Oorlog in Oekra�ne #951

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France denies Russian claims it plans to send 2,000 troops to Ukraine
France’s Armed Forces Ministry has denied claims by Russian Foreign Intelligence Service head Sergey Naryshkin that it plans to send 2,000 troops to fight against Russia in Ukraine.

The Ministry said in a tweet that Naryshkin’s comments represented a “further example of the systematic use of mass disinformation by Russia” and called for the “utmost vigilance” when dealing with such claims.

The denial follows a claim by Naryshkin on Tuesday that France was “visibly concerned” about the number of French volunteer fighters killed in Ukraine and that it was supposedly preparing a contingent of 2,000 soldiers to fight in their place.

In a statement published by Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, Naryshkin said that French soldiers fighting for Ukraine would be a “legitimate priority target” for Russian troops and that their fate would be the same as that of “all Frenchmen who ever came to the Russian world with a sword”.

French President Emmanuel Macron has in recent weeks repeatedly refused to rule out NATO troops being sent to fight in Ukraine, while French Army Chief of Staff Pierre Schill wrote in Le Monde on Tuesday that the country’s military was preparing for the “toughest engagements” to “guard against aggression and defend its interests”.

Russia’s Defence Ministry alleged in March that 147 French “mercenaries” fighting for Ukraine had been killed since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine. In January, France’s Armed Forces Ministry called Russian claims of over 60 French “mercenaries” being killed in a missile strike on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv part of a “crude Russian disinformation campaign”.

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House Speaker Johnson promises to approve aid to Ukraine "immediately", without specifying timeline
House Speaker Mike Johnson said aid to US allies would be reviewed after the budget is approved

Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, promised to put aid to Ukraine to a vote "immediately" after the resolution of budget issues, he announced at a weekly press conference.

According to him, after considering the issue of the US budget, the House will focus on additional assistance to US allies.

At the same time, the speaker did not name the exact dates of both the budget approval and the consideration of assistance.

Congress plans to pass a budget by March 22 to avoid a temporary shutdown of the US government.

Johnson said that the budget issues are already "practically agreed".

"They should be voted on already this week, although they were preceded by very tough negotiations," the lawmaker stated.

After March 22, the lower chamber of the Senate goes on another recess, and congressmen will resume their work only on April 9.

Earlier, Johnson told Republican senators that he is ready to develop his own version of the bill on aid to Ukraine. It is assumed that it will assume a form of a loan or a lend-lease act.

As Bloomberg reported, Republicans in the House of Representatives are working on their own bill on aid to Ukraine, the main idea of which is to confiscate Russian assets to pay for military aid to Kyiv.

On February 14, 2024, US President Joe Biden called on the speaker of the House of Representatives to immediately put to a vote the bill on aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.

On February 26, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Johnson had promised him to do "everything" to continue aid to Ukraine.

On February 29, Congress leaders at a meeting with Biden could not agree on aid to Ukraine.

On March 12, the United States announced $300 million in military aid to Ukraine, including artillery shells and ammunition for HIMARS. The supply of ATACMS has not been officially announced.

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Op donderdag 21 maart 2024 19:08 schreef la_perle_rouge het volgende:
[ x ]
On March 19, a number of Russian media reported that the Russian Trawler “Captain Lobanov” sank in the Baltic Sea. Preliminarily, due to �an explosion� on board. Now information has appeared in the Russian media that the ship was sunk as a result of a Russian Navy missile accidentally hitting the ship:

�A relative of a crew member of the trawler "Captain Lobanov" confirmed to Dozhd media that the ship was mistakenly hit by a Navy missile

As a result of a missile hitting the fishing trawler Kapitan Lobanov on March 19, three crew members were killed and four more were injured. A relative of one of the crew members told Dozhd media about this.

The missile that hit the trawler was fired during a Baltic Fleet exercise, the source said. Before the incident, the trawler's crew members were about to go to bed when a missile fell on the captain's cabin.

According to official reports from local authorities, there was a fire on board the trawler, and the cause of the incident is still unknown. In addition, authorities report only one death.

“When the survivors were taken away, everyone knew perfectly well that three people had died. And everyone knew perfectly well that a rocket had hit. But they decided to write that there was a “fire.” I wonder what kind of fire this is, if the captain’s cabin is completely gone, it was simply demolished,” says Dozhd’s media source.

The survivors were sent to a hospital in the city of Pionersk; one of the victims is in serious condition. According to the source, at the hospital the victims were interrogated by FSB officers, who asked the crew members “not to talk about the incident.”

Another missile, according to the source, fell into fishing nets near the industrial vessel of the MRTK company, which was located not far from the trawler “Captain Lobanov”.�

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Op donderdag 21 maart 2024 19:08 schreef la_perle_rouge het volgende:
[ x ]
the ship was sunk as a result of a Russian Navy missile accidentally hitting the ship:

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Hungary to block confiscation of Russia's frozen assets for Ukraine
The European Commission's proposal to confiscate income from frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine is unlikely to be approved at the summit of European Union leaders, which will begin in Brussels on Thursday, 21 March.

