Sanctions Weekly Update - Ukraine/Russia Conflict - July 17, 2023

US Sanctions | EU Sanctions | UK Sanctions | Russia/Ukraine Sanctions | Other Notable Developments

I. US SANCTIONS

• OFAC and State Impose Additional Russia Sanctions: On Thursday, July 20, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) and the State Department announced nearly 120 additional sanctions designations pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14024, in order to further implement the commitments made by G7 Leaders on February 24, 2023 and May 19, 2023.  These sanctions aim to “restrict Russia from accessing critical materials, inhibit its future energy production and export capabilities, curtail its use of the international financial system, and crack down on those complicit in sanctions evasion and circumvention.”  These designations included Kyrgyz Republic-based entities used by Russia to evade dual use export controls, sanctions evasions facilitators, Russian importers of foreign dual use technology, additional entities operating in Russia’s defense sector, five additional Russian banks, and Russian entities operating in the metals sector, manufacturers of energy industry equipment, manufacturers of energy-related chemicals, and a Russia-based energy industry investor. 
  
  OFAC also issued two new Russia-related General Licenses in connection with the sanctions: (1) General License 70 for certain wind-down activities involving Joint Stock Company Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company; and (2) General License 71 for certain wind-down activities involving the newly designated Russian banks. Both General Licenses are valid until 12:01 a.m. ET on October 18, 2023. Read more >> Read more >> and Read more >> and Read more >>
• Suspected Russian Intelligence Operative Extradited to Face Charges on Smuggling U.S.-Made Electronics and Ammunition to Russian Military: On July 14, Vadim Konoshchenok, a Russian citizen with alleged ties to Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), was extradited from Estonia and indicted by the US Department of Justice for conspiracy and other charges related to a global procurement and money laundering network on behalf of the Russian government.  The charges against Konoshchenok were announced in December 2022, alleging him of affiliation with Serniya Engineering and Sertal LLC, Moscow-based companies that operate under the direction of Russian intelligence services to procure advanced electronics and testing equipment for Russia’s military, with electronic communications showing Konoshchenok explicitly identifying himself as an FSB officer and his contacts with apparent FSB personnel.  Konoshchenok was detained by Estonian authorities when he attempted to smuggle U.S.-origin items across the border into Russia in October 2022. Read more >> and Read more >> 
• Biden Administration Announces Additional Security Assistance for Ukraine: On July 19, the US Department of Defense announced that the Biden Administration, through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), is providing a new security assistance package to Ukraine.  USAI is an authority under which the U.S. procures capabilities from industry or partners to be sent to Ukraine, and this announcement represents the beginning of a contracting process to provide additional priority capabilities to Ukraine.  The capabilities in this package, totaling at $1.3 billion, include National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) and munitions, artillery rounds, mine clearing equipment, TOW missiles, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), precision aerial munitions, counter-UAS and electronic warfare detection equipment, and other equipment, communications systems, and support.  Read more >>
• USAID Administrator Travels to Ukraine, Announces Additional Assistance Measures: On July 17-19, USAID Administrator Samantha Power travelled to Ukraine and announced a number of measures to continue U.S. support towards Ukraine.  Specifically, this includes more than $500 million in additional humanitarian assistance for Ukrainians, an additional $250 million through the Agriculture Resilience Initiative-Ukraine (AGRI-Ukraine) to support the moving of Ukrainian food to the global market, expansion of partnership with Bayer to further support Ukrainian farmers, $15 million in additional assistance for mental health and psychosocial support services programming in Ukraine, and an additional $230 million in Ukraine’s economy and reconstruction.  Read more >>
