Moscow is accelerating its process of Russification of the southern Ukrainian regions

If the Kherson region was quickly occupied by the Russian army at the beginning of the war, Zaporijia would not have completely collapsed. The capital of the region, also called Zaporizhia, remains under Ukrainian control in particular.

The presidential decree approved by the master of the expanded Kremlin makes it a provision applied since 2019 to residents of the self-proclaimed pro-Russian republics of Luhansk and Donetsk that emerged in the 2014 war.

Russian passports have already been issued to approximately 800,000 residents of these two territories, whose independence was formally recognized by Moscow before invading Ukraine. Combaters from the two territories are now fighting alongside Russia.

The announcement was quickly dismissed by the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, which denounced a severe violation the integrity of the country’s territory.

” The forced issuance of passports to Ukrainians in Kherson and Zaporizhia is further evidence of the criminal intent of Russia’s war against Ukraine. “

Other measures of Russification of the Kherson region have already been announced. On Monday, for example, the new municipal authorities put in place by Moscow announced that the Russian ruble is now legal there.

The Ukrainian currency, the hryvnia, is still accepted there, but the deputy head of Kherson’s new military-civilian administration, Kirill Stremoussov, said he hopes the region will fully switch to rubles by the end of the year.

Two weeks ago, the same man said he would formally question President Putin to include the Kherson region as a whole subject of the Russian Federationat all legal basis to allow it will be ready before the end of the year.

The Ukrainian government, which has promised to liberate Kherson, has long claimed that Moscow intended to organize a fake referendum to justify Russia’s accession, but Mr. Stremoussov has since informed that it has not. it happens, because the international community did not. did not recognize the Crimea referendum in 2014 to join Russia.

The Kherson region is important for Russia to supply water to the Crimean peninsula, which was merged in 2014. Its conquest will also make it possible to build a land bridge linking Crimea to the pro-Russian separatist region. of Donetsk and in Russia.

By occupying the Kherson region, the entire northeastern part of Zaporizhia and the city of Mariupol, Russia also denied Ukraine all access to the Sea of ​​Azov. Ukraine’s access to the Black Sea is only theoretical, due to the naval blockade by the Russian army.

Old men in the Russian army

Russia’s parliament on Wednesday approved a bill allowing Russians over 40 and foreigners over 30 to enlist in the military.

Representatives of the Duma, the lower house of the Russian Parliament, approved the bill at full speed, conducting three statutory readings in a single session.

The senate, the Federation Council, issued the agreement shortly after and it must be signed by President Vladimir Putin shortly to give it the force of law.

This law is seen as a way for the Russian Armed Forces to expand recruitment, as casualties since the start of the war are likely to be high.

" Now, especially, we must strengthen the armed forces and assist the Ministry of Defense. Our supreme commander is doing everything to win our armed forces, and we need to help him. "

Russian forces suffered huge losses during the fighting in Ukraine. Russia’s Defense said on March 25 that 1,351 soldiers had been killed in Ukraine and 3,825 wounded. No updates have been offered since.

Kyiv claims to have killed more than 29,200 soldiers, an unverifiable number, while Western intelligence services believe the casualties were in the range of 12,000 to 15,000.

A debt paid in rubles

Russia will pay its debt in rubles, the Russian Finance Ministry said on Wednesday, after the United States decided to end from Wednesday an exemption allowing it to pay in dollars.

Since the refusal to extend this license makes it impossible to continue respecting foreign debt in dollars, payments will be made in Russian currency with the possibility of later converting them into the original currency by the National Settlement Depository (NSD) which will serve as the payment agent, he said in a statement. NSD is the Russian organization responsible for depositing financial securities traded in the country.

" The current situation is unlike the situation in 1998, when Russia did not have sufficient funds to repay its debts. Now we have money, and the will to pay is also there. "

This situation artificially created by an unfriendly country has no effect on the lives of Russiansthe minister also assured.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Treasury announced it had decided to end, from 12:01 am Wednesday Washington time, an exemption that allows Moscow to pay off its debts in dollars. In the area since the start of Western sanctions against Russia, this exemption has allowed Moscow to escape default.

Washington’s proposal will take effect two days before Moscow’s next payment deadline, which is just for more than $ 100 million in interest on the two bonds. According to wall street journal cited Russia’s official news agency Tass, these payments have already been made.

Aside from the May 27 deadline, the Russian government still has to honor 12 payments by the end of the year.

Removing sanctions to prevent a global food crisis?

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko on Wednesday called for the lifting of sanctions against Moscow as a condition to avoid the looming global food crisis due to the war.

Resolving the food problem requires a coordinated approach, including the removal of sanctions introduced against Russia’s exports and financial transactions.said Mr. Rudenko, quoted by Russian news agencies.

He also demanded mining of kyiv Black Sea ports for ships to export grain. According to Russian diplomats, Russia is willing to ensure a humane corridor on boats.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kouleba denounced this offer. This is clearly blackmail. You won’t find a better example of blackmail in international relationshe binasted at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

British Defense Minister Ben Wallace also rejected the idea. Cereals are for everyone. Libya, Yemen, people around the world rely on these grains for foodhe said, before calling Russia do the right thing, on behalf of humanity.

Known for its fertile land, Ukraine was before the offensive as the fourth largest exporter of corn in the world and towards becoming the third largest exporter of wheat. But the conflict has disrupted agricultural production and its export capacities in Ukraine, increasing the risk of a serious food crisis around the world.

Exports of grains and fertilizer made to Russia, another major agricultural power, have also been severely disrupted by Western sanctions, increasing the threat of shortages.

Moscow was also accused of stealing stocks of Ukrainian cereal in areas occupied by its army. I strongly deny that. We don’t steal from anyonesaid Andrei Rudenko on Wednesday.