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Ukraine Invasion
Defense Policy / Programs
Foreign Policy
News Reports

Ukraine Invasion

• Russian Defense Minister Confirms Presence Of Conscripts In Ukraine War For First Time RFE/RL 09 Mar 2022 -- Russia's Defense Ministry has confirmed for the first time that conscripts are among military personnel involved in Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
• Putin instructed the military prosecutor's office to look into the situation with sending conscripts to Ukraine TASS 07 Mar 2022 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin received a report on the implementation of his instructions to categorically exclude the involvement of conscripts to perform tasks on the territory of Ukraine, on his behalf, materials were sent to the Chief Military Prosecutor's Office for a legal assessment of the actions and punishment of officials responsible for failure to comply with this instruction, the press secretary told reporters head of state Dmitry Peskov.
• Zelensky says ready for dialogue with Russia on security guarantees, Donetsk, Lugansk People's Daily 09 Mar 2022 -- Ukraine is ready to hold a dialogue with Russia on security guarantees and the future of Donetsk, Lugansk and Crimea, said a press release posted on the official website of the Ukrainian president Tuesday.
• Russia introduces "silence regime" in Ukraine for safe evacuation of civilians People's Daily 09 Mar 2022 -- Russian armed forces have declared a "silence regime" and the opening of humanitarian corridors for the safe evacuation of civilians in Ukraine starting 10 a.m. Moscow time (0700 GMT) on Tuesday.
• Russia to start observing humanitarian ceasefire in Ukraine on Wed. Press TV 09 Mar 2022 -- Russia will start observing a humanitarian ceasefire in Ukraine, where it has been conducting a military operation, as of Wednesday.
• Russian, Turkish defense ministers discuss situation in Ukraine People's Daily 09 Mar 2022 -- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu discussed the situation in Ukraine with his Turkish counterpart, Hulusi Akar, on Tuesday.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Executive Order on application of special economic measures in foreign economic policy to ensure Russia's security President of Russia 09 Mar 2022 -- Vladimir Putin signed Executive Order On Application of Special Economic Measures in Foreign Economic Activity to Ensure the Security of the Russian Federation.
• Gov't Commission Backs Tools to Nationalize Assets of Foreign Firms If They Permanently Exit Russia Sputnik 09 Mar 2022 -- Russian authorities have already taken a series of steps aimed at easing the economic impact of Western sanctions pressure, including a requirement for companies to sell 80 percent of their foreign currency, and a presidential decree allowing overseas creditors to be temporarily paid back in rubles.
• Kremlin says US has unleashed economic war on Russia Press TV 09 Mar 2022 -- Russia says the United States has declared an economic war against it with far-reaching consequences for energy markets and global economy.

Foreign Policy

• Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Moscow, March 9, 2022 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 09 Mar 2022
• Telephone conversation with Federal Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz President of Russia 09 Mar 2022 -- Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany Olaf Scholz.
• Meeting with Commissioner for Children's Rights Maria Lvova-Belova President of Russia 09 Mar 2022 -- Vladimir Putin had a working meeting with Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights Maria Lvova-Belova.
• READOUT: Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen's Meeting with Counterparts from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom US Treasury 09 Mar 2022
• Biden's energy ban on Russia omits uranium to avoid blackouts across US Press TV 09 Mar 2022 -- US President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Tuesday, slapping an immediate ban on Russian oil and other energy imports over Moscow's military operation in Ukraine.
• Ukraine: EU agrees to extend the scope of sanctions on Russia and Belarus European Commission 09 Mar 2022 -- The European Commission welcomes today's agreement of Member States to adopt further targeted sanctions in view of the situation in Ukraine and in response to Belarus's involvement in the aggression.
• Judgment Day: European Nations Start Probing Alleged Russian War Crimes in Ukraine VOA 09 Mar 2022 -- In an impassioned video speech earlier this week, Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted the Russian shelling of fleeing civilians from a town on the outskirts of Kyiv, saying there can be no forgiveness for the shooting of unarmed people.
• EU Agrees To Broaden Sanctions On Russian Officials, Oligarchs RFE/RL 09 Mar 2022 -- The European Union has agreed to expand its third round of sanctions being imposed on Russia to target a larger number of oligarchs and officials close to President Vladimir Putin over Moscow's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
• Defence Secretary statement to the House of Commons on Ukraine: 9 March 2022 UK MOD 09 Mar 2022 -- Defence Secretary Ben Wallace gave a statement to the House of Commons on Ukraine.
• UK announces new aviation sanctions against Russia Press TV 09 Mar 2022 -- The United Kingdom on Wednesday imposed new aviation sanctions against Russia which will give Britain the power to detain any Russian aircraft and ban exports of aviation or space-related goods to Russia in response to its military actions in Ukraine.
• London Slaps New Aviation Sanctions On Russia RFE/RL 09 Mar 2022 -- Britain unveiled new aviation sanctions on March 9 under which any Russian plane can be detained, while exports of aviation or space-related goods to Russia can also be banned.
• UK strengthens ban on Russia aircraft and introduces new trade sanctions UK FCDO 09 Mar 2022 -- Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has announced a new suite of aviation sanctions.
• 'A Madman's Dream': Former Latvian President Vike-Freiberga On Putin's Dangerous Designs On Ukraine RFE/RL 09 Mar 2022 -- President of Latvia from 1999 to 2007, Vaira Vike-Freiberga was crucial in getting the Baltic country into NATO. In an interview with Vazha Tavberidze of RFE/RL's Georgian Service, Vike-Freiberga speaks about Russian President Vladimir Putin's "outrageous" demands and how she is fed up with being told to appease Russia and to "not annoy the bear."
• What China Can and Cannot Do for Russia Amid Sanctions VOA 09 Mar 2022 -- China's effort to help Russia economically cannot offset Western-led sanctions aimed at resisting its invasion of Ukraine, analysts assert.
• Beijing Blasts US Ban on Russian Energy, Says Wielding 'Sanctions' Stick Won't Lead to Peace Sputnik 09 Mar 2022 -- US President Joe Biden signed an executive order Tuesday instituting a near total ban on Russian energy supplies, vowing that the prohibition of Russia-sourced oil and gas would deal "another powerful blow to Putin's war machine." Biden admitted that the decision would incur "costs" on Americans, but suggested that "defending freedom has a cost."
• Tokyo Freezes Assets of Russians, Clarifying Once Ambiguous Relations With Moscow VOA 09 Mar 2022 -- Japan announced Tuesday a new round of sanctions on Russia since its invasion of Ukraine, signaling a shift from its gentler and more ambiguous response to Moscow's seizure of Crimea in 2014.
• Turkey to Host Meeting of Ukrainian, Russian Foreign Ministers VOA 09 Mar 2022 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is headed to Turkey ahead of a meeting Thursday with his Ukrainian counterpart at a Turkish resort. Ankara, which has close ties with Moscow and Kyiv, has been seeking to mediate since Russia invaded Ukraine.
• Talks To Revive 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal Threatened By Last-Minute Russian Demands RFE/RL 09 Mar 2022 -- Parties trying to revive the Iran nuclear deal scrambled on March 9 to resolve last-minute Russian demands that threaten to scupper negotiations, diplomats said, with the United States appearing unwilling to engage with Moscow on the matter.
• Telephone conversation with African Union Chairperson, President of Senegal Macky Sall President of Russia 09 Mar 2022 -- Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Chairperson of the African Union, President of the Republic of Senegal Macky Sall.
• Telephone conversation with President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi President of Russia 09 Mar 2022 -- Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with President of the Arab Republic of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