• US and UK Hold Inaugural Strategic Sanctions Dialogue: On July 19, the Department of State hosted a senior UK government delegation for the inaugural U.S.-UK Strategic Sanctions Dialogue in Washington, DC. The Dialogue delivered on the 2023 Atlantic Declaration commitment to strengthen cooperation on sanctions strategy, design, targeting, implementation, mitigations, and enforcement.  The delegations discussed the use of targeted sanctions to deter and disrupt malign activity, and pledged to continue to intensify coordination on United Nations and autonomous sanctions regimes, as well as to look beyond bilateral coordination to broader efforts with partners to show collective leadership.  The delegations also focused on collaboration to protect humanitarian activity from unintended impacts of sanctions.  Read more >>
• Secretary of Defense Austin Call With Ukrainian Minister of Defense: On July 17, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with Ukrainian Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov to discuss priorities for tomorrow's virtual Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting, which will focus on Ukraine's near-term air defense and ammunition requirements, as well as support and sustainment for Ukraine over the long term.  Secretary Austin updated Minister Reznikov on U.S. security assistance efforts, and Minister Reznikov provided an update of developments on the ground in Ukraine.  The two leaders pledged to remain in close contact.  Read more >>
• New Zealand Banker Sues U.S. Government Agencies and Officials Over Russia Sanctions: On July 18, Law360 reported that New Zealand banker Paul Goldfinch, a former board member of sanctioned Russian bank Otkritie, is suing the US Department of State, other enforcement agencies and prominent US officials for sanctions against him, despite his attempts to show that he no longer maintains Russian ties.  According to a complaint filed on July 17, Goldfinch resigned from the board at Otkritie and terminated his relationship, financial and otherwise, with the bank immediately after the latter was sanctioned by the OFAC in February 2022, but nonetheless discovered that he was also sanctioned for his involvement with the bank nearly two weeks after his resignation.  Goldfinch alleges that the U.S. government has failed to delist him from the Specially Designated Nationals And Blocked Persons List despite over a year of “good faith” inquiries, and that the sanctions have been “entirely catastrophic for [him], both personally and financially.”  Read more >>
• U.S. Expresses Regret Over Russia’s Suspension of Participation in Black Sea Grain Initiative: On July 17, the Department of State issued a press statement expressing its deep regret over Russia’s decision to suspend participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative.  The U.S. emphasized that the Initiative has contributed significantly to shipping Ukrainian grain and foodstuffs to the most food insecure regions of the world; that despite Russia’s claims, the UN has facilitated record Russian exports of food, and no G7 sanctions are in place on Russian food and fertilizer exports.  The U.S. also thanked the UN and Türkiye for their work to extend the Initiative, and urged the Russian government to reverse its decision.  Read more >> 
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce Urges Protection from Suit for U.S. Companies Complying with Russia Sanctions in Good Faith: On July 13, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (“Chamber”) published an open letter to the Members of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and House Committee on Financial Services, urging protection from lawsuits for U.S. companies who have complied in good faith with sanctions on Russia.  Specifically, the Chamber urges the Committees to advance legislation to provide U.S. companies legal protection in U.S. courts from claims or enforcement of foreign judgments or arbitral awards related to the cessation of operations in Russia, highlighting that similar protections for companies complying with sanctions in good faith are already in place under EU and UK laws.  Read more >>

