EU member countries adopted sanctions on Thursday (October 20th) against Iran, accused of supplying drones to Russia, used in the conflict. At the same time, Ukraine has limited the electricity consumption of its population and businesses, particularly in kyiv, after several Russian strikes in recent days which have severely damaged its energy infrastructure. Franceinfo takes stock of the day’s news on the the war in Ukraine.
Iranian military ‘on the ground in Crimea’ to help Russia, White House says
Iranian soldiers are “on the ground in Crimea” to help Russian forces carry out drone attacks in Ukraine, the White House said Thursday.
“We believe that Iranian soldiers were on the ground in Crimea and assisted Russia in these operations”said US presidential National Security Council spokesman John Kirby. “I don’t have the number of Iranians who are in Crimea”he added.
UK joins EU sanctions on Iran
London announced on Thursday that it would impose new sanctions against Iran targeting three generals and an arms company “responsible for supplying Russia with suicide drones” to bomb Ukraine. “By providing these drones, Iran is actively playing bellicose, taking advantage of Russia’s heinous attacks on Ukrainian civilians”criticizes the British government in a press release.
EU adopts sanctions against Iran
The United Kingdom thus joins the member states of the European Union, which adopted sanctions on Thursday against three individuals and an entity supplying Russia with Iranian drones “which hit Ukraine”, announced the Czech EU Presidency on Thursday. kyiv immediately welcomed the response “fast” of the European Union, with Moscow denouncing “pressure” betting on Iran by Washington and Brussels.
Russia discusses access to prisoners of war with ICRC
Russia said on Thursday that the ICRC had permission to visit Olenivka prison, where dozens of Ukrainian prisoners of war died in unsolved circumstances in July, but that such visits were blocked by the security situation.
Since last week, Kyiv has accused the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) of“inaction” with regard to Ukrainian prisoners held by Russia, and asserts that the absence of visits exposes the prisoners to the risk of torture. The ICRC meanwhile said it shared the Ukrainian authorities’ frustration, but that such visits were only possible with authorization and security guarantees.
Vladimir Putin takes to the field
The Russian President on Thursday visited a training camp for Russian soldiers mobilized in the Ryazan region, southeast of Moscow, according to Russian agencies. It’s the first time since the announcement of the partial mobilization of hundreds of thousands of reservists on September 21. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu was also present during this visit.
15,000 people evacuated in the Kherson region
The Russian occupation administration in the Kherson region in southern Ukraine said on Thursday that 15,000 people had been evacuated from this territory annexed by Moscow, in the face of advancing Ukrainian troops. “The calm evacuation of residents of the Kherson region continues”said on Telegram a pro-Russian official, Kirill Stremoussov.
He specifies that these 15,000 people took refuge on the left bank of the Dnieper river, which borders Kherson. Russian occupation authorities in Kherson announced the start of evacuations on Wednesday, with Kyiv denouncing the moves as a “deportation” of civilians to Russia.
Ukraine limits electricity consumption of its population after several Russian strikes
Ukraine on Thursday limited the electricity consumption of its population and businesses, particularly in kyiv, after several Russian strikes in recent days which have severely damaged its energy infrastructure, as winter approaches.
>> War in Ukraine: the strategy of “electric chaos”, or when the Kremlin wants to trip an entire country
In the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klischko urged businesses, shops, cafes and restaurants to “save as much as possible” their electricity consumption on lighting and illuminated advertising. “Even small savings within each household will help stabilize the country’s energy system”he added on social networks.
kyiv worried about the “growing threat” of a Russian offensive from Belarus
The Ukrainian army said Thursday it was worried about the “growing threat” of a new Russian offensive from Belarus, its northern neighbor, whose territory served as a rear base for Russian forces for their invasion of Ukraine at the end of February. “Aggressive rhetoric from the military and political leaders of Russia and Belarus is intensifying”told the press Oleksiï Gromov, an official of the Ukrainian military staff.
“The threat of resumption of the offensive on the northern front by the Russian armed forces is growing”, he claimed, as Moscow and Minsk launched a joint military force in recent days. According to him, “this time the offensive could be (launched) west of the Belarusian border to cut off the main supply routes for weapons and military equipment” foreigners arriving via western Ukraine, notably via Poland.
Volodymyr Zelensky calls on writers and publishers to document Russian ‘terror’
Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday urged writers to describe the “terror” imposed by Russia, in a speech broadcast at the Frankfurt Book Fair (Germany), one of the main world publishing meetings. “Instead of importing culture, Russia imports death”denounced the Ukrainian president in a speech broadcast during the demonstration which this year offers a close-up on Ukraine and its perpetrators.
“So I ask you, please, to do everything so that people know about the terror that Russia has brought to Ukraine”launched the Ukrainian leader, for whom “knowledge is the answer”. “Books, scripts, articles, reports, these are the answers”he hammered.
German Chancellor denounces Russia’s ‘scorched earth tactics’
The “scorched earth tactic” led by Russia “only strengthens the determination and perseverance of Ukraine and its partners”German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told the Bundestag on Thursday. “The terror wrought by Russian bombs and missiles is an act of desperation”, added the German Chancellor, speaking to MPs ahead of the start of an EU summit in Brussels.