Live blog: US to slap Russia with new sanctions after Navalny death

Tuesday, February 20, 2024

1713 GMT — The United States will announce new sanctions on Russia over the death in prison of opposition leader Alexey Navalny, coinciding with the two-year anniversary of Moscow's offensive on Ukraine, the White House has said.

"At President Biden's direction, we will be announcing a major sanctions package on Friday of this week to hold Russia accountable for what happened to Mr Navalny," National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters.

He said the sanctions would also be in response to "all its actions over the course of this vicious and brutal war that has now raged on for two years."

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1751 GMT — Mystery surrounds death of Russian helicopter deserter

The death of a Russian pilot who defected to Ukraine with a military helicopter has been shrouded in mystery, with Spanish authorities refusing to say if a bullet-riddled body found was his.

Maxim Kuzminov flew his Mi-8 helicopter into Ukraine in August in a brazen operation, saying he opposed Russia's military offensive.

Ukraine's GUR military intelligence agency released a video in September in which Kuzminov said he flew from an air base in Russia's Kursk region to Ukraine at an "extremely low altitude, in radio silence mode" to avoid detection.

A GUR spokesman confirmed to AFP news agency that Kuzminov had died without providing details. But Spanish media, citing sources close to the investigation, have since Monday reported that a body of a man found riddled with bullets in the southeastern coastal town of Villajoyosa near Alicante last Tuesday was that of the defector.

1719 GMT — Ukraine seeks to expand its military 'drone coalition' with allies

Ukraine is seeking to expand its military "drone coalition" with allies, to include at least 20 new countries to help supply drones, cooperate on technology, and strengthen its military as the war with Russia enters its third year.

Deputy Defence Minister Kateryna Chernohorenko said that eight countries had so far joined the coalition, an initiative initially launched by Ukraine, Latvia and Britain.

Kiev is working to ensure more purchases, more supplies of components and closer cooperation on technology solutions to be able to respond to changing war tactics.

1659 GMT — Russia says reclaimed Ukraine bridgehead on Dnipro's left bank

Russia has claimed a new military success in Ukraine ahead of the second anniversary of its offensive, while President Vladimir Putin mocked what he called Kiev's "flight" from the frontline town of Avdiivka.

The eastern Ukraine front has been frozen for months, but Moscow has been bolstered by its capture of Avdiivka last week, as well as a wrangled US Congress blocking military aid to Kiev.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said Russian forces have reclaimed Krynky, a Ukrainian bridgehead on the Moscow-occupied side of the Dnipro river.

"I confirm that Krynky has been cleared," Shoigu told Putin in a televised meeting.

1656 GMT — Putin says 'categorically against' putting nuclear weapons in space

Putin has said that he was opposed to sending nuclear weapons to space, dismissing US accusations that Moscow was developing a space-based anti-satellite weapon.

Washington said last week it was worried Russia was developing the system while saying it posed no immediate threat to people on Earth.

"We have always been categorically against putting nuclear weapons in space," Putin said in a meeting with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.

He called the accusations part of a "clamour being raised in the West."

1653 GMT — Polish farmers block Ukraine's border as they intensify protests against non-EU imports

Polish farmers have blocked border crossings with Ukraine, spilled Ukrainian grain and burned tires as they intensified a nationwide protest against the import of Ukrainian foods and European Union environmental policies.

Farmers from Spain to Italy to Belgium have been protesting recently, worried that EU’s Green Deal plan to place limits on the use of chemicals and on greenhouse gas emissions will result in a reduction in production and income.

They are also in revolt against competition from non-EU countries, in particular Ukraine, a large producer of agricultural goods.

Polish farmers drove their tractors through Gdansk, Krakow and other cities, honking their horns in the noisy protest.

1644 GMT — France urges more 'vigilance' against Russia sabotage in military: internal memo

French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu has urged more "vigilance" against possible Russian sabotage against the country's armed forces after it signed a security deal with Ukraine, according to an internal memo obtained by AFP news agency.

"The signing of a security agreement between France and Ukraine could lead Russia to step up these operations in order to increase its influence, undermine the credibility of our action and weaken our national cohesion," the memo said.

On Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a security pact calling for French military and civilian aid for Kiev in its war against Russia.

1558 GMT — French aid workers in Ukraine killed by 'deliberate' attack: probe

A Swiss aid group has said that an investigation into the killing of two French staff in Ukraine had determined they died in a "deliberate" drone attack.

France has already accused Russia of responsibility for the February 1 strike in the Ukrainian town of Beryslav.

Four other staff — three French nationals and a Ukrainian — were injured in what the Swiss Church Aid group (HEKS) described as a "brutal and unjustifiable" attack.

1546 GMT — Russia bans US-funded broadcaster RFE/RL as 'undesirable'

Russia has banned the US-funded Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) as an "undesirable organisation".

The media's name was listed on the Ministry of Justice database.

1355 GMT — G7 virtual meeting for Saturday to discuss Ukraine

A virtual G7 leaders' meeting with Ukraine on the agenda is scheduled for Saturday, Italy has said, which holds group's rotating presidency.

The meeting comes "on the occasion of the second anniversary of the Russian aggression against Ukraine" and Zelenskyy is expected to participate in the online discussions, it said.

1009 GMT — Kremlin calls Navalny widow accusations 'unfounded and vulgar'

The Kremlin rejected accusations from the widow of opposition leader Alexey Navalny, who died in prison last week, after she claimed Putin was behind his death.