EU SANCTIONS

• EU Foreign Affairs Chief Proposes Weapons Fund For Ukraine: The Commission’s foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell has prepared a proposal that EU countries should commit to long-term military support for Kyiv with a €20 billion fund that would co-finance weapons purchases. Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon said the proposal responded to the “need for long term predictability of military aid for Ukraine.” Read more >>
• Anticipated EU Sanctions on Belarus: This week, POLITICO reported that EU countries informally agreed to a package of military sanctions targeting Belarus. The package is expected to include restrictions on battlefield equipment, including aviation parts. The exact items will mirror EU sanctions against Russia as part of an effort to crack down on military components being illegally routed through Belarus to Russia. Read more >>
• European Parliament Calls For ICC Arrest Warrant Against Belarussian Leader Lukashenko: The European Parliament called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) on July 18 to issue an arrest warrant against Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. The EU's legislative body stated that Belarus under Lukashenko's regime bears responsibility for crimes committed against Ukraine, particularly for the deportation of Ukrainian children. Read more >>
• EU Adopts New Restrictive Measures Against Iran For Military Support To Syria and Russia: On Thursday, July 20, the EU announced new restrictions prohibiting the export from the European Union to Iran of components used in the construction and production of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). It also provides for travel restrictions and asset freeze measures that could be imposed against persons responsible for, supporting or involved in Iran’s UAV’s programme. Read more >>
• EU Council Adopts Renewal Of Temporary Trade Liberalisation Measures With Moldova: On Thursday, July 20, the EU Council adopted a regulation which renews and expands the temporary suspension of all outstanding tariffs and the entry-price system that are still applicable to seven agricultural products for another year, until 24 July 2024. The difference in coverage, compared to last year, consists in fully liberalising the import to the EU as the current legislation suspends all tariff rate quotas (TRQ) that are still in place. Read more >>
• EU Renews Sanctions On Russia’s Military Aggression Against Ukraine: On Thursday, July 20, the EU Council decided to prolong by six months, until 31 January 2024, the restrictive measures targeting specific sectors of the economy of the Russian Federation. The measures currently consist of a broad spectrum of sectoral measures, including restrictions on trade, finance, technology and dual-use goods, industry, transport and luxury goods, etc. Read more >>
• EU Proposal To Use Frozen Russian Funds Delayed To September: A European Commission proposal to use frozen public Russian assets to help finance Ukraine will not be published until September, an EU spokesman said on Thursday, July 20. The European Union first floated this idea in November and is focused on finding a legal way to use the tax on the interest made by these blocked assets to benefit Ukraine. The EU is reportedly being careful to make sure the proposal would hold up in court in the event of any lawsuits. Read more >>
• Poland and Hungary Threaten To Cut Off Ukraine’s Export Route To The West: Poland will unilaterally block trade with Ukraine if the European Commission fails to extend temporary restrictions on grain imports at least until the end of the year, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told a meeting of agriculture ministers from five Eastern EU countries in Warsaw on Wednesday. Hungarian Agriculture Minister echoed Morawiecki, saying his country would “protect Hungarian farmers with all its means.” Read more >>
• European Aluminium Considers Calling For EU Ban On Russian Aluminium: Europe's aluminium industry group, European Aluminium, has considered lobbying for European Union sanctions on Russian aluminium, but would oppose specifically targeting the country's largest producer Rusal , according to a document sent to members. The head of European Aluminium said it prepared the internal memorandum for planning purposes and had no information about any imminent EU sanctions. Read more >>
• Turkey Looks West As It tightens Its Sanctions enforcement: Turkey has increased Russia-related sanctions enforcement, including the inspection of goods being exported and imported to and from Russia. Thus far, Turkey has been walking a difficult tightrope as a mediator, exemplified by its brokering of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which played a vital peace function until its recent collapse. Read more >>

