· Apparently, hundreds of trucks from Russia and Belarus were unable to leave the European Union by the deadline of 16 April.
In the last hours before the deadline, the queue on the Polish-Belarusian border stretched for 80 kilometres on the Polish. Some drivers had been waiting for more than 30 hours and there was practically no chance of leaving leave before the end of the day of the 16 April. [8:21am 18-4-2022 Kyiv]
· More than a million Ukrainians have returned home during the war with Russia
Although many millions of Ukrainians fled their homeland since Russia started its full-on invasion of Ukraine, however, recently quite a number have started to return. So fat the number of Ukrainian citizens who have returned since 24 February has reached
a total of 1,060,000. [11:06am 18-4-2022 Kyiv]
· The Cabinet of Ministers supported the National bank of Ukraine’s (NBU) proposal to nationalise 26 billion hryvnia of assets of Russian banks withdrawn from the Ukrainian market. The decision of the National Security and Defense Council and the President’s signature are awaited.
According to the decision of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), the State will expropriate highly liquid assets of such Russian banks as “MR BANK” (“subsidiary” of SBERBANK) and PROMINVESTBANK. Specifically, it relates to funds in the savings account with the NBU, in the correspondent accounts of banks, loans from state-owned companies and liabilities of the parent structures of these banks.
In addition, confiscated will be government bonds, ie the State, as represented by the Ministry of Finance, will no longer owe anything to Russian banks. Certificates of deposit will also be expropriated, ie the National Bank will not refund them either.
[12:16pm 18-4-2022 Kyiv]
· The head of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation Elvira Nabiullina expects significant economic problems in the second or third quarter.
Sanctions have primarily affected the financial market, “but now they will increasingly affect the economy,” she said.
“The main problems will be related to restrictions on imports and logistics of foreign trade, and in the future there will be restrictions on exports,” – added the Chairperson of the Central Bank. [12:49pm 18-4-2022 Kyiv]
· UKRPOSHTA (Ukraine Postal Service) imposes restrictions on the brand “Russian warship, go …**** * ” due to huge speculation. Ukrainians have bought almost half a million copies of the special postage stamp issue: “Russian warship, go…** **** ” in 5 days since its launch.
Circulation was 1 million units printed and it is not planned to reprint it, according to the national postal service Ukrposhta.
And because of the hype surrounding the now legendary issue, some people began to resell it at highly inflated prices.
Therefore, in order to avoid speculation and to get the issue to as many people as possible, Ukrposhta imposed restrictions on its sale by limiting the number of copies a person can buy.
“Some people are starting to sell their purchased stamp and first issue first cover envelope with the stamp at highly speculative prices. For example, you can already buy an envelope with a US$ 1,000 stamp on Ebay.” [1:40pm 18-4-2022 Kyiv]
[Comment: if you have not bought one yourself as yet, you may miss out – this issue is already an historic collector’s item]
· Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, the number of applications for bankruptcy has fallen from 1,100 in February 2022 to 16 in March and April in total.
This situation is connected in particular with the complicated work of courts in the regions where hostilities are taking place.
However, the procedure for initiating bankruptcy proceedings has not changed since the imposition of martial law. [2:08pm 18-4-2022 Kyiv]
· Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the withdrawal or suspension of foreign companies in Moscow created risks for 200,000 people.
According to western experts forecasted results for Russia in 2022, they expect that unemployment in Russia may more than double and exceed 9% for the first time in 10 years. There are about 2 million jobs are at risk as an effect of the sanctions
being imposed. [2:24pm 18-4-2022 Kyiv]
· Russia has blocked from its citizens the Human Rights Watch website.
On April 8, the Russian Ministry of Justice closed its HRW office in Russia, as well as 14 other foreign NGOs, including Amnesty International, the Carnegie Endowment, and the Heinrich Böll Foundation. [2:35pm 18-4-2022 Kyiv]
· The GUR told how Russia is forcing its “refusniks” to fight in Ukraine.
The Central Intelligence Unit of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine states that the number of official “refusals” among Russian servicemen is growing, and the military leadership presses men into fighting in Ukraine by threatening their relatives, ceasing payments to them and charging them with offences [3:22pm 18-4-2022 Kyiv].
· Back to the USSR: Russian forces that occupied the township of Henichesk in the Kherson region, erected a monument to Lenin. They also hoisted the Russian flag and the soviet red flag. [3:52pm 18-4-2022 Kyiv]
· The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence has released a contact number for the Russian military personnel who want to surrender.
The spokesperson for the Ukrainian Ministry noted that Russian servicemen are turning to the Ministry enquiring how to surrender and not become Russian “cannon fodder” in Ukraine.
A contact number was provided with the request to spread the word as much as possible in Russia and among their Russian servicemen. [4:46pm 2022 Kyiv]
· Global investors are withdrawing funds from China after the Russian invasion of Ukraine
· Global funds and companies are cutting back on investment in China for fear of government interference and the risk of sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In March alone, global funds began issuing and selling more than US$ 7 billion worth of shares in Hong Kong, as well as US$ 14 billion in Chinese public debt over the past two months, and reduced their credit stocks.
“Markets are worried about China’s ties with Russia – it’s scaring investors, and you may notice that risk aversion has been evident since the beginning of the invasion,” said Stephen Innes, managing partner at SPI Asset Management. “Everyone was selling Chinese bonds, so we’re glad we didn’t buy them.” [5:31pm 18-4-2022 Kyiv]
· Putin awarded honorary title to Russian brigade, which committed atrocities in Bucha, for “exemplary actions The Putin awarded the 64th Brigade, which occupied Bucha in the Kyiv region in March, the honorary title of “Guardsman for exemplary actions” during the war against Ukraine. ”. [It has been established and documented that this unit purposefully
killed civilians, children and raped women.]
The brigade is a unit of the 35th All-Military Army of the Eastern Military District and its standard base is in the Khabarovsk Territory of Russia.
Podolak, a member of the Ukrainian negotiation team stated: “While someone is debating whether the crimes of the Russian Federation in Ukraine can be called genocide, the Russian Federation continues to laugh in the face of the world.” [6:23pm 18-4-2022 Kyiv]
President Zelensky: The battle for Donbas has begun, the generals of the Russian Federation are acting more cautiously.
Zelensky stated that Russian troops have begun the battle for Donbas, for which they have been preparing for a long time: a very large part of the entire Russian army is now focused on this offensive.
“No matter how many Russian soldiers are expelled there, we will fight. We will defend ourselves. We will do it every day. We will not give anything Ukrainian, and we do not need someone else’s.” [11pm 18-4-2022 Kyiv]
· Russia will not be able to replenish missile reserves, so now Russia in effect is “demilitarising itself” – President Zelensky
“Russian forces are not slowing down the use of missiles against Ukraine. Although they should have realised that it will be extremely difficult for them to replenish their missile stockpile especially now in the face of existing sanctions. Without imports, they cannot even do that.
And when all the loopholes used to circumvent sanctions are closed, and when even tougher sanctions are imposed, restoring Russia’s missile capabilities will be unrealistic.
That is, Russian missile strikes lead to only one thing – missile self-demilitarisation of the Russian Federation.” [11:02pm 18-4-2022 Kyiv]
· The former vice-president of Gazprombank and his family were found dead in Moscow
A source in the Russian law enforcement agencies said that Gazprom Bank Vice President Vladislav Avaev, his wife and underage daughter were found dead in Moscow.
All died from a gunshot. [11:36pm 18-4-2022 Kyiv]