KYIV, Sept 7 (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin mooted on Wednesday reopening a U.N.-brokered deal for Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea and threatened to halt all power supplies to Europe if Brussels caps the worth of Russian gas.

In a combative speech to an financial discussion board in Russia’s Far East area, Putin made little reference to his invasion of Ukraine, however stated in reply to a query that Russia wouldn’t lose the struggle and had strengthened its sovereignty.

On the bottom, Ukrainian officers remained guarded about how a counter offensive they started late final month was faring however a Russian-installed official in jap Ukraine stated Ukrainian forces had attacked a city there.

The grain pact, facilitated by the United Nations and Turkey, created a protected hall for Ukrainian foodstuffs after Kyiv misplaced entry to its most important export route when Russia attacked Ukraine through land, air and sea.

Designed to assist ease international meals costs by growing supplies, the pact has been the one diplomatic breakthrough between Moscow and Kyiv in additional than six months of struggle.

But Putin stated the accord was delivering grain, fertiliser and different meals to the European Union and Turkey reasonably than to poor nations who ought to be the precedence.

“It may be worth considering how to limit the export of grain and other food along this route,” he stated, including that Russia would proceed to abide by its phrases, hoping it could fulfil its authentic objectives.

“I will definitely consult the President of Turkey, Mr. (Tayyip) Erdogan, on this topic because it was he and I who worked out a mechanism for the export of Ukrainian grain first of all, I repeat, in order to help the poorest countries.”

The pact is up for renewal in late November.

UKRAINE RAPS ‘AGGRESSIVE’ RUSSIA

Ukraine, whose ports had been blockaded by Russia, stated the phrases signed on July 22 have been being strictly noticed and there have been no grounds to renegotiate.

“Such unexpected and groundless statements rather indicate an attempt to find new aggressive talking points to influence global public opinion and, above all, put pressure on the United Nations,” stated Mykhailo Podolyak, a presidential adviser. learn extra

The deal gave Kyiv much-needed income for an economic system devastated by struggle. It doesn’t stipulate which nations Ukrainian grain ought to go to and the United Nations has pressured it’s a industrial – not humanitarian – operation.

According to knowledge from the Istanbul-based coordination group which displays the deal, 30% of cargo, which incorporates that earmarked for or routed through Turkey, had gone to low and lower-middle revenue nations.

Putin complained that one other a part of the deal meant to ease restrictions for Russian meals exporters and shippers was not being carried out. learn extra Russia’s grain exports in August are anticipated to are available in 28% decrease than the identical interval final yr, in accordance to a forecast from Russia’s Sovecon consultancy.

The different most important international repercussion of the battle has been a surge in power costs because the West responded with sanctions and Moscow restricted exports of gas to Europe, blaming Western restrictions and technical issues.

As the European Union ready to suggest a value cap on Russian gas to strive to include an power disaster threatening widespread hardship this winter, Putin threatened to halt all supplies if it took such a step.

“Will there be any political decisions that contradict the contracts? Yes, we just won’t fulfil them. We will not supply anything at all if it contradicts our interests,” Putin stated.

“We will not supply gas, oil, coal, heating oil – we will not supply anything.”

Europe often imports about 40% of its gas and 30% of its oil from Russia.

Turkey’s Erdogan chided the West for upsetting Putin whereas Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic stated that if Europeans have been relying on army victory for Ukraine then they need to brace not for a chilly however a “polar” winter. learn extra

Asked about what Russia calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine on the discussion board in Vladivostok, Putin stated: “We have not lost anything and will not lose anything … the main gain has been the strengthening of our sovereignty.”

The governor of Ukraine’s jap Luhansk area, which Russia has stated it has taken over on behalf of separatist proxies, stated on Tuesday {that a} Ukrainian counter-attack was having fun with “some success” however averted particulars.

An official with the pro-Moscow self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic stated there was preventing at Balakliia, an jap city of 27,000 individuals between Kharkiv and Russian-held Izyum, web site of a railway hub utilized by Moscow to provide forces.

Daniil Bezsonov added, through Telegram, that if the city have been misplaced, Russian forces in Izyum would change into susceptible on their northwest flank. Russia says it has repelled an assault within the south and has not reported any territorial losses.

Russia’s Defence Ministry stated its forces had taken the settlement of Kodema in jap Ukraine’s Donetsk area from Ukrainian forces.

Reuters was unable to independently confirm the battlefield accounts.

Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Andrew Osborn and Andrew Cawthorne; Editing by Philippa Fletcher

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

KYIV, Sept 6 (Reuters) – Blasts rang out and energy was cut within the Russian-occupied Ukrainian metropolis housing Europe’s greatest nuclear energy plant on Tuesday, hours earlier than a report by the United Nations nuclear watchdog that might make clear the specter of disaster.

Both warring nations accuse one another of risking a nuclear catastrophe by shelling the Zaporizhzhia plant, which invading Russian forces seized early within the battle however which continues to be operated by Ukrainian technicians.

