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LIVE UPDATES: Ukrainian Combat Drones Attack Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant - Region's Official

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Earlier this week, America's National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby claimed that Russia plans to "annex" the Ukrainian... 20.07.2022, Sputnik International

2022-07-20T06:46+0000

2022-10-19T20:59+0000

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LIVE UPDATES: Ukrainian Combat Drones Attack Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant - Region's Official

06:46 GMT 20.07.2022 (Updated: 20:59 GMT 19.10.2022)

Earlier this week, America's National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby claimed that Russia plans to "annex" the Ukrainian territories it controls.

As Russia continues its operation to de-Nazify and de-militarize Ukraine, Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu met on Wednesday morning with the military group ‘Zapad’, instructing the military to focus on eliminating the UAVs in the areas adjacent to the Russian borders.

Moscow launched its special military operation in Ukraine on 24 February in answer to requests for help from the breakaway people's republics of Donetsk and Lugansk in the country's eastern region of Donbass amid intensified attacks by the Kiev forces.

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03:25 GMT 21.07.2022

US City of Miami Collects 167 Gun Donations to Send to Ukrainian Troops - Official

The city of Miami, Florida, collected 167 guns from the community and its police department to donate to the Ukrainian forces, Miami Commissioner Ken Russell said during a news conference.

The city held a so-called "Guns 4 Ukraine" buyback program earlier this month to collect weapons to donate to Ukrainian forces.

"We now have 167 guns ready to go to European Ukraine," Russell said. "They'll be air-freighted there as soon as the logistics are worked out."

Russell said just under 70 guns were collected from the community in Miami and the Miami Police Department donated confiscated weapons it had in its surplus stock.

The city offered members of the community $50 for handguns, $100 for shotguns and $150 for high-powered rifles like AK-47 and AR-15 ones.

03:17 GMT 21.07.2022

Russia Keeping Door for Negotiations With Ukraine Open - Kremlin Spokesman

There are opportunities for Russia and Ukraine to launch negotiations, none of the Russian officials said that the talks are impossible, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Sputnik.

On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan that there is currently no sense in the Russian-Ukrainian negotiations.

"Neither President [Vladimir Putin] nor minister [Lavrov] said that the door for the negotiations is closed," Peskov said. However, he added that the spring negotiations held in Belarus demonstrated the lack of Ukraine's interest for such talks.

03:03 GMT 21.07.2022

US Seeking to Use Racketeering Statutes to Go After Russian Businessmen - Justice Dept.

The US Justice Department is asking Congress to use racketeering statutes to go after Russian businessmen who are allegedly using networks to evade US sanctions, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said during an Aspen Security Forum panel discussion.

"One of the things we're asking Congress for is the ability to use the racketeering statutes, the ability to treat these oligarchs and these sanctions evaders like the criminal enterprises they are," Monaco said on Wednesday.

Monaco said racketeering statutes are what the United States used for decades to dismantle the mafia.

"So we want to treat these networks used by [Russian] oligarchs and others to evade sanctions and to hide their corrupt wealth by going after the entire network," Monaco said.

The Racketeer Influence and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) is a federal law that allows the federal government to combat organized criminal enterprises in the United States.

02:42 GMT 21.07.2022

Paris to Spend Over $86Mln to Create CAESAR Howitzers After Deliveries to Ukraine -Reports

France will spend 85 million euros (over $86 million) to create CAESAR howitzers instead of those that have already been handed over to Ukraine, the Agence France-Presse reported.

France had 76 self-propelled howitzers CAESAR before the start of he Russian military operation in Ukraine. Paris has already given 12 howitzers to Kiev, the deliveries of six more will take place soon.

The French company of Nexter, which produces CAESARs, said it needs more than 18 months to build a howitzer.

01:02 GMT 21.07.2022

US Expects to Introduce Russian Oil Price Cap by December 2022 - Deputy Treasury Chief

The United States expects to introduce a Russian oil price cap by December, US Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said during remarks at the Aspen Security Forum.

"We are following on what the Europeans have done in their sixth package, they introduced the idea of looking to do a price cap but they also said by December they plan to put in place their insurance ban, so our goal is to make sure... we're in a position where there's a price cap that can be joined on to that that is a global one that helps to drive down global energy prices and also allows Russian energy to flow into the marketplace," Adeyemo said on Wednesday.

