By The Related Press
ROME — A Kremlin decree says “unfriendly international locations” can proceed to pay for pure fuel in international forex via a Russian financial institution that may convert the cash into rubles.
The decree revealed Thursday by state media got here a day after the leaders of Italy and Germany mentioned they acquired assurances from President Vladimir Putin.
Putin talked harder, saying Russia will begin accepting ruble funds beginning Friday for Western international locations that imposed sanctions over its battle with Ukraine. He mentioned contracts can be stopped if consumers don’t signal as much as the brand new circumstances, together with opening ruble accounts in Russian banks.
European leaders had rejected paying for deliveries in rubles, saying it might undermine sanctions imposed due to the struggle in Ukraine.
The decree Putin signed and revealed by state information company RIA Novosti says a chosen financial institution will open two accounts for every purchaser, one in international forex and one in rubles. The consumers can pay in international forex and authorize the financial institution to promote that forex for rubles, that are positioned within the second account, the place the fuel is formally bought.
___
KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR:
— Buses head to Mariupol in new evacuation try
— US intel determines Putin has been misled by advisers on Ukraine
— Poland to finish Russian oil imports; Germany warns on fuel
— UN company says 4 million refugees have now fled Ukraine
— UN meals chief says Ukraine struggle’s meals disaster is worst since WWII
— Go to https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine for extra protection
___
OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:
ROME — Italy’s chief is urging Europe to “domesticate all obtainable land” as a partial treatment to reductions in agricultural imports, particularly of Russian grain, because of the struggle in Ukraine.
Premier Mario Draghi advised reporters on Thursday that underneath present agricultural practices within the European Union 10% of land is purposely left fallow, however that should now change as European international locations seek for methods to cut back dependency on farm imports.
It’s not clear whether or not Ukraine, one of many world’s largest exporters of wheat, maize and sunflower oil, would possibly be capable of salvage any of this planting season.
In the meantime, Draghi famous that Western Europe can be trying to meals producers like Canada, the USA and Argentina to assist make up the shortfall of imports from Ukraine and Russia.
___
STOCKHOLM — The deputy director of Sweden’s Army Intelligence and Safety company says Russia has made “a strategic miscalculation when invading Ukraine.”
Daniel Olsson mentioned the invasion of Ukraine “has proven that the Russian management is able to take nice dangers, bigger than beforehand taken.”
The federal government company’s evaluation instructed a probable “a western containment of Russia,” together with decreasing commerce in Russian vitality.
___
MADRID — Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez says his nation has to this point acquired greater than 30,000 Ukrainian refugees and expects that determine to achieve 70,000 “inside days.”
Sánchez introduced the newest refugee numbers Thursday throughout a go to to a refugee reception middle within the southeastern metropolis of Alicante, one in every of 4 in Spain.
Additionally Thursday, Protection Minister Margarita Robles mentioned Spain has despatched 10 transport plane with weapons and humanitarian assist for Ukraine. She didn’t specify what number of shipments of every kind had been despatched, however not less than two carried arms.
She additionally mentioned throughout a go to to the Morón de la Frontera air base in southern Spain that eight Spanish F-18 fighter planes are going to Lithuania to participate in NATO patrols.
___
KYIV, Ukraine — The Ukrainian emergency companies say the dying toll after a Russian missile strike Tuesday on the regional authorities headquarters within the southern metropolis of Mykolaiv has risen to twenty.
The emergency companies mentioned rescuers had now discovered 19 our bodies within the ruins because the strike devastated the federal government constructing Tuesday morning. One different particular person died in hospital.
The regional governor accused Russia of ready till folks arrived for work earlier than putting the constructing.
Emergency companies mentioned they're nonetheless working on the scene.
___
HELSINKI — Greenpeace says its activists from the Nordic international locations and Russia have blocked a the switch of Russian oil between two massive tankers crusing in northern Denmark.
Greenpeace mentioned swimmers and activists in kayaks and boats from Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Russia positioned themselves between two supertankers to dam the switch of 100,000 tonnes of Russian oil in waters in northern Denmark.
The environmental group referred to as for an embargo of Russian fuels to cease the funding of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. It mentioned in an announcement Thursday that “each time Russian oil or fuel are bought, (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s struggle chest grows, and to this point not less than 299 supertankers with fossil fuels have left Russia because the begin of the struggle in Ukraine.”
