Things to remember from Tuesday, August 2

Fighting continues and Ukrainian officials lament civilian casualties nearly six months after the Russian invasion began. Many observers have their eyes on Ukrainian grain exports from Odessa, a test case for an international agreement on exports. Washington does not ease pressure on Russia and announces new sanctions.

The Azov Regiment was designated a “terrorist organization” in Russia

The Russian Supreme Court has classified the Ukrainian Azov Brigade, which is famous for defending Mariupol in Ukraine. “Terrorist Organization”. It merited a more severe prosecution of its fighters captured by Russia, whereas they are considered prisoners of war today. The decision is effective immediately, a Supreme Court judge was quoted as saying by DOS agency “Upon administrative request from the State Attorney’s Office”.

Most of the investigation took place behind closed doors. According to TASS, witnesses were called to the stand and spoke about crimes allegedly committed by the Azov Brigade in Ukraine. Under Russian law, the leaders of a terrorist organization face 15 to 20 years in prison, and their ordinary members five to ten years. Mykhailo Podoliak, adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky, responded “Russia bears direct legal responsibility for ill-treatment of prisoners of war”.

First Ukrainian grain cargo ship from Istanbul

It is carrying the first authorized load of Ukrainian grain since the start of the war in Ukraine. The reasonable, a Sierra Leonean-flagged cargo ship, arrived off the northern coast of Istanbul in the Black Sea on Tuesday 2 August. A ship leaving Odessa with 26,000 tons of corn bound for Lebanon is to anchor off the coast of Turkey and spend the night. Later on Wednesday morning, the entrance to the Bosphorus will be inspected by an international team, the Turkish Defense Ministry said.

It was the first export authorized under an agreement signed in Istanbul between Ukraine and Russia on July 22, brokered by Turkey and under the auspices of the United Nations, to block Ukrainian ports and free up agricultural markets. Turkey, Russia, Ukraine and the UN. The inspection will be carried out by a representative committee.

Ukraine deplores new civilian casualties

The Ukrainian Air Force Command announced that Russian forces had fired eight cruise missiles from the Caspian Sea into Ukrainian territory. According to this source, seven were intercepted, but another “An air defense complex was hit in the Lviv region”In the west of the country.

The city of Mykolaiv was again in the southern part of Ukraine “The Big Bomb” Monday to Tuesday night, for its part announced the presidency. In the neighboring region of Kherson, the first major city to fall into the hands of the Russian army on March 3, ““The situation remains tense.”, she noted. But Ukraine, which is currently leading a counteroffensive in the south, announced on Tuesday that it had captured 53 of the occupied territories there.

In the Kherson region, the head of the Kryviy Rih military administration, Oleksander Vilkul, announced that two civilians in a minibus trying to leave the village of Starosillya had died at the hands of the Russians. Five others were evacuated, two of whom were seriously injured and hospitalized.

US bans new Russian personalities

Washington announced new sanctions against Russian companies and oligarchs close to President Vladimir Putin, including Andrei Guriev, who owns the largest private estate in London behind Buckingham Palace. “Putin’s cronies got rich and financed lavish lifestyles”US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said.

Steelmaker Magnitogorsk (MMK) is on the treasury list and is considered “One of Russia’s largest taxpayers, providing a substantial source of government revenue”. Ditto for two subsidiaries and its main shareholder, oligarch Viktor Rachnikov. Former gymnast Alina Kabaeva, head of a “pro-Kremlin” media group and media ties to Vladimir Putin – which the latter denies – sees her US assets frozen.

The State Department, for its part, announced visa restrictions against 893 Russian officials and 31 foreign officials for contributing to the war in Ukraine. Three oligarchs, Russian state-owned enterprises and were targeted “24 Russian companies related to defense and technology”.