Russian invasionRussian reactions

 

Oil tanks in Novorossiysk, Russia/Illustration Bild AP  

 

Russian invasionRussian reactions  

Putin bans oil exports to countries with price caps  

 

Russia bans oil exports to countries that impose the adopted price ceiling on Russian oil. This is evident from a decision that Reuters has seen.  

 

Vladimir Putin's ban takes effect on February 1.  

 

The EU, the G7 countries and Australia agreed at the beginning of December on a price ceiling of 60 dollars a barrel for Russian crude oil. The measure is a response to Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and the goal is to limit Russia's revenues.

 

The Russian invasion. The outside world's response  

ISW: Putin's hints about peace talks smokescreen  

 

Many interpret Vladimir Putin's speech on December 25 as opening peace negotiations - but that is not true, according to an analysis from the Institute for the Study of War.  

 

According to the American think tank, the Russian president's hints are part of a disinformation campaign to make the West urge Ukraine to agree to concessions. 

 

Nor does lieutenant colonel Joakim Paasikivi believe that any peace talks are close, based on what the parties have said. 

 

- Putin wants to negotiate peace, but keep what they have taken. Ukraine wants a peace conference to be held without Russia, he says in SVT's Morgonstudion. 

 

Billström and the Russian Embassy. TT 

 

Russian invasionSwedish reactions More Russian diplomats in Sweden again - strengthening the presence  

 

In the past year, the government has had a major focus on the Russian diplomatic presence in Sweden. Three diplomats have been sent home, citing that they were in fact working for Russian intelligence. But after a temporary loss of life, Russia now appears to be strengthening its presence in Sweden again, SvD reports.  

 

Right now, 27 Russian diplomats are serving in Sweden, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' lists.  

 

That is still eight fewer than the top rating from last year.  

 

For Foreign Minister Tobias Billström (M) the development is welcome: “The maintenance of diplomatic contacts is particularly important when our relationship with Russia is strained. Diplomatic presence is a central part of basic diplomatic contact," states Billström.   

 Ukrainian soldier in Bachmut. Libkos / AP 

 

Russian invasionVoices about the war  

Experts: This is how the war may develop over the next year  

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely focused on holding out during the winter, and then launching a new offensive in the spring. That assessment is made by Michael Clarke at the Strategic Studies Institute, according to the BBC. 

 

It is the spring offensive that will be the key to how the scrimmage develops, says Clarke.  

 

"Putin has stated that about 50,000 of the newly mobilized forces are at the front, with the remaining 250,000 training for next year."  

 

The Tel Aviv-based military expert David Gendelman also raises the mobilized troops. Together with the forces returning from Kherson, they can contribute to a larger Russian offensive, he believes. 

 

"The big question is how many Ukrainians are available for an offensive," says Gendelman. Christmas tree in downtown Kyiv.  

 

Vasilisa Stepanenko / AP  

 

The Russian InvasionThe Battles Ukraine is said to be preparing for New Year's attacks against Kyiv Ukraine is preparing for a major Russian attack on New Year's Eve, says Ekot's Russia correspondent Maria Persson Löfgren, referring to insider sources.  

 

According to the information, Russia should already have planned a robot attack yesterday, which was stopped by a drone attack against the Russian air base Engels about 60 miles from the border. During the day, according to Persson Löfgren's information, Russia must have moved the planes that were not damaged in the attack and are preparing for a new attack. 

 

Russia has confirmed the attack on the air base. In an interview with state media on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says that Ukraine must stop its military threat - otherwise the Russian army will "solve the problem".  

 

Russian invasionVoices about the war  

The war gives Ukraine a new dictionary: "Avatar"  

 

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has both created new expressions and revived old slang words. Les Beley at the Potebnja Institute in Kyiv tells The Guardian.  

 

As an example, he mentions the word "avatar", which refers to a drunken soldier. The word comes from a Ukrainian slang expression for being drunk or "blue", just like the creatures in the movie "Avatar".  

 

Many of the words have previously been mostly used by people in the military, and some of them have grown in popularity since Russia stepped into Crimea in 2014. The term "two hundred" refers to a dead body, and originates from the fact that those who died in the war in Afghanistan were transported home in coffins that weighed 200 kilos.