The EU says it will ban Russian oil
Neighboring Belarusian armed forces launch large-scale military drills on May 4
Europe The European Union (EU) has announced plans to ban oil imports from Russia by the end of the year. Moscow block snownew bank will also apply sanctions. Russia and is stepping up its offensive in eastern Ukraine.
Europe President of the Commission Ursula von der Leyen said on May 4 that, EU crude oil from Russia by the end of the year and will completely ban refined oil products. O, Moscow snowto Ukraine snowhas announced a sixth package of sanctions in connection with the attack.
“Over the next six months, we will gradually reduce the supply of crude oil from Russia and the import of refined products by the end of the year. This, Russia oil imports, by sea and belt conveyor, raw materials and There will be a complete ban on processed products. He stressed.
Unanimity will not be easy
Von der Leyen did not mention any exceptions to the ban. But two members of the bloc – Hungary and Slovakia is heavily dependent on energy imports from Russia and They said they opposed the ban.
The head of the commission is also involved in sanctions unit He said it would not be “easy” to reach a position. This restriction must be approved by the 27 members of the EU.
Von der Leyen is also Russia’s largest banki Sberbank and two more great bankSWIFT has proposed to withdraw from the international bank payment system.
According to him according to, EU to ban three Russian state televisions But he did not disclose the names of the channels. He stressed that they will no longer be able to distribute content in any form in the EU.
The chairman of the commission proposed to start a recovery package for the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine.
Battle zone
As for the combat zone, Moscow has deployed 22 battalions near the eastern Ukrainian city of Izyum. The British Ministry of Defense said in a bulletin released on May 4 that, Russia’s obvious target is Kramatorsk in the east and To capture the cities of Severodonetsk, ”though that, They have difficulty in breaking the defense of Ukraine. “
A Russian battalion usually has 700-800 soldiers.
Britain intelligence information according tothe capture of these two cities will “strengthen Russia’s military control” over northeastern Ukraine.
Neighboring Belarus’s armed forces suddenly began large-scale exercises on May 4 to test combat readiness. The statement came from the Ukrainian Defense Ministry.
According to the governor of the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine according to, Russia soldiers set fire to a coke plant in the town of Avdiyivka, at least 10 people were killed and 15 were injured.
Pavlo Kirilenko He said 11 more people were killed in the shelling of four cities in the province.
Ukraine Officials said the Russian army targeted the country’s railway infrastructure on May 3, the center said and said it had struck six railway stations in the western provinces.