Source: DW with reference to a high-ranking European diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity

The source said there is a common understanding among most EU member states that confiscated funds should be used for the purchase of weapons and ammunition for Ukraine's Armed Forces, "Ukraine needs more money for weapons, unfortunately, not for reconstruction. And we are striving to do everything to avoid further destruction in Ukraine".

The European Commission's proposal states that 90 percent of the income from frozen Russian assets should be used to buy weapons for Ukraine's Armed Forces. However, the source speaking to DW revealed that Hungary opposed this, stating that this money should be used for anything but weapons for Ukrainians.

As the source noted, another "controversial issue" on the summit agenda will be the discussion on EU enlargement.

EU leaders supported the beginning of negotiations for Ukraine and Moldova's accession in December 2023. For negotiations to begin, EU member states must approve the negotiating frameworks submitted by the European Commission, which serve as a roadmap for the accession process. They also need to hold a meeting of the intergovernmental conference, a specially created body that will directly conduct the negotiations. Both of these decisions require unanimous support from all 27 EU leaders.

However, the odds are high that these two decisions will not be adopted during the summit. The source stated: "There are member states that oppose the beginning of negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova under the Belgian presidency of the EU."

Belgium's presidency of the EU will last until 1 July, after which Hungary is set to take over this role.

Background:
• Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said on Tuesday that he would propose that the EU should use 90% of the revenues from Russian frozen assets in Europe to purchase weapons for Ukraine through the European Peace Facility.
• Earlier, Bloomberg reported that the EU had prepared a legislative proposal, according to which Ukraine will start receiving income from frozen Russian sovereign assets as early as July.
• Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said it would be better if Russian money in the EU was used to defend Ukraine rather than to rebuild it.

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Op donderdag 21 maart 2024 18:22 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

Succes met die onder een SU-34 te hangen. Het lijkt me dat die dan niet meer zo wendbaar is. En om met een Tu-22M, Tu-95 of een Tu-160 binnen bereik van Patriots te gaan vliegen lijkt me zo z'n nadelen te hebben.

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Op donderdag 21 maart 2024 18:09 schreef Joppiez het volgende:
[ afbeelding ]

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68618722.amp

Macron is zich al mentaal voor aan het bereiden om Russen te slachten

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Op donderdag 21 maart 2024 19:52 schreef capricia het volgende:

[..]
Hij heeft wel een goed lijf, zeg.

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Dutch agriculture exporting more to Russia than before Ukraine war
The Netherlands is exporting more agricultural products to Russia than before the war in Ukraine. While Russia destroys Ukraine’s agriculture capabilities, Dutch companies are helping Russia build an agriculture sector that is self-sufficient and thriving, Follow the Money reports.

Dutch companies are particularly exporting modern agricultural machines and vaccines to Russia - merchandise that helps increase yield per hectare, according to FTM. Products for optimizing arable farming are also in demand.

The export of vaccines for livestock and agricultural machinery to Russia increased from 184 million euros in 2021 to 239 million euros in 2022, the first year of the war, FTM reports based on a study by Wageningen University and Statistics Netherlands published in early March. Last year, the second year of the war, was also off to a good start for agricultural exports to Russia. In the first nine months of 2023, these exports already amounted to 172 million euros.

Russia has been working purposefully on its own self-sufficient agricultural sector since 2012. The country is now the world’s largest exporter of grain and related products and uses this success as leverage on the world market. Despite international sanctions imposed after Russia invaded Ukraine, the country exported more wheat and flour than ever in 2022 and 2023. In 2019, the Russians exported 23.5 billion euros worth of agricultural products. This year, that is expected to amount to more than 40 billion euros.

Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president and fierce supporter of the war in Ukraine, has made no secret about the purpose of the country’s focus on agriculture. It is the “silent weapon” that keeps countries that are dependent on Russian exports under control, he said on Telegram in April 2022. “In case anyone has forgotten, the export value of our agricultural products is greater than that of real weapons - 37 billion dollars last year.”

The Netherlands has played a significant role in building this “silent weapon” and continues to do so, FTM wrote. “When it comes to the growth of greenhouse horticulture in Russia, the Dutch business community plays a prominent role,” Meeuwes Brouwer, the Duth agricultural council in Moscow from 2016 to 2020, told FTM. “The sanctions on both sides have produced losers, but also winners. The greenhouse builders and seed companies belong to the second group.”

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Austrian chancellor opposes profits from frozen Russian assets being used to buy weapons for Ukraine
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said on March 21 that he is opposed to the idea that profits from frozen Russian assets be used to buy weapons for Ukraine.

The European Commission has proposed to use 90% of the profits to purchase weapons for Kyiv and allocate the remaining 10% to the EU budget to support Ukraine's defense industry. The proposed measure would allocate around 3 billion euros ($3.3 billion) to Ukraine per year.

