IMF says Russia’s war in Ukraine has contributed to downgrading 143 economies, 86% of GDP
Russia’s war in Ukraine is prompting the International Monetary Fund to lower its growth forecasts for 143 economies, which make up 86% of world economic output, said managing director Kristalina Georgieva. Global growth forecasts for both 2022 and 2023 are declining as higher food and energy prices hit economies around the world.
“Simply put, we are facing a crisis at the height of the crisis,” Georgieva said in a speech in Washington ahead of IMF and World Bank meetings next week, describing the Russian invasion as “sending shockwaves around the world” and hampering the country’s recovery. the Covid-19 pandemic.
Global prices for some cereals have skyrocketed since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, with both countries contributing a significant percentage of global supplies to some of these goods, such as wheat.
Vincent Mundy Bloomberg | Getty Images
“The outlook has deteriorated significantly, mainly because of the war and its aftermath,” Georgieva said, adding that food insecurity was a “serious concern” given the impact on grain and fertilizer exports from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, which are major suppliers. for much of the developing world.
– Natasha Turak
More than 31,500 Ukrainian refugees have been registered in Switzerland since the start of the war
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, 31,553 Ukrainian refugees have been registered in Switzerland, the country’s Migration Secretariat said in a Twitter post. Of these, 27,093 have received S protection status, which means they will receive a one-year temporary residence permit, which can be renewed while the war continues.
In one day, 1,114 additional people coming from Ukraine were registered as refugees in Switzerland. In the last 24 hours, nearly 60,000 people have fled Ukraine, according to UNHCR, the UN refugee agency.
Nearly 4.7 million people have fled Ukraine as refugees by April 12, according to the United Nations.
– Natasha Turak
The United Nations says 1,964 civilians have been killed and 2,613 wounded in Ukraine
Graves of civilians killed during the Ukraine-Russia conflict can be seen next to apartment buildings in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine, on April 10, 2022.
Alexander Ermochenko Reuters
The United Nations has confirmed 1,964 civilian deaths and 2,613 wounded in Ukraine since Russia invaded its former Soviet neighbor on February 24.
Of those killed, the UN has identified at least 34 girls and 55 boys, as well as 72 children of unknown sex.
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights adds that the death toll in Ukraine is likely to be higher, citing delayed reporting due to the armed conflict.
The international organization said most of the civilian casualties were caused by the use of explosive weapons, including heavy artillery shelling and multiple rocket launchers, as well as missiles and air strikes.
“Amanda Macias.”
The governor of Kharkiv said civilians were killed and wounded during the Russian shelling
Firefighters are trying to contain a fire in a factory after the Russian shelling, while the Russian attack on Ukraine continues, in Kharkov, Ukraine, April 11, 2022.
Alkis Konstantinidis Reuters
Oleh Siniegubov, Kharkiv’s regional governor, said four civilians had been killed and 10 wounded in the Russian shelling of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city. NBC could not immediately verify the numbers.
In a statement, Siniegubov also called on residents of some cities in the region to evacuate ahead of expected fighting as Russian bombings intensify in the east.
Kharkiv, in northeastern Ukraine, has already suffered heavy attacks, with Kharkiv Mayor Igor Terekhov saying there has not been a single day without strikes since the February 24 invasion began.
– Natasha Turak
Ukraine is investigating nearly 6,500 alleged war crimes from Russia
The Chief Prosecutor of Ukraine Irina Venediktov visited a mass grave in Bucha, on the outskirts of Kyiv, on April 13, 2022.
Fadel Sena | AFP | Getty Images
Ukraine is investigating nearly 6,500 alleged war crimes committed by Russia since its full-scale invasion.
In a tweet on Thursday, the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine said it had registered 6,492 alleged crimes of aggression and war crimes.
“Katrina Bishop.”
Russia’s Medvedev has called Finland and Sweden new “opponents” if they join NATO
Finland and Sweden will become Russia’s enemies if they join NATO, said Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev.
The change will give Moscow “more officially registered opponents,” Medvedev wrote in the Telegram.
“In this case, it will no longer be possible to talk about the nuclear-free status of the Baltic Sea – the balance must be restored,” he said. “To date, Russia has not taken such measures and will not do so.
