Russians take Chernobyl, as UK and USA announce major raft of sanctions

Russian forces have captured the Chernobyl nuclear power plant after a fierce battle, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhaylo Podolyak has said.

“It is impossible to say the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is safe after a totally pointless attack by the Russians,” Podolyak said. “This is one of the most serious threats in Europe today.”

Chernobyl is the site of the 1986 nuclear plant explosion that left the former Soviet town contaminated with nuclear fallout. Ukraine’s prime minister, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said the Chernobyl area near Kyiv was now under the control of Russian troops.

At 7:30pm CET, United States President Joe Biden announced a raft of sanctions against Russia and Russian interests, as well as a strengthening of military forces along the Eastern flank and at NATO military command in Germany.

Biden unveiled harsh new sanctions impeding Russia’s ability to do business in the world’s major currencies, along with sanctions against banks and state-owned enterprises.

“This is a premeditated attack,” Biden told reporters at the White House, saying Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected attempts by the West to engage in dialogue and had violated international law. “Putin is the aggressor. Putin chose this war. And now he and his country will bear the consequences.”

Biden said the sanctions would limit Russia’s ability to do business in dollars, euros, pounds and yen.

NATO will meet on Friday to map out further measures, but Biden said the United States would not engage in war with Russia, but that it would meet its Article 5 commitments to defend NATO partners.

Biden authorised troops that had been placed on standby to deploy to Germany.

It was the second major tranche of sanctions against Russia since Putin earlier this week declared two breakaway regions of Ukraine independent and sent troops there.

On Wednesday Washington imposed sanctions on the company in charge of building Russia’s Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, and on Tuesday it sanctioned two large Russian financial institutions and Russian sovereign debt along with some members of the Russian elite and their family members

British PM Boris Johnson

Johnson: UK response

Britain unveiled new measures targeting banks, members of Putin’s inner circle and the very wealthy who enjoy high-rolling London lifestyles. Prime Minister Boris Johnson told parliament that leaders had agreed to work together to “maximise the economic price” Putin will pay.

The UK will impose its “largest ever” set of economic sanctions on Russia, including pushing to end Russia’s use of the Swift international payment systems, freezing assets of all major Russian banks, limiting cash held by Russian nationals in UK banks and sanctioning more than 100 individuals and entities.

Boris Johnson urged European leaders to agree that Russia’s use of the major payments system should be suspended, making the argument in a call with the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, and in a meeting of G7 leaders.

Announcing a package of sanctions that Johnson had promised would “hobble” Russia’s economy, the PM said legislation would be tabled on Tuesday to ban major Russian companies from raising finance on UK markets and to prevent Russia from raising sovereign debt on UK markets.

The sanctions include more key oligarchs who will have assets frozen, though sources said more names – including what they said would be more recognisable figures – would be released in the coming weeks.

The UK will freeze assets of all major Russian banks including VTB, the country’s second largest bank with assets totalling €160 billion.

Individual sanctions will be imposed on more than 100 individuals, entities and subsidiaries, including Rostec, the country’s biggest defence company, which exports £10bn in arms a year, as well as four other defence companies.

Oligarchs who will be sanctioned include Putin’s former son-in-law Kirill Shamalov, Russia’s youngest billionaire; Denis Bortnikov, the chair of VTB Bank’s management board; and Yury Slyusar, the director of the United Aircraft Corporation. The Russian airline Aeroflot will be banned from landing in the UK.

European Council

The European Council on Thursday night agreed on further restrictive measures covering the financial sector, the energy and transport sectors, dual-use goods as well as export control and export financing, visa policy, additional listings of Russian individuals and new listing criteria.

The Council will adopt without delay the proposals prepared by the Commission and the High Representative.
The European Council called for the urgent preparation and adoption of a further individual and economic sanctions package that will also cover Belarus.

“The EU is united in its solidarity with Ukraine and will continue to support Ukraine and its people together with its international partners, including through additional political, financial, humanitarian and logistical support and an international donors’ conference. Following the December 2016 decision by the EU Heads of State or Government, the European Council acknowledges the European aspirations and the European choice of Ukraine, as stated in the Association Agreement.”