Ukraine's Western partners and other allies froze around $300 billion in Russian assets at the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, with roughly two-thirds held at the Belgium-based financial services company Euroclear.

While some leaders, such as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, backed the idea, Nehammer publicly voiced opposition to the proposal.

"For us neutral (countries), it must be ensured that money, for which we give our approval, is not spent on weapons and ammunition," he said.

Vienna has denounced Russian aggression against Ukraine and provided Kyiv with economic and humanitarian aid but refused to donate lethal military assistance due to its neutrality policy.

Austria also has close and long-standing economic ties with Russia. The Austrian Raiffeisen Bank International has not left Russia despite sanctions and is one of two foreign banks classified as "systemically important" by the Russian central bank.

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Op donderdag 21 maart 2024 20:01 schreef -XOR- het volgende:

[..]
Lijkt me tamelijk fake.

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Op donderdag 21 maart 2024 17:28 schreef Digi2 het volgende:

RUSSIA - 45% of Oil Capacity Hit by Drone Attacks as Refineries Close & Ukraine Targets Russian Oil

Ik schreef in dec 2022 al het volgende, het heeft ff geduurd maar nu lijkt Oekra�ne lont te ruiken en die aan te willen steken
[..]

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Plan for $50 billion: US backs new idea to aid Ukraine, Bloomberg
The United States supports the proposal to issue $50 billion in bonds for Ukraine using frozen Russian assets, according to Bloomberg.

The proposal entails pooling $280 billion worth of assets from the Russian central bank, which have been frozen by G7 countries and the European Union, into an SPV, with proceeds going towards so-called freedom bonds.

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Czech Republic transfers two last Mi-24 helicopters to Ukraine
The Czech government has transferred the last two Mi-24 attack helicopters for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to Ukraine.

The publication Denikn reported on this.

These are currently the last two helicopters (tail numbers 3365 and 3366) that the Prague government can transfer to Ukraine from its depot.

In total, the Czech Republic transferred eight Mi-24s.

This will be the third tranche of Mi-24 helicopters. The Czech Republic first delivered four helicopters in July 2022.

The country made the second transfer in July 2023 but did not report the exact number of transferred aircraft.

The third and final batch was transferred in March 2024 in the amount of two helicopters.

The country is supplying helicopters of the Mi-24B version, but at one time, it also had the Mi-24DU and Mi-24D versions.

The Mi-24 is actively used by the army aviation of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

They carry out transportation tasks and launch unguided rockets at enemy positions.

Militarnyi previously reported that Ukrainian Mi-24s started using American unguided Zuni rockets.

The launch is conducted from four LAU-10 rocket pods mounted on the Mi-24 attack helicopter.

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Ukrainian, Dutch defense companies sign first documents under security agreement

Ukrainian and Dutch companies operating in the defense industry have signed documents on cooperation.
This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Strategic Industries, according to Ukrinform.

On March 20, representatives of the Ministry of Strategic Industries of Ukraine and entrepreneurs met with a delegation from the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

"During the meeting, Ukrainian and Dutch companies signed five documents on cooperation in the defense industry," the report says.

The Ministry of Strategic Industries clarified that the signed documents relate to cooperation between Ukrainian and Dutch companies in defense sector innovations.

The parties also discussed priority areas of cooperation between defense companies in Ukraine and the Netherlands. These areas include the joint development of autonomous systems, AI-based solutions, and other technological products.

According to Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren, the meeting of the trade delegation is a tangible implementation of the security agreement signed by the Netherlands and Ukraine three weeks ago.

As reported, on March 1, 2024, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte signed a bilateral security agreement in Kharkiv. The document provides for EUR 2 billion in military aid from the Netherlands this year, as well as further defense assistance over the next ten years.

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Siberia’s Krasnoyarsk to Shutter Prisons After Inmates Sent to Fight in Ukraine
Authorities in Siberia’s Krasnoyarsk region plan to close several prisons this year after a drop-off in the number of inmates due to military recruitment efforts for the war in Ukraine, a regional official said Thursday.

“A one-time large reduction in the number of convicts during the special military operation prompted some people to report to the top about the need to close penitentiary institutions as a way to optimize and save money,” said Krasnoyarsk’s human rights ombudsman Mark Denisov.

“It’s an alarming trend,” he was quoted as saying by the Kommersant daily in his annual report to the region’s legislative assembly.

Denisov named two penal colonies that are slated to close down this year but did not indicate how many more were expected to shut their doors.

He criticized the decision as “impractical” and predicted that the prisons would reopen within five years.

“[The war] will end sooner or later. Everything will return to normal. After all, the social structure of society has not changed,” Denisov told regional lawmakers, according to the news outlet Prospekt Mira.

His comments came the same week as Russian lawmakers in the lower-house State Duma passed legislation to allow future suspected or convicted criminals to join the military and fight in Ukraine.

The practice of recruiting prisoners for the war in Ukraine was spearheaded by the Wagner mercenary group in 2022, although Russia’s Defense Ministry took over prison recruitment early last year.

