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LIVE UPDATES: UN Working Cooperatively With Both Sides on Azovstal Situation

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Russia launched its special military op in Ukraine back in February, in order to stop the eight-year-long war which had been waged by Kiev in Donbass. Moscow... 27.04.2022, Sputnik International

2022-04-27T04:42+0000

2022-04-27T17:39+0000

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LIVE UPDATES: UN Working Cooperatively With Both Sides on Azovstal Situation

04:42 GMT 27.04.2022 (Updated: 17:39 GMT 27.04.2022)

Russia launched its special military op in Ukraine back in February, in order to stop the eight-year-long war which had been waged by Kiev in Donbass. Moscow stressed that the goal of the operation is "demilitarisation and denazification".

The situation in Russia on the Ukrainian border remains tense. Overnight, an air defence system was used in the Kursk region, according to governor Roman Starovoyt. This occurred just a few days after two Ukrainian drones were downed in the region.

Meanwhile, Russian military and Donbass militia troops continue to drive Ukrainian forces out of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Lugansk People's Republic, which were recognised as independent states by Moscow in late February. They recently retook the Donetsk port city of Mariupol, blockading the remaining Ukrainian paramilitaries within the Azovstal steel plant.

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Table of contents

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19:25 GMT 27.04.2022

US to Continue Rolling Out Sanctions on Russia in Weeks Ahead - Blinken

"We will continue to roll out sanctions in the weeks ahead. This is not stopping as long as Russia is not stopping [in Ukraine]," Blinken told a Senate hearing.

18:39 GMT 27.04.2022

Estonia's Gas Company Eesti Gaas Not Planning to Pay for Russian Gas in Rubles

Estonian gas company Eesti Gaas is not planning on paying Russian gas giant Gazprom for gas deliveries in rubles or buying gas from Moscow in the nearest future, Margus Kaasik, the CEO of Eesti Gaas, said on Wednesday.

"The European Union has issued its preliminary position where it calls paying in rubles a problem, which is why European countries and companies have not accepted these ruble payments and neither can we," Estonian broadcaster ERR quoted Kaasik as saying.

He added that Russia's gas supplies ended in April, and buying gas from Moscow no longer makes economic sense. Kaasik reassured Estonian consumers that they will not be affected in the short-term as gas prices in May and June will be preserved. He also noted that the company will be selling gas from the reserves while buying additional supplies of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Klaipeda LNG terminal in Lithuania.

However, Kaasik said that Eesti Gaas is looking for alternatives as Estonia will require more gas by fall, noting that the Klaipeda terminal is not that big to have enough supplies for the entire winter.

"At best, we will have the same amount of gas that we currently have there by winter. But that is less than half the capacity and we're not likely to get any more. The reality today is that we can have no more gas there without Russian deliveries. At least not by any significant volume," he said.

He noted that building of a second LNG terminal in the Baltic region is the only way to ensure gas supply security.

18:39 GMT 27.04.2022

Russian MoD Says Ukraine's Media Operations Teams Fabricated New Fakes About Alleged Civilians Deaths, Will Start Spreading Them Soon

Local residents pass by the destroyed tank of the Ukrainian armed forces in the city of Volnovakha that came under control of the Donetsk People's Republic, in Donetsk People's Republic. - Sputnik International, 1920, 27.04.2022

Russia's Special Operation in Ukraine

Russian MoD Warns West That Kiev Plans to Spread 'Bloody Fakes' About Russian 'Atrocities' Soon

27 April 2022, 18:36 GMT

18:18 GMT 27.04.2022

Switzerland Aligns With New EU Sanctions on Russia That Ban Coal, Caviar

Switzerland adopted on Wednesday a fifth package of EU sanctions against Russia that ban import of caviar, seafood, coal, timber and cement in a bid to punish Russia for a military operation in Ukraine.

"This implements the Federal Council's decision of 13 April to adopt the EU's latest package of sanctions. The measures come into force at 6pm on 27 April 2022," the Swiss government said in a statement.

The new measures ban export of industrial robots, certain chemical products and other goods that can help strengthen Russia's industrial capacities.

An exemption will be made for export of military-grade equipment that protects from nuclear, biological or chemical hazards, under a request from the UN’s Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

In the financial sector, Switzerland prohibited support for Russian entities in public ownership and registration of trusts for Russian nationals or residents.

