Russian President Vladimir Putin has visited security forces in the disputed regions of Ukraine that Russia claims to have annexed last year. Meanwhile, G7 foreign ministers have strongly criticized Russia’s plan to station nuclear weapons in Belarus.
Putin’s Visit to Disputed Ukrainian Regions
The Kherson and Luhansk regions of Ukraine were visited by Putin, where he attended a military command meeting in Kherson and visited a national guard headquarters in Luhansk, according to an announcement made by the Kremlin. The reports received by Putin in Kherson covered the situation in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, which are among the four regions that Putin declared annexed in September 2022. Despite the annexations being rejected by Ukraine and its Western allies, Russian forces only partially control these areas. The exact date of Putin’s visit was not disclosed.
G7 Condemns Russian Nuclear Plans
During a meeting in Japan, G7 foreign ministers condemned Russia’s plan to station nuclear weapons in Belarus, labeling it “unacceptable” and “irresponsible.” They added, “Any use of chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons by Russia would be met with severe consequences.”
Russia claims that the deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus was necessary due to NATO’s expansion towards its borders. This marks the first time since the Cold War that Russia has expressed intentions to station nuclear weapons in another country, symbolically escalating tensions with the West over the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The conflict in Ukraine has caused widespread destruction, displaced millions, and resulted in tens of thousands of fatalities. It has also sparked concerns about global food shortages due to the disruption in grain supplies. However, according to Russia’s RIA news agency, inspections of ships carrying grains from Ukraine have resumed, offering some relief from food shortage fears.
Despite the resumption of inspections, the fate of the grain deal remains uncertain as Russia claims that another agreement intended to aid its agricultural and fertilizer exports has not been upheld. Antony Blinken, the U.S. Secretary of State, accused Russia of breaking promises made to countries that rely on the region for grain.
The future of the grain deal remains uncertain, as Russia alleges that another agreement intended to facilitate its agricultural and fertilizer exports has not been upheld. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused Russia of breaking promises to countries reliant on grain from the region.