Adeyemo added that the next round of US sanctions will target Russian oil and gas.

00:31 GMT 21.07.2022

Ukrainian soldiers move a U.S.-supplied M777 howitzer into position to fire at Russian positions - Sputnik International, 1920, 21.07.2022

US Congress May Struggle to Pass Future Ukraine Aid Bills if Dems Lose Control - Lawmaker

21 July 2022, 00:32 GMT

21:31 GMT 20.07.2022

Mercosur Rejects Zelensky's Request to Speak at Summit - Paraguayan Official

The South American trade organization Mercosur will not engage in dialogue with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and will not allow him to speak at the current summit in Paraguay, Raul Cano Ricciardi, the Paraguayan vice minister of economic relations and integration, said on Wednesday.

"Mercosur makes its decisions by consensus, and there has been no consensus regarding this speech [by Zelensky at the summit]. Ukraine has already been informed that there are no conditions for Mercosur's dialogue with Zelensky," Cano Ricciardi said at a press conference during the summit, which is taking place in the Paraguayan city of Luque from July 20-21.

Negotiations between the Ukrainian and Paraguayan presidents took place on July 6. According to the Paraguayan Foreign Ministry, Zelensky, among other things, was looking for an opportunity to speak to Mercosur leaders on the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.

Mercosur was founded in 1991 to promote a common space to generate commercial and investment opportunities through the integration of South American economies into the international market. The organization includes Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay as member states. Mercosur brings together 250 million people and over 75% of the continent's total GDP. Paraguay is currently presiding over the organization.

21:18 GMT 20.07.2022

EU Allocates $510Mln to Help Ukrainian Military - Borrell

The European Union has allocated 500 million euros ($510 million) to support the armed forces of Ukraine, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Wednesday.

"EU Member States agreed to mobilise 5th tranche of military assistance of €500M to further support Ukraine‘s Armed Forces. EU remains focused & steadfast in its support for Ukraine, together w[ith] partners," Borrell said on Twitter.

18:54 GMT 20.07.2022

Nord Stream 1 Important for Europe to Replenish Gas Reserves, Viable Option - State Dept.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The Nord Stream 1 pipeline is important for Europe to replenish its gas reserves and is a viable option at the moment, State Department spokesman Ned Price said on Wednesday.

"Nord Stream 1 would be an important element of that ... Nord Stream 1 is a viable option, as of this date at least," Price said during a press briefing.

In mid-June, Russian energy giant Gazprom significantly reduced gas supplies via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline due to delays in maintenance work on turbines by German and Canadian companies, forcing EU countries to tap into winter gas reserves and consider returning to coal production.

On July 11, Nord Stream 1 was shut down for routine maintenance for 10 days.

18:49 GMT 20.07.2022

Paraguay: Mercosur Declines Zelensky Request to Address Summit

Paraguay's Deputy Minister of Economic Relations and Integration Raul Cano confirmed that there was no agreement within Mercosur to give the floor to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky during the trade bloc's summit.

18:37 GMT 20.07.2022

Russia Has Evacuated Over 2.7 Million People From Dangerous Areas in Ukraine, DPR and LPR - Russian MoD

18:36 GMT 20.07.2022

EU Foreign Ministers to Discuss Ukraine's European Prospects at August Meeting - Prague

PRAGUE (Sputnik) - The informal meeting of EU foreign ministers, scheduled for August 31 in Prague, will be devoted to the discussion of Ukraine's European prospects and the elaboration a new strategy for EU-Russia relations, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said on Wednesday.

"The Czech Republic, which currently holds the presidency in the Council of the European Union would like to propose for the informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in August in Prague, to which our Ukrainian colleague Dmytro Kuleba is also invited, two topics: the discussion of Ukraine's European prospect, which recently was granted the EU candidate-status, and the elaboration of a new strategy for EU-Russia relations. We need to rethink our system of relations with Russia, as the previous one is seriously outdated," Lipavsky said at a press conference in Kiev, which was broadcast by Czech media.

According to Lipavsky, the ministers at the meeting in Prague will discuss the necessary steps that Ukraine has to take to join the European Union.

"This goal will be hard to achieve. But the important thing is that the required political will is present," the Czech foreign minister added.