III. UK SANCTIONS

• UK Law Society Parliamentary Briefing on Legal Services Restrictions: On July 13, 2023, the UK Law Society published a parliamentary briefing note, outlining its concerns about the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations 2023 on the Legal Services Restrictions recommending that:
  • immediate action by the government is required to address the most severe unintended consequences of these restrictions in the form of an interim general licence, and that longer term change will be likely require a further or amended statutory instrument;
  • the restrictions as currently drafted will harm non-Russian businesses more than Russian businesses, and will negatively impact the ability of solicitors to support businesses in complying with sanctions legislation and exiting the Russian market;
  • one significant problem with the regulations is that while they permit UK lawyers to provide advice on whether a client’s prospective activity is prohibited by UK sanctions, if it is so prohibited, UK lawyers cannot advise on whether it is also prohibited by EU or US sanctions, which ignores the reality that many UK lawyers are asked to advise in relation to multiple jurisdictions;
  • these restrictions are significantly more onerous than US sanctions, where OFAC guidance confirms that legal advice on whether an action would constitute a breach of any jurisdiction’s sanctions law would not contravene US sanctions; and
  • the EU restrictions only apply to advice provided to the Russian Government or to Russia-based entities. Read more>>
• Financial Sanctions Update: Russia: On July 17, 2023, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office updated the UK Sanctions List. Under the Russia sanctions regime, 14 entries have been added and 10 entries have been amended to the designation in response to Russia’s attempts to destroy Ukrainian national identity. The new entries include:
  • 11 individuals for their alleged involvement in the forced deportation and re-education of Ukrainian children, including Sergey Kravtsov, Minister of Education, and Ksenia Mishonova, Moscow Commissioner for Children’s Rights;
  • Anton Krasovsky and Timofei Nikolaevich Sergeitsev, alleged Russian propagandists for promoting policies which undermine the independence of Ukraine; and
  • Artek International Children’s Center, which engages in the re-education of Ukrainian children with the alleged aim of destroying Ukrainian national identity.The amended entries include amendments to the statement of reasons for 9 individuals, removing references to specific companies to which the individuals were connected, and instead referring more generally to businesses in sectors of strategic significance to Russia. Read more >> and Read more >>
• UK Will Publish General Licence Permitting Those Within the Scope of UK Russia Sanctions to Advise on Compliance with All Sanctions Regimes: On July 18, 2023, HMG announced at the Ministry of Justice webinar that it will publish a General Licence as soon as possible permitting those within the scope of UK sanctions to advise on compliance with all UK sanctions regimes (not just UK sanctions) including US and EU sanctions.  It may amend the regulations after that if needed. The proposed General Licence is said to be required because the new legal services restrictions in the UK’s Russia sanctions regimes expressly permit advice on compliance with UK sanctions but do not mention non-UK sanctions regimes.  Read more >>
• Sanctions Regime Put to Legal Test in UK As Oligarch Seeks Release Of Assets: On July 19, 2023, it was reported that Eugene Shvidler a billionaire oil businessman and a long-time business associate of sanctioned oligarch Roman Abramovich, is bringing his case to London’s High Court seeking a court order to release his assets including two private jets. Shvidler’s request for the release of his assets is the first case to reach the UK high court involving an individual. A number of other cases are waiting to be heard if he succeeds. Shvidler’s lawyers argue that he has not visited Russia for more than 15 years and has no political links to the country. The Foreign Office said Shvidler had obtained financial benefit from his relationship with the Russian regime. The sanctions legislation is drawn broadly so that it covers anyone who is benefiting or has benefited from supporting the Russian government, whether financially or politically. The aim has been to maximise ministerial discretion, making the grounds for delisting narrower. Read more >>
• UK Updates Export Control Guidance: On July 19, 2023, the UK Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU) published the UK Strategic Export Controls Annual Report 2022 and has:
  • published guidance on how EU general export authorisations permit the export of specified controlled dual-use goods from Northern Ireland to certain countries outside the EU;
  • updated references to the military and WMD end-use control in its export controls guidance;
  • added details of the requirement for record-keeping for checks by the ECJU; and
  • added an application page for a strategic export control licence. Read more>> and Read more>> and Read more>> and Read more>> and Read more >>
• Financial Sanctions Update: Russia: On July 20, 2023, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office updated the UK Sanctions List. Under the Russia sanctions regime, the list was updated to remove individual Oleg Yurievich Tinkov, the founder of Tinkoff Bank from the designation.  Mr Tinkov has been critical of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and says that he was forced to sell his shares in Tinkoff Bank by the Kremlin in April 2022. Read more >>
  
• Financial Sanctions Update: Mali, Central African Republic and Sudan:  On July 20, 2023, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office published a press release and updated the UK Sanctions List. Under the Mali, Central African Republic (CAR) and Sudan sanctions regimes, 13 individuals and entities linked to the Russian Wagner Group were added to the designation. The new entries include:
  • Ivan Aleksandrovitch Maslov, head of the Wagner Group in Mali.
  • In CAR: (i) Vitalii Viktorovitch Perfilev and Konstantin Aleksandrovitch Pikalov leader and operational head (respectively) of the Wagner Group in CAR; (ii) Alexander Alexandrovich Ivanov, Aleksandr Grigorievitch Maloletko, and Dimitri Sytii, individuals key to the operation of the group in CAR; and (iii) Mining company Lobaye Invest Sarlu, and its subsidiary, Sewa Security Services, a CAR-based security company.
  • In Sudan, M-Invest, its mining subsidiary, Meroe Gold, and its directors, Andrei Sergeevich Mandel and Mikhail Potepkin; and Al-Solag Mining, a company associated with Meroe Gold.  
    Read more >> and Read more >> and Read more>> and Read more>>