News Reports

• Russian Authorities Plan To Introduce Registry Of People Linked To 'Foreign Agents' RFE/RL 09 Mar 2022 -- Russian authorities plan to introduce a registry of people who have links with companies, organizations, or media outlets that have been officially recognized as "foreign agents," another move to broaden the state's crackdown on civil society.
• Thousands Arrested At Russian Anti-War Protests In 'Increasingly Brutal Crackdown,' Says Watchdog RFE/RL 09 Mar 2022 -- Russian authorities have arbitrarily arrested thousands of peaceful protesters at anti-war rallies across Russia, in line with their increasingly brutal crackdown on those who disagree with Russia's military offensive in Ukraine, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on March 9.
• Spanish Journalist Denies Spying for Russia VOA 09 Mar 2022 -- Pablo González is a Spanish journalist also known by his Russian name, Pavel Rubtsov.
• Russian-American Woman Who Fled To Moscow Charged With Being Unregistered Foreign Agent RFE/RL 09 Mar 2022 -- A Russian-American woman who has headed a cultural organization for diaspora Russian groups in the United States has been charged with being an unregistered foreign agent for promoting the Kremlin's interests.
• Comment by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on the indictment against Elena Branson, Chairperson of the Coordinating Council of Russian Compatriots in the United States Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 09 Mar 2022
• Heineken, Universal Music Group Join List of Companies Leaving Russia VOA 09 Mar 2022 -- Dutch brewer Heineken and Universal Music Group have become the latest companies to pause business in Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine.
• How Russia's Ukraine Invasion Weighs on China's Economy VOA 09 Mar 2022 -- China's top political leaders are meeting in Beijing this week and have announced the country's new GDP goal for 2022, a major benchmark that Premier Li Keqiang has said will remain around 5.5%, the lowest target in decades.
• Can China Shield Africa From Fallout of Sanctions Against Russia? VOA 09 Mar 2022 -- Tall, stately and clad in brightly colored fabrics that stand out against the arid landscape, the women at a U.N. food distribution site in Jonglei state, South Sudan, wait patiently in line in the stifling heat to receive their monthly rations.
• Russia's struggles won't deter China regarding Taiwan: CIA CNA 09 Mar 2022 -- CIA Director William Burns said Tuesday that Russia's military struggles in Ukraine and the force of Western sanctions had "unsettled" China, but warned that the United States should not underestimate Beijing's determination to force unification with Taiwan.
• Finnish Energy Giant Writes Off Nord Stream 2 Stake, Divests From Russia Sputnik 09 Mar 2022 -- The Finnish Fortum group's operations in Russia, including investment in the Nord Stream 2 project put on hold, are estimated to be worth a total of 6 billion euros. Last year, Russian operations accounted for about one-fifth of the group's total profit.