Tag Archives: Russia

This afternoon.

Ukraine’s President Zelensky has marked the 100th day of war with a video message saying:

“The armed forces of Ukraine are also here … the people of our nation are here. We’re defending Ukraine for 100 days already. Victory will be ours. Glory to Ukraine!”

Victory will be ours, Zelensky says in 100th day video (BBC)

Alternatively…

Um.

This morning.

Via The Irish Times:

The “Russian state-affiliated media” designation by Twitter appears on Mr Galloway’s profile and on tweets posted on the network. Mr Galloway said in a statement that Twitter’s “unjust labelling of honestly held political views is the New McCarthyism and it must be held accountable”.

He rejected Twitter’s assertion and denied that he was ever “Russian state-affiliated media”. Being labelled as such was “perverse, unjust and highly damaging”, he said.

George Galloway sues Twitter in Dublin over ‘Russian state-affiliated’ label (Irish Times)

Meanwhile…

Um.

This morning.

Mariupol, Ukraine.

Via Reuters:

Ukraine’s military said  it aimed to evacuate its remaining soldiers from their last stronghold in Mariupol, as fighters that have held out for 82 days began to surrender, heralding the end of Europe’s bloodiest battle in decades.

Reuters saw buses leave the huge Azovstal steelworks overnight and five of them arrive in the Russian-held town of Novoazovsk. In one, marked with the Latin letter ‘Z’ that has become the symbol of Russia’s assault, wounded men were lying on stretchers three bunks high. One man was wheeled out, his head tightly wrapped in thick bandages.

“The ‘Mariupol’ garrison has fulfilled its combat mission,” the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces said in a statement.

“The supreme military command ordered the commanders of the units stationed at Azovstal to save the lives of the personnel … Defenders of Mariupol are the heroes of our time.”

More than 250 Ukrainian troops surrender as Kyiv orders Mariupol to yield (Reuters)

The STI Clapham in 2017

This morning.

Via RTÉ News:

Documents obtained by RTÉ News under the Freedom of Information Act reveal how management at Dublin Port was opposed to allowing a shipment of Russian diesel dock in the port in early March, following the invasion of Ukraine.

…CEO of Dublin Port Eamonn O’Reilly first informed Secretary General of the Department of Transport Ken Spratt and other senior officials in an email dated 4 March of the imminent arrival of the STI Clapham with a consignment of Russian diesel which had requested permission to dock in the port….

…On Sunday 6 March, the Secretary General of the Department of Transport wrrote to the Chair of Dublin Port on the direction of the Minister for Transport to inform him “…there is no legal basis to refuse to accept this product…” and that sanctions against Russia exclude oil product.

Dublin Port management was opposed to docking of Russian diesel shipment

Pic: Wikimedia

This afternoon.

Defence Ministry spokesman Oleksandr Motuzyanyk gave no further details but said, without providing evidence, that there could be future attacks by Russian bombers.

Russia has previously denied assertions by Ukrainian officials that it has tried to storm the sprawling, Soviet-era steelworks on the Sea of Azov where civilians have also been sheltering.

Ukraine says Russian forces are ‘storming’ Azovstal plant (Al Jazeera)

Save Poolbeg

This afternoon.

Mariupol, Ukraine.

Via NBC:

Civilian evacuations from the Azovstal steel plant and surrounding areas in the Russia-occupied city of Mariupol continued Thursday night into Friday, with U.N. Secretary General António Guterres announcing the safe passage of almost 500 people.

Russia has continued to strike the massive steel plant, where civilians and a group of soldiers have been barricaded since mid-April. Ukraine said Wednesday it lost contact with the troops amid heavy fighting.

“Russia continues its offensive in eastern Ukraine, where local officials have said civilian centers are still the target of strikes. U.S. and EU support continues to enter the country, and intelligence sharing continues to be a focus after NBC News reported Thursday that information shared by the U.S. helped Ukraine to sink the Russian cruiser Moskva.

Russia-Ukraine war live updates: Azovstal evacuations continue, U.S. intel aided attack on Russian ship (NBC)

Earlier: An Irishman Walks Into A Bar

 

O’Connell Street, Dublin 1 last month

Ah here.

AVN Adult Entertainment Expo?

This afternoon.

Russian energy giant Gazprom has shut off gas supplies to both Bulgaria and Poland’s state-owned gas companies after the two countries refused to pay in roubles.

The European Union has accused Russia of trying to “blackmail” the bloc with gas, accusation which Russia has denied.

Meanwhile…

Via Paule Deane, UCC:

The impact of a long term interruption of Russian gas into Europe was studied in detail by our group in UCC. We used a computer model of the EU energy system to understand what would happen in each country if gas from Russia was not available.

Our research showed that, while gas would still flow across Europe, any interruption in supply would lead to higher electricity prices, It would also mean higher climate emissions as gas would need to travel further to reach the demand centres and older coal power stations would be used more to pick up the slack for less gas.

Europe has significant potential to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) via ships into places like the UK, Spain and France and this availability significantly helps to mitigate against interruptions in supply. Ireland does not have LNG capacity, but benefits from the UK resources which are diverse and secure.

Over a period of three to six months, the EU is likely to be able to survive a disruption to Russian gas imports. However, the picture becomes complicated when longer interruption is considered. Running the European economy for several years without Russian gas would be remarkably challenging….

Gulp.

What happens in Ireland if Russia turns off the gas supply? (Paul Deane, RTE)

CNN

 

This morning.

Via Street Register:

The Russian rouble hit a two-year-high against the euro. However, it stabilized near Monday’s close. It is a week in which tax payments support the currency. Investors are also looking forward to a rate cut Friday.

After earlier reaching 75.95 at 8:17 GMT, 0.3% had been gained by the rouble to trade at 76.190 against the euro. This was its best mark since February 2020. The rouble was 0.1% higher against the dollar at 73.2.

Oh.

Russian rouble hits more than 2-year high vs euro before steadying near 77 -Breaking (Street Register)

Meanwhile…

European Union companies may be able to comply with Kremlin demands that they pay for Russian pipe gas in roubles, instead of dollars or euros which are part of the original contracts, without disrupting the bloc’s sanctions against Moscow for its illegal invasion of Ukraine in February.

EU mulls paying for Russian gas in roubles (Energy News Bulletin)

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