Russia-Ukraine updates: Moldova fears new Moscow offensive coming
All the updates from December 19, as they happened.
This blog is now closed, thanks for joining us. These were the updates on the Russia-Ukraine war on Monday, December 19.
This blog is now closed, thanks for joining us. These were the updates on the Russia-Ukraine war on Monday, December 19.
- Moldova’s spy chief warned of ‘very high’ risk of a new Russian offensive towards the breakaway Moldovan region of Transnistria.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in Minsk for talks with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko for the first time in three and a half years.
- European Union energy ministers agreed on a cap on gas prices after initially promising a deal in October.
- Russia launched 35 kamikaze drones on Ukraine, causing “fairly serious” damage in the Kyiv region and leaving three areas without power supply, Governor Oleksiy Kuleba said.
Here are the latest updates:
‘Height of irony’: US reacts to Putin’s Belarus comments
Putin’s statement saying Russia does not want to absorb anyone should be treated as the “height of irony” given that he is currently seeking to absorb Ukraine, US Department of State spokesman Ned Price said.
He said Washington would continue to watch very closely whether Belarus would provide additional support to Putin in Russia’s war in Ukraine and would respond “appropriately” if it does.
US diplomat: Russian attacks on power grid did not break resolve of Ukrainians
Waves of Russian attacks on Ukraine’s electrical grid have failed to dim the country’s determination to resist Moscow, but Washington and its allies need to do more to help the country keep the power on, a senior US diplomat said.
“I think this strategic bombing campaign … has clearly failed in its attempt to break the will of the Ukrainian population,” Assistant Secretary of State Geoffrey Pyatt told Reuters three days after returning from talks in Kyiv.
The attacks, which began in October as Russia suffered a string of battlefield defeats following its February war, have destroyed at least 50 percent of the country’s power infrastructure, according to the UN.
Lavrov: Zelenskyy does not understand seriousness of situation
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has accused President Zelenskyy of a “lack of understanding of the seriousness of the moment and lack of concern for his people.”
“He is just bubbling with ideas,” Lavrov said in an interview with the Belarus 1 TV channel in Minsk.
Zelenskyy’s ideas, which Lavrov did not specify, in turn, revealed the “racist character” of the leadership in Kyiv.
The Ukrainian head of state had recently repeatedly pushed the idea of an international tribunal, before which all responsible politicians and military officers from Moscow would answer for the war in Ukraine and the war crimes committed there.
Putin describes talks with Lukashenko as ‘very fruitful’
President Putin has described talks with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko as “very fruitful”.
His host in Minsk, in turn, spoke of “constructive and productive” talks, the Russian state news agency TASS reported on Monday after the conclusion of the talks in Minsk.
Among other things, the two heads of state had agreed on a continuation of military cooperation, as well as even closer economic cooperation.
Putin believes that both Moscow and Minsk successfully resisted pressure from Western sanctions and attempts to isolate Russia and Belarus.
“We are coordinating our steps to minimise the influence of the illegal restriction measures on our economy,” Putin said. “And we are doing it quite convincingly and effectively.”
What does a gas price cap to battle the energy crisis mean?
After weeks of talks across the European Union, the bloc has agreed on a gas price cap as it seeks to tame the energy crisis.
Once implemented, the price cap would prevent trades being done on the front-month to front-year TTF contracts at a price more than 35 euros ($37) per megawatt hour above a reference level based on existing liquefied natural gas (LNG) price assessments, two EU officials said.
Read more here.
Putin says Russia does not want to absorb anyone
President Vladimir Putin said that Russia does not want to “absorb” anyone and that unspecified “enemies” wanted to stop Russia’s integration with Belarus.
“Russia has no interest in absorbing anyone. This would simply make no sense,” Putin said, answering a question from a journalist, saying such rumours came from “ill-wishers”.
The Kremlin has for years sought to deepen integration with Belarus, Moscow’s main ally that heavily depends on it for cheap oil and loans, but President Alexander Lukashenko resisted outright unification with Russia.
Germany freezes Russian assets worth more than $5bn
Germany has frozen nearly 5.05 billion euros ($5.36bn) in Russian assets as part of the EU’s sanctions over the Ukraine war.
The government in Berlin released the figure in response to a question by Christian Gorke, a member of parliament for the hardline socialist Die Linke (Left Party).
The government says nearly 2.21 billion euros ($2.35bn) of the frozen assets are funds that were reported to the central bank, the Bundesbank, by German banks. In addition, there are “moveable assets” worth nearly 1.1 billion euros ($1.17bn).
