Ukraine updates: EU eyes Russian diamonds in new sanctions

The European Union on Monday adopted its twelfth package of sanctions targeting Russia for its war in Ukraine.

The latest raft of sanctions, drawn up last Friday at an EU summit, will target revenues, materials and technologies key to Russia's war effort in its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

The new sanctions will target the sale of natural and synthetic diamonds — estimated to be worth €3.6-4.6 billion ($4-5 billion) to Russia annually — military technology, and oil.

Some 29 companies "directly supporting Russia's military-industrial complex" were added to the EU sanctions list, including foreign-based entities accused either of selling sensitive military technology to Moscow, or of helping it to circumvent Western sanctions.

The measures also seek to bolster the EU's ability to crack down on sanctions evasion in the tech sector as well as targeting the illicit sale of Russian oil by improving information sharing among member states.

Moscow has successfully evaded prior oil sanctions, for instance, by operating a "dark fleet" of tankers able to transport and transfer fuel on the high seas.

Further, the bloc will freeze the assets of some 100 individuals with close ties to the Kremlin and bar them from traveling to or transiting through the EU.

"With this twelfth package," said Josep Borrell, the EU's foreign affairs chief, "we are putting forward a robust set of new listings and economic measures that will further weaken Russia's war machine."

Borrell said: "Our message is clear. We remain steadfast in our commitment to Ukraine and will continue to support its fight for freedom and sovereignty."

At the beginning of the year Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that 2023 would be the year that his country would win the war against Russia but with a failed counter-offensive and in the midst of another winter, DW correspondent Nick Connolly in Kyiv said all indications point to the war grinding on.

"There's definitely a recognition here in Kyiv that was a mistake to give these kinds of timelines. Now there's a real sense that the leadership on all levels is preparing to dig in for the long term, there are lots of things that were put off like elections, like further mobilization," Connolly said, adding "those are now back on the agenda because they simply realized they are going to need new troops next year and probably in the year after."

"There is a kind of consensus, if you talk to people, that carrying on is the least bad option. Making peace now with Russia on Russia's terms — we've had Vladimir Putin basically make it clear that his war aims haven't changed, that he's expecting Ukrainian capitulation," which Connolly said was not what people he had spoken to, wanted to see happen.

On the issue of waning international support and the impact that was having on the morale of Ukrainian troops, Connolly said having been on the frontlines just last week "it was a very mixed picture."

Connolly said that in some instances one would come across more seasoned troops who had in some cases been fighting since before 2014 and were "used to spending winter in the trenches, who are used to dealing with the mice as well as the shellshock and the constant danger of Russian drones."

In other cases there were units comprised of those who had been mobilized and didn't necessarily want to be there and "were really struggling to cope."

Connolly said that fatigue was a critical factor among Ukraine's forces.

"The most important thing is tiredness. The vast majority of the frontline units have been fighting since the beginning of Russia's invasion — almost two years now — and they are just exhausted."

Some of these troops had only had a two week break which some said was not nearly enough time away from the front, Connolly said.

Drones are transforming the battlefield, with both Ukrainian and Russian forces relying on them extensively. Ukrainian drone pilots near Avdiivka are using them to counter what analysts are calling the biggest assault by Russian forces since Bakhmut. Watch this report by DW's correspondent in Ukraine, Nick Connolly.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for frozen Russian assets in the European Union to be used to to provide financial support to his country.

"The assets of the terrorist state [Russia] and its allies should be used to support Ukraine in order to protect lives and people from Russian terror," Zelenskyy said in his evening address on Sunday.

"That will be fair."

According to the European Commission, Russian assets worth more than €200 billion