A Moscow court on Monday sentenced Russian political opponent Vladimir Kara-Murza to 25 years in prison.
While fighting continues in Ukraine, repression against opponents continues in Russia. Historian Vladimir Kara-Mourza was sentenced Monday to 25 years in prison. At the same time, the controversy swells in the European Union about imports of Ukrainian cereals. Here is what to remember from Monday, April 17, on the frontline of the war in Ukraine.
Russian political opponent sentenced to 25 years in prison
A Moscow court on Monday sentenced political opponent Vladimir Kara-Murza to 25 years in prison. After a closed trial, the court announces that it finds him guilty of ‘high treason’, spreading ‘false information’ about the Russian military and working illegally for an ‘undesirable’ organization .
His lawyer denounced a “political revenge” not having “nothing to do with justice”. Opponent Alexei Navalny, himself imprisoned in Russia, called the conviction of Vladimir Kara-Murza a“illegal, unscrupulous, and simply fascist”.
Vladimir Kara-Murza is a longtime opponent of Vladimir Putin. In April 2022, he said on CNN (interview in English) that Russian power was not “not just corrupt, kleptocratic and authoritarian”but that he was also “a regime of murderers”.
EU denounces Poland’s decision to block Ukrainian cereals
kyiv and Poland began discussions on Monday to reach an agreement after Warsaw’s decision on Saturday to ban imports of Ukrainian cereals, accused of destabilizing the national agricultural market. The discussions “will continue tomorrow April 18”said the spokeswoman of the Ukrainian Ministry of Agrarian Policy.
Claiming to want to protect their farmers, Hungary and Slovakia have followed in Poland’s footsteps. The European Commission denounces decisions “not acceptable”. “It is important to underline that trade policy is an exclusive competence of the EU”, reacted Brussels. EU said “consider” a second aid package for farmers in affected countries.
Brazil “echoes Russian and Chinese propaganda” denounces the United States
The White House sharply criticized Brazil on Monday, as Brazilian President Lula over the weekend accused the United States of prolonging the conflict in Ukraine. “In this specific case, Brazil is echoing Russian and Chinese propaganda without taking the facts into account”regretted John Kirby, spokesman for the National Security Council, a body directly attached to the American president.
In China, Lula, who met Xi Jinping, had first accused Washington “to encourage war” in Ukraine. He renewed these accusations on Sunday during a press conference in Abu Dhabi.
More than 100,000 Ukrainian refugees live in France
“Since the beginning of conflict, about 180,000 Ukrainians passed through France”, said Didier Leschi, director of the French Office for Immigration and Integration (Ofii), on franceinfo. He estimates that the number of Ukrainians who remained on French territory is “around 100,000, maybe 110,000”.
The Ofii mentioned the presence of 99,000 Ukrainian refugees in France last summer. The figure has changed very little due to population movements. “Returns to the country began as soon as the Russians were moved away from kyiv” and they “have been intensifying for several months”reports Didier Leschi.
Slovakia donates 13 fighter jets to Ukraine
Bratislava allows Ukraine to strengthen. Thirteen Mig-29 combat aircraft, designed during Soviet times, were “safely delivered” to the Ukrainian Air Force, as stated on Monday on Twitter Slovak Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad.
“We pride ourselves on being on the right side, doing what it takes to protect lives”he commented about these planes promised in March.