IV. RUSSIA/UKRAINE SANCTIONS

• Russia Warns Shipping In Danger After Quitting Black Sea Grain Deal: This week, Russia said that it would no longer guarantee the safety of shipping in the northwestern Black Sea after quitting a year-old deal that allowed Ukraine to export tens of millions of tons of grain. The Black Sea grain deal had offered an economic lifeline both to Ukrainian farmers and food-insecure nations hit by turmoil on agricultural markets. Read more >>
• Ukraine Threatens Russian Ships In Black Sea: Ukraine on Thursday warned that all ships sailing to Russian-controlled Black Sea ports could be targeted by attacks — a response by Kyiv to Moscow's threat against civilian vessels traveling to Ukrainian seaports. Kyiv's defense ministry said in a statement that such vessels "may be considered by Ukraine as carrying military cargo with all the corresponding risks" from midnight Friday. Read more >>
• Ukrainian Central Bank Moves To Nationalise Ukrainian Sense Bank (Previously Known As Alfa-Bank Ukraine): Ukraine’s central bank on Thursday placed a top commercial lender co-owned by Russian oligarch Mikhail Fridman under administration, and appealed to the government to nationalise it, citing links to the Kremlin and its full-scale invasion. “A decision was made to withdraw joint stock company Sense Bank from the market,” the National Bank of Ukraine said in a statement. Read more >>
• Russia Tightens Exit Rules for Foreign Businesses: Russian authorities have drafted a 10-point list of requirements that would complicate foreign businesses’ exit from and potential return to Russia. Foreign companies are barred from including buyback options on the sale of their Russian assets for two or more years. Another commission rule requires new owners to place up to 20% of the purchased assets on the Russian stock market within a year and finish the listing within three years. Read more >>

