Photo : REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
23 May 2022, Monday| NIAS Europe Daily Brief #208
War in Ukraine: Day 87 & 88
By Rishma Banerjee
War On The Ground
On 22 May, Poland’s president Andrzej Duda visited Kyiv and met President Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy said that Polish citizens visiting Ukraine will be granted the same status as the Ukrainian citizens in Poland. Since the beginning of the war, more than 3 million refugees from Ukraine, who have fled to Poland have been given the right to live, work and claim social security payments in the country.
On the same day, Ukraine’s parliament banned symbols like ‘Z’ and ‘V’ that have been used by Russia’s military to promote the war in Ukraine. An opposition party member, Yaroslav Zheleznyak announced through Telegram that 313 members of the 423 member assembly had voted in favour of banning the symbols. They, however, agreed to Zelenskyy’s call for using these symbols for historic purposes or educational development.
The Moscow View: Claims by Russia
On 22 May, Russia’s Defence Ministry said that they have attacked Ukraine’s east and south, with a target of command centres, ammunition depots, and troops. Major General Igor Konashenkov, the defence ministry spokesperson, said the Russian rockets had hit the southern part of Mykolaiv.
Russia’s state-owned news agency, RIA reported that the Russian-appointed head of Enerhodar town was injured in an explosion and is in intensive care. The town is next to Europe’s largest nuclear power plant and had a pre-war population of over 50,000 people.
Russia has also stopped their gas supply to Finland, over their decision to join the NATO, and for not agreeing to pay in roubles. While the majority of Finland’s gas comes from Russia, gas-only 5 per cent of their annual energy consumption. Finland’s state-owned gas wholesaler Gasum said that they had been warned in advance about the impending stoppage, and then also confirmed after the supply had been stopped.
On 21 May, the defence ministry said that they had destroyed a major batch of weapons and equipment in Ukraine's Zhytomyr region. They said that the consignments were sent by the US and Europe and were meant for troops fighting in the eastern Donbas region. The attack had been done through Kalibr cruise missiles, launched from the sea.
The West View:
Responses from the US and Europe
On 22 May, UK’s prime minister Boris Johnson in a discussion with president Zelenskyy spoke about the blockade imposed by Russia on Odessa, one of Ukraine’s shipping ports. A spokesperson for Johnson said that Johnson will redouble their efforts to send humanitarian aid to Ukraine, and do whatever is in its power to ensure that it can continue their export with the rest of the world.
On 21 May, US president Joe Biden signed the USD 40 billion aid for Ukraine. On the other hand, UK’s foreign secretary, Liz Truss said that Britain wants to send weaponry to Moldova, to arm them against potential Russian aggression. She said that she would want to send weapons as per the NATO standard, and are discussing it with their allies.
The Global Fallouts:
Implications of the Ukraine war
Youtube, the video streaming platform has taken down over 70,000 videos and 9,000 channels that have content related to the war in Ukraine. Some videos that were taken down referred to the invasion as a “liberation” movement.
References
“Zelenskiy promises reciprocal rights for Poles in Ukraine,” Reuters, 22 May 2022
“Ukraine parliament bans Russian war symbols,” Reuters, 22 May 2022
“Russia pounds Ukraine's Donbas and Mykolaiv regions,” Reuters, 22 May 2022
“Russia-appointed head of occupied Ukraine town wounded in blast,” Reuters, 22 May 2022
“Russian military says it destroys Western arms consignment in Ukraine,” Reuters, 21 May 2022
“Russia halts gas supplies to Finland as payments row with the west escalates,” The Guardian, 21 May, 2022
“Boris Johnson discussed Russia's blockade of Odesa with Ukraine's Zelenskiy,” Reuters, 22 May 2022
“Biden signs Ukraine funding bill,” Reuters, 21 May 2022
“Britain wants to arm Moldova to protect it from Russian threat, The Telegraph reports,” Reuters, 21 May 2022
Dan Milmo, “YouTube removes more than 9,000 channels relating to Ukraine war,” The Guardian, 22 May 2022.
“Russia-Ukraine war: what we know on day 87 of the invasion,” The Guardian, 21 May, 2022
IN BRIEF
By Emmanuel Royan and Sai Pranav
BELARUS
Lukashenko claims Poland intends to seize pre-world war two territories from Ukraine
On 23 May, president of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko expressed concern over what he described as Western attempts to "dismember" Ukraine, referring to NATO. He further accused Poland of intending to seize the Western part of the country in a virtual meeting with president of Russia Vladimir Putin. Lukashenko stated: "What worries us is that they are ready, the Poles and NATO, to come out, to help take western Ukraine like it was before 1939." Referring to the non-aggression pact of 1939 when Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union carved Poland up between them. The majority of Moscow's acquired land is either in Belarus or Ukraine. Kaliningrad, once German East Prussia, became a Russian exclave. (“Lukashenko accuses Poland and NATO of plotting to partition Ukraine,” Reuters, 23 May 2022)
FRANCE
Left bloc slightly below of Macron’s party in a recent poll
On 23 May, France's president Emmanuel Macron's "Renaissance" party pulled ahead of the left coalition "Nupes" in the June parliamentary election, according to a recent poll. They are likely to win the lower parliamentary election as they are 28 per cent ahead of 27 per cent of the left bloc consisting of far-left La France Insoumise, the green party and the socialist party. There would be two rounds of the election taking place, one on 12 June and another on 19 June. It's been a week since Macron appointed Elisabeth Borne as his prime minister, the first woman to be appointed in the position in thirty years. (“Poll: Macron's group slightly ahead of left-wing rival in French June parliament vote,” Reuters, 23 May 2022)
REGIONAL
New cases of Monkeypox infection were recorded in Denmark Spain and Portugal
On 23 May, Denmark reported its first case of monkeypox infection in an adult male who had recently returned from a vacation to Spain, according to a statement released by the health ministry. The infected person is presently in isolation and officials are in contact with any close contacts. Health minister Magnus Heunicke stated that they are monitoring the situation closely and preparing for a possible increase in the infection rate. On the same day, Portugal registered 14 new cases of monkeypox infection, totalling 37. In Spain, Madrid recorded four more infection cases and 38 are suspected to have been infected. (“Denmark registers first case of monkeypox infection,” Reuters, 23 May 2022; “Portugal reports 14 new confirmed monkeypox cases, total at 37,” Reuters, 23 May 2022)
The UK and Lithuania sign a defence and security collaboration
On 23 May, the UK and Lithuania signed a joint declaration to boost defence and security cooperation amid the fear of invasion by Russia. The Baltic countries fear that president Vladimir Putin would not stop with just Ukraine but rather might hope to redraw the map of Europe. Countries like Lithuania, which is a NATO member, fear that the Russian aggression would turn toward it next. The declaration would be a defence collaboration among both nations and also would increase its resistance to threats from Russia and China. They strongly stand up against the Russian invasion and support Ukraine amid the war. Both countries avidly support and voice out freedom, sovereignty and democracy. (“UK, Lithuania boost defence collaboration amid fears of Russian aggression,” Reuters, 23 May 2022)