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Op donderdag 21 maart 2024 20:20 schreef uitkeringsgenieter het volgende:

[..]
Nice.
Hoe gaat Rusland zich hier tegen verdedigen?
Dit is toch gewoon game over als dit zo door blijft gaan?
45% van Russische olie-capaciteit zit nu al in de range van wat Oekraine kan raken....

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Op donderdag 21 maart 2024 18:22 schreef Ulx het volgende:
[ x ]

Succes met die onder een SU-34 te hangen. Het lijkt me dat die dan niet meer zo wendbaar is. En om met een Tu-22M, Tu-95 of een Tu-160 binnen bereik van Patriots te gaan vliegen lijkt me zo z'n nadelen te hebben.

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Op donderdag 21 maart 2024 17:28 schreef Digi2 het volgende:

RUSSIA - 45% of Oil Capacity Hit by Drone Attacks as Refineries Close & Ukraine Targets Russian Oil

Ik schreef in dec 2022 al het volgende, het heeft ff geduurd maar nu lijkt Oekra�ne lont te ruiken en die aan te willen steken
[..]

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Huge explosions at 5:00am in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Multiple missiles launched by the russian terrorist federation. Preliminary reports say this is the dam on the Dnipro.

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Op vrijdag 22 maart 2024 05:21 schreef Fietsenrek het volgende:
L
[..]
Het leuke hiervan is is dat daardoor hier de benzineprijs omhoog schiet. Maar we doen geen handel meer met Rusland hoor..

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Ukrainian Parliament Supported Simplification of Procedure for Declaring Weapons by Civilians During War
UKRAINE, Mar 21 — The Ukrainian parliament supported draft law No. 9538 in the first reading, which improves the procedure for handling firearms found or received by citizens to counter Russian aggression, announced by Deputy Interior Minister Bohdan Drapiatyi.

He noted that the key provisions of the draft law are:
• Civilians who found or received weapons during the war are obliged to declare the weapons. The declaration procedure will be simplified and free of charge.
• A person must inform the police about the weapons or ammunition they found within 24 hours, then declare or hand them in.
• If the declared weapon is involved in criminal proceedings, has removed or illegally altered markings, or other discrepancies as defined by law, it will be seized by the National Police.

Adopting the draft law will provide civilians with legal guarantees for the legal storage of found weapons during martial law, Drapiatyi said.

The press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that 91.8% of applications for various types of weapons permits were approved in Ukraine.

Unified register of weapons (UWR)
The Unified Weapons Register (UWR) started operating in Ukraine on June 23, 2023. Since then, citizens have been able to submit an application for a permit to purchase, store, or carry weapons, report a change of residence in the context of the place of storage of weapons, and apply for a permit extension online. In addition, the service provides information about registered weapons.

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Op vrijdag 22 maart 2024 06:32 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
[ x ]
[ x ]
https://twitter.com/TexAgWxGal/status/1771035363928060215
[..]
Onderste laat filmpje zien van de explosie.

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Anti-Kremlin militias hold press conference in Kyiv, say incursions into Russia thwart Kremlin's ability to launch new attacks

^{Oleksiy Baranovsky, Freedom of Russia Legion volunteer (L), a masked fighter with the Siberian Battalion (C), and the commander and founder of the Russian Volunteer Corps, Denis Kapustin (R), take part in the press conference on behalf of the Russian Liberation Forces fighting on the Ukrainian side, in Kyiv on March 21, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Anatolii Stepanov/AFP via Getty Images)}

Following over a week of cross-border raids, the Ukrainian-equipped anti-Kremlin militias held a joint press conference in downtown Kyiv to have their voices heard.

With the recent incursions, the Ukraine-led militants say their goal was to "open a second front" and ease pressure on Ukrainian troops on the Kupiansk axis.

Russian nationalist Denis Kapustin, commander of the right-wing Russian Volunteer Corps, said that the fighters of the units "stabilized the front" and "eased the pressure of Russian troops in certain areas."

Kapustin, a controversial figure banned from entering the EU, was joined by Alexei Baranovsky, the Freedom of Russia Legion volunteer and a soldier of the brand-new Siberian Battalion known only by his call sign "Kholod."

Their units' raids, which they call "a limited military operation," are still reportedly underway in Belgorod and Kursk oblasts.

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Sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines: the Ukrainian ambassador in London suspected of being involved in the explosion
At the end of 2023, a Ukrainian special forces commander, Roman Tchervinsky, was cited as responsible for the explosion of the Nord Stream gas pipeline. But the trail of the former chief of the Ukrainian general staff, Valeri Zalouzhny, appointed Ukrainian ambassador to London, seems more likely today.

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Exclusive-Pressure mounts on Ukraine to scrap 'sponsors of war' blacklist
LONDON/BERLIN (Reuters) -Ukraine could dismantle within days its "sponsors of war" blacklist, central to Kyiv's campaign to expose companies doing business with Russia, after a backlash from countries including China and France, two people familiar with the matter said.

