Political strategic level
French President Emmanuel Macron has enlisted China's help to bring Kyiv and Moscow to the negotiating table this summer. Macron has instructed his foreign policy adviser Emmanuel Bonnet to work with China's top diplomat, Wang Yi, to develop a roadmap for future talks between Russia and Ukraine. The French strategy foresees that talks will take place as early as this summer. If all goes well.
That is already the case. If Macron has envisaged negotiations, then there will be negotiations. We are no longer surprised by the dozens of planned negotiations, the de-occupation of Crimea, the defeat of Russia. Today, unfortunately, the ears of both the decision-makers and their voters are deaf to rational voices and calculations. All that is heard is those who announce the news according to the wishful thinking algorithm.
When he heard that Macron had chosen Xi as the new victim of phone calls, Putin spat Peskov out of his mouth and Peskov put on an old record. It plays that "the Russian Federation is ready to listen to all proposals for the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine".
The administration of US President Joe Biden is about to announce 'unprecedented' measures to restrict US companies' investments in China. US technology companies will be banned from doing business with China in "critical sectors", including the purchase of microchips. The White House plans to announce this at the end of April. The US authorities have warned the business community of the forthcoming measures. The US is also considering banning the Chinese app TikTok.
The new IMF programme provides for a huge financial assistance to Ukraine. Alfred Kemmer, Director of the IMF's European Department, announced a new package for Ukraine: "The size of the package is $115 billion, which is important. The IMF's contribution to this package is $15.6 billion. Why am I making this contribution? Because it is a four-year programme. For four years, we are going to finance the macro stability of Ukraine. This programme will mobilise donors' expectations for funds."
Terrorist Russian Federation simulates an attack on US ships. The Drisky Shells are today launching the final phase of a large-scale exercise in which Russia plans to add the air component of the nuclear triad, the Tu-95 and Tu-160 strategic bomber-missile carriers, to its fleet. They will fly to the Central Pacific to simulate strikes on suspected enemy ships.
Russia is certainly showing its support for Beijing, but the terrorist country is very weak in the water. The only supposed trump card is nuclear devices.
The Swiss President, Alain Berset, has admitted why he does not and will not give weapons to Ukraine. "We cannot be asked to break our own laws by calling for the re-export of Swiss weapons to Ukraine," the head of state explained.
Of course. Thank you. Understood. We must learn to understand everyone. Both the indigenous people of Papua New Guinea, who have heard nothing about the Russia-Ukraine war, and the position of the Swiss President.
We were right when we said that the Kremlin probably contributed to the bloodshed in Sudan. DW has already announced that the Russians are also actively involved behind the scenes in the current fighting in Sudan. "The soldiers known as 'Wagner' are guarding the M-Invest gold mines there.
Thousands of Russian Wagner mercenaries are active in many African countries. In the Central African Republic, for example, nearly 2,000 "Russian trainers" are supporting government troops in the ongoing civil war. In Libya, up to 1 200 Wagner mercenaries are fighting on the side of rebel leader Khalifa Hifter. Mali's pro-Russian, anti-Western military junta has also brought hundreds of Wagner fighters into the country. There, they are accused of serious human rights abuses.
Africa is a strategic target for terrorist Russia. Resources and more resources. That is what attracts the Kremlin, which has set foot in more than 15 African countries. By dominating the continent, Russia is not only using the countries' resources, but also using the continent as a tool of terror for the Western world. Famine, migration, the price of gold, oil and grain are becoming extremely dangerous weapons in the hands of the criminal Moscow regime.
The Kremlin's toolbox is aimed at us too. The Internet Research Agency, run by the recidivist Prigozhin, is financed by the aforementioned Wagner activities, and the trolls are engaged in disinformation aimed at distorting Lithuania's stable political and economic situation.
Operational level
The psychological duel between Kyiv and Moscow against the upcoming Ukrainian (counter)attack has begun. The leaders of the countries are working to inspire the ranks of the fighters.
The Muscovites claim that the terrorist Putin visited Moscow-controlled parts of the southern Kherson region with Colonel General Mikhail Teplinsky. The Kremlin reports that Putin attended a meeting where he heard reports from military commanders. The visit was filmed. The stunt is most likely an unfortunate FSB stunt, as Putin said in his speech that "the Easter holiday is approaching". Orthodox Easter is celebrated in Russia on 16 April and the visit supposedly took place on 17 April. Scriptwriters' clique. Get out of the FSB fairy-tale department!
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky actually visited the front line in Avdiivka yesterday. The President's Office has released a video of Zelensky presenting awards to the soldiers who have been defending the town for several months now against the Russian barbarian attacks.
In response to Putin's visits, Mikhail Podoliak, an adviser to Zelensky's office, announced that the Russian leader was touring "occupied and destroyed territories" in Ukraine "to enjoy the crimes of his henchmen for the last time". "Putin's degradation is impressive", he said.
Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė said that when Russian leader Putin visits the occupied territories of Ukraine, Russian propagandists are trying to equate him with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. According to the Prime Minister, with Putin's visit, Russian propaganda is trying to "inspire" the unmotivated Russian occupation army.
"It seems to me that they are trying to portray that Vladimir Putin is at least a little bit like Vladimir Zelensky, who goes to the front line and meets the soldiers near the contact line, thus showing support for his troops and for the ordinary Ukrainians who are fighting in this war," Ingrid Šimonytė is quoted as saying by foreign media.
The Lithuanian Prime Minister's timely statement is also welcome and demonstrates how important the foreign media and politicians are to the views of our country's leaders on the war in Ukraine. Foreign policy leaders could express our country's position more often in this or similar ways, with less coordination on social networks and in the media.
Because, frankly, political rants about politicians' pasts are already reminiscent of the old joke about why the chicken was in the shoe of the grasshopper.
The Russian Duma has approved amendments providing for life imprisonment for high treason and up to five years' imprisonment for aiding international organisations in the execution of judgments. The amendments also strengthen the liability for offences under terrorism-related articles of the Criminal Code. The maximum penalty under the article on terrorist attacks will increase from 15 to 20 years.
Terrorist Russia is terrorising its population. The lives of the citizens of a worthless country are of no concern to the citizens of the worthless country itself.
Tactical level
Over the past day, the occupiers have fired 4 missiles, 60 air strikes and 58 rocket attacks on Ukrainian territory.
Heavy fighting for Bakhmut continues.
The Ukrainian Defence Forces continue to destroy enemy manpower and equipment at their concentrations.
The M2 Bradley armoured personnel carriers in the photo, announced by the US in January, have already arrived in Ukraine and are engaged in combat.
Thank you for supporting us and giving us the opportunity to say what we really think. Special thanks to our sponsors DT Artelė, UAB and the Lithuanian Brewers Guild. Daily Reviews is part of the "Getting to Know Russia" project, supported by the Foundation for the Support of Press, Radio and Television. Would you like to invite us for a discussion or training? Contact: info@visagentura.com
Public Information Security Agency, Account No LT447300010172065624
Comments