The Kremlin threatened on Tuesday to sever diplomatic relations with Washington if the US designates Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism.
Russian Overseas Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova known as the proposed definition “naive” and a violation of worldwide legislation.
“The logical results of such a step turns into a severance of diplomatic relations,” she stated. “Washington dangers lastly passing the purpose of no return — with all the results that comply with. This should be effectively understood in Washington.”
Final week, the Senate handed a non-binding decision asking Secretary of State Antony Blinken to label Russia a state sponsor of terrorism. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged america to approve the designation.
Blinken, nevertheless, has opposed the plan, saying the present sanctions are comparable to those who could be imposed below the designation.
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Latest developments
►Spanish Protection Minister Margarita Robles rejected a plan to ship 10 tanks to Ukraine, saying the tools was in poor situation.
►The primary cargo ship to go away Ukraine in additional than 5 months has run into unhealthy climate within the Black Sea and can arrive late in Istanbul. The Razon, which left Odesa on Monday, is now anticipated to reach in Istanbul early Wednesday, Turkish Rear Admiral Ozcan Altunbulak stated.
►The demise toll from a Russian rocket assault in Vinnytsia rose to 27. Native officers stated one man died of extreme burns after 20 days in hospital. Ninety folks have been hospitalized after the missile hit town middle in west-central Ukraine on July 14.
US sanctions Putin’s reputed girlfriend
US sanctions towards associates of Russian President Vladimir Putin are getting extra private.
After beforehand refusing to sanction Putin’s reputed girlfriend, reportedly out of concern about escalating tensions, the Biden administration took that step on Tuesday when it froze Alina Kabaeva’s visa.
The Treasury Division stated it additionally positioned possession restrictions on Kabaeva, a former Olympic gymnast and former State Duma member who the division stated has “an in depth relationship with Putin.” The Treasury added that Kabaeva, 39, is the top of a Russian nationwide media firm that promotes the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine.
The UK sanctioned Kabaeva in Could, and the European Union imposed journey and asset restrictions on her in June. In April, the US sanctioned Putin’s grown daughters, Katerina Vladimirovna Tikhonova and Maria Vladimirovna Vorontsova.
“Together with our allies, america may even proceed to choke off the income and tools that helps Russia’s unprovoked warfare in Ukraine,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen stated in an announcement.
Russia backs China, calls Pelosi’s go to to Taiwan ‘extraordinarily provocative’
At a time when Russia finds itself more and more remoted over its warfare in Ukraine, Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s much-debated go to to Taiwan is presenting Moscow with a chance to strengthen ties with a key ally. .
The Kremlin did not miss that probability on Tuesday, as spokesman Dmitry Peskov known as the potential of Pelosi’s journey “extraordinarily provocative,” including that it could “worse the state of affairs within the area and gasoline tensions.” He made the feedback earlier than Pelosi’s flight landed in Taiwan on Tuesday night time.
In a name with reporters, Peskov reaffirmed Russia’s “absolute solidarity” with China, which considers self-ruled Taiwan a part of its territory and has expressed its intention to finally search reunification.
The US has lengthy maintained a coverage of strategic ambiguity on the China-Taiwan problem, recognizing the precept of 1 mainland China however sustaining what the State Division calls “a powerful casual relationship” with the democratic island of 23 million folks.
China’s Ministry of Overseas Affairs condemned Pelosi’s go to as “a severe violation” of the one-China precept.
Griner sentencing anticipated ‘very quickly’
Brittney Griner, the WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist who was arrested in Russia for possession of hashish, returned to a Moscow-area courtroom on Tuesday amid tense diplomatic talks between the White Home and the Kremlin.
Protection lawyer Maria Blagovolina instructed Reuters that closing arguments would happen on Thursday and that Griner’s sentencing was anticipated “very quickly”.
Griner, 31, has been detained in Russia since February after canisters containing hashish oil have been present in her baggage at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport. She may withstand 10 years in jail if convicted.
Final week, The US said it had proposed a deal for Griner’s release and Paul Whelan, an American imprisoned in Russia on an espionage conviction. White Home press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated Russia made a “unhealthy religion” counteroffer that US officers don’t think about severe.
Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov known as for “discreet” talks, accusing the US of “megaphone diplomacy” that won’t advance negotiations.
Russia declares Azov militia a “terrorist group”
Russia’s Supreme Court docket designated the Ukrainian Azov Regiment as a terrorist group on Tuesday and stated members could possibly be held criminally accountable. The regiment declined to be recognized in social media posts, saying Russia was searching for justifications for its warfare crimes. The designation may strip tons of of fighters who surrendered on the Azovstal metal plant in Could of their POW rights. The fighters had made a latest week-long keep within the southern port metropolis of Mariupol.
Dozens of Azov fighters and different prisoners have been killed or injured final week in an explosion at a jail managed by pro-Russian separatists within the japanese Ukrainian metropolis of Olenivka. Russia blamed Ukraine for an assault; Ukrainian authorities stated Russia orchestrated the blast to cowl up prisoner abuse.
Azov’s early management overtly espoused white supremacist views. Nonetheless, for the reason that group was built-in into the Ukrainian Nationwide Guard in 2014, the management has constantly rejected Nazism, fascism and racism.
BP may stand for bountiful income
BP turned the newest vitality big to report huge earnings on Tuesday, growing strain on governments to intervene as vitality corporations profit from excessive oil and pure gasoline costs which can be fueling inflation and hitting clients within the pocket.
London-based BP stated its second-quarter revenue tripled to $9.26 billion from $three.12 billion in April-June final 12 months. The corporate added that offer disruptions attributable to Russia’s warfare in Ukraine are retaining costs excessive.
BP’s brilliant earnings report follows the identical development as its rivals. Final week, British rival Shell posted a document quarterly revenue of $18 billion. Exxon Mobil reported web revenue of $17.85 billion, whereas fellow US company Chevron earned $11.62 billion.
The sound of US missile techniques in Ukraine, ‘the perfect hit of the summer time’
4 extra US HIMARS cell missile techniques have arrived in Ukraine, Protection Minister Oleksii Reznikov stated. The weapons arrived after the White Home introduced one other $550 million assist bundle for HIMARS artillery and munitions. Reznikov stated the funds are “one other funding within the safety of NATO’s japanese flank” and a present of help for democracy. Ukrainian artillery is able to “flip night time into day” to drive out Russian troops, he stated.
The Pentagon stated the missile techniques have a spread of 50 miles, enabling the Ukrainians to strike positions past the attain of most Russian artillery.
“I am grateful to @POTUS @SecDef Lloyd Austin III & the folks for strengthening the #UAarmy,” Renikov stated on Twitter. “We now have confirmed ourselves to be intelligent operators of this weapon. The sound of the #HIMARS volley has develop into this summer time’s high hit on the entrance strains!”
The world is one step away from ‘nuclear annihilation’, warns the UN chief
United Nations Secretary-Common Antonio Guterres sounded the alarm over the warfare in Ukraine, nuclear threats in Asia and the Center East and different tensions, warning that “humanity is simply a misunderstanding, a miscalculation away from nuclear annihilation.” The warning got here Monday as a pandemic-delayed convention opened to evaluate the 50-year-old Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which goals to forestall the unfold of nuclear weapons and finally obtain a nuclear-free world.
The specter of nuclear disaster was additionally raised by america, Japan, Germany, the UN nuclear chief and plenty of different opening audio system.
Russia, which was criticized by some audio system, didn’t give an tackle at its scheduled venue on Monday however was anticipated to talk on Tuesday. China’s consultant was additionally scheduled to talk on Tuesday.
Contributed: Related Press