V.  Other Notable Developments

• Canada Announces New Round of Sanctions Against Russian Celebrities and Wagner Group Members: On July 20, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly announced that the Canadian federal government is further imposing sanctions on 38 individuals and 25 entities alleged of supporting Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and mercenary violence in Africa, according to reports.  The list reportedly focuses on the paramilitary Wagner Group, which has sent combatants to Ukraine and across Africa; as well as Russian’s nuclear, drone and cultural industries, in response to the country’s attacks on Ukraine’s nuclear and cultural sites.  Those sanctioned also include Russian actors and singers.  Read more >> and Read more >> 
• Australia Imposes Additional Sanctions in Response to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine: On July 20, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong announced that Australia is imposing targeted sanctions on 35 entities and 10 individuals in Russia and Belarus.  The entities and individuals sanctioned are said to be of economic and strategic significance to Russia, such as Russian companies supplying the Russian military, Russian entities involved in nuclear energy and Arctic resource extraction, major Russian defence entities including Russia's largest producer of military helicopters and its CEO, as well as senior Russian and Belarusian officials.  Read more >>
• Japan to Ban Used Car Exports to Russia as Part of Extra Sanctions: On July 18, Kyodo News reported that Japan is set to ban the export of used cars to Russia as part of additional economic sanctions on the country over its invasion of Ukraine, sources close to the matter said.  While Japan has prohibited shipments to Russia of luxury vehicles worth more than 6 million yen ($43,000) since April 2022, sources said the planned additional sanctions are also expected to cover cars with gasoline or diesel engines exceeding 1,900 cc, as well as electric and hybrid vehicles.  The move to restrict exports of used Japanese cars, which are in high demand in Russia, aims to enforce the effectiveness of embargoes on Moscow by keeping in step with EU and U.S. measures.  Read more >> 
• IOC Says It Will Not Invite Russia and Belarus to the Paris 2024 Olympics: On July 14, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that teams from Russia and Belarus will not receive formal invitations to participate in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris due to the two nations’ aggression towards Ukraine, according to reports.  The IOC, however, has yet to decide whether to allow individual athletes holding Russian or Belarusian passports to participate in the Paris 2024 Olympics, saying that it “will take this decision at the appropriate time, at its full discretion, and without being bound by the results of previous Olympic qualification competitions.”  Read more >>
• Argentina Rejects Russia-Sourced LNG Cargo, Diverts Vessel Back to Sea: On July 19, Bloomberg reported that Argentina’s state-run energy company refused to accept a cargo of liquefied Russian natural gas it had agreed to buy, forcing the tanker back out to sea.  Argentina’s economy minister Sergio Massa said in a local media interview that officials blocked delivery of the fuel “because it violates the contract because it’s a sanctioned company,” despite the country not adopting any sanctions against Russia.  Gunvor Group Ltd., the trading house that made the delivery, said the shipment of LNG was lawful and transparent, and the transaction “complies with all applicable economic sanctions, specifically those of the United States and the European Union.”  Read more >>
• Kyrgyzstan Denies Helping Russia Bypass Sanctions: On July 20, Kyrgyzstan denied helping its ally Moscow circumvent sanctions imposed over its invasion of Ukraine, but did not rule out the involvement of private companies, according to reports.  According to Kyrgyzstan’s security agency, neither the state or any state structures or companies are involved in the violation of sanctions regime imposed by the West, though it admitted that private companies might have violated sanctions while “possibly not knowing who the end customer and user of their supplied products may be,” adding that an investigation has been launched to “establish[] and stop[] such activities.”   A number of Kyrgyz entities were put under sanctions by the U.S.’s OFAC on July 20, 2023, for facilitating the flow of controlled foreign-made electronics and technology into Russia. Read more >>
• South African Official Says BRICS Currency Not on August Summit Agenda: On July 20, reports emerged that a BRICS currency will not be on the agenda of the bloc’s summit in South Africa next month, but Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa will continue to switch away from the U.S. dollar, according to a South African senior BRICS diplomat.  Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva and Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov are among BRICS leaders that touted the idea of a common currency as the bloc aims to challenge the western dominance of global finance amid Russia's sanctions-imposed exile after it invaded Ukraine last year, pushing countries, especially non-U.S. allies, to seek alternatives to the dollar, but India’s foreign minister had said earlier this month that currencies would remain “very much a national issue for a long time to come.”  Read more >>
• SLB Announces Halting of All Shipments to Russia: On July 14, top oilfield services firm SLB announced that it is halting shipments of products and technology into Russia from all its operations over an expansion of Western sanctions, according to reports.  The firm, being the world’s largest oil service and equipment provider, had been one of the few providers to continue working the country’s oil sector following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but would now apply the Russia ban to all its worldwide operations not limited to the UK, US, EU and Canada, “in response to the continued expansion of international sanctions.”  Read more >>
• JP Morgan Says Client Shares in Russia’s Magnit May be Missing: On July 13, Reuters reported that JP Morgan (JPM) has become the latest major bank struggling to find Russian stocks linked to certain client investments.  In a published investor circular, the Wall Street bank said "it was actively seeking to recover" shares in Russian retail group Magnit, which underpinned depositary receipts (DRs) JPM had issued to investors before Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.  JPM said the shares in question “may be missing” after “certain holders” cancelled their DRs twice, firstly under a business-as-usual process, and again after Moscow introduced laws on mandatory conversion of DRs to reduce foreign influence.  The shares currently unaccounted for are estimated to be less than 1% of the shares held in custody at another financial institution, according to the bank.  Read more >>
• Ryanair announces plans for post-war return to Ukraine: Low cost airline Ryanair announced on July 20 its plans to return to the Ukrainian market within eight weeks of Ukrainian air space reopening. It plans to open 75 routes from Europe to Ukraine and base up to 30 new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft worth over $3 billion at Ukraine's main airports. Ukrainian airspace remains closed to civilian aircraft since the full-scale invasion began. Read more >>
• South African President: Putin not to attend BRICS summit: Russian dictator Vladimir Putin will not attend the upcoming BRICS summit and Russia will be represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, South Africa's presidential office informed on July 19. Putin's participation at the summit has been contentious due to the arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Read more >>
• China Imports Record Volumes Of Russian Oil In First Half Of 2023: China is importing record volumes of oil despite a weak economy as it takes advantage of cheap Russian crude to build stockpiles and export refined products. The rise in oil imports to record levels this year comes against the backdrop of a faltering recovery in the world’s second-largest economy. Read more >>