"Of course these are absolutely unfounded and vulgar accusations against the head of the Russian state," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

"But taking into account that Yulia Navalnaya was widowed just days ago, I will not comment."

1007 GMT — Russian court rejects US reporter Gershkovich's detention complaint

A Russian court rejected a complaint by US reporter Evan Gershkovich about the extension of his pre-trial detention until March 30 on spying charges which he denies, the court's press service said.

Gershkovich, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, was detained by the Federal Security Service (FSB) on March 29 in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg on charges of espionage that carry up to 20 years in prison.

0948 GMT — Russian strike kills five in northeastern Sumy region: Ukraine

A Russian strike on Ukraine's northeastern Sumy region killed five civilians, Ukraine's army command in the region said.

"According to preliminary information, five civilians were killed and a private house was damaged," in the village of Nova Sloboda, around 10 kilometres (six miles) from the Russian border, the Ukrainian army's Operational Command North said on Telegram.

0939 GMT — Russia's spy chief says slain defector was 'moral corpse'

Russia's spy boss said a pilot who defected to Ukraine with a military helicopter and then reportedly shot dead in Spain was a "moral corpse."

Maxim Kuzminov flew his Mi-8 helicopter into Ukraine in August in a brazen operation, saying he opposed Russia's military offensive.

Reports in Spanish media said Kuzminov was found shot dead in the southern town of Villajoyosa last week, where he had moved after receiving Ukrainian citizenship for switching sides.

0816 GMT — US-Russian woman arrested in Russia for treason

Russia's FSB security services said it had arrested a US-Russian woman suspected of treason and raising funds for the Ukrainian army, state media reported.

The FSB in the central Urals city of Yekaterinburg said it had "suppressed the illegal activities" of a 33-year-old woman, a resident of Los Angeles with dual citizenship, and taken her into custody.

It said the unnamed woman had been "proactively collecting funds... which were subsequently used to purchase tactical medical items, equipment, means of destruction and ammunition for the Ukrainian armed forces," Russian news agencies reported, citing an FSB statement.

Treason is punishable by up to 20 years in prison in Russia.

0742 GMT — Sweden says donating record $680M in military aid to Ukraine

Sweden's defence ministry said that the Nordic country will donate military aid to Ukraine worth some 7.1 billion Swedish crowns ($682 million), including the transfer of equipment and fresh cash for arms procurement.

It will be Sweden's 15th round of aid for Ukraine and the Nordic country's biggest package to date, taking the overall aid since Russia's military campaign in 2022 to around 30 billion crowns ($2.8 billion).

"We will continue to support Ukraine for as long as it takes," Defence Minister Pal Jonson told a press conference.

0611 GMT — Ukraine says air force shoots down 23 Russian drones overnight

Russia launched 23 drones at Ukraine overnight, with its air defences destroying all of them, the Ukrainian military said.

"As a result of combat operations, all 23 'shahed' drones were shot down in Kharkiv, Poltava, Kirovohrad, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson and Mykolaiv regions," the military said on Telegram messaging app.

There was no immediate comment from Russia.

0130 GMT — Ukraine wants Japan, EU to sanction Russia after Navalny's death

Ukraine wants the European Union and Japan to impose new economic sanctions on Russia after the death of Alexei Navalny, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.

Ukraine asks the EU to "take a look" at increasing imports of Russian grains and awaits the support of the US House of Representatives after the Senate approved aid, Shmyal said at a press conference in Tokyo.

2359 GMT — Canada supplying hundreds of drones to Ukraine

The Canadian government is donating 800 drones to help Ukraine in its conflict against Russia, Defence Minister Bill Blair announced.

The drones can carry surveillance cameras to help in Ukraine's reconnaissance missions, Blair said.

"These drones are going to help Ukraine's front-line troops assess targets and threats quickly with accuracy and effectiveness," he said during a press conference in Toronto.

2325 GMT — Ukraine's Zelenskyy decries 'mockery' of Polish border protests

Zelenskyy decried "mockery" protests by Polish farmers that have disrupted passenger and freight traffic in and out of Ukraine and called for "rational decisions" to restore normal cross-border traffic.

Zelenskyy said the dispute over ecological and trade issues appeared absurd when viewed from Ukraine's northeast Kupiansk region, where he visited frontline areas in difficulty from Russian attacks in the nearly two-year-old war.

"The situation is not about grain, but rather about politics," he said in his nightly video address. "And near Kupiansk, not far from the Russian border where enemy artillery is constantly active, the news from the Polish border looks like a mockery. We need joint decisions, rational decisions to get out of the situation."

2218 GMT — Ukraine faces 'extremely difficult' frontline battles: Zelenskyy

Ukrainian troops, reeling from losing a key town, now face "extremely difficult" conditions all along the frontline with Russia because of delayed foreign aid, Zelenskyy said.

The Ukrainian military says it is critically short of ammunition and shells, worsened by the holdup of a $60 billion US aid package.

"The situation is extremely difficult in several parts of the frontline, where Russian troops have concentrated maximum reserves," Zelenskyy said after visiting frontline troops in the Kharkiv region.

Russian troops "are taking advantage of the delays in helping Ukraine," Zelenskyy added, highlighting shortages of artillery, frontline air defence and longer-range weapons.

For our live updates from Monday, February 19, click here.