The government did not give more precise figures.
Kremlin says EU gas price cap ‘unacceptable’
The Kremlin said the price cap for natural gas of 180 euros ($191) per megawatt hour agreed on by EU energy ministers after months of wrangling was “unacceptable”.
“This is a violation of the market price-setting, an infringement on market processes, any reference to a [price] cap is unacceptable,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was cited as saying by Russian state-run news agencies.
Moldova fears new Russian push towards breakaway east in 2023
Moldova’s spy chief said there was a “very high” risk of a new Russian offensive towards his country’s east next year, and that Moscow is still aiming to secure a land corridor through Ukraine to the breakaway Moldovan region of Transnistria.
The comments by Alexandru Musteata, head of the Information and Security Service, echo recent messages out of Ukraine where top army generals have warned in recent days of the threat of a major Russian offensive early next year.
“The question is not whether the Russian Federation will undertake a new advance towards Moldova’s territory, but when it will do so,” Musteata told the TVR-Moldova television channel.
He said his agency believed Russia was looking at several scenarios to reach Moldova and that it was possible an offensive would be launched in January or February, or later in March or April.
Hyundai lays off staff after idling Russian plant since March
South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Company, formerly one of Russia’s biggest car makers, has begun laying off workers at its St Petersburg factory, which has stood idle since March, largely due to the effects of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“Owing to the continued suspension of production, Hyundai Motor is taking steps to optimise its staff numbers in Russia,” Hyundai’s Russian unit said in a statement.
It did not say how many staff members would be laid off.
About 2,600 people built Hyundai and Kia cars at the plant, which has a capacity of some 200,000 vehicles per year.
South Korean media reported in October that Hyundai was considering options for its Russian operations including selling its manufacturing plant.
EU price cap an end to Russian ‘market manipulation’: Polish prime minister
A European Union agreement on a gas price cap means an end to market manipulation by Russia and Gazprom, Poland’s prime minister said.
Mateusz Morawiecki wrote on Twitter: “We have an agreement on a maximum gas price of 180 euros [$191] per megawatt hour. At the recent meetings in Brussels, our majority coalition managed to break the resistance – mainly from Germany.
“This means the end of market manipulation by Russia and its company Gazprom.”
Mamy porozumienie w sprawie maksymalnej ceny gazu-wyniesie ona 180€ za megawatogodzinę.
Na ostatnich spotkaniach w Brukseli naszej większościowej koalicji udało się przełamać opór-głównie ze strony 🇩🇪
To oznacza koniec możliwości manipulacji rynkiem przez🇷🇺 i jej spółkę Gazprom.— Mateusz Morawiecki (@MorawieckiM) December 19, 2022
UN is ‘probably the only platform’ for Russia and Ukraine: UN chief
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says the UN is “probably the only platform” that can speak to both sides of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, adding that it would continue to try to be helpful to “minimise suffering” in Ukraine, including helping prisoner exchanges.
“We are very interested in accelerating the exchange of prisoners of war, especially when we are approaching Christmas and both sides celebrate Christmas. How dramatic it is to be a prisoner of war in another country, with the kind of war we are witnessing in Ukraine,” the UN chief said.
Future peace talks are not on the immediate horizon, says UN chief
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says there has been a massive escalation in hostilities between Russia and Ukraine as Russia continues its bombardment of electrical infrastructure.
Speaking at the final UN news conference of the year, he said there is no military solution to the conflict but did not think peace talks are imminent.
“I am not optimistic about the possibility of effective peace talks in the immediate future,” said Guterres.
“I do believe that the military confrontation will go on, and I think we will have to still wait a moment in which serious negotiations for peace will be possible. I don’t see them on the immediate horizon”.
EU ministers agree to price cap
European Union countries approve a cap on gas prices which would be triggered if benchmark gas prices spike to 180 euros ($191) per megawatt hour, according to officials and a document by the Reuters news agency.
The EU gas price cap will come into play if prices on the front-month Dutch Title Transfer Facility gas hub contract exceed 180 euro per megawatt hour for three days.
The cap can be triggered from February 15 onwards and will not apply to over-the-counter trades initially.
We will not stop in the ‘pursuit of peace in Ukraine’, UN chief
UN Chief Antonio Guterres says he “will not relent in the pursuit of peace in Ukraine in line with international law and the United Nations Charter”.
A vital principle of the UN Charter is respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Guterres also said he would convene a “no-nonsense” Climate Ambition Summit in September next year, urging leaders from all sectors to step with “new, tangible and credible” action.
