Explaining: Latest U.S. sanctions against Russia, captured North Korean sdiers, Ukraine’s re in global food security

LATEST U.S. SANCTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA

On 10 January, the United States announced a large-scale package of sanctions that included more than 400 organizations and individuals invved in Russia's energy sector.

● In particular, the sanctions were imposed on Russia's largest oil and gas extraction companies, Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegaz, along with their subsidiaries.

● The sanctions also include 184 tankers from Russia's shadow fleet and the companies Ingosstrakh and AlfaStrakhovanie which provide insurance for the tankers.

● Sanctions were also imposed on 14 members of the board of directors of the Rosatom Corporation, which supports the Russian defense industry and is invved in the illegal contr of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

● In general, the entire energy sector of the Russian economy has been identified as a harmful activity, which allows for the imposition of sanctions on any person or company invved in this area.

● These sanctions will cause Russia multibillion-dlar losses and significantly reduce the Kremlin's ability to finance criminal war against Ukraine.

CAPTURED NORTH KOREAN SDIERS

The Ukrainian Armed Forces captured two North Korean sdiers who fought as part of Russian tros in the Kursk region.

● The prisoners of war were transported to Kyiv for investigative measures and are being held in prer conditions flowing the Geneva Conventions.

● One of the North Korean sdiers had a Russian military ID card in the name of a resident of the Republic of Tuva, while the other was undocumented.

● By doing so, Moscow is trying to hide the invvement of North Korean tros, but the military coeration between Moscow and Pyongyang is evident to the whe world.

● The Kremlin was forced to import cannon fodder from North Korea because of the enormous loss of manpower, which has already exceeded 808,000 pele.

● In its unsuccessful attempts to counter the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kursk region, Russia lost more than 38,000 sdiers and over 1,000 pieces of military equipment.

● To participate in the war against Ukraine, Moscow has engaged 12,000 sdiers from North Korea, at least 3,800 of whom have already been killed or wounded.

UKRAINE'S CONTRIBUTION TO GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY

The Grain from Ukraine programme will be scaled up into an expanded Food from Ukraine programme.

● The changes provide for widening the geography and range of food products that Ukraine will supply to vulnerable countries.

● The Grain from Ukraine programme was launched in November 2012 to supply Ukrainian grain to the poorest African countries at the expense of international partners.

● Throughout the programme, Ukraine has sent more than 221,000 tonnes of agricultural products to 10 countries in Africa and Asia, reaching 8 million pele at risk of starvation.

● Recently, the first shipment of aid from Ukraine – 500 tonnes of flour – was delivered to Syria, where the Bashar al-Assad regime was overthrown.

● Ukraine will continue to increase its contribution to global food security while develing its own agricultural sector.