China on ‘hypocrisy’ of US sanctions

China slammed the United States on Monday for “illegal” sanctions placed on Chinese companies involved with Russia and warned of retaliation if the sanctions are not revoked.

Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, said at a press briefing that the U.S. actions have no basis in international law and no U.N. Security Council mandate. She said China’s position on Ukraine has been objective and fair, promoting peace talks and a political solution.

“The U.S., however, has been fanning the flame and fueling the fight with more weaponry,” she said.

The Chinese company Changsha Tianyi Space Science and Technology Research Institute drew U.S. sanctions for supplying affiliates of the Russian mercenary Wagner Group with satellite imagery of Ukraine. Mao said the U.S. has been spreading disinformation that China would supply weapons to Russia – and sanctioning Chinese companies under that pretext.

“This is out-and-out hegemonism and double standard, and absolute hypocrisy,” Mao said. “The Chinese side will continue to do what is necessary to firmly safeguard the lawful rights and interests of Chinese companies. We will take resolute countermeasures in response to the U.S. sanctions.”

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Developments:

►A concert by Slovenia’s avant-garde band Laibach in Ukraine has been canceled after the group angered Ukrainians by implying that Kyiv was fighting a war for its Western masters. Ukrainians apparently were angered by Laibach’s statement calling the war “a cynical proxy war for the geostrategic interests” of world powers.

►Moscow-installed occupying authorities in Kherson province towns of Oleshky and Skadovsk are preparing to “escape” to Russian-occupied Crimea, fearing a Ukrainian counteroffensive, the Ukraine military reported. 

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Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen visits Kyiv, pledges financial assistance

Days after a surprise trip by President Joe Biden, his top economic official also visited Kyiv and reiterated the administration’s support for Ukraine.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, announced the first transfer of $1.2 billion as part of a nearly $10 billion package in civilian aid for the embattled country.

“Just as security assistance bolsters the front lines, I believe that this economic assistance is fortifying the home front, thereby strengthening Ukraine’s resistance,” she said.

Besides echoing Biden’s words that the U.S. will stand with Ukraine as long as necessary, Yellen praised Zelenskyy’s efforts to ensure transparency in how aid for his country is spent.

Russian invasion triggered ‘massive’ human rights violations, UN chief says

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine triggered “the most massive violations of human rights” in the world today, the head of the United Nations said Monday. 

“Attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure have caused many casualties and terrible suffering,” U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said in a speech to the U.N.-backed Human Rights Council in Geneva. He added that Russia “has unleashed widespread death, destruction and displacement.” 

Russia has largely abandoned the fight in much of Ukraine, instead concentrating on capturing four provinces that Moscow claims to have annexed in September: Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia. The war rages fiercely with heavy casualties on both sides but little movement in the front lines. Ukraine says it will use battle tanks and other new weapons to launch its own offensive and reclaim all occupied territory.

Russia says it will never return Crimea to Ukraine

Crimea is an integral part of Russia and will never be returned to Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday. Russia seized the peninsula in February 2014. In March 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a treaty on Crimea’s reunification with Russia.

The deputy head of the Ukrainian military intelligence service, Vadym Skibitsky, said a planned offensive includes the recapture of Crimea and attacks on Russian territory. “The purpose of our counteroffensive is to liberate all occupied territories of Ukraine – including Crimea,” he told the German newspaper Berliner Morgenpost. “We won’t stop until we have our country back in the 1991 borders.”

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday marked the anniversary of Russia’s assault on Crimea. Zelenskyy has pledged to win back Crimea and all Ukraine territory controlled by Russia since its invasion a year ago.  

“9 years ago, Russian aggression began in Crimea. By returning Crimea, we will restore peace,” he said . “This is our land. Our people. Our history. We will return the Ukrainian flag to every corner of Ukraine.”

Zelenskyy fires commander leading forces in Donbas amid corruption scandal

Zelenskyy has fired a senior military commander, the latest major step in the restructuring of Ukraine’s defense ministry amid a corruption scandal.

The Ukrainian president gave no explanation Sunday when he issued a decree dismissing Eduard Moskalyov, commander of the joint forces operation that has been waging battle in the eastern Donbas region.

It’s not clear whether Moskalyov, who took the position in March 2022 shortly after the war began, was part of Zelenskyy’s crackdown on corruption set as a condition for Ukraine eventually joining the European Union.

The Ukrainian military has been involved in two recent cases of alleged impropriety, one of them tied to a scheme of buying food for soldiers at inflated prices, which led to the resignation of Deputy Defense Minister Vyacheslav Shapovalov. The other instance was in connection with embezzlement of funds meant for rebuilding.

Contributing: The Associated Press