He also said NATO plans to accept the two Scandinavian countries – which have so far been partners in the 30-member military alliance but have remained neutral – with “minimum bureaucratic procedures”.
Russia’s response must be accepted “without emotion, with a cold head”, he added.
The comments come a day after the leaders of Finland and Sweden said their decision on whether to apply for NATO membership would come within weeks, saying their security assessments had changed dramatically since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
– Natasha Turak
Russia will seek peace or leave the international arena forever: Zelensky
Vladimir Zelensky asked European nations to stop buying Russian oil.
Press service of the President of Ukraine through Reuters
In his last evening address, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky predicted that the Russian leadership would either seek peace or leave the international arena forever.
He also reiterated his call for an oil embargo from his European counterparts. “The European Union must stop sponsoring Russia’s military machine,” he said in a speech.
“Matt Clinch.”
The Czech Republic reopens its embassy in Kyiv
Reports of support for Ukraine outside the Russian Embassy in Prague, Czech Republic, on Monday, February 28, 2022. The Czech Republic reopened its embassy in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, nearly two months after it closed on February 24 after Russia’s invasion.
Milan Haros Bloomberg | Getty Images
The Czech Republic has reopened its embassy in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, nearly two months after it closed on February 24, when Russia’s invasion began.
The foreign ministry tweeted that its diplomats were returning to Ukraine and that the Czech flag was flying over the embassy again.
“This is one of the many steps we are taking to show our support for Ukraine. The Czech Republic will always stand by Ukraine,” the ministry said.
Other countries that have announced the return of their diplomats to Kyiv are Slovenia, Estonia and Turkey.
– Chelsea Ong
The author of “Sapiens” says that the war in Ukraine may mark the most dangerous moment after the Cuban missile crisis
Israeli writer, historian and professor Yuval Noah Harari has often spoken out against President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine, adding that it had the unintended consequence of building greater unity between Europe and the United States.
Christoph Van Accom | AFP | Getty Images
Israeli historian and best-selling author Yuval Noah Harari told CNBC that the growing risk of Russia turning to nuclear weapons or other forms of chemical or biological warfare to accelerate its attack poses an existential threat to humanity.
While acknowledging that the current threat of nuclear war is “unlikely”, Harari said that everyone – governments and individuals – should be “very concerned”.
“This is an opportunity, a real opportunity that we need to consider. And this is terrible news for the entire human race,” he said.
Read the whole story here.
– Karen Gilchrist
Details of the $ 800 million package of US weapons to Ukraine have been revealed
Ukraine was already stockpiling US-made Javelins before the Russian invasion. Here a group of Ukrainian servicemen took a shipment of Javelins in early February, when Russia positioned troops on the border with Ukraine.
Sergey Supinski AFP | Getty Images
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Wednesday night revealed details of the latest package of military aid that the United States will send to Ukraine, which includes 300 armored vehicles, artillery and chemical protection equipment.
A post on his official Twitter account lists 200 M113 armored personnel carriers and 100 other armored wheeled vehicles. The M113 is an older tracked vehicle that the United States began using before the Vietnam War.
Among the newer weapons in the package are 500 Javelin missiles and 300 Switchblade attack drones. Ukrainian defenders used Javelin and other weapons shot in the shoulder to wreak havoc on Russian tanks and other vehicles.
Eight howitzers and 40,000 artillery shells are also part of the latest US arms shipment.
The list includes “protective equipment” against chemical, biological and radiological attacks, as well as 30,000 sets of body armor and helmets.
Military observers and others have expressed fears that Vladimir Putin could use weapons of mass destruction against Ukrainian troops and civilians as Russia continues to suffer damage on the battlefield.
“We continue to stand with the brave Ukrainian people in their struggle for freedom,” Austin said. “To this end, this latest support package contains many of the high-performance weapon systems we have already provided, along with critical new capabilities.”
“Ted Camp.”
Ukraine claims to have damaged a Russian warship in the Black Sea
The Russian missile cruiser Moscow was set on fire and evacuated after a Ukrainian attack on the ship. Here Moscow is shown off the coast of Syria in 2015.
Max Delaney AFP | Getty Images
Ukraine has said it damaged the Russian warship Moscow in the Black Sea after hitting it with Neptune missiles.
It was confirmed that today the missile cruiser “Moscow” went exactly where it was sent by our border guards to …
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