Russia has threatened to cut diplomatic relations with the United States if the country is declared a “state sponsor of terrorism”. The adoption of such a law would cause “serious collateral damage to bilateral diplomatic relations, up to and including a decline or even a rupture,” said Alexander Dartschiev, head of the North America branch of the Russian Foreign Ministry, adding: “The American side has warned.”
The official Russian news agency TASS quoted Dartchev as saying there would also be a breach if Russian assets were seized. This cannot be in the interest of the United States or Russia. At first, it remained unclear which assets Dartschiev was referring to.
As part of sanctions against Russia for the invasion of Ukraine, Western countries have so far frozen about half of Russia’s gold reserves and foreign exchange, which amounted to just under $640 billion (about $622 billion) before the war in Ukraine. According to the US government, assets worth $30 billion have also been seized by oligarchs. Entrepreneurs believed to have close ties to President Vladimir Putin are being hit. Yachts, helicopters, real estate and works of art were seized. Leading Western politicians, such as EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, have suggested using the funds to rebuild Ukraine.
Prisoner Exchange Negotiations
Regarding Ukraine, Dartchev said that US influence in the government in Kiev had grown to such an extent that the United States became a direct participant in the conflict. He confirmed that the two states were negotiating to exchange US-imprisoned arms dealer Viktor Bout for Russian-imprisoned basketball player Brittney Griner and ex-soldier Paul Whelan.
US criticizes allegations of illegal authorities
The United States, meanwhile, is concerned about reports that British, Swedish and Croatian nationals have been charged by “illegal authorities in eastern Ukraine,” Foreign Minister Antony Blinken wrote on Twitter. “Russia and its proxies are obliged to respect international humanitarian law, including the rights and protection of prisoners of war,” the politician said.
According to British secret service, Russia is increasingly in distress
Meanwhile, according to British intelligence, Russia’s position in occupied Kherson in southern Ukraine has been significantly weakened by counter-attacks at strategically important river crossings. According to the information, the country is increasingly in trouble with the supply of troops in southern Ukraine. The two main road bridges connecting Russian forces to the occupied territory on the western bank of the Dnipro in the Kherson region are likely to be no longer usable for large-scale military supplies, the British Ministry of Defense said citing a secret service situation. report.
The Russians have been able to carry out only superficial repairs on the important Antonivka Bridge in recent days. The other major bridge has been made impassable for heavy military vehicles in recent days due to Ukrainian attacks with precision weapons. The main railway bridge at Kherson would be further damaged. To organize military supplies, Moscow recently relied mainly on a ferry connection at the bridge.
refill in danger
Even if Russia managed to repair the bridges on a large scale, they would remain a major weakness. “The supply of the thousands of Russian soldiers on the western bank almost certainly depends on the two pontoon bridges,” the ministry said. Given the limited supply line, the amount stored so far on the western bank is likely to become a deciding factor for Russian forces in the region.
Since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine in late February, the British government has regularly published intelligence on its progress. Moscow accuses London of a targeted disinformation campaign.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
