Photo : euneighbourseast.eu
Photo : euneighbourseast.eu
By Advik S Mohan
WAR ON THE GROUND
On 20 September, swissinfo reported on a Russian missile strike damaging an Antigua-flagged vessel in the port city of Odesa. Oleh Kiper, the Governor of Odessa Oblast informed the airstrike had wounded four individuals. Kiper also informed debris from the Iskander-M ballistic missile damaged a civilian ship from Antigua, alongside port and civilian infrastructure. An anonymous market source stated the vessel was carrying metal products. According to data from Marinetraffic, a ship-tracking website, Golden Lion, an Antigua-flagged cargo vessel was stranded in Odesa port.
On 20 September, Jamaica Observer reported on the BBC documented deaths of around 70,000 Russian soldiers since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine. The news outlets used tombstones in Russian cemeteries and publicly available information like death notices in the media, announcements on social media, and official statements to calculate the death toll. BBC News stated the names of 70,112 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine had been identified. However, the news outlet informed the actual toll could be higher since the BBC analysis did not include names that were unable to be checked or the deaths of militias in the Russian-occupied regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. Mediazona and independent Russian news site Meduza estimated the death toll could be about 120,000. The news outlets concluded after analysing official data from notaries on inheritance cases. The Government of the Russian Federation has been secretive about the total death toll from Ukraine, with official figures considered to be an underestimate.
On 20 September, Euronews reported that the Government of Ukraine had banned the messaging app Telegram from being installed on state-issued devices. This effectively means that government officials, military personnel and critical infrastructure workers cannot use the app. However, Ukrainians are free to use it on their devices still. According to the National Cybersecurity Coordination Centre, the ban is essential for national security during the war with Russia. Previously, the Security Service of Ukraine and the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine had stated that the government of the Russian Federation was actively using Telegram for cyberattacks, phishing, spreading malware, establishing user locations, and calibrating missile strikes. Krylyo Budanov, the Chief of the Main Directorate of Intelligence stated that Russian intelligence services were able to access the personal messages of app users, including personal data and deleted messages. Telegram had become widely popular in Ukraine, for reading news including updates on Russian air attacks.
THE MOSCOW VIEW
Claims from Russia
On 20 September, RT reported that the Government of the Russian Federation that the Government of Ukraine was abducting Russian civilians and imprisoning them in concentration camps. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Maria Zahkharova stated the Armed Forces of Ukraine were capturing Russian civilians in the Kursk Oblast of Russia at gunpoint, and imprisoning them. Zakharova informed Russian law enforcement agencies were collecting data on Russian civilians being forcibly abducted. The spokesperson compared the alleged behaviour of the Ukrainian government to atrocities committed by Nazi Germany against the Soviet Union during World War II. Zakharova also stated the Russian Red Cross had collected numerous eyewitness accounts of the abductions in Kursk.
THE WEST VIEW
Responses from the US and Europe
On 20 September, the European Commission announced its crucial step towards reinforcing support for Ukraine by proposing a comprehensive financial assistance package. The European Commission stated it planned the establishment of a Ukraine Loan Cooperation Mechanism. According to the European Commission, the Mechanism would issue loans of up to EUR 45 billion for Ukraine. Additionally, the European Commission stated the Mechanism would offer support to the Government of Ukraine financed through the leveraging of windfall profits raised from collected Russian assets. In February 2022, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the EU froze assets from the Central Bank of Russia held in financial institutions in EU states. The prohibition of transactions on these assets resulted in EUR 2.5-3 billion being generated on the balance sheets of central securities depositories per year. The European Commission had decided to utilize these profits for the benefit of Ukraine, with EUR 1.5 billion made available for support to Ukraine by the end of July. The European Commission further informed the Ukrainian government could use this support to repay eligible loans due to the EU and other lenders participating in the ‘Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration Loans for Ukraine’(ERA) initiative of the G7. It also proposed an exceptional Macro-Financial Assistance (MFA) loan of up to EUR 35 billion, as the EU contribution to loans under the ERA initiative. According to the European Commission, support is required to meet the budgetary needs of Ukraine which have increased due to continuing Russian aggression. The European Commission proposals require approval by the European Parliament and a majority of EU member states in the European Council, before entering into force. Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission stated the loans were another major EU contribution towards the victory of Ukraine. Valdis Dombrovskis, the European Commissioner for Trade informed the loan package would provide Ukraine with the financial resources required to withstand Russian aggression, and showed the EU’s commitment towards supporting Ukrainian sovereignty and economic resilience. Paolo Gentiloni, the European Commissioner for Economy stated the proposal was a pivotal moment in continued support from the EU for Ukraine, and reaffirmed its commitment to stand by Ukraine in its struggle for freedom and democracy.
On 20 September, Arab News reported that the Government of Norway was increasing and extending its aid packages for Ukraine. Jonas Gahr Store, the Prime Minister of Norway informed of plans to increase the aid package to Ukraine by NOK four billion or USD 475 million by 2024, and extend it by three years till 2030. Store stated that the additional funds would be dedicated to civilian needs. To pass the package through the Norwegian Parliament, Store and his government will require the support of the opposition. The latest package brings the aggregate Norwegian aid package to Ukraine to NOK 135 billion, from a previous total of NOK 75 billion through 2027.
On 20 September, swissinfo reported that Antonio Tajani, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy had stated the Government of Italy would send another Samp-T anti-missile system to Ukraine. Tajani stated the delivery of the system was to protect hospitals, schools and universities in Ukraine attacked by Russia. However, the foreign minister also informed support for Ukraine did not mean bringing a world war. Tajani also stated a fair peace needed to be agreed upon.
References
“Ukraine bans the use of Telegram on state-linked devices in the name of ‘national security’,” Euro News, 20 September 2024
Max Hunder and Pavel Polityuk, “Antigua-flagged vessel damaged in Russian attack on Odesa port , governor says,” swissinfo.ch, 20 September 2024
“Media reports put Russian military death toll at 70,000,” Jamaica Observer, 20 September 2024
“Ukrainian military banned from using Telegram,” RT, 20 September 2024
“ Ukraine running ‘concentration camps’-Moscow,” RT, 20 September 2024
“Commission proposes up to 35 billion MFA loan for Ukraine as the EU’s contribution to the EU-G7 support of up to 45 billion,” European Commission, 20 September 2024
“Norway to increase, extend aid to Ukraine,” Arab News, 20 September 2024
“Italy sending another anti-missile system to Ukraine, says Foreign Minister,” swissinfo.ch, 20 September 2024