Russia has sent to Prague demanding an end to arms supplies to Ukraine. Johnson was banned from entering – ČT24 – Czech Television
In a diplomatic note, Russia warned the Czech side that it could not provide weapons of Soviet origin to third countries without its consent. Jan Lipavský (Pirates) told the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has received a note that we must not provide weapons of Soviet origin to third countries without Russia’s permission. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not and will not react to this question, given that this is factual nonsense and that there is no re-export clause for this material. This is another way in which Russia is lying to demand that our support for Ukraine be stopped, “said Minister Lipavský.
“Russia is generally trying to dissuade Western countries from helping Ukraine through threats, extortion and the spread of misinformation. In this case, Moscow claims that the Czech Republic may not export former Soviet equipment without Russia’s consent. This is nonsense, just another brazen and embarrassing attempt, “said the Ministry of Defense Černochová.
“Unforeseeable consequences”
Russia formally warned the United States and other Western nations this week that their arms supplies to Ukraine were fueling the conflict and could have “unpredictable consequences.” Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharov said on Friday that Moscow had sent similar messages about arms supplies to Ukraine to “all countries,” apparently referring to NATO nations. The Czechia has been a member of NATO since 1999.
“At the beginning of March, the Russian ambassador informed the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic that Russia expects terrorist attacks on convoys with Western weapons in Ukraine. We clearly interpret this as a threat that Russia itself is preparing and is preparing sabotage actions. The Russian side has announced that they will not be able to prevent these actions in any way, which we understand as another in a series of threats from Russia. The Russians passed similar messages to our allies from the EU and NATO, “said Minister Lipavský. He added that the Kremlin has generally been trying to dissuade EU and NATO countries from helping Ukraine since the beginning of its aggression.
The Czech side provides Ukraine with weapons and other military material. The total value of the donated material amounted to 1.1 billion crowns as of April 6. However, the Ministry of Defense has not stated for some time what military material it is sending to help the attacked country.
According to the Echo24 server, the Czechia also sent Danish self-propelled howitzers and RM-70 Grad salvo rocket launchers made in Czechoslovakia to Ukraine. Last Tuesday, The Wall Street Journal wrote, referring to representatives of the Czech Ministry of Defense, that the Czechia had sent more than a dozen modernized Soviet T-72M tanks to Ukraine. Unofficial information that the Czech Republic sent several dozen older T-72 tanks and infantry fighting vehicles (BVP) to Ukraine, previously the Czech Army and the Ministry of Defense Jana Černochová (ODS) did not confirm the reasoning that it could not be specified for security reasons.
Warning also for the USA
Russia also formally warned of US arms supplies, as news began in the media that the US was preparing another large shipment for the Ukrainian military. Just hours after warning, US President Joe Biden announced that the United States was donating about $ 800 million worth of military equipment to Ukraine, including howitzers and other systems not yet provided by Eastern European countries to defend against the Russian invasion.
An unnamed senior US official said Russia’s statement could be seen as an admission that military aid to the United States and other North Atlantic countries had the desired effect and that the Russian military was struggling on the battlefield.
The first part of the new US arms supply should arrive in Ukraine in the next few days. Biden said he had the equipment to help the Ukrainian army defend against the expected new offensive in the east of the country, where Russia is concentrating its troops after the recent withdrawal from northern Ukraine.
Since the beginning of the conflict, the United States has provided Ukraine with more than three billion dollars (67.7 billion crowns).
The British Prime Minister has a ban
Russia also banned British politicians, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The list also includes the British Ministry of Justice Dominic Raab and the Minister of Finance Rishi Sunak. “This step was taken in view of the unprecedented actions of the British government, especially with regard to the imposition of sanctions on senior Russian officials,” Reuters was quoted as saying in diplomacy.
The Russian ministry reportedly plans to expand this list with additional policies and deputies who “stir up anti-Russian hysteria and push the West to use a language full of threats in dialogue with Moscow.” According to the ministry, key members of the British government are banned from entering Russia “due to the launch of an unbridled information and political campaign aimed at isolating Russia internationally and stifling our economy.”
“Britain, like our international partners, condemns the Russian government’s reprehensible behavior in Ukraine and only the Kremlin to stop the war,” a spokesman for the British government responded to Moscow’s move. “We remain committed to supporting Ukraine,” a spokesman for Johnson’s cabinet added.
Already in March, Russia banned US President Joe Biden and 12 other US officials from entering the country. Among them are State Department Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, as well as former US First Lady and former State Department Hillary Clinton and son of the current White House chief Hunter Biden.
Zelensky: Two documents can be signed
negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to end the war could be the signing of two documents. One of them should be about security guarantees for Ukraine. In Kiev, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this.
“Russia would like to see one treaty that covers everything, but not all countries are ready to sit down with the Russians at the same table after Buk, Borodjank,” Zelensky said, according to the RBK-Ukraine server. He added that two documents could eventually be created. One on security guarantees for Ukraine and the other would be a direct agreement between Ukraine and Russia. Zelenskyj has warned in the past that after the atrocities of the occupiers in Buč, Mariupol and other Ukrainian cities, which also shocked the West, the chances of negotiations with Russia diminished.
The Kremlin has previously seen that the prospects for personal talks between Ukraine and Russia are rather unrealistic. He also expressed a desire to return the talks back to Belarus.
Tensions between Russia and Ukraine were also heightened by news of the destruction of the Moscow missile cruiser, which was the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Ukrainian authorities said the ship was hit and damaged by Ukrainian anti-ship missiles Neptune. The crew of the cruiser then apparently drowned, although Moscow has not officially informed about the fate of more than five hundred sailors. According to the Ukrainian border service, the rescue operation and the evacuation of the crew were made impossible by weather conditions.
According to the BBC, Zelensky also said that the liquidation of Ukrainian fighters in the southern port city of Mariupol would end talks with Russia. Referring to the city near Kiev, which was destroyed by heavy shelling, Zelensky told the Ukrainian news website: “Mariupol could be like ten Borodjanek.