The people said Ukraine could, as soon as Friday, scrap not only the list, but a related website that gives detailed information about individuals under Western sanctions, companies and the origin of Russian weapons parts.

The blacklist has no legal standing, but has been an embarrassment for around 50 major companies singled out for operating in Russia and helping the Kremlin's war in Ukraine by, for instance, paying taxes.

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Ukraine Develops Own NASAMS Equivalent and Long-Range Missile with Range of Up to 700 km
What technological and bureaucratic obstacles do domestic arms manufacturers face?

Currently, the capabilities of the Ukrainian military defense industry allow covering a significant portion of the Armed Forces' needs for weapons and ammunition.

This includes large-scale production of UAVs and maritime drones, indigenous mortars, and artillery ammunition of Soviet calibers 122mm and 152mm, among other items.

Ukraine is also preparing to commence production of its own 155mm shells in the second half of 2024, working on its own analogue of the NASAMS air defense system, and a long-range missile with a launch range of up to 700 kilometers.

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Op donderdag 21 maart 2024 18:16 schreef byah het volgende:

[..]
Wij dus ook. Maar Trump gaat never nooit aan de macht komen, ik kan me niet voorstellen dat al die inlichtendiensten dat laten gebeuren.

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IMF approves $880 million loan payment for Ukraine
The executive board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a third review of Ukraine's $15.6 billion loan program. This decision enables the release of $880 million designated for budget support, bringing the total disbursements to $5.4 billion, the IMF announced on March 21.

The international lender emphasized that Ukraine continues to face exceptionally high risks, mainly due to uncertainties related to the ongoing war with Russia and the outlook for external financial support. However, Ukraine mission chief Gavin Gray said that the IMF anticipates the war in Ukraine to de-escalate by the end of 2024, according to Reuters.

Gray said that Ukraine has maintained a robust performance on the IMF program throughout its initial year, meeting all but one of the quantitative performance criteria. The single discrepancy pertained to tax revenues, which was of minor significance.

Ukraine is expected to receive the funds in the coming days, according to Gray.

Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the IMF, emphasized that Ukraine's macroeconomic and financial stability has been preserved despite "enormous social and economic costs" due to Russia's full-scale invasion.

"The economy has been resilient, with stronger-than-expected macroeconomic outturns in 2023. Ukraine’s performance and commitment under the program has continued to be strong," she said. "Steadfast reform momentum to enhance anti-corruption and governance frameworks, including ensuring the effectiveness of anticorruption institutions, will be essential to help contain fiscal risks, enhance growth and support the path to EU accession."

An external commercial debt treatment in line with program parameters will help "create the needed space for critical spending and restore debt sustainability," she added.

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French Ambassador: Some countries are interested in sending troops to Ukraine. Discussions ongoing
Ga�l Veyssi�re stated that Paris is ready to do everything to support Ukraine

There are countries interested in French President Emmanuel Macron's proposal to send troops to Ukraine, French Ambassador to Ukraine Ga�l Veyssi�re stated at the Kyiv Security Forum.

For France, Russia is not an enemy, but an opponent, and it does not intend to attack it, he said.

"But we are already ready to do everything necessary to support Ukraine. That's what we're trying to do. This is not something agreed upon with our friends and partners. This is what we think, but some countries are interested in these ideas. It is being discussed," said Veyssi�re.

Paris believes that "today there should be no red lines and we should not refrain from anything, even if there is a need for the presence of troops in Ukraine."

"This is a compelling signal that we are increasing our support for Ukraine. We will not restrain ourselves with any boundaries," the diplomat said.

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Russian oil companies wasted a billion on drone defense
Leading energy companies in Russia have allocated at least 1 billion rubles over the past year to purchase equipment to combat drones, as shown by almost 300 relevant tenders held by Rosneft, Lukoil, and Bashneft.

Rosneft, for example, has acquired man-portable counter-drone systems, anti-drone guns, and fixed electronic detection and jamming systems to protect its facilities. The company also installed protective structures - nets stretched between masts to delay and immobilize drones, preventing them from invading the protected area.

Despite all these measures, Russian oil refineries were unable to be protected from massive attacks by Ukrainian drones that began in February of this year.

In March, in particular, drones attacked Russia's largest oil refineries, paralyzing 13% of the total capacity of existing primary oil refining units.

If we consider only refineries producing gasoline and diesel fuel, then economic losses amounted to about 9% of production, or 77.4 thousand tons per day based on processed oil. The total volume of emergency downtime at refineries due to UAV attacks reached 3.5 million tons, which is 10 times more than in the previous two years. The number of damaged oil refinery units tripled, and by mid-March the volume of emergency downtime exceeded planned repairs by 40%.

Ukraine uses its own “Lyuty” drone to attack Russian refineries. It is equipped with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead, so protective nets are powerless against it, as noted by military expert Kirill Mikhailov.

Anti-drone guns have also proven useless: they are designed to suppress communications with the operator, but long-range drones fly autonomously.