It is positioned on the frontline on a Russian-held financial institution of a reservoir and throughout the water from Ukrainian-held positions.

Dmytro Orlov, the Ukrainian mayor of the encircling metropolis of Enerhodar who operates from outdoors Russian-held territory, mentioned on social media {that a} highly effective explosion had rung out shortly after midday. Residents had been left with out energy or water.

Moscow repeated its longstanding accusations that Ukrainian forces had been shelling the plant.

Kyiv says it’s Russia that has been staging such incidents, to undermine worldwide help for Ukraine and as a potential pretext to cut the plant from the Ukrainian energy grid and steal its output. Russia has to this point spurned worldwide pleas to tug its forces again from the positioning and demilitarise the realm.

The hotly anticipated report by the International Atomic Energy Agency follows a fact-finding mission to the plant final week, led by IAEA chief Rafael Grossi, who braved shelling to cross the frontline and attain it. Two IAEA specialists have stayed behind to maintain a long-term presence there.

It was not clear whether or not the IAEA report would ascribe blame for incidents there. After crossing again into Ukrainian-held territory, Grossi mentioned there was proof of harm however he stopped in need of pointing fingers, though he later retweeted remarks from EU Council President Charles Michel, who mentioned: “Russia has put the world in danger”.

Grossi is predicted to temporary the U.N. Security Council in New York on his findings afterward Tuesday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Monday warned of a near “radiation catastrophe” on the plant and mentioned Russia’s shelling of it confirmed Moscow “does not care what the IAEA will say”.

He was talking after IAEA officers, citing data equipped by Ukraine, mentioned the only real remaining reactor had gone offline after the plant’s backup energy line had been cut to extinguish a hearth.

They mentioned the road itself had not been broken and could be reconnected and that the plant had sufficient electrical energy to function safely. The reactor could be reconnected to the grid as soon as backup energy was restored.

Russia’s diplomatic mission to worldwide organizations in Vienna, the place the IAEA is predicated, mentioned on Telegram that three Ukrainian shells had landed near the plant’s gas storage unit, strong radioactive waste storage and near one of many energy items.

It printed photographs of shell impacts to again its assertion. Reuters couldn’t confirm both aspect’s claims.

MISSILE STRIKES

Thousands of individuals have died and thousands and thousands have fled Ukraine since Russia lauched what it calls a particular navy operation in February saying it aimed to demilitarise its neighbour. Kyiv and the West name it a brazen conflict of conquest.

The previous week has seen the main target of combating shift to the south, the place Ukraine has began a long-awaited counter-attack to recapture territory seized early within the conflict.

Little data has emerged concerning the progress of that marketing campaign, with Kyiv barring journalists from the frontline and releasing solely restricted experiences, to protect shock.

Russia says it has repelled the assault. Western navy specialists say Ukraine’s intention seems to be to entice 1000’s of Russian troops on the west financial institution of the extensive Dnipro River and cut them off by destroying their rear provide strains.

Meanwhile, Russia continued to bombard Ukrainian cities elsewhere. Rescue employees discovered the physique of a lady beneath the rubble of an residence constructing in Kharkiv after in a single day shelling of Ukraine’s second-biggest metropolis, mayor Ihor Terekhov mentioned. The governor mentioned two others had been additionally killed within the province. learn extra

Ukrainian officers mentioned Russia had additionally struck an oil depot in Kryvy Rih, President’s Zelenskiy’s hometown.

“There’s a big fire at the oil depot. Fire services are working at the site. We’re working to establish the scale of destruction and information about casualties,” Valentyn Reznychenko, a neighborhood regional official, mentioned.

Russian President Vladimir Putin was in the meantime proven together with his defence minister as he inspected a giant navy train in Russia’s Far East. learn extra

The New York Times reported that U.S. intelligence had assessed that Russia was shopping for artillery ammunition from North Korea as sanctions start to scale back its capacity to maintain its operations in Ukraine. There was no quick response to that from Moscow.

ENERGY CRISIS

Fears in Europe have elevated over a doubtlessly bleak winter after Russia introduced it was maintaining its major fuel pipeline to Germany shut.

Moscow blames disruption to tools upkeep brought on by Western sanctions for its halt to the stream of fuel by means of the Nord Stream 1 pipe. European nations name that nonesense.

Pipeline operator Gazprom’s (GAZP.MM) deputy chief govt officer, Vitaly Markelov, informed Reuters on Tuesday that Nord Stream 1 wouldn’t resume shipments till Siemens Energy (ENR1n.DE) repaired defective tools. learn extra

Siemens mentioned it didn’t perceive Gazprom’s illustration of the state of affairs.

Russian international ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova blamed the United States for the power disaster. She mentioned it had pushed European leaders in direction of what she referred to as the “suicidal” step of slicing financial and power cooperation with Moscow. learn extra

Reporting by Reuters
Writing by Peter Graff and Andrew Osborn
Editing by Angus MacSwan

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

OSLO, June 25 (Reuters) – Terrified revellers at a gay bar in Oslo hid in a basement and desperately known as family members as a gunman went on the rampage, killing two folks and injuring 21 on the day town was because of have fun its annual Pride parade.

