The Kyiv Independent
News, analyses, investigations, opinions, podcasts and more. On-the-ground reporting from Ukraine
Russia threatens to decrease diplomatic relations with US in response to REPO Act.
Russia could lower its level of diplomatic relations with the U.S. if confiscated frozen Russian assets are transferred to Ukraine, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Russian state-controlled media on April 25.
Earlier this week, the U.S. government passed the REPO Act that would allow the seizure and transfer of frozen Russian assets held in the U.S. to Ukraine. The bill was signed alongside a $95 billion foreign aid bill that included $61 billion for Kyiv.
The U.S. is now the first Western country to adopt legislation green-lighting confiscating frozen Russian assets for Ukraine.
“Of course, there can be no doubt that we are very consistent on this issue," Ryabkov said. "But depending on how the discussion goes further among our opponents, the nature of the response measures will be determined...Lowering the level of diplomatic relations is one of the options."
The majority of the Russian central bank’s assets that were frozen by the European Union and Group of Seven (G7) are held in the EU. The U.S. holds around 5$ billion worth of Russian assets out of the total of $300 billion frozen by Kyiv’s Western and other allies.
While some partners, like the U.S., have been pushing to funnel these funds directly to Kyiv, European countries have been more hesitant, fearing economic and legal pitfalls.
The EU is instead working on a plan to use the profits generated by the frozen assets to fund defense assistance for Ukraine.
Russian glide bomb attack injures 10 in downtown Kharkiv.
Russian forces hit two sites in the residential area of Kharkiv as Ukraine marked Orthodox Easter.
Energy Minister: Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure cause over $1 billion in damage.
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Russian drone attack on Donetsk Oblast village injures 3 people.
Russian forces attacked the village of Mykhailivka in Donetsk Oblast's Pokrovsk district on May 5, injuring three people, the regional prosecutor's office reported.
Die Zeit: Data on Bundeswehr meetings were available online until May 3.
Data on over 6,000 meetings held by Germany's Budeswehr were leaked and available online until May 3, according to the German media outlet Die Zeit.
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Members of the Military Medical Examination Commission can no longer use their own discretion when determining a person's eligibility for the military, the Defense Ministry said on May 4.
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