Day 512 of the Invasion of Ukraine: Russia will Considers All Vessels entering Ukrainian Ports to be Hostile

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Day 512 of the invasion of Ukraine. Summary of key events in the last 24 hours:

• As of today, Russia considers all vessels entering Ukrainian ports to be hostile
• The EU extended the sanctions against Russia by six months
• Putin extended Russian sanctions for another 30 months
• At least 18 wounded in Russian strike on Mykolaiv, new strikes in Odesa
• The US announced new military aid to Ukraine for .3 billion.
• Kyiv expects a long and difficult counteroffensive
• 10,000 Wagner mercenaries will come to Belarus

As of today, Russia considers all vessels entering Ukrainian ports to be hostile

In connection with the termination of the grain deal from midnight on Wednesday to Thursday (July 19-20, 2023), Russia will consider all vessels entering Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea as military cargo carriers, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported, as quoted by TASS.

"From 00:00 Moscow time on July 20, 2023, all vessels sailing in the waters of the Black Sea to Ukrainian ports will be considered as potential carriers of military cargo," the military department said in a statement.

The ministry specifies that the countries under whose flag these vessels sail will be considered participants in the military conflict, supporting the side of Kyiv.

Russia intends to attack commercial ships carrying grain from Ukraine through the Black Sea to blame it on Kyiv, the White House warned yesterday, quoted by AFP.

"The Russian military may expand its target range and begin striking merchant ships," Adam Hodge, a spokesman for the US National Security Council, told AFP.

Hodge specified that these assumptions were based on declassified intelligence data available to the United States.

Washington issued this warning after Moscow said it was suspending its participation in the deal to export Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea and after Russian forces struck grain warehouses at the port of Odesa, reports AFP, quoted by BTA.

Western countries openly benefited from the grain deal and completely distorted its essence, said Russian President Vladimir Putin, quoted by TASS.

"The West shamelessly took advantage of the grain deal. It simply completely distorted the meaning and essence of these agreements," commented the Russian leader at a meeting with members of the government.

Putin recalled that the deal was originally aimed at ensuring global food security, reducing the risk of famine and helping the poorest countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

"It is for this reason that Russia made certain commitments and assisted in its implementation. However, the 'deal' in question, publicly presented by the West as a manifestation of its 'concern' and as something 'good' for the poorest countries in the world, was in practice used to enrich large American and European businesses that exported and resold grain from Ukraine," the Russian president emphasized.

"The Russian share of the world wheat market amounts to 20%, and the Ukrainian one to 5%. These numbers speak for themselves," Putin pointed out. "It is Russia that makes a huge contribution to global food security. All claims that only Ukrainian grain feeds the starving people of the world are speculations and lies," he added.

The president said that Russia is ready to replace Ukrainian grain on the world market both on a free and commercial basis.

According to him, Moscow can resume the grain deal "but only under one condition - if all pre-agreed principles for Russia's participation in this deal are fully taken into account and most importantly - are implemented without exception".

Putin pointed out that the most important thing is to remove the sanctions that hinder the access of Russian grain and fertilizers to world markets.

The EU extended the sanctions against Russia by six months

The Council of the European Union decided to extend for six months, until January 31, 2024, the restrictive measures aimed at specific sectors of the economy of the Russian Federation, according to today's announcement.

It recalls that these sanctions, first introduced in 2014 in response to Russia's destabilizing actions in Ukraine, have been significantly expanded since February 2022 in response to Russia's unprovoked and unwarranted military aggression against Ukraine.

They currently consist of a wide range of sectoral measures, including restrictions on trade, finance, technology and dual-use items, industry, transport and luxury goods.

They also include: a ban on the import or transfer by sea of crude oil and certain petroleum products from Russia to the EU, the exclusion from the SWIFT system of several Russian banks, and the suspension of the broadcasting activities and licenses of several Kremlin-backed disinformation media.

In addition, specific measures were introduced to strengthen the EU's ability to counter sanctions circumvention.

