9:47 PM, Yesterday
Escaped Pussy Riot member sentenced in absentia to six years in prison in Russia
Russia has sentenced Lucy Shtein, a member of the activist band Pussy Riot, in absentia to six years in prison for a report critical of the war in Ukraine. Shtein responded to
According to the Russian judge, this was condoning torture and that she spread ‘disinformation’ about the Russian army. There are strict penalties for spreading what Russia describes as disinformation about the military.
Shtein, together with her friend and fellow band member Maria Alyochina, fled to Lithuania via Belarus in March 2022. At the time, Shtein was under house arrest for calling to attend a rally by opposition leader Navalny. According to Russia, this went against the corona measures. Shtein and Alyokhina now live in Iceland. That country also gave them citizenship.
Shtein himself reacts laconically to the punishment. In a message on Her mother responded, “Why not nine?”
Joram Bolle
5:01 PM, Yesterday
Poland recalls commander of European troops after investigation into its own intelligence service
Polish Lieutenant General Jaroslaw Gromadzinski is no longer the commander of European cooperation Eurocorps. Poland recalled him after an investigation by its own military intelligence service SKW. It is unclear exactly what is going on. The SKW, which is tasked with investigating internal threats to Poland, will only say that it has “received new information” about Gromadzinski.
Six countries work together in Eurocorps. In addition to Poland, these are Germany, France, Spain, Luxembourg and Belgium. The sixty thousand Eurocorps soldiers are at the service of NATO and the EU.
Poland has been a member since 2022 and Gromadzinski has been commander since June 2023. Previously, he was an important advisor to the Supreme Commander of the Polish Army. In recent months he was involved in training Ukrainian soldiers from Wiesbaden, Germany.
Joram Bolle
2:58 PM, Yesterday
Poland and Ukraine are discussing exporting Ukrainian grain to Poland
Poland and Ukraine are in discussions about the export of Ukrainian agricultural products to Poland. According to Polish parliamentarian Krzysztof Paszyk, whose party is part of the governing coalition, they are close to an agreement, reports the Polish news agency PAP. At the same time, Polish Agriculture Minister Czeslaw Siekierski speaks of ‘difficult conversations’. Tomorrow he will speak to his Ukrainian counterpart in Warsaw.
Poland has been concerned for months about the current export rules of Ukrainian grain to the European Union. Since last summer, Ukrainian agricultural products have been exempt from trade restrictions that normally apply to countries outside the EU. Polish farmers complain that cheap Ukrainian grain creates unfair competition. They have been organizing large-scale protests for months to put pressure on their government.
However, last week EU member states and the European Parliament agreed to extend export rules. However, it was decided that a maximum would apply to the export of products such as eggs, sugar, corn and oats. Once this has been reached, customs duties will apply again. There may also be such a measure for wheat. According to the provisional agreement, these rules will apply until June next year.
In the meantime, Poland and Ukraine have continued bilateral talks on agricultural exports. According to parliamentarian Paszyk, Poland and Ukraine appear to be able to reach an agreement in the coming days on the transit of Ukrainian grain via Poland. Polish farmers say that grain intended only for transit still ends up on Polish markets.
Thom Canters
08:31, Yesterday
Ukraine reports new nighttime airstrikes by Russia
Russia used drones to bomb targets in the north and northwest of Ukraine last night. The Ukrainian Air Force said in a message on Telegram that 10 of the 13 fired aircraft had been downed. Ukraine reports night-time drone attacks by Russia almost every day.
In Izjoem, a town in the border province of Kharkiv, a school and a house were hit, the governor reports. A 62-year-old man was injured. Drones have also been shot down over the provinces of Kyiv and Sumy. As far as we know, no injuries were reported.
Thom Canters
00:00, the day before yesterday
Welcome to the live blog of Wednesday, March 27
This was the most important news of Tuesday, March 26:
• A Ukrainian missile reportedly hit a warship owned by the Russian Navy near Crimea. It concerns a warship that Russia captured from Ukraine during the annexation of Crimea in 2014. Russia has not yet responded to the claim.
• The Moscow court has extended the pre-trial detention of journalist Evan Gershkovich until the end of June. This Friday marks one year since the Russian police captured the correspondent of The Wall Street Journal arrested in Yekaterinburg. Gershkovich is being held in Moscow’s Lefortovo prison, which is notorious for its poor living conditions. Gershkovich is suspected of espionage, a suspicion for which there is still no evidence and which the United States and his employer deny.
• The Ukrainian security service SBOe has arrested two men suspected of spying for Russia. The men are suspected of preparing an attack on an important train line. They allegedly wanted to blow up a railway line to eastern Ukraine that Ukraine uses to supply the army.
Read the full live blog from Tuesday, March 26 here.