Let us remind you that Russia has run out of parts for oil refinery repairs.

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Slovenia expels Russian diplomat over espionage
Slovenia today, March 21, announced the expulsion of a representative of the Russian embassy who was engaged in activities that violate the Vienna Convention. Typically, this formulation is used for espionage.

In accordance with Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today informed the Russian Embassy in Slovenia that a diplomat engaged in activities inconsistent with his diplomatic status has been declared persona non grata. He must leave the state within a few days.

The publication Siol writes, citing an insider, that we are talking about assistant military attache Sergei Lemeshev.

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Op vrijdag 22 maart 2024 08:13 schreef Perrin het volgende:
Vooral doorgaan dus. VS doet helemaal niks meer voor Oekra�ne, die heeft ze al laten vallen zoals ze Afghanistan, Irak, Syri�, Libi� en de Koerden hebben laten vallen. 'Bondgenoten' naaien is waar de VS in excelleert.

[ x ]

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Op vrijdag 22 maart 2024 06:32 schreef Delenlill het volgende:
[ x ]
[ x ]
[ x ]
https://twitter.com/TexAgWxGal/status/1771035363928060215
[..]
Onderste laat filmpje zien van de explosie.

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The House of Representatives identified the Russian regime as the biggest security threat
Prague - Today, the House of Representatives identified the current Russian regime as the greatest security threat to the Czech Republic, which it considers to be terrorist. The Czech interest is an independent, democratic and free Ukraine firmly anchored in international structures, the lower house stated in a resolution it adopted at the coalition's proposal at the end of an extraordinary meeting on security threats after roughly 19 hours of deliberation. The House also supported the continuation of aid to Ukraine, which is facing the third year of a Russian military invasion, including supplies of military equipment.

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Tucker Carlson’s interview with Putin is being taught in Russian schools
Carlson’s interview was described as ‘mass propaganda’

Pupils in Russia are watching extracts of President Vladimir Putin’s interview with Tucker Carlson in lessons, according to posts by numerous schools on social media.

Putin began the two-hour interview in February by lecturing Carlson for about half an hour on the history of Russia from the year 862, arguing that Ukraine had no tradition of independent statehood - a notion rejected by Kyiv as false and self-serving.

In posts on Russian social media platform VK, schools described the quiz as an “intellectual game” that helped children understand “the stages of development of the Russian state”, and said it was both entertaining and instructive.

In some cases, it appeared that children as young as six or seven had taken part. A school in Rostov, southern Russia, said pupils in classes one through 11 had watched parts of the interview and then answered questions appropriate to their age.

The Domodedovskaya grammar school posted that children had been tasked after the 11-round quiz with thinking of questions to send to Putin. It said that since it was a nationwide event, “unfortunately not everyone will receive answers from the president, but we’re still hopeful!”

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Op vrijdag 22 maart 2024 08:31 schreef TLC het volgende:
https://nos.nl/artikel/25(...)e-olieraffinaderijen

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Op vrijdag 22 maart 2024 08:33 schreef xpompompomx het volgende:

[..]
Geen steun willen geven maar wel eisen stellen

'muh benzineprijze!!111

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Op vrijdag 22 maart 2024 08:33 schreef xpompompomx het volgende:

[..]
Geen steun willen geven maar wel eisen stellen

'muh benzineprijze!!111

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Zaporizhzhia NPP is threatened with blackout due to massive rocket attack
On Friday, March 22, during the massive rocket attack on Ukraine, at 05:10 in the morning, the external air line PL-750 kV Dniprovska was disconnected. This line connects the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant with the unified energy system of Ukraine, according to the Telegram channel of the National Nuclear Energy Generating Company Energoatom.

The largest nuclear power plant in Europe is connected to the Ukrainian energy system only through the power transmission line PL-330 kV Zaporizka TES - Ferosplavna.

Recently, the line was repaired by Ukrainian energy workers as it had been out of operation for a long time due to damage caused by another Russian shelling.

"This situation is extremely dangerous and threatens the onset of an emergency. If the last line connecting with the domestic power grid is disconnected, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant will be plunged into another blackout, which is a serious violation of the conditions for the safe operation of the plant," emphasized the head of Energoatom, Petro Kotin.

He stressed that the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant must immediately come under the full control of Ukraine, its rightful operator - Energoatom, and Russia must withdraw its military personnel and military equipment from the plant.

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Op vrijdag 22 maart 2024 08:33 schreef xpompompomx het volgende:

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Geen steun willen geven maar wel eisen stellen

'muh benzineprijze!!111

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Op vrijdag 22 maart 2024 08:34 schreef BlaZ het volgende:

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Hogere energieprijzen zou betekenen dat een herverkiezing van Biden enkel moeilijker wordt. Dat heeft een grote invloed op de verkiezingen in de VS.

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Op vrijdag 22 maart 2024 08:36 schreef Delenlill het volgende:

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Daar kan ik het helaas wel mee eens zijn. Biden moet de verkiezingen winnen. Want met Trump aan de leiding zal het hele gebeuren alleen maar erger worden voor Oekraine en het westen.

