1. Confirmed: Moscow and US negotiating prisoner swap
A Russian diplomat confirmed on Saturday that Moscow and Washington are discussing a doable prisoner alternate.
The commerce is prone to contain a Russian arms seller imprisoned within the US and a North American basketball participant, just lately detained in Russia.
The US has stated it made a “substantial supply” to Russia to safe the discharge of basketball sensation Brittney Griner and a former soldier, Paul Whelan.
US media claims a well-known Russian arms trafficker, Viktor Bout, nicknamed "the service provider of dying", is up for commerce with Moscow.
Russia officers have till now remained poker-faced about the potential of a swap, calling the US's choice to interact in public diplomacy "problematic".
Bout was arrested in Thailand in 2008 and is serving a 25-year jail sentence within the US. His extraordinary life helped encourage the movie "Lord of Struggle" which depicts a cynical arms seller.
"Discussions on the very delicate topic of an alternate [of prisoners] are happening by channels chosen by our presidents," stated the director of the North America division on the Russian Overseas Ministry, Alexander Dartchiev.
The diplomat confirmed that these named by the US press have been "certainly [being] thought of" in an interview printed on Saturday.
"Silent diplomacy continues and may bear fruit if, in fact, Washington (...) is cautious to not fall into propaganda", he added.
Brittney Griner, thought of top-of-the-line basketball gamers on the earth, was arrested in February in Moscow in possession of a vaporizer containing cannabis-based liquid.
She was just lately sentenced to 9 years in jail for hashish trafficking.
2. Russia GDP contracts - however lower than anticipated
Russia’s GDP contracted 4% within the second quarter of this yr, the primary full quarter since Russia invaded Ukraine, the nation's statistics company stated Friday.
The Russian financial system was hit by a big selection of western sanctions, which have targetted its vitality and monetary sectors, following its navy assault on Ukraine in February.
Nonetheless, the 4% decline between April and June was a lot lower than what analysts anticipated.
Rosstat didn't present any additional particulars on the explanations behind the contraction, however specialists stated it was attributable to weak spot in client demand and the aftermath of sanctions.
There was a 15.3% drop in wholesale commerce and a 9.8% contraction in Russia's retail commerce, which has seen lots of of massive western manufacturers, similar to Addidas and McDonalds, pull in another country.
"June knowledge suggests the contraction within the Russian financial system appears to have bottomed out because the scenario in some industries is stabilising,” stated Sergey Konygin, an economist at Sinara Funding Financial institution.
Russia carried out stronger than anticipated, with the hit to its financial system much less extreme than what was predicted.
Analysts polled by Reuters had on common forecasted GDP would shrink 7% year-on-year within the second quarter, after increasing 3.5% within the first three months of the yr.
Given the extremely risky political surroundings, official forecasts for the depth of Russia’s recession range. Different research have claimed that Russia's financial system is being catastrophically crippled by sanctions.
3. Russia accused of blocking medicines by Ukraine
Ukraine accused Russian authorities of blocking entry to medicines in areas its forces have captured because the begin of the invasion.
The nation's well being ministry claimed this obstruction was a criminal offense in opposition to humanity, although Russia has beforehand denied committing such crimes in Ukraine.
Chatting with AP, Ukrainian Well being Minister Viktor Liashko stated Russian authorities have repeatedly blocked efforts by the Ukrainian authorities to present medicine to individuals in occupied cities, cities and villages.
“All through all the six months of battle, Russia has not [allowed] correct humanitarian corridors so we might present our personal medicines to the sufferers that want them,” Liashko stated.
“We consider that these actions are being taken with intent by Russia, and we take into account them to be crimes in opposition to humanity and battle crimes that can be documented and can be recognised,” he added.
Ukrainian authorities present state-subsidised remedy to individuals with most cancers and persistent well being situations throughout the nation, which is being impeded by Russia.
The destruction of hospitals and different infrastructure in Ukraine has additionally interfered with different types of remedy, in line with United Nations and Ukrainian officers, alongside the mass displacement of the Ukrainian inhabitants.
445 assaults on hospitals and different well being care amenities have been recorded by the World Well being Organisation as of 11 August. These have straight resulted in 86 deaths and 105 accidents.
The deliberate targetting of medical websites is a battle crime beneath worldwide legislation, though Russia repeatedly denies having dedicated battle crimes in Ukraine.
Liashko stated the secondary results of this destruction have been much more extreme for extraordinary Ukrainians.
“When roads and bridges have been broken ... it's tough to get somebody who had a coronary heart assault or a stroke to the hospital,” he stated. “Generally, we are able to’t make it in time."
"That’s why battle causes many extra casualties [compared to the number killed in fighting]," he added. "It’s a quantity that can't be calculated.”
4. Moscow warns Russia-US relations will finish if belongings seized
Russia has warned that US-Russian relations might attain a degree of no return ought to Washington seize any Russian belongings.
The stark menace was issued on Saturday by the director of the North America division on the Russian Overseas Ministry, Alexander Dartchiev.
"Westerners led by america have trampled on worldwide legislation and absolute taboos in diplomatic apply," Darchiev stated to Russia's state-controlled TASS information company.
He alluded to laws at the moment being mentioned within the US Congress to declare Russia a 'nation sponsor of terrorism', which might led to sure belongings being frozen.
"If handed, it might imply that Washington must cross the purpose of no return, with essentially the most severe collateral injury to bilateral diplomatic relations, as much as their decreasing and even breaking them off," stated Darchiev.
Russia's relations with the West have deteriorated sharply since Moscow despatched tens of 1000's of troops into Ukraine, which responded by slapping unprecedented financial, monetary and diplomatic sanctions on the nation.
"We warn the People of the detrimental penalties of such actions that can completely injury bilateral relations, which is neither of their nor in our pursuits," stated Darchiev.
The US and its European allies have frozen $30 billion of belongings held by rich people with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, together with yachts, helicopters, artwork and actual property.
The US Division of Justice is looking for broader authority from Congress to grab Russian oligarchs' belongings as a way to stress Moscow over its actions in Ukraine, a prosecutor stated in July.
Prime Western officers, together with European Union international coverage chief Josep Borrell, have advised seizing the frozen reserves to assist fund the long run reconstruction of Ukraine.
5. Ukraine teetering on the sting of default: credit score scores companies
S&P and Fitch downgraded the credit standing of Ukraine on Friday, placing it just one notch away from default.
The US credit standing companies made the announcement following the issuing of a moratorium on Ukraine's exterior debt from worldwide collectors.
S&P downgraded the scores of Ukraine's capability to pay again lengthy and short-term debt in foreign exchange from CC/C to SD (selective default).
Ukraine obtained from its worldwide collectors a two-year postponement on paying its international debt, estimated at $20 billion.
Fitch downgraded Ukraine's long-term debt from C to RD (restricted default).
Neither of the 2 credit standing companies commented on whether or not they deliberate to boost or decrease Ukraine's rating.
A rustic is taken into account in default when it's unable to honour its monetary commitments to collectors, which can be different nations, monetary establishments or worldwide traders.
Main western collectors together with France, the US, Germany, Japan and the UK agreed on 20 July to a postponement of curiosity funds on Ukrainian debt, after a request from Kyiv. The group urged different holders of Ukrainian debt to do the identical.
Ukraine's financial system has collapsed because the begin of the battle with Russia and will see its GDP plunge by 45% this yr, in line with the newest World Financial institution estimate.
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