Missile Strike in Eastern Ukraine Kills 50 Awaiting Train to Escape

The European Union approved Friday its fifth round sanctions against Moscow. It included a ban of Russian coal, restrictions on Russian banks and oligarchs, as well as restrictions on officials from the Kremlin. For new contracts, the coal ban will take effect immediately. It will cost Russia approximately $8.7 billion annually in revenue. At Germany’s insistence, however, existing contracts were given four months to wind down, softening the blow to Russia and Germany alike.

Nonetheless, Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain met with Olaf Scholz (German chancellor) in London on Friday and applauded what Mr. Johnson called ‘the. “seismic decision”Germany to stop using Russian fuel. Britain has demanded a total ban of Russian energy. Germany, however, has resisted this move.

Mr. Johnson acknowledged the obstacles to transforming Germany’s energy system “overnight,”But, “we know that Russia’s war in Ukraine will not end overnight.”Mr. Scholz claimed that Mr. Putin tried dividing European powers, but “he will continue to experience our unity.”

Russia responded to some West-imposed sanctions by declaring 45 Polish diplomat and consular staff guilty of the crime “persona non grata,”and directing them to leave Russia. The same number of Russian diplomats had been expelled by Poland.

Russia’s Justice Ministry also said it had revoked the registration of several prominent human rights groups in the country, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, which have accused Russian troops of committing war crimes in Ukraine. The ministry said the groups were accused of violating an unspecified Russian statute. The organizations can no longer operate in Russia after the decision was made.

Human Rights Watch said that forcing its office to close would not change its determination to call out Russia’s turn to authoritarianism. According to the group, it has been monitoring Russian abuses since the Soviet era.

“We found ways of documenting human rights abuses then, and we will do so in the future,”It was.