Al ga ik er nog steeds niet van uit dat Trump weer president wordt. Niet met al zijn legale problemen. En niet met Haley en Pence die zich niet achter hem scharen.

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Op vrijdag 22 maart 2024 08:34 schreef BlaZ het volgende:

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Hogere energieprijzen zou betekenen dat een herverkiezing van Biden enkel moeilijker wordt. Dat heeft een grote invloed op de verkiezingen in de VS.

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Finland wants to speed up construction of fence on border with Russia
The Finnish authorities intend to speed up the construction of a fence on the border with Russia and increase aid to Ukraine.
According to Ukrinform, this was reported by Yle.

To accelerate the construction of the fence on the eastern border, the Finnish authorities propose to postpone the allocation of �74 million from 2025 to 2024. The proposal was submitted to the country's parliament.

In addition, it is proposed to increase the Border Guard Service's expenses by �12.2 million by the end of this year due to additional measures to combat illegal migration.

At the same time, the government has proposed to allocate �30 million to participate in a joint international purchase of ammunition for Ukraine.

As reported, last year, the Finnish Border Guard initiated the construction of a wall on the border with Russia due to "recent changes in the security situation." The goal of the project is to make it more difficult for undesirable people to cross the border.

It was planned that by the end of 2026, the fence, made of steel mesh and three meters high, would cover about 200 kilometers of the most critical sections of the border. The fence will also be equipped with surveillance equipment and will consist of barbed wire. The cost of its installation will be approximately �380 million.

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Massive Attack on Ukrainian Energy Facilities
The Ukraine Energy Minister, Herman Halushchenko, reported earlier this morning that the Russian attack on the night of 21-22 March was aimed at the Ukrainian energy sector and was the largest in recent times.

"Currently, we are witnessing the most extensive attack on the Ukrainian energy sector in recent history. The objective extends beyond mere damage; it's an attempt to induce a significant breakdown in our national energy system, similar to last year's events," Halushchenko stated via Facebook.

The attack led to considerable damage across various regions, affecting power generation facilities, as well as electricity transmission and distribution systems.

The assault also disrupted one of the power lines to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

As a result, several regions are experiencing power outages.

Halushchenko assures, "Our energy professionals are diligently working to restore power. We are committed to reinstating electricity for our citizens as swiftly as possible."

This offensive follows a pattern of Russian-launched cruise missile attacks from the Caspian Sea, with air-raid alerts activated across Kyiv and all regions on the night of 21-22 March.

Local authorities confirmed that the strikes targeted energy installations.

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Russian missile strike hits Dnipro HPP dam, causing fire; structure remains intact, breach avoided
Ukrhydroenergo stated that there is no threat of a breach of the Dnipro HPP dam

The Russian army launched a missile attack on the dam of the Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Station in Zaporizhzhya in the morning of March 22, reported Ukrhydroenergo.

Follow LIGA.net in English on X (Twitter)
According to energy experts, the Russians are trying to create a new environmental disaster after detonating the Kakhovka HPP in Kherson Oblast in June 2023.

A fire continues at the facility.

Rescue workers and energy workers are working to eliminate the consequences of numerous strikes.

"There is no threat of a breach. The situation at the dam of the station is under control," the message says.

Russian propagandists have already published pictures of the consequences of the dam strike, which are being actively distributed on social networks and the media.

Earlier, the Ministry of Energy announced that on the morning of March 22, the Russian forces staged the largest attack on the Ukrainian energy industry in recent times.

In Zaporizhzhya, the Dnipro HPP was completely blocked after the strikes.

On the morning of March 21, the Russians bombarded Kyiv with cruise and ballistic missiles. Debris fell in several districts, and cars caught fire.

As a result of a missile attack on Kyiv, the warehouse of the largest online retailer of Ukraine, Rozetka, burned down.

A number of food industry enterprises, which ensure the capital's food security, were also affected.

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Op vrijdag 22 maart 2024 08:13 schreef Perrin het volgende:
Vooral doorgaan dus. VS doet helemaal niks meer voor Oekra�ne, die heeft ze al laten vallen zoals ze Afghanistan, Irak, Syri�, Libi� en de Koerden hebben laten vallen. 'Bondgenoten' naaien is waar de VS in excelleert.

[ x ]

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Op vrijdag 22 maart 2024 08:13 schreef Perrin het volgende:
Vooral doorgaan dus. VS doet helemaal niks meer voor Oekra�ne, die heeft ze al laten vallen zoals ze Afghanistan, Irak, Syri�, Libi� en de Koerden hebben laten vallen. 'Bondgenoten' naaien is waar de VS in excelleert.

[ x ]

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Op vrijdag 22 maart 2024 08:13 schreef Perrin het volgende:
Vooral doorgaan dus. VS doet helemaal niks meer voor Oekra�ne, die heeft ze al laten vallen zoals ze Afghanistan, Irak, Syri�, Libi� en de Koerden hebben laten vallen. 'Bondgenoten' naaien is waar de VS in excelleert.

