The U.S. government announced massive additional sanctions on Russia on the 15th.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) released additional sanctions on 22 individuals and two Russian companies that circumvented international financial sanctions.
It helped circumvent international financial sanctions imposed following the invasion of Ukraine.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a press release that the sanctions were aimed at neutralizing Russia’s attempts to rebuild the military and would continue strong action to hold war crimes accountable.
Currently, the Russian army has withdrawn its troops from the northeastern front of Ukraine and has withdrawn its troops back home. He announced that he would reorganize the troops in the occupied Donbas area in eastern Ukraine.
The Treasury Department explained that the move was “concurrent with the Ministry of Commerce’s additional export controls to Russia and the State Department’s actions targeting Russia’s defense and high-tech industries.”
On the same day, the State Department added at least 23 Russian officials and 31 institutions to its list of sanctions targets. Human rights violations and the theft of Ukrainian grain are the reasons.
The U.S. Treasury and State Department’s actions were made public shortly following a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
During a bilateral meeting during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, President Xi and President Putin confirmed strong support for both sides on the Taiwan issue and the Ukraine war.
Regarding the situation in Ukraine in particular, Russian President Putin praised China’s “balanced position”.
China defends Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, saying it understands Russia’s security threats from NATO’s move forward.
■ The US “worries around the world closeness between China and Russia”
U.S. State Department spokeswoman Ned Price said at a briefing on the 15th that the world is concerned regarding the close relationship between China and Russia.
In particular, he criticized Russia, which is isolated from the international community, for reaching out to North Korea and Iran.
Speaking of Russia’s recent move to search for arms supplies, Price said, “It clearly shows that Russian President Putin is trying to grab every possible lifeline.”
“He (President Putin) is turning his eyes to countries like North Korea, and the process of turning his eyes to countries like Iran is ongoing,” he said.
The New York Times reported on the 5th that U.S. authorities reported that Russia was recently purchasing weapons such as rockets and shells from North Korea to be used in the Ukraine war.
Since then, major US government officials have confirmed this information and criticized Russia’s actions.
■ Approval of additional logistical support for Ukraine
The White House approved up to $600 million in additional military aid for Ukraine on the 15th.
The White House explained to the media that this support package consists of weapons, equipment and services, as well as related training.
According to a statement from the U.S. Department of Defense on the same day, the weapons included in the support include 36,000 105mm shells, 1,000 155mm precision-guided shells, four artillery radars, an unmanned aerial vehicle response system, and mine removal equipment.
The Ministry of National Defense said that additional ammunition for the high-speed mobile artillery system (HIMARS) will be provided.
Ukrainian authorities immediately made a welcome statement.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Olexi Rezhnikow announced on Twitter on the 15th that “the 21st security assistance from the United States has been approved.”
■ The total scale reaches 15 billion dollars
The United States has been Ukraine’s biggest supporter since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. It has provided military aid in a total value of approximately $15 billion.
In particular, it is noteworthy that this announcement came immediately following the Ukrainian army began making progress in its massive counterattack once morest the Russian army.
White House National Security Council (NSC) Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby announced on the 13th that additional logistical support was announced and explained that “we are discussing in real time what kind of military support is needed.” .
The Ukrainian side has been requesting the long-range missile ATACMS over the past few months, but it has not been mentioned in the announcement.
■ 440 bodies found in mass burials…”Atrocities such as electric torture”
A mass burial site has been discovered in Izium, in the northeastern Kharkiv province, recently recaptured by Ukrainian forces from Russia.
There are at least 440 buried, and local police authorities said on the 15th that they started an investigation focusing on the possibility of a massacre by Russian troops.
Serhi Bolvinou, head of the Kharkiv Regional Police Investigation Department, told Sky News that following Ukrainian troops entered Izium, more than 440 burial sites were found nearby.
Most of the bodies buried were said to have been shot or killed by artillery shells or land mines.
It was also revealed that the Russian military had committed atrocities such as electric torture and murder once morest local residents.
Ukraine’s Interior Ministry announced on the same day that “torture rooms” used by Russian troops were found in cities recaptured by Ukrainians.
Deputy Interior Minister Yevchen Enin claimed that “Russian forces have detained Ukrainian citizens and foreigners and have repeatedly tortured and executed them.”
■ “Check hundreds of graves in the forest”
The Associated Press reported that a mass burial site was identified in the forest outside Igeum. The burial site was marked with the bodies of 17 Ukrainian soldiers, surrounded by hundreds of individual tombs with cross marks, the Associated Press said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned this in a video speech on the 15th, but did not disclose the size of the body or the cause of death.
However, he said, “The necessary procedures have already begun there,” he said, adding, “More clear and verified information will come out tomorrow.”
President Zelensky said, “After Bucha and Mariupol, it is now Igeum.” “The world should hold Russia accountable for this war, and we will do everything we can to make it happen.”
Bucha is a small town near the capital Kyuu (Russian name Kyiv), where suspicions of genocide of civilians arose following the Russian army retreated in the early days of the war. Mariupol is a port city in the southeast occupied by Russian forces.
This is Jongsu Oh from VOA News.