In addition to economic sanctions against the Russian Federation, the EU introduced various types of measures in response to Russia's destabilizing actions against Ukraine.

These include: restrictions on economic relations with illegally annexed Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, as well as non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions; individual restrictive measures (asset freezes and travel restrictions) on a wide range of individuals and entities, as well as diplomatic measures.

Since February 24, 2022, the EU has adopted 11 sanctions packages.

The European Council reiterates that it strongly condemns Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine, which is a clear violation of the UN Charter, and recalls the European Union's unwavering support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders and its inalienable right to self-defense against Russian aggression.

The European Union will continue to provide solid financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support to Ukraine and its people for as long as necessary.

Putin extended Russian sanctions for another 30 months

Vladimir Putin has extended until the end of 2025 the effect of the Russian "counter-sanctions", which he introduced in March last year.

With them, on March 8, 2022, restrictions in foreign trade came into force, especially for the export and import of raw materials and some products. The reasons were "to ensure the security of the Russian Federation and normal functioning of the industry".

The list includes agricultural machinery, medical equipment, means of transport, technical and telecommunication equipment.

The document ordered the government to detail who was acting for whom, referring to the list of "enemy states". Bulgaria is among them, along with all the countries of the European Union, the USA, Great Britain, Canada, etc. The government then clarified that Russian citizens, companies, the state, regional and local authorities can pay their debts to creditors from these countries in rubles.

A mechanism was also introduced, according to which all transactions of Russian companies with citizens and companies from the list will be approved or rejected by a committee on the control of foreign investments.

At least 18 wounded in Russian strike on Mykolaiv, new strikes in Odesa

At least 18 people were wounded in a Russian strike on the Ukrainian port city of Mykolaiv on Thursday, regional governor Vitaly Kim said, while authorities in Odesa reported new strikes in the region, Reuters reported.

Tensions have escalated around Ukraine's Black Sea ports after Russia warned that ships sailing to them from Thursday would be seen as potential military targets, following Moscow's withdrawal from a deal ensuring the safe passage of Ukrainian grain.

A three-story residential building was hit in the center of the city of Mykolaiv and emergency services rescued two people from the rubble, Kim wrote on Telegram.

He had previously written that there had been deaths, but did not give more information in subsequent messages.

Odesa administration spokesman Sergei Bratchuk said two people were hospitalized after a strike in Odesa damaged a building and caused a fire.

Another strike was reported outside the city, Bratchuk wrote on Telegram. Meanwhile, Russian-appointed governor Sergey Aksyonov said one person was killed and four administrative buildings were damaged in a Ukrainian drone strike in Crimea.

According to Aksyonov, the attack was carried out in the northwestern part of the peninsula.

Odesa. Mykolaiv. Russian terrorists continue their attempts to destroy the life of our country.
Unfortunately, there are wounded and dead... My condolences to the families and friends!
But the evil state has no missiles that are more powerful than our will to save lives, support… pic.twitter.com/CPcq8AmFoh

— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 20, 2023

The US announced new military aid to Ukraine for .3 billion

The US announced yesterday a new .3 billion military aid plan for Ukraine. The plan envisages the delivery of four anti-aircraft missile systems, anti-tank missiles, artillery ammunition, mine clearance equipment and kamikaze drones, the Pentagon said in a communique, quoted by AFP.

This assistance "underscores the continued commitment of the United States to respond to Ukraine's urgent needs by providing essential resources in the short term while ensuring the sustained ability of Ukraine's armed forces to defend their country's territory and repel Russian aggression in the medium and long term," the Pentagon said.

The equipment will not be delivered to the front line soon, as the announced aid falls under the auspices of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, under which the US provides equipment from the defense industry or from allies and does not take directly from the arsenal of the US armed forces, noted AFP, quoted by BTA.

Kyiv expects a long and difficult counteroffensive

Ukraine said it expects its counteroffensive to be "long and difficult" due to problems with the supply of Western weapons and with mines laid by Russian forces, AFP reported, quoted by BTA.