Canada to start process to seize Abramovich’s assests
The Canadian government says it will start the process to seize and pursue the forfeiture of $26m from Granite Capital Holdings Ltd, a company owned by the Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich.
Russian oligarchs are complicit in the “illegal and barbaric invasion of Ukraine”, and Canada “will not be a haven for their ill-gotten gains”, Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said in a statement.
Uniper’s shareholders approve German bailout
Shareholders in Uniper approved a state bailout that has so far cost the German government more than 50 billion euros ($53 billion).
Chief Executive Klaus-Dieter Maubach said in a virtual meeting that the disarray caused by the loss of gas supplies from Russia could leave shareholders with nothing if they did not accept the German proposal.
Russia’s Gazprom was once Uniper’s biggest gas supplier, but a big drop in deliveries after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine forced the German gas importer to buy gas elsewhere at much higher prices to honour its contracts.
That, Maubach said, was the sole reason for the bailout.
Ukraine will not ‘surrender’, says Podolyak
Ukrainian presidential adviser, Mikhailo Podolyak, says Ukraine will neither “surrender nor fulfill RF’s [Russian Federation] ultimatums”.
He tweeted: “To European partners: 1. Ukraine will neither surrender nor fulfill RF’s ultimatums. 2. Decide what is more profitable – to allow the destruction of transformers or to provide AD [aerial defence]. 3. War ending can only be accelerated by increasing artillery/tanks supply. Even unilaterally …”
To European partners:
1. Ukraine will neither surrender nor fulfill RF's ultimatums.
2. Decide what is more profitable – to allow the destruction of transformers or to provide AD.
3. War ending can only be accelerated by increasing artillery/tanks supply. Even unilaterally…— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) December 19, 2022
Hungary’s foreign minster on winter in Ukraine | Talk to Al Jazeera
With power outages and blackouts hitting Ukraine after targeted drone attacks on civilian infrastructure, Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto talks to Al Jazeera about the difficulties Ukraine will face this winter.
EU price cap is a ‘political illusion’, says German gas lobby
German gas lobby Zukunft Gas says an EU-wide price cap is a “political illusion” that will not work in practice.
Timm Kehler, managing director, said in a statement to the Reuters news agency it would make more sense to curb demand through a Europe-wide mechanism to allocate gas volumes.
“But that is not on the table in Brussels,” he added.
Germany, the most significant member state and mainland Europe gas market, has criticised proposed caps, fearing it will work towards blocking access to gas on the world market.
Hungary will not need EC approval for Russian gas contract: Foreign minister
Hungary will not have to notify the European Commission if it wants to modify its long-term gas contract with Russia if a European Union gas price cap is approved, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said in a televised press briefing.
“It was important for us that in this very bad proposal, as a small achievement, we got a free hand to modify [the contract]. That is, we do not need to consult with the European Commission about modifications to the long-term contract [with Russia] if that becomes necessary in case of a price cap,” Szijjarto said.
EU ministers are meeting in Brussels for a final push towards agreeing on a price cap.
Who controls what?
Here are four maps we update daily, charting the latest war developments.
Energoatom: Russia drone flew over Ukrainian power plant
Ukraine’s atomic agency says a Russian drone flew over a part of the South Ukraine nuclear power plant just after midnight on Monday.
“This is an absolutely unacceptable violation of nuclear and radiation safety,” Energoatom said on Telegram.
“We appeal to the IAEA and the entire world nuclear community, informing about the fact of the flight of an attack drone over the site of the nuclear plant.
“We call once again to prevent nuclear facilities from being exposed to the risk of attack by the Russian army and posing a threat to the nuclear and radiation safety of Ukraine and the world,” they said.
Kremlin: Putin will not push Belarus to join conflict
As the Russian president travels to Belarus to meet his counterpart, the Kremlin dismisses any ideas that Putin will be pushing for Minsk to take a more active role in the war, the RIA Novosti news agency reported.
Kremlin spokesman Peskov said such reports were “groundless” and “stupid”.
Putin will visit Minsk for the first time in more than three years.
Kremlin still considering response to G7 price cap
The Kremlin says it is still considering what measures it will put in place in response to the G7 price cap on Russia’s oil exports, the state-run TASS news agency reported.
Moscow had initially planned to publish a presidential decree outlining its response, including a possible ban on selling oil to countries that comply with the cap, last week, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
“There is some groundwork that has been put down on paper, but there are also additional proposals that are being considered and discussed,” he said.
“We still have the task of working out what measures will best suit our interests. The work is ongoing, but it is close to completion.”