainian troops were being killed per day.
A US official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said no Ukrainian troops had been treated so far and US troops would not be going into Ukraine to bring Ukrainian personnel out. (Reuters)
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen highlighted a proposed price cap on Russian oil on a phone call with British Finance Minister Nadhim Zahawi on Tuesday, a move to reduce the impact of the war in Ukraine on global energy prices.
Both discussed the need to continue to accelerate budgetary support for Ukraine, and opportunities to build on sanctions imposed on Russia, the US Treasury Department said in a statement. (Reuters)
Ukraine is one of the world's major grain producers. The country mainly grows and exports wheat, corn and barley. According to the European Commission, Ukraine accounts for 10% of the world wheat market, 15% of the corn market, and 13% of the barley market. With more than 50% of world trade, it is also the main player on the sunflower oil market.
Ranked in first and second place respectively, corn and wheat are also the world's most widely grown cereals. A major exporter like Ukraine dropping out can have serious consequences for global food security. (DW)
Russia will opt out of the International Space Station after 2024 and focus on building its own orbiting outpost, the country’s newly appointed space chief said Tuesday. Yuri Borisov, who was appointed earlier this month to lead the state-controlled space corporation Roscosmos, said during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin that Russia will fulfill its obligations to other partners at the International Space Station before it leaves the project.
“The decision to leave the station after 2024 has been made,” Borisov said. Borisov’s statement reaffirmed previous declarations by Russian space officials about Moscow’s intention to leave the space outpost after 2024.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on Aug. 5, Interfax news agency quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying.
The two leaders will discuss regional problems and bilateral relations, the agency said. Erdogan was instrumental in helping to secure agreements signed by Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul last week to allow a resumption of Ukrainian grain exports via the Black Sea.
Russian gas giant Gazprom (GAZP.MM) has sharply increased pressure in the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod pipeline that delivers Russian gas to Europe without prior notice, the Ukrainian state pipeline operator company said on Tuesday.
Such pressure spikes could lead to emergencies including pipeline ruptures, and pipeline operators are obliged to inform each other about them in advance, the Ukrainian company said.