Regardless of some international locations declaring a ban on the arrival of Russian vessels to their ports, Russian coal, oil and fuel continues to be arriving by way of ships registered in different international locations, Greenpeace mentioned.
___
ROME — Italian Premier Mario Draghi says Europe is pushing for a cap on fuel costs with Russia as a result of its funds are financing the struggle in Ukraine.
Draghi advised international reporters Thursday that the costs that Europe is paying are out of line with the worldwide market.
“We, Germany and Italy, together with different international locations which might be importers of fuel, coal, grains, corn … are financing the struggle. There isn't any doubt,’ Draghi mentioned. “For that reason, Italy together with different international locations are pushing for a cap on the value of fuel. There isn't any substantial cause that the value of fuel is so excessive for Europeans.”
Draghi famous that Russia has no different marketplace for its fuel, giving Europe room to maneuver. Requested concerning the danger that Russia would merely reply by turning off the faucets, Draghi mentioned, “no there isn't a hazard.”
___
BERLIN — The German authorities says its vitality minister has acquired a Ukrainian delegation that features the international ministry’s particular envoy for sanctions coverage.
The Economic system Ministry gave no particulars on the substance of the assembly Thursday hosted by Economic system and Local weather Minister Robert Habeck, who's Germany’s vice chancellor and likewise liable for vitality.
The Ukrainian delegation included the sanctions envoy, Oleksiy Makeev, and Wladimir Klitschko, the brother of Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko. The Klitschko brothers, each former heavyweight boxing champions, are well-known in Germany.
They had been joined by Ukrainian lawmaker Halyna Yanchenko.
The German authorities has resisted calls to halt Russian vitality deliveries, although it's working to cut back the nation’s dependence on Russian fossil fuels in the long term.
___
ROME — Italian Premier Mario Draghi says the Russian president advised him throughout a 40-minute cellphone name Wednesday night that European firms can proceed to pay for present vitality contracts in euros and dollars.
Draghi additionally indicated that Russia’s need for funds in rubles remained intact, however it might be the case that the forex conversion can be as much as Russia. Draghi mentioned he's referring the dialogue to specialists and that evaluation was underneath approach on whether or not “European firms can proceed to pay as foreseen, if this implies one thing for the continued sanctions.”
“It's completely not easy to alter the forex of funds with out violating the contracts,” he mentioned.
___
BRUSSELS — NATO Secretary-Normal Jens Stoltenberg says Russia doesn't look like scaling again its navy operations in Ukraine however is as a substitute redeploying forces to the jap Donbas area.
Russia promised throughout talks in Istanbul on Tuesday that it might de-escalate operations close to Kyiv and Chernihiv to “enhance mutual belief and create circumstances for additional negotiations.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the West had been skeptical.
Stoltenberg advised reporters Thursday that “Russia has repeatedly lied about its intentions,” and should be judged on its actions alone, not the phrase of its leaders.
“In keeping with our intelligence, Russian items should not withdrawing however repositioning. Russia is attempting to regroup, resupply and reinforce its offensive within the Donbas area,” he mentioned.
On the similar time, he mentioned strain is being saved up on Kyiv and different cities and “we are able to anticipate further offensive actions bringing much more struggling.”
The U.S. says Russia has begun to reposition lower than 20% of its troops that had been arrayed round Kyiv. The Pentagon says that almost all moved north, though some crossed into Belarus the place they might be resupplied and despatched again into Ukraine.
___
The Kremlin has expressed “remorse” and “concern” over U.S. officers’ stories that the Russian president is being misinformed by advisers about his navy’s efficiency in Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov advised reporters Thursday that “neither the State Division nor the Pentagon possess the true details about what is occurring within the Kremlin.”
“They merely don’t perceive what’s happening within the Kremlin, they don’t perceive President Putin, they don’t perceive the mechanism of decision-making, they don’t perceive the best way we work,” Peskov mentioned.
“It isn't simply regrettable, it elicits concern, as a result of this entire lack of know-how results in inaccurate selections, tragic selections that would have very dangerous penalties,” he added.
U.S. intelligence officers mentioned Putin is being misinformed by advisers about his navy’s poor efficiency in Ukraine, in accordance with the White Home. The advisers are scared to inform him the reality, the intel says.
White Home communications director Kate Bedingfield mentioned Wednesday the U.S. believes Putin was being misled not solely about his navy’s efficiency but in addition “how the Russian economic system is being crippled by sanctions as a result of, once more, his senior advisers are too afraid to inform him the reality.”