The Council also extended the ban on export of banknotes and sales of securities in Swiss francs and euros to Belarusian nationals and entities to cover all official EU currencies. The same measure is planned for Russia.

17:41 GMT 27.04.2022

UN Says Holding Talks With Moscow, Kiev on Framework for Evacuation of Ukrainian Civilians

The United Nations is currently holding talks with Moscow and Kiev to develop a framework for evacuation of civilians in Ukraine, UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said on Wednesday.

"Following the agreement reached in principle between the UN Secretary General [Antonio Guterres] and Russian President [Vladimir Putin], our Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is mobilizing a team on behalf of the UN system to coordinate the evacuation of civilians in the Azovstal plant in Mariupol," Haq said. "Today, we are having a follow-up discussion with the authorities in Moscow and in Kiev to develop an operational framework for the timely evacuation of civilians."

Haq said that the United Nations now is "moving stuff" to some areas in Ukraine to provide assistance.

"We are putting people on the ground and we are in talks with the sides. what we want is to make sure that a ceasefire would be respected and to move people safely," he added.

17:41 GMT 27.04.2022

Italy's ENI Preparing to Open Ruble Accounts in Gazprombank, Bloomberg Reports Citing Sources

Italian oil and gas group Eni is preparing to open ruble accounts in Gazprombank to pay for Russian gas, Bloomberg reported citing sources.

Eni is still awaiting instructions from the Italian government and EU authorities regarding the conditions and the possibility of using such accounts, the agency noted.

17:39 GMT 27.04.2022

UN Working Cooperatively With Both Sides on Azovstal Situation

he United Nations is working cooperatively with both Russia and Ukraine on the situation at the Azovstal plant in Mariupol, spokesman Farhan Haq said on Wednesday.

"We are working cooperatively with both the authorities in Russia and with the authorities in Ukraine," Haq told a briefing. "There was some military activity, and we want to make sure that that is halted in such a way that we can actually bring people to safety. We do not have those conditions on the ground as of this moment."

The situation at the Azovstal plant, where remaining Ukrainian forces in Mariupol are holding out, was among the key topics of the talks between UN chief Antonio Guterres and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Guterres is on a visit to Kiev to continue efforts on humanitarian issues.

16:11 GMT 27.04.2022

White House: Biden to Visit Lockheed Martin Facility Producing Arms for Ukraine

President Joe Biden will travel to the US state of Alabama next week to visit a Lockheed Martin weapons manufacturing facility that is producing arms for Ukraine, the White House said on Wednesday.

“On Tuesday, May 3, the President will travel to Alabama to visit a Lockheed Martin facility which manufactures weapon systems such as Javelin anti-tank missiles, which the Biden-Harris administration is providing Ukraine and which Ukrainians are using so effectively to defend against the Russian invasion,” the White House said in a press release.

The United States has provided Ukraine with billions of dollars worth of assistance, including weapons systems and military training, humanitarian supplies and direct economic assistance especially since the beginning of Russia’s special military operation in February.

14:40 GMT 27.04.2022

Blinken, French Counterpart Discuss Support for Ukraine, Sanctions on Russia

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a call with his French counterpart discussed security assistance for Kiev and additional measures against Russia over its special military operation in Ukraine, State Department spokesman Ned Price said on Wednesday.

"Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian to congratulate the French people on their successful election on April 24 and to welcome continued close cooperation and strong ties with President Macron. The two discussed providing more security assistance to Ukraine’s armed forces … and additional measures to hold President Putin and his regime accountable," Price said in a press release.

The top diplomats also discussed intensifying support for North Macedonia and Albania on their paths to the European Union accession, the press release added.

14:36 GMT 27.04.2022

Kremlin: Difficult to Talk About Security After Borrell’s Statement About Battlefield

It is difficult to talk about the security architecture in Europe after EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that the war in Ukraine will be “won on the battlefield,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.

Borrell has said that the European Union and Russia should renew relations and agree on security guarantees to peacefully coexist.

