Russia announced on Saturday July 30 that it would ban entry into its territory of 32 New Zealand officials and journalists, in response to similar measures taken by New Zealand against Moscow due to the Ukrainian conflict. Those sanctioned include Wellington Mayor Andrew John Whitfield Foster and Auckland Mayor Phil Bruce Goff, as well as journalists Kate Green and Josie Pagani (The Dominion Post), said the Russian Foreign Ministry.
In April, Russia already banned entry into its territory to New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, as well as to many ministers and parliamentarians. Follow our live.
A little less Russian gas in European pipes. Gas giant Gazprom has suspended deliveries to Latvia, citing a “violation of gas sampling conditions”. In the week of July 25, the Russian company had already drastically reduced its deliveries to Europe via the Nord Stream gas pipeline, citing the need for maintenance of a turbine.
Final preparations for grain exports. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the Black Sea port of Chornomorsk on Friday to inspect a first shipment of grain. kyiv now awaits only one “signal” on the part of Ankara and the UN, guarantors of the agreement with Russia, for “begin” exports. At least 10 ships are already ready to go to sea, according to the Ukrainian government.
Dozens dead in the bombing of a prison. A strike on Olenivka prisonin separatist territory in eastern Ukraine, made “more than 50 dead”, according to kyiv, and 53 according to pro-Russian authorities. Moscow has accused Ukrainian forces of being behind it for “deter” his soldiers to surrender. But Ukraine then quickly denied this, denouncing a “deliberate Russian war crime”. According to Ukrainian intelligence, the attack “was carried out by mercenaries of the Wagner division” and “has not been coordinated“with Moscow.