The Russian invasion. The outside world's response

The Russian invasion Sweden's NATO application  

Carl Bildt on NATO: There is hardly any other way  

 

Sweden's only way forward is a continued pursuit of NATO membership. This is the opinion of former foreign ministers Jan Eliasson (S) and Carl Bildt (M) when interviewed by SVT.  

 

Eliasson emphasizes that "skilled diplomacy" is the way forward, with both Turkey and all other NATO countries. Carl Bildt also emphasizes that Sweden should continue on the "beaten path". 

 

"Sweden must of course continue the cooperation that has begun with Turkey and Finland in accordance with the memorandum that the three countries have agreed upon. There is hardly any other way," he writes to SVT Nyheter.  

 

 

The Russian invasion. The outside world's response  

Belgium sends weapons and armored vehicles to Ukraine  

 

Belgium is the next country to send new weapons and other military equipment to Ukraine, reports AFP. The Belgian package includes, among other things, anti-aircraft robots, machine guns, grenades and armored vehicles.  

 

However, Belgian Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder was forced to admit that the country cannot contribute tanks that can match those that, among others, Germany and the United States have promised to send to Ukraine. Belgium sold its tanks more than ten years ago. 

 

 In total, the Belgian package is worth almost 94 million euros.

 

Yevgeny Prigozhin surrounded by Wagner soldiers in connection with the Battle of Soledar. Archive image. Telegram

Russian invasionRussian reactions 

USA faces sanctions against the Wagner group - mocked by the leader: "Help them"  

 

The United States directs new sanctions against the Wagner group, which provokes sharp reactions from the Russian side. Reuters reports.  

 

The sanctions are aimed at individuals and companies connected to the group, which is also described as a "criminal organization". 

 

In a statement from the Kremlin, it is alleged that for many years the United States "has slandered" the paramilitary organization for no reason. In a statement described by Reuters as "sarcastic", Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin writes that an internal review has been carried out into the group's possible crimes but that "nothing of harm" has been discovered:  

 

"If anyone has information about our crimes, please send it to our press office or publish it, so we can help our American colleagues."  

 

Wagner soldiers have been accused of a very large amount of human rights violations in both Africa and Ukraine. 

 

Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant. Leo Correa / AP 

 

The Russian InvasionThe Battles  

IAEA: Heavy explosions at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant 

 

Powerful explosions occurred on Thursday near the Russian-occupied nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhya, writes Reuters. According to the head of the UN Atomic Energy Agency IAEA, Rafael Grossi, explosions near the nuclear power plant have been reported almost daily in recent weeks.  

 

"Yesterday, eight powerful detonations were heard at ten o'clock in the morning local time, which caused office windows at the plant to vibrate, and even more were heard today," says a press release.  

 

But according to a representative of the Russian nuclear energy agency Rosenergoatom, that is not true.

Illustration image. Cargo ship off Istanbul, November 2022. Khalil Hamra / AP  

The Russian invasion The sanctions  

The EU extends Russian sanctions by six months  

The EU extends the sanctions against Russia by six months, until July 31 this year. It was decided by the European Council on Friday, according to a press release. 

According to the news agency Direkt, the sanctions have been routinely extended every six months since the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014. Since then, the sanctions have also been increased, especially after the invasion last February.