Authorities mentioned the suspect, a 42-year-old Norwegian citizen of Iranian origin, was believed to be a radicalised Islamist with a historical past of psychological sickness who had been recognized to intelligence providers since 2015. learn extra

The suspect shall be subjected to a psychiatric analysis within the coming days as a part of the investigation, police mentioned.

The assault passed off within the early hours of Saturday, with victims shot inside and out of doors the London Pub, a longstanding hub of Oslo’s LGBTQ scene, as nicely as within the surrounding streets and at one different bar within the centre of the Norwegian capital.

The deceased had been two males of their 50s and 60s, police mentioned.

“Everything indicates that this has been an attack by an Islamist extremist,” Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere informed a information convention.

“We don’t (yet) know if the queer community was the intended target, but we know it is a victim.”

Bili Blum-Jansen, who was within the London Pub, mentioned he fled to the basement to flee the hail of bullets and hid there together with 80 to 100 different folks.

“Many called their partners and family, it felt almost as if they were saying goodbye. Others helped calm down those who were extremely terrified,” he informed TV2.

“I had a bit of panic and thought that if the shooter or shooters were to arrive, we’d all be dead. There was no way out.”

Rainbow flags symbolising the Pride group had been on distinguished show throughout Oslo this week, however Saturday’s deliberate parade was cancelled at the recommendation of police.

“Last night the rainbow was coloured black,” mentioned Anette Trettebergstuen, Norway’s minister of tradition and equality and herself a distinguished campaigner for LGBTQ rights.

‘CRYING AND SCREAMING’

While the official parade was known as off, a number of thousand folks held a spontaneous march in central Oslo, waving rainbow flags and chanting in English: “We’re here, we’re queer, we won’t disappear.”

Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon, his spouse Crown Princess Mette-Marit and their youngest youngster, 16-year-old Prince Sverre Magnus, later joined the prime minister and different officers to put pink and white roses close to the London Pub.

“We must protect the right in Norway to love whomever we want,” Haakon informed reporters.

The suspect was detained minutes after embarking on the taking pictures spree, in line with police, who mentioned they believed he acted alone. Two weapons, together with a completely computerized gun, had been retrieved from the crime scene, they added.

The man has declined to be interrogated by police, his lawyer John Christian Elden informed public broadcaster NRK.

Witnesses described the chaos that erupted inside and out of doors the London Pub, which has been open since 1979.

“Many people were crying and screaming, the injured were screaming, people were distressed and scared – very, very scared,” mentioned Marcus Nybakken, 46, who had left the bar shortly earlier than the taking pictures and returned later to assist.

“My first thought was that Pride was the target, so that’s frightening.”

Journalist Olav Roenneberg of broadcaster NRK mentioned he was within the space at the time and noticed a person arrive with a bag, take out a gun and begin to shoot: “Then I saw windows breaking and understood that I had to take cover.”

WIDESPREAD CONDEMNATION

European leaders condemned the taking pictures, as did the White House.

“I am shocked by the heinous attack on innocent people in Oslo,” EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tweeted.

“No-one should have to fear for their life or well-being simply for who they are.”

French President Emmanuel Macron, writing in each French and Norwegian on his official Twitter account, expressed his sympathies. “We stand stronger against hate if we stand together,” he mentioned.

John Kirby, a spokesperson for the White House’s National Security Council, informed reporters on board Air Force One the Biden administration had been in contact with Norway to supply condolences and help.

“We’re all horrified by the mass shooting in Oslo today targeting the LGBTQI+ community there and our hearts obviously go out to the all the families of the victims, the people of Norway, which is a tremendous ally, and of course the LGBTQI+ community there and around the world,” he mentioned.

Norwegian safety authorities raised the nation’s terrorism risk evaluation to its highest degree following the assault, wherein 21 folks had been additionally wounded, 10 of them severely.

The police, who aren’t usually armed, will carry weapons till additional discover, it mentioned.

Other main occasions within the capital went forward as deliberate on Saturday, police and organisers mentioned, together with a big outside music competition and a soccer match between the ladies’s groups of Norway and New Zealand.

The taking pictures passed off simply months after Norway marked 50 years for the reason that abolition of a legislation that criminalised gay intercourse.

The Nordic nation of 5.4 million has decrease crime charges than many Western international locations, although it has skilled hate-motivated shootings, together with when far-right extremist Anders Behring Breivik killed 77 folks in 2011.

Reporting by Terje Solsvik and Gwladys Fouche in Oslo, further reporting by Andrea Shalal aboard Air Force One, Stine Jacobsen in Copenhagen and Foo Yun Chee in Brussels; Editing by Pravin Char, Frank Jack Daniel, Peter Graff

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.