___
LONDON — Britain has imposed sanctions on greater than a dozen Russian media figures and organizations accused of spreading propaganda and disinformation concerning the struggle in Ukraine.
The most recent group subjected to asset freezes and journey bans contains Rossiya tv anchor Sergey Brilev, who beforehand lived within the U.Okay., Gazprom-Media chief govt Aleksandr Zharov and Alexey Nikolov, managing director of Kremlin-backed broadcaster RT.
Sanctions have additionally been slapped on media organizations TV-Novosti, which owns RT, and Rossiya Segodnya, which controls the Sputnik information company.
British International Secretary Liz Truss mentioned Thursday’s sanctions would hit “the shameless propagandists who push out Putin’s faux information and narratives.”
The U.Okay. additionally mentioned it was sanctioning Colonel-Normal Mikhail Mizintsev, chief of Russia’s Nationwide Defence Command and Management Middle, accusing him of orchestrating atrocities together with the siege of Mariupol.
___
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree on the spring draft, with 134,500 new conscripts to be added to the Russian military amid the nation’s struggle on Ukraine.
Each Putin and Russia’s Protection Minister Sergei Shoigu have mentioned that conscripts won't be collaborating within the operation in Ukraine. Earlier this month, nonetheless, the Russian navy admitted that numerous conscripts ended up in Ukraine and had been even captured there.
The decree signed on Thursday outlines the draft which can kick off on April 1 and final via July 15.
___
BERLIN — The Worldwide Committee of the Pink Cross says its groups are able to facilitate the evacuation of civilians out of the besieged metropolis of Mariupol.
The Pink Cross mentioned “for logistics and safety causes, we’ll be prepared to steer the secure passage operation tomorrow, Friday, offered all of the events conform to the precise phrases, together with the route, the beginning time, and the length.”
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk mentioned Ukraine is sending out a number of dozen buses to gather civilians from Mariupol after Russia’s navy mentioned it dedicated to a localized cease-fire from town to Ukraine-held Zaporizhzhia from Thursday morning.
“It’s desperately necessary that this operation takes place. The lives of tens of hundreds of individuals in Mariupol depend upon it,” the Pink Cross mentioned.
___
AMSTERDAM — Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has spoke by video hyperlink to the Dutch parliament.
Zelenskyy, who delivered his speech in Ukrainian, referred to as on the Netherlands to be ready to cease importing Russian vitality, to halt commerce with Russia and to supply extra weapons.
He additionally addressed Prime Minister Mark Rutte, saying “Our EU membership relies on you.”
Rutte had advised Zelenskyy at an EU summit earlier this month that Ukraine’s EU accession can’t be sped up. “There isn’t one thing like a quick observe, a quick process,” Rutte mentioned on the March 11 summit in Versailles.
___
BRUSSELS — European Union antitrust regulators have raided the workplaces of a number of firms in Germany concerned within the provide, transmission and storage of pure fuel amid concern over skyrocketing costs in Europe.
The European Fee, which polices EU competitors coverage, didn't identify the businesses focused within the March 29 “shock inspections.” However anti-trust regulators have been probing the actions of Russian vitality large Gazprom, which has premises in Germany, within the European market. Gazprom couldn't be instantly reached for remark.
The Fee suspects that the businesses “have violated EU competitors guidelines that prohibit abuse of a dominant place” available in the market. It says the inspections don't suggest that these concerned are responsible.
Russia is the largest exporter of oil, pure fuel and coal to the 27-nation EU. About 40% of the bloc’s fuel imports come from Russia, a lot of it piped via Ukraine.
In January, the top of the Worldwide Vitality Company blamed Russia for Europe’s pure fuel disaster, saying that top costs and low storage ranges are largely on account of Gazprom withholding provides.
___
ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s prime diplomat says Ankara is working to carry the Ukrainian and Russian international ministers collectively once more for talks.
In an interview with Turkey’s A Haber channel, Mevlut Cavusoglu mentioned the assembly may occur inside two weeks.
His feedback got here days after Turkey hosted Ukrainian and Russian negotiators for face-to-face talks in Istanbul. Cavusoglu mentioned selections taken through the talks to cut back tensions had not totally been implement on the bottom.
“We don't see these selections being mirrored on the sphere – for instance, the elimination of Russian troopers from some areas,” he mentioned.
Requested concerning the presence of sanctioned Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich within the negotiations, Cavusoglu mentioned the businessman was engaged in “helpful” efforts to finish the combating.
