Live blog: Russia bans entry to 500 Americans including Obama

Friday, May 19, 2023

Russia has said it banned entry to 500 Americans, including former president Barack Obama, in response to sanctions imposed by Washington.

"In response to the anti-Russian sanctions regularly imposed by the Biden administration... entry into the Russian Federation is closed for 500 Americans," the foreign ministry said.

It added that Obama was among those on the list.

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1706 GMT — Russia seeking to disrupt Ukraine's preparations for counterattack: Kiev

Russia has shifted the focus of its missile strikes on Ukraine to try to disrupt preparations for a Ukrainian counterattack, a senior Ukrainian military intelligence official said.

After months of attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, Russian forces are now increasingly targeting military facilities and supplies, said Vadym Skibitskyi, Deputy Head of the Defence Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate.

"Previously, they failed to knock out our energy system, and now they have completely different priorities - to disrupt our plans and preparations for active (military) action during the spring-summer campaign," he told the RBK-Ukraine news portal.

1658 GMT — Russia again denies consular access to detained US journalist

Moscow said it had again denied a consular visit to detained US journalist Evan Gershkovich after Washington refused visas to some Russian journalists.

"The request of the US embassy in Moscow about a consular visit to reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was arrested for espionage, is once again rejected," said the Russian foreign ministry.

The ministry said the decision was "in response to the refusal to issue visas to Russian journalists" who were due to accompany Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to UN headquarters in New York last month.

1658 GMT — Six new vessels registered to participate in Ukraine grain deal: UN

The Joint Coordination Center (JCC) in Istanbul overseeing shipments has registered six new vessels out of 15 applications to participate in the grain deal, a UN spokesperson said.

"There are currently three loaded vessels that are preparing for inspection in Istanbul. No ships though are currently loading at any of the three Ukrainian ports under the terms of the initiatives," UN associate spokeswoman Stephanie Tremblay told reporters.

"Teams from the Joint Coordination Center checked and cleared today three new vessels to proceed to the ports of Odessa and Chornomorsk," she said.

1617 GMT — Biden approves F16 training for Ukrainians

President Joe Biden has told allies he is approving plans to train Ukrainian pilots on US-made F16 fighter jets, according to two people familiar with the matter, as leaders of the world's most powerful democracies worked to toughen punishments on Russia.

The green light on F16s is the latest shift by the Biden administration as it moves to arm Ukraine with more advanced and lethal weaponry, following earlier decisions to send rocket launcher systems and Abrams tanks.

The US has insisted that it is sending weapons to Ukraine to defend itself and has discouraged attacks by Ukraine into Russian territory.

1608 GMT — US issues hundreds of sanctions against Russia

The US has unveiled hundreds of new sanctions against Russia alongside its international partners, seeking to punish Moscow for the ongoing war against Ukraine.

The economic penalties draw on multiple US agencies, including the Treasury Department which blacklisted 22 individuals and 104 entities with activities in over 20 countries and jurisdictions in an attempt to further clamp down on efforts to evade existing US sanctions.

"From the beginning of President Putin's illegal and unprovoked war, our global coalition has focused on supporting Ukraine while degrading Russia's ability to conduct its invasion," said Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement.

1511 GMT — China says willing to communicate with Poland on settlement of Ukraine crisis

China attaches importance to Poland's key role in regional affairs, and is willing to continue to communicate with Warsaw on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis, China's Special Envoy for Eurasian Affairs, Li Hui, said.

China will support the establishment of a balanced, effective and sustainable European security architecture, Li said at a meeting with Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Wojciech Gerwel in Warsaw, according to a foreign ministry statement.

1501 GMT — Russia recruited over 100,000 troops in 2023: Medvedev

More than 100,000 people have enlisted in the Russian army this year, former president Dmitry Medvedev said, as Moscow seeks to recruit volunteers for its offensive in Ukraine.

Moscow has conducted an aggressive military recruitment campaign in recent months as Kiev gears up for an offensive after months of stalemate in eastern Ukraine.

"Between January 1 and May 19, 117,400 people have been accepted into the ranks of the armed forces on a contractual basis and as part of our voluntary formations," Medvedev said.

1347 GMT — Russia claims radioactive cloud moving toward Western Europe

A Russian top official claimed that a radioactive cloud is moving toward Western Europe, and that an increased radioactivity was detected in Poland.

Speaking at a meeting in Russia's northwestern city of Syktyvkar, Secretary of the Russian Security Council Nikolay Patrushev said the cloud formed after the Russian military struck a load of ammunition with depleted uranium, supplied by the UK to Ukraine.

Commenting on the arrival of US President Joe Biden for the G7 summit to Japan's city of Hiroshima, Patrushev recalled that one of the stated goals of the visit is "to help Ukraine".

1236 GMT — Zelenskyy to discuss peace formula with Saudi crown prince

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he would meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on his first-ever trip to Saudi Arabia.

He said after arriving in Saudi Arabia that his priorities were to discuss Ukraine's peace formula for ending Russia's onslaught on his country, protection of the Muslim community in Ukraine, and return of political prisoners from Crimea, which has been illegally annexed by Russia.

0917 GMT — G7 agrees new sanctions to 'starve Russia's war machine'

Leaders from the Group of Seven nations have agreed on new sanctions that they said would "starve Russia of G7 technology, industrial equipment and services that support its war machine".

The move comes after the United States, Britain and the European Union all announced fresh efforts to turn the screws on Moscow.

"We will broaden our actions to ensure that exports of all items critical to Russia's aggression... are restricted across all our jurisdictions," the bloc - which includes Britain, the United States, Japan, Canada, Germany, France, Italy and the European Union - said in a statement.

0842 GMT — Russia strikes Zelenskyy's hometown

Russia has launched a new wave of overnight air strikes on Ukraine, setting ablaze several buildings in Zelenskyy's hometown and seriously wounding a 64-year-old woman, Kiev said.

"Several explosions occurred in (the central Ukrainian city of) Kryvyi Rih. The enemy hit a private industrial enterprise. Several buildings caught fire at once," the president's office said in a statement.

Moscow has stepped up its campaign of long-range attacks in the last month, shifting from a winter tactic of targeting energy infrastructure with weekly strikes to much more regular attacks that often come during the night.

0800 GMT — Ukraine: Russia trying to recapture land around Bakhmut

Ukraine has said Russian forces were trying to recapture land they had lost around the devastated eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, but that Ukrainian troops were repelling the attacks.

Deputy Ukrainian Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said the Russian forces had gained some ground inside Bakhmut itself in fierce fighting but did not control the city. She did not say how far forward they had advanced.

"The enemy is trying to regain what they have lost... but our forces are repulsing the attacks," she said in televised remarks. "It's very difficult to carry out combat missions there and every metre (of advance) is like 10 kilometres in other conditions."

0739 GMT — Russian forces dig in at Ukrainian nuclear plant: witnesses

Russian military forces have been enhancing defensive positions in and around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine in recent weeks, four witnesses said, ahead of an expected counteroffensive in the region.

New trenches have been dug around the city and more mines have been laid. Surveillance cameras at the plant are pointing north across a wide reservoir towards Ukrainian-controlled territory.

The Russians have had firing positions set up atop some of the plant's buildings for several months. Nets have been erected in a possible deterrent to drones.

0537 GMT — Ukraine says repels latest drone and missile attack

Ukrainian air defence has repelled another early morning Russian air attack, destroying 19 drones and missiles out of 28 launched, the Ukrainian military said.

"Three calibre missiles launched from the Black Sea and 16 drones were shot down. Shelling continues on an almost daily basis," Ukrainian air force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat told Ukrainian television. "Not all targets were hit," he added.

Russia has increased the number of missile and drone attacks this month, which Kiev attributes to Moscow's fear of an expected Ukrainian counteroffensive. Ukrainian authorities do not report hits on critical infrastructure or military facilities.

0052 GMT — Ukraine allies to unveil more sanctions against Russia during G7

The United States and the rest of the "Group of Seven" major economies will unveil new sanctions and export controls targeting Russia over its war against Ukraine, a US official said ahead of a G7 summit in Japan.

A US official, speaking to reporters ahead of the gathering, said the G7's latest efforts were aimed at disrupting Russia's ability to get materials it needs for the battlefield, close loopholes used to evade sanctions, further reduce international reliance on Russian energy, and narrow Moscow's access to the international financial system.

"Our commitment to continue tightening the screws on Russia remains as strong as it was last year," the official said.

0017 GMT — Two killed in attack on Russia's Belgorod region

At least two people have been killed and one person was injured in shelling by Ukrainian forces of Russia's Belgorod region.

Ukrainian troops shelled several districts in Belgorod, which borders Ukraine, leading to casualties in the village of Nizhneye Berezovo, Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Telegram.

According to the governor, Ukraine's armed forces "struck civilians while they were planting potatoes in their gardens. "

0002 GMT — Pentagon can send more weapons to Ukraine

The Pentagon has overestimated the value of the weapons it has sent to Ukraine by at least $3 billion — an accounting error that could be a boon for the war effort because it will allow the Defense Department to send more weapons now without asking Congress for more money.

The acknowledgement came at a time when the Pentagon is under increased pressure by Congress to show accountability for the billions of dollars it has sent in weapons, ammunition and equipment to Ukraine and as some lawmakers question whether that level of support should continue.

It also could free up more money for critical weapons as Ukraine is on the verge of a much anticipated counteroffensive — which will require as much military aid as they can get. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has previously said the offensive was delayed because they did not yet have everything they needed.

2300 GMT — Air raid alerts extended throughout Ukraine

Air raid alerts have been declared throughout Ukraine early on Friday, with some areas reporting explosions. Officials said anti-aircraft units were in action in several regions.

Far western regions were initially left out of the warnings but officials later extended them to the entire country.

Ukraine's military said on Telegram that Russian aircraft were in the air and there was a threat of strikes from hypersonic Kinzhal missiles to all regions.

2100 GMT — UK to ban Russian diamonds at G7 in fresh round of sanctions

Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak plans to announce a ban on Russian diamonds and imports of metals from Russia including copper, aluminium and nickel in support for Ukraine, his government said in a statement.

Britain is also targeting an additional 86 people and companies from Russian President Vladimir Putin's military industrial complex, in addition those involved in energy, metals and shipping industries.

They include those supporting the Kremlin to actively undermine the impact of existing sanctions, as Britain continues to work with G7 partners to tackle all forms of sanctions circumvention, the government said.

2027 GMT — Arab world should know truth about Russia's war: Ukraine

Ukraine has said it would welcome the participation of any Arab country in the upcoming peace summit, stressing that the Arab world should know the truth about Russia's war against Ukraine.

Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak said Ukraine wants to convey to the Arab countries its view of the conflict, particularly its own Peace Formula.

"It is important for Ukraine that the Arab world knows the truth about what is happening in Ukraine today, how Ukrainians have been fighting for over a year against the Russian invasion," Yermak said in an interview with AlHadath TV channel.

For our live updates from Thursday (May 18), click here.