[ x ]

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Op vrijdag 22 maart 2024 08:13 schreef Perrin het volgende:
Vooral doorgaan dus. VS doet helemaal niks meer voor Oekra�ne, die heeft ze al laten vallen zoals ze Afghanistan, Irak, Syri�, Libi� en de Koerden hebben laten vallen. 'Bondgenoten' naaien is waar de VS in excelleert.

[ x ]

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Op vrijdag 22 maart 2024 08:33 schreef xpompompomx het volgende:

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Geen steun willen geven maar wel eisen stellen

'muh benzineprijze!!111

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Op vrijdag 22 maart 2024 08:49 schreef icecreamfarmer_NL het volgende:

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Ergens wel logisch. Een hogere benzineprijs in de VS wakkert alleen maar de steun aan voor Trump. Dat is waar het over gaat.


Dat die Russische installaties in vlammen gaat zal ze jeuken. Timing is nu alleen niet handig.

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New York Attorney General takes initial step to prepare to seize Trump assets
The New York attorney general’s office has filed judgments in Westchester County, the first indication that the state is preparing to try to seize Donald Trump’s golf course and private estate north of Manhattan, known as Seven Springs.

State lawyers entered the judgments with the clerk’s office in Westchester County on March 6, just one week after Judge Arthur Engoron made official his $464 million decision against Trump, his sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, and the Trump Organization.

The decision against Trump and the difficulty the former president is having securing a bond while he appeals the verdict strikes directly at Trump’s image as a billionaire as he attempts to raise more cash for both his legal bills and third run for the White House.

Entering a judgment would be the first step a creditor would take to attempt to recover property. Additional steps, such as putting liens on assets or moving to foreclose on properties, or taking other actions in court would follow, if the asset is going to be seized.

The judgment is already entered in New York city where Trump’s properties including Trump Tower, his penthouse at Trump Tower, 40 Wall Street, his hotel abutting Central Park, and numerous apartment buildings are located.

Judgments have not been entered in Florida counties including Miami or Palm Beach where Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property and the Trump National Doral Golf Club and resort are located or Cook County, Illinois, where Trump’s hotel in Chicago is located, according to a review of records Thursday by CNN.

Trump now has four days to satisfy the judgment or sway an appeals court to allow him to post a smaller amount or defer posting the payment until after the appeal.

In a new Truth Social on Thursday, Trump said that putting up the money is “VERY EXPENSIVE” and said it was “not possible for bonding companies to do in such a high amount.”

SPOILER

Om spoilers te kunnen lezen moet je zijn ingelogd. Je moet je daarvoor eerst gratis Registreren. Ook kun je spoilers niet lezen als je een ban hebt.

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Op vrijdag 22 maart 2024 08:31 schreef TLC het volgende:
https://nos.nl/artikel/25(...)e-olieraffinaderijen

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Op vrijdag 22 maart 2024 10:16 schreef Straatcommando. het volgende:
Je moet Biden maar de kost geven ook. Constante dans tussen wat wel en niet kan zonder een groot deel van murritards over de zeik te helpen. Dit is daar een voorbeeld van.

En Oekra�ne heeft groot gelijk om de boel te bestoken.

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Op vrijdag 22 maart 2024 10:19 schreef trein2000 het volgende:

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Het is allemaal een keuze. Als Biden morgen opdracht geeft is dit gezeik overmorgen voorbij. Alleen hij durft niet.

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Op vrijdag 22 maart 2024 10:16 schreef Straatcommando. het volgende:
Je moet Biden maar de kost geven ook. Constante dans tussen wat wel en niet kan zonder een groot deel van murritards over de zeik te helpen. Dit is daar een voorbeeld van.

En Oekra�ne heeft groot gelijk om de boel te bestoken.

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Op vrijdag 22 maart 2024 10:21 schreef Straatcommando. het volgende:

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Omdat hij daar helaas Trump mee in de kaarten zou spelen.

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Op vrijdag 22 maart 2024 10:16 schreef Straatcommando. het volgende:
Constante dans tussen wat wel en niet kan zonder een groot deel van murritards over de zeik te helpen. Dit is daar een voorbeeld van.

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Op vrijdag 22 maart 2024 10:19 schreef trein2000 het volgende:

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Het is allemaal een keuze. Als Biden morgen opdracht geeft is dit gezeik overmorgen voorbij. Alleen hij durft niet.

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Op vrijdag 22 maart 2024 10:22 schreef xpompompomx het volgende:

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Maar ook zo leuk dat dit nieuws Oekra�ne en ons bereikt op dezelfde ochtend dat Rusland weer eens een stevige aanval heeft uitgevoerd op Oekra�ense energie-infrastructuur. Een slechtere timing is gewoon bijna niet mogelijk.

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Op vrijdag 22 maart 2024 10:24 schreef trein2000 het volgende:

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Keuzes.