War in Ukraine: Moscow suspected of stealing Russian wheat

Europe 1 with AFP 06:58, June 07, 2022

The conflict in Ukraine is entering its 104th day.

Russia continues to fight in the Donbass region and diplomatic tensions are high internationally.

Washington on Monday demanded the seizure of two planes belonging to Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich and the list of Americans banned from entering Russia is growing.

Finally, Moscow is targeted because of crimes of sexual violence committed in Ukraine.

Moscow suspected of stealing Ukrainian wheat, Washington reacts

The head of the American diplomacy Antony Blinken considered Monday "credible" the information according to which Russia "steals" the exports of Ukrainian cereals, blocked because of the conflict, "to sell them for its own profit".

"It's all deliberate," he told a virtual conference on food insecurity, accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of "blackmail" to get international sanctions lifted against the invasion. 'Ukraine. 

He said Moscow had also started to keep its own food exports, after imposing a “naval blockade in the Black Sea which prevents Ukrainian crops from being transported” around the world.

The New York Times reported that Washington warned 14 countries, mostly in Africa, in mid-May that Russian cargo ships were carrying "stolen Ukrainian grain."

Antony Blinken referred to this article from the American daily, without however directly confirming the alert addressed to African countries.

US orders seizure of two planes from Russian oligarch

The US Department of Justice on Monday ordered the seizure of two planes belonging to Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, saying they had been used in violation of sanctions imposed on Russia after the invasion of Ukraine.

The ministry explained in legal documents that the aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner and a Gulfstream G650ER jet, flew in Russian territory after US export regulations were introduced on March 2.

The two planes, worth more than $400 million, are of American origin and their owner, billionaire Roman Abramovich, flew them to Russia in March without applying for a special re-export license, according to the Ministry.

"The Department of Commerce's controls over exports and re-exports are strong and must be respected. It is an important component of the US strategy to deprive Russia of the means to fuel its illegal war," explained Andrew Adams, the director of the KleptoCapture team, which reports to the Ministry of Justice.

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Russia expands list of Americans banned from entering

Russian diplomacy on Monday extended its list of American citizens banned from entering Russia, including Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, in retaliation for similar sanctions imposed by Washington in connection with the offensive in Ukraine.

At the end of May, Moscow released a list of 963 personalities banned from Russian soil, including US President Joe Biden, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and actor Morgan Freeman.

The new list includes 61 names, mainly those of government and political officials but also several bosses of large companies, mainly in the defense and energy sectors.

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US and Europe urge Russia to end sexual violence in Ukraine

The United States and Europe called on Russia on Monday to stop alleged sexual violence committed by its army and its proxies in Ukraine, Moscow denouncing baseless accusations, during a meeting of the Security Council of the UN organized by Albania.

"Russia must take measures within its army and its auxiliaries so that they respect" the UN resolution 1820 on sexual violence, adopted in 2008, which prohibits making it a weapon of war, has said US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield.

"It is incumbent on Russia to stop the rapes, violence and atrocities committed by its soldiers. It is incumbent on Russia to put an end to this atrocious unprovoked war against the Ukrainian people," she insisted.

The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, also denounced "atrocities" by Russia.

"These crimes will be punished", "we need evidence" and "we help to collect them", he said.