“Abramovich has been sincerely making efforts to finish the combating because the first day of the struggle,” he mentioned.
In the course of the talks in Istanbul Tuesday, Ukraine set out an in depth framework for a peace deal underneath which the nation would stay impartial however its safety can be assured by a gaggle of third international locations, together with the U.S., Britain, France, Turkey, China and Poland.
___
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A Pink Cross warehouse within the besieged Ukrainian port metropolis of Mariupol has been struck amid intense Russian shelling of the world.
Satellite tv for pc photos from Planet Labs PBC analyzed by The Related Press on Thursday present clear harm to the warehouse’s roof alongside the Kalmius River close to its mouth on the Sea of Azov. A purple cross had been painted on the highest of the warehouse.
At the least one gap from suspected shelling might be seen in a picture taken March 21. Some 4 holes within the roof had been clearly seen in photos taken Wednesday. The purple cross had been on the warehouse’s roof from not less than late August 2021, in accordance with satellite tv for pc photos.
The Worldwide Committee of the Pink Cross distributed all of the provides from contained in the warehouse earlier in March and no workers have been on the website since March 15, the help group mentioned in an announcement.
The Particular Forces Unit “Azov,” a Ukrainian Nationwide Guard unit combating in Mariupol whose members embrace far-right activists, has accused Russian forces of firing on the constructing. Russia didn't instantly acknowledge the allegation.
___
CANBERRA, Australia — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appealed on to Australian lawmakers for extra assist in Ukraine’s struggle towards Russia together with armored automobiles and harder sanctions.
Zelenskyy has been tailoring his message to particular person international locations via video appeals just like the one proven Thursday to legislators within the Australian Parliament. Lawmakers gave him a standing ovation at first and finish of his 16-minute handle.
He referred to as for Russian vessels to be banned from worldwide ports. Zelenskyy particularly requested for Australian-manufactured Bushmaster four-wheel drive armored automobiles.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison had earlier advised Zelenskyy that Australia would supply further navy help together with tactical decoys, unmanned aerial and unmanned floor methods, rations and medical provides.
___
LONDON — Britain’s protection ministry says Russia continues to pound Chernihiv in northern Ukraine, regardless of Moscow’s declare to have scaled again its offensive round that metropolis and Kyiv.
The Ministry of Protection says “important Russian shelling and missile strikes have continued.”
It mentioned Thursday that “Russian forces proceed to carry positions to the east and west of Kyiv regardless of the withdrawal of a restricted variety of items. Heavy combating will seemingly happen within the suburbs of town in coming days.”
The U.Okay. intelligence replace additionally mentioned heavy combating continues within the southern port of Mariupol, which has been besieged by Russia for weeks, however that Ukrainian forces stay in charge of the middle of town.
___
Russia and Ukraine each say they're making efforts to assist civilians evacuate westwards out of the besieged port metropolis of Mariupol in jap Ukraine.
The Russian navy mentioned it dedicated to an area cease-fire alongside the route from Mariupol to the Ukraine-held metropolis of Zaporizhzhia from Thursday morning.
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk mentioned Thursday that Ukraine was sending 45 buses to gather folks. She mentioned the Worldwide Committee of the Pink Cross was performing as an middleman between the 2 sides.
Comparable evacuation efforts have been deliberate earlier than and collapsed amid recriminations over combating alongside the route. Ukraine accused Russian forces final week of seizing bus drivers and rescue staff headed to Mariupol.
Civilians who've managed to go away town for Ukraine-held territory have sometimes completed so utilizing personal vehicles, however the variety of drivable automobiles left in Mariupol has dwindled and gas shares are low.
___
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has recalled Ukraine’s ambassadors to Georgia and Morocco, suggesting they hadn’t completed sufficient to influence these international locations to assist Ukraine and punish Russia for the invasion.
“With all due respect, if there gained’t be weapons, gained’t be sanctions, gained’t be restrictions for Russian enterprise, then please search for different work,” Zelenskyy mentioned in his nighttime video handle to the nation Wednesday. “I'm ready for concrete ends in the approaching days from the work of our representatives in Latin America, the Center East, Southeast Asia and Africa.”
Zelenskyy additionally mentioned he was anticipating outcomes from Ukraine’s navy attaches in embassies overseas.
He mentioned “the diplomatic entrance is among the key fronts” in Ukraine’s battle to win the struggle towards Russia.