"Undoubtedly, this operation will be quite difficult, long and will take a lot of time," said Mykhailo Podolyak, who is an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

According to him, the main obstacle to the advance of the Ukrainian forces is the mines laid by the Russian army for months and mainly the "depth of the minefields", which can be from "four to sixteen kilometers".

Podolyak stressed that Kyiv is not ready to compromise with Russia, as Moscow is trying to "destroy" the Ukrainian state and regain the "full control" it had during Soviet times.

"Russia hates us, it has proceeded to destroy the very concept of a Ukrainian state," the presidential adviser pointed out. According to him, a retreat from Moscow will lead to "a slow loss of Ukraine and its statehood". "Maybe not in three days, but in three years or five."

He stated that President Vladimir Putin's Russia wants to re-create the USSR. "A compromise would mean the Soviet Union would come back."

He also listed the weapons his country needs to accelerate its counteroffensive. We need about ”200-300 armored vehicles, mostly tanks, between 60 and 80 F-16 fighters, Patriot air defense systems or their French equivalent SAMP/T”, explained Podolyak.

But he stressed that Ukraine was seeking to "restore its borders from 1991, including the territory called ‘the Crimean peninsula’", which is currently annexed by Russia.

"Let's be objective, Russia has air superiority over the front," Podolyak also said.

He reported some success, saying the number of "offensive operations" led by the Ukrainian army was "progressively increasing" and that not all counteroffensive-ready brigades had been sent into combat.

In his words, "the pressure is increasing" on Russian forces and Kyiv wants to "inflict tactical defeats and cut off Russian troop formations."

The senior official, known for his outspoken comments, hopes that the offensive "may at some point collapse the Russian defense in one direction or another, and in that case, events will develop quite quickly."

10,000 Wagner mercenaries will come to Belarus

10,000 mercenaries of Yevgeny Prigozhin's private army will go to Belarus, announced a member of the "Council of Commanders" with the call sign Marx. His message was posted on a Telegram channel close to Wagner.

He cites a figure in a comment on the statement of State Duma deputy Vladimir Shamanov, who says that 32,000-33,000 PMC Wagner mercenaries have signed contracts with the Ministry of Defense and another 7,000-10,000 are with Yevgeny Prigozhin.

Marx claims that the figure of 33,000 people is not true. According to him, during the war in Ukraine, a total of 78,000 fighters participated in PMC "Wagner", of which 49,000 were prisoners. During the capture of Bakhmut, 22,000 mercenaries were killed and another 40,000 were wounded.

"There are 25,000 alive and well, plus the wounded who are recovering. Of them, up to 10,000 have left and are going to Belarus. Fifteen thousand have already gone on leave. I don't know how the 33 thousand who went to the army were formed," reads Marx's statement.

On July 18, the monitoring project "Belarusian Hajun" wrote that there are already 2,000-2,500 mercenaries of PMC "Wagner" in Belarus. According to his data, at least five columns of mercenaries have arrived in Belarus since July 11, i.e. at least 382-400 vehicles, Medusa writes.

In the afternoon yesterday, PMC "Wagner" Telegram channels published a video in which the founder of the military company Yevgeny Prigozhin talked with the mercenaries who arrived in Belarus. He calls what is currently happening at the front "a disgrace in which we do not need to participate".

"And we are waiting for the moment when we will be able to prove ourselves to the fullest extent. That is why it was decided that we will stay here in Belarus for a while," said “Putin's Chef”.

And he adds: "We are preparing, raising our level and going on a new path - to Africa. Perhaps we will return to the special military operation at the moment when we are sure that we will not be forced to be ashamed."

The published video is Prigozhin's first public appearance since the rebellion. The video is believed to have been filmed in the camp near Asipovichy, Mogilev region.

The Armed Forces of Belarus continue their joint training with PMC "Wagner" fighters, who arrived in the country after the failed rebellion in Russia by their leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, reports UNIAN.

According to the press service of the Ministry of Defense of Belarus, the "musicians" will conduct training with the Belarusian military at the "Brestki" training ground.

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