Zelensky accuses Moscow of terror in Europe – troops in the Donbass under new command

Kyiv, Moscow, Cairo Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy sees a form of Moscow’s “terror” against the West in the further throttling of Russian gas supplies to Europe. “And this is an open gas war that Russia is unleashing against a united Europe,” Zelensky said in his evening video message on Monday. Russia is deliberately making it difficult for Europe to prepare for the winter.

The country is showing once again that it is not interested in the fate of the people. By blocking Ukrainian grain exports, Russia is making people starve, suffering from cold, poverty and occupation.

“These are just different forms of terror,” said Zelensky, referring to the announcement by the Russian gas company Gazprom that it would cut supplies through the Baltic Sea pipeline Nord Stream 1 to 20 percent of capacity from Wednesday.

Gazprom gave the reason that another gas turbine had to be repaired. For this reason, the current 40 percent output will be further reduced to 33 million cubic meters of gas per day, it said. Nord Stream 1 is Germany’s most important supply pipeline for gas from Russia.

According to information from the German Press Agency, representatives of EU countries have meanwhile agreed on an emergency plan to reduce gas consumption. It is to be officially confirmed on Tuesday at a special meeting of energy ministers in Brussels.

Zelensky calls for further sanctions against Russia

The throttling of gas supplies is another threat to Europe, Zelenski said. That is why the West must strike back. Instead of thinking about returning the gas turbine that has already been repaired, the sanctions against Russia should be further tightened. “Do everything possible to reduce Russia’s revenues not only from gas and oil, but also from other exports that remain,” he said.

Zelensky warned that any further trade relationship was a “potential means of pressure on Russia”. It has long had a reputation for using its gas as a “geopolitical weapon.” Despite the war, part of the gas from Russia continues to be pumped through Ukraine to Western Europe.

Ukrainian troops in Donbass under new command

After major losses of territory since the beginning of the Russian invasion, head of state Selensky appointed a new commander of the armed forces in eastern Ukraine: Viktor Horenko is to command the troops.

By decree he dismissed the 44-year-old Major General Hryhorij Halahan, who was transferred to the secret service. He was therefore appointed deputy head of the anti-terrorist center of the secret service SBU.

After Russia’s invasion in February, Ukraine has now completely lost control of the Luhansk region. About half of the neighboring Donetsk region was conquered by Russian troops.

Before February 24, just under 30 percent of the areas were controlled by pro-Russian separatists. Selensky recently complained that Kyiv no longer had 20 percent of Ukrainian territory under its control.

Zelensky repeatedly demands heavy weapons from the West to stop Russia’s advance and recapture occupied territories. According to the Task Force South, the Ukrainian army has received six Stormer HVM air defense systems from Great Britain. Like the German Gepard anti-aircraft tanks that have already been delivered, they are primarily used for close-range air defense of troop formations.

However, long-range missiles supplied by the USA are increasingly disrupting the advance of Russian troops in the Donbass. This opens up the possibility of a counter-offensive for Kyiv. The war in Ukraine could enter a new phase. For Ukraine, this situation is an “opportunity,” as Richard Moore, head of British intelligence agency MI6, put it last week. The Russian armed forces are “running out of steam”.

Struggles for grain deliveries continue

Preparations for export of grain from Black Sea ports are ongoing in Ukraine. “We expect that the first ship could move within the coming days,” said a UN spokesman. Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during his visit to the Republic of the Congo that nothing stands in the way of fulfilling the Istanbul agreement reached on Friday.

In the agreement on Friday, Russia had pledged to let ships for export use a sea corridor and not to shoot at them. The ports involved, Odessa, Chornomorsk and Yuzhny, must also not be attacked.

Among other things, it is about the export of millions of tons of grain. The agreement, signed through mediation by the UN and Turkey, provides for exports to be monitored by a control center in Istanbul.

A memorandum was also signed with Russia in parallel with the Korn Agreement. According to Moscow, it states that the UN wants to work towards easing sanctions that indirectly restrict Russia’s grain and fertilizer exports. Russian President Vladimir Putin had spoken of a package solution with regard to the export of Ukrainian grain.

However, the UN has not yet confirmed this. The documents are “not public” and will only be made public if everyone involved agrees, the UN said on Monday. On Friday, the UN merely stated in writing that the agreement was based on the principle “that the measures imposed on the Russian Federation do not apply to these products”.

This is how the Handelsblatt reports on the Ukraine war and the consequences:

From the EU perspective, this is already the case. For example, on Thursday an EU decision confirmed that no sanctions would be “in any way directed against trade in agricultural products and foodstuffs, including wheat and fertilizers, between third countries and Russia”.

Specifically, it is regulated that transactions required for purchase, import and transport are permitted. In addition, Russian merchant ships transporting agricultural products and foodstuffs can continue to use ports in the EU. Russia, on the other hand, complains that the consequences of the sanctions are causing massive restrictions on its international shipping traffic and the processing of payments. As an example, Moscow cites that ships can no longer be insured.

What will be important on Tuesday

Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is visiting the Czech Republic and Slovakia this Tuesday. There, the Greens also want to talk about the Ukraine war. The Czech Republic has held the EU Council Presidency since July 1st. Germany is also cooperating with its NATO and EU partners to supply Ukraine with weapons.

After representatives of EU countries have agreed on an emergency plan to reduce gas consumption, this is to be officially confirmed at a special meeting of energy ministers in Brussels. This is intended to reduce the risks in the event of a complete disruption in Russian gas supplies.

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