The Czech Republic will continue to support Ukraine with all available means, Lipavsky stated, adding that Ukrainian refugees in his country are receiving care and attention.

17:50 GMT 20.07.2022

US Defense Chief Says HIMARS Rounds Range Adequately Serving Ukraine's Battlefield Needs

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The range of the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) rounds is adequately serving Ukraine’s battlefield needs, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said during a press conference on Wednesday.

Austin was responding to a question whether the US military is considering providing Kiev with longer-range munitions for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS).

"The range of HIMARS, our GMLRS round, is 80 kilometers, and so that’s pretty good reach. It has allowed and will continue to allow [Ukraine] to get after those longer-range targets that they’ve been unable to reach," Austin said.

According to him, "Ukrainian forces [are] now using long-range rockets, including HIMARS, to great effect."

17:49 GMT 20.07.2022

US Has Transferred 12 HIMARS to Ukraine

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States has managed to send 12 HIMARS to Ukraine out of 20 committed by the US and its allies, Joint Chief of Staff General Mark Milley said on Wednesday.

17:48 GMT 20.07.2022

A Ukrainian soldier carries a U.S.-supplied Stinger - Sputnik International, 1920, 20.07.2022

Russia's Special Operation in Ukraine

US, Allies Weigh Possibility of Training Ukrainian Pilots

20 July 2022, 16:55 GMT

16:39 GMT 20.07.2022

Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska Addresses US Congress, Asks for More Weapons

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska addressed the US Congress on Wednesday and during her speech asked the American government for more weapon systems, including air defense systems.

"I'm asking you for weapons, weapons that would not be used to wage a war on somebody else's land, but to protect one's home and the right to wake up alive in that home," Zelenska said. "I'm asking for air defense systems in order for rockets not to kill children in their strollers, in order for rockets not to destroy children's rooms and kill entire families."

Zelenska also thanked the US government for its support and expressed hope the decisions by Congress on additional assistance to Ukraine will be speedy.

Ukraine's First Lady is visiting Washington, DC, where she already met with President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at the White House.

On Monday, Zelenska met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

16:38 GMT 20.07.2022

Ukraine Needs Up to 4 Months to Fix National Economy - President's Office

16:37 GMT 20.07.2022

Detained Russian Cargo Ship Released to Leave India Port - Consul General

BANGKOK (Sputnik) - Russian cargo ship MV MAIA-I, which was arrested in the Indian state of Kerala for failure to pay for refueling, has been released and greenlighted to leave for its next destination on Wednesday, the consul general of Russia in the Indian manufacturing capital of Chennai, Oleg Avdeev, told Sputnik.

On Tuesday, the Russian cargo ship, which was carrying weapons for the Indian navy, was arrested on a court warrant in the port of Cochin over a lawsuit filed by Estonian coastal services company Bunker Partner OU, which claimed that the owners of the Russian vessel have failed to pay about $23,503 for fueling.

The court allowed the unloading of the ship on the grounds that the cargo is not relevant to the claim of non-payment for fueling.

On Tuesday, the vessel was taken to the anchorage in the port area after the unloading, according to the consul general.

"The owners of the ship negotiated with the Estonian company and reached an agreement. The Estonian company withdrew the claim from the High Court of Kerala, after which the court lifted the arrest of our cargo, closed the case and allowed our vessel to leave the port of Cochin without hindrance," Avdeev said.

The official added that the cargo ship would depart for the next destination on Wednesday.

16:36 GMT 20.07.2022

Siemens Says Ready to Maintain Further Turbines for Nord Stream If 'Politically Requested'

OTTAWA (Sputnik) – Siemens is ready to maintain further turbines for the Nord Stream 1 pipeline if such a request is made by the parties involved and the sanctions regime allows, the company told Sputnik.

"If politically requested and possible due to the sanctions regime, we will therefore maintain further turbines with the usual high-quality standards if we are asked to do so," Siemens said.

On July 12, the Globe and Mail said that Canada could service and repair five or six more turbines for the Nord Stream 1 pipeline within the next two years as long as the agreement on exclusion from anti-Russian sanctions is in force.

16:33 GMT 20.07.2022

Spain Rejects European Commission's Idea to Slash Gas Consumption by 15%