“At the moment, we are seeing statements from the head of EU diplomacy that everything needs to be decided on the battlefield. Of course, amid these statements, it is very, very difficult to talk about a new security architecture in Europe. Of course, we would first like to hear constructive rhetoric, which nevertheless invites everyone to the political and diplomatic methods of building our common future,” Peskov told reporters.

14:34 GMT 27.04.2022

European Commission Proposes to Lift Duties on Imports From Ukraine for 1 Year

he European Commission proposed on Wednesday to lift import duties on all Ukrainian exports for one year in an unprecedented gesture of support for Kiev.

"The European Commission has proposed today to suspend for one year import duties on all Ukrainian exports to the European Union. The proposal, which is an unprecedented gesture of support for a country at war, would also see the suspension for one year of all EU anti-dumping and safeguard measures in place on Ukrainian steel exports," the commission said in a statement.

14:25 GMT 27.04.2022

Turkey Hopes to Bring Russian, Ukrainian Presidents Together for Talks

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was brokering a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky in a bid to end fighting in Ukraine.

"We hope that, despite certain difficulties, the two leaders will find an opportunity to meet in the coming days at the proposal of our president. Turkey is continuing mediation to stop the humanitarian situation from getting worse and worse and ensure a ceasefire as soon as possible," he said.

Akar said he was closely following events in Ukraine. He added that Turkey had hosted Russian and Ukrainian officials for consultations in Ankara and Istanbul since before the conflict began. Erdogan has talked to Putin and Zelenskyy on the phone several times in the past two months.

14:24 GMT 27.04.2022

German Foreign Minister Says EU Open for Ukraine Ascension, Should Avoid Empty Promises

The European Union is open for Ukraine, but the bloc should avoid making promises it cannot fulfill, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Wednesday.

“European Commission President [Ursula von der Leyen] has already given Kiev a questionnaire [to open accession negotiations], we all in the room know that this is an unprecedented situation. But we have to refrain from promising things that we will not be able to fulfill," Baerbock told German lawmakers, pointing out that the EU foundation treaty stipulates the conditions for accession, including the accession to the common internal market.

The foreign minister also said that “the European home is, of course, open for Ukraine.”

"As for these three countries [Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova], we should discuss in detail with each other what possibilities are open, including at the intermediate stages," the minister said.

14:22 GMT 27.04.2022

Romanian Defense Minister Says Weapons Supplies to Ukraine Not on Agenda

The Romanian authorities do not discuss the issue of sending weapons to Ukraine, providing only humanitarian aid, Romanian Defense Minister Vasile Dincu said on Wednesday.

On April 22, Marcel Ciolacu, the president of the lower house of the Romanian parliament, said that Bucharest is considering deliveries of decommissioned MiG-21 Lancer fighter jets to Ukraine to help fend off the Russian advance.

"At the moment we have no discussion in the ruling coalition about weapons, about sending lethal weapons to Ukraine. Romania has been providing humanitarian support to Ukraine from the first moment,” Dincu told journalists.

14:21 GMT 27.04.2022

Russian, Swiss Diplomats Discuss Humanitarian Situation in Ukraine

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko and Swiss Ambassador to Russia Krystyna Marty Lang discussed the humanitarian situation in Ukraine on Wednesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

"On April 27, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Rudenko received Swiss Ambassador to Moscow Marty Lang. During the meeting the parties discussed the current situation in Ukraine with a focus on solving humanitarian problems," the ministry said in a statement published on its website.

13:43 GMT 27.04.2022

Canada Imposes Sanctions on 203 Officials From Donetsk and Lugansk – Global Affairs

"The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced that Canada is imposing new sanctions under the Special Economic Measures (Ukraine) Regulations in response to President Putin’s illegal and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine," the statement said, adding that these new measures impose restrictions on 11 senior officials and 192 other members of the People’s Councils of the so-called Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republics who are complicit in the Russian regime’s ongoing violations of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

13:43 GMT 27.04.2022

Poland Prepares Plan B to Limit Gas Supplies for Businesses - Prime Minister

13:26 GMT 27.04.2022

Russia Expels Eight Japanese Diplomats

12:40 GMT 27.04.2022

Ukraine Holds 8 Russian Vessels with 72 People on Board in Izmail, Human Rights Commissioner Says

11:54 GMT 27.04.2022

Russia Expels Three Norwegian Diplomats