Breaking News, 29th of November, 2018

The head of EU diplomacy, Federica Mogherini, announced that the EU is seriously concerned about the dangerous increase of the tension in the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait during the recent days. It has already led to the seizure of the Ukrainian ships by Russia, and injuries on several Ukrainian servicemen. The EU calls on Russia to release the captured ships, their crews and equipment, Interfax reports. In a statement made on Wednesday evening, Brussels expressed an expectation that «Russia will ensure free passage through the Kerch Strait into the Sea of Azov, in and out of it, in accordance with the international law.» Federica Mogherini also repeated her full support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine from the EU — within its internationally recognized borders. The EU does not recognize and will not recognize the illegal annexation of the Crimean Peninsula by Russia, she added.

The ISIS terrorists are planning to conduct a chemical attack against the Kurdish forces in Syria in order to provoke a retaliatory strike from the United States on the Syrian troops — the Russian Defense Ministry announced. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense — 11 terrorists, trained outside of Syria, have arrived in the country. They are currently filling the mortar shells with chemicals, TASS reports. “The chemical shells are intended for the positions of the Kurdish Forces that are conducting military operations against the terrorists, with the support of the United States, in the settlement of Hajin — in the province of Deir ez-Zor” — the Russian Defense Ministry explained, and added that the «ISIS terrorists will attack the Syrian Democratic Forces from the direction where the Syrian troops are currently stationed. It will provoke massive US air strikes against them” — the Russian Defense Ministry concluded.

The American Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said that China hasn’t changed its «aggressive» trade policy, which affects the US industry and workers, Interfax reported. He added that China «hasn’t yet proposed significant reforms» in this area. As an example, Robert Lighthizer said that the import duties on American cars in China are «especially outrageous.» This statement was made a day before the planned meeting of President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the G20 summit in Argentine. Trade disputes will be one of the main topics of the discussion between the presidents.

The Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected any claims for Karelia. The area was transferred after the Second World War to the Soviet Union, and after the collapse of the USSR — to Russia. This announcement was made on Wednesday by Niklas Lindqvist, the head of the Foreign Affairs Department for the Relations with Russia, to the Yle TV company, when he commented on the demands of some Finnish politicians regarding the return of Karelia. “Finland doesn’t have any territorial claims to any country. Finland doesn’t plan to raise with Russia the question of returning of the territories, transferred to the USSR, on the basis of the Paris peace treaty of 1947” — Interfax quotes the politician. He also expressed the opinion that instead of making territorial claims — it would be much more productive to concentrate on the cross-border cooperation.

Vladimir Omelyan, the minister of Ukrainian Infrastructure, accused Russia in blocking of the Ukrainian seaports in the Sea of Azov. According to him, 18 ships are waiting to enter the Sea of Azov — 4 are heading to the seaport of Berdyansk and 14 to the seaport of Mariupol. In total, he said, there are 35 ships unable to move. “The movement is allowed only in the direction of the Russian seaports on Azov. Russia thus blocked the Ukrainian ports in the Azov Sea” — Vladimir Omelyan wrote on his Facebook page. He added that «Russian actions deliberately escalate the situation in the Sea of Azov, and destabilization of the region». Igor Voronchenko, the head of the Ukrainian Naval Forces, said that Ukraine would ask Turkey to close the Bosphorus Strait for the Russian ships in connection with the incident in the Kerch Strait. According to him — the world community will place the responsibility for this incident on Russia.