The evacuation of some civilians from Russian-occupied towns on the front lines in the Zaporizhzhia region has led to fuel shortages and problems with ATMs and the internet, according to Enerhodar Mayor Dmytro Orlov.
While Orlov is not currently in the
occupied region, he said the evacuation announcement led to “if not panic, then
a mood close to it.”
The first wave of evacuations that
began Saturday morning was not massive, he said in a Telegram post Sunday.
“Some
people who wanted to leave were put onto buses. Some left in their own
vehicles. Accordingly, gas stations ran out of fuel yesterday. ATMs are not
working or are working with big restrictions, and there is virtually nowhere to
withdraw money. The internet has partially disappeared. But the prices of food
and medicine, on the contrary, have risen significantly," Orlov said.
Russian forces had removed medical
equipment from the city’s hospital, asked patients to evacuate, and a number of
hospital departments had ceased operations, he added.
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New round of EU sanctions aims to stop Russia from bypassing previous sanctions, spokesperson says
An 11th round
of European Union sanctions against Russia will focus on how to effectively cut
off ways for Moscow to bypass any existing European sanctions, the EU
Commission announced Monday.
“[The goal]
is to prevent Russia and its military industrial complex from finding a
way to reach goods banned for them [by previous sanctions],” the European
Commission's chief spokesperson Eric Mamer said at a news conference.
On Sunday, the Financial Times reported that
a new EU package of sanctions under consideration lists seven Chinese companies
accused of selling equipment to Russia that could be used in weapons. The
sanctions list would need unanimous approval from the 27 member states before
it can be enforced.
China said Monday it opposes any measures against
trade based on its relationship with Russia. "We urge the EU not to take
the wrong path, otherwise China will firmly guard our legal rights,"
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a news conference
Monday.
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next news
China opposes alleged EU
proposals to sanction companies
China's foreign ministry
said it opposes any measures against trade based on its relationship with
Russia.
This comes in response to reports of
proposed sanctions by the European Union on Chinese companies over their
alleged involvement in supporting Russia's war machine.
"We noted the relevant reports.
China is firmly opposed to illegal sanctions or long-arm jurisdiction over
China because of Sino-Russian cooperation," Wang Wenbin, a foreign
ministry spokesperson, said at a regular press briefing on Monday
.
On Sunday, the Financial Times reported that
seven Chinese companies accused of selling equipment to Russia that could be
used in weapons had been listed in a new package of sanctions to be discussed
by EU member states this week, which had been seen by the FT. The
sanctions list needs unanimous approval from the 27 member states before it can
be enforced.
"The
economic and trade cooperation between China and Russia is open and frank. It
never targets any third party, nor does it tolerate any third-party
interference or coercion," Wang added, telling reporters that China would
take firm action to safeguard its interest.
A spokesperson for the Swedish
presidency declined to comment before an initial discussion among EU
ambassadors. Meanwhile, China's state councilor and foreign minister are
embarking on a week-long European visit, with stops in Germany, France, and
Norway.
China has maintained that it has not supplied weapons to support Russia in its war in Ukraine, and Wang reiterated that Beijing holds an "objective and impartial position" on the war and supports peace talks. Chinese state-owned defense firms have maintained trade relationships with sanctioned Russian defense companies over the past year. A CNN review of customs records of key companies showed no evidence that any of the goods exchanged are directly feeding Russia’s war.
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