Moscow conquers Shevyakovka in the Kharkiv region. EU confirms sanctions against Russian oligarchs
Yesterday Zelensky revealed that the US would only be willing to give Ukraine guarantees if it ceded the Donbass region to Moscow
Key points
The Russian Defence Ministry announced the capture of a settlement in the eastern Ukrainian region of Kharkiv. "As a result of active and decisive actions, units of the 'Northern' military grouping took control of the Shevyakovka village in the Kharkiv region," the ministry's Telegram channel reads.
Tonight, Russia had also launched anotherdrone attack in the Odessa region. The drones targeted port infrastructure and energy facilities. This was reported by the Ukrainian Rbc news agency, citing the Facebook page of the Izyum district state administration. "The airspace is now clear. The enemy has again attacked the port and energy infrastructure of the Izmail district,' the statement read. Damage was reported in Izmail and the community of Vilkovo.
EU court confirms sanctions against 5 Russian oligarchs
The EU Court of Justice confirmed the freezing of funds of five major businessmen operating in Russia, rejecting their appeals in their entirety. The five oligarchs involved had challenged an initial decision before the Court of Justice, which today, in a ruling combining the five cases, dismissed all appeals. The Court points out that it is the economic sectors that should provide the Russian government with a significant source of income, not the entrepreneurs operating in those sectors. For the judges, the individuals affected by the sanctions, due to their importance and influence, may indirectly favour the financing of destabilisation actions against Ukraine. For the Luxembourg judges, the measures adopted by the Council in these cases are proportionate to the objective of maintaining pressure on Russia.
The Future of the Donbass
On the negotiating front, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who gave an interview to Reuters, the United States have made their offer of security guarantees necessary for a peace agreement in Ukraine conditional on Kiev ceding the entire eastern region of the Donbassto Russia.
Realism and Fears
"The Americans are ready to finalise high-level guarantees as soon as Ukraine is ready to withdraw from the Donbass," the Kiev leader said, warning that such a withdrawal would compromise the security of both Ukraine and, by extension, Europe.
