Sanctions against Russia
The European Union targets Russia with sweeping new sanctions in response to Moscow’s military operation in Ukraine. 146 Russian lawmakers, as well as 14 Kremlin-linked oligarchs and their families are now placed on the EU sanctions list. Brussels is also planning to broaden the measures to include crypto-currencies. Russia’s maritime sector will be hit as well. The new sanctions come a day after Washington imposed a ban on Russian energy imports. In response, the Kremlin says the United States has launched an economic war on Russia. Moscow says it is working on a broad response to the sanctions imposed by Ukraine’s allies. Russia has declared that its measures will be swift and thoughtful and inflict pain on the West’s most sensitive areas.
US-funded biolabs in Ukraine
Russia has asked the United States to explain to the world why it supported a military biological program in Ukraine involving deadly pathogens such as plague and anthrax. The foreign ministry spokeswoman said, Moscow has evidence indicating an emergency clean-up of the biological program pursued for military purposes. Zakharova added, documents show the Ukrainian Health Ministry had ordered the destruction of samples of some pathogens after February the 24th. She also accused Washington of financing the program. The Ukrainian government has denied any such program in the country while the US Defense department described the Russian accusation as absurd. That’s while earlier on Tuesday, US Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Victoria Nuland admitted that Ukraine has biological research facilities.
Anger at Herzog Turkey visit
People have poured onto the streets of the Turkish city of Istanbul to protest against Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to the country. The protesters denounced any normalization with the Tel Aviv regime. They urged the Turkish government to correct what they called a mistake considering the regime’s continued atrocities against the Palestinians. They also cited a deadly Israeli raid on a Turkish aid ship to the Gaza Strip in 2010, calling it a great pain like a knife stabbed into Turkish people's chest. Herzog is in Turkey to improve the regime’s ties with Ankara. Herzog’s two-day visit marks the highest-level trip by an Israeli official since 2008. Turkey severed its relations with Israel in 2018 after the US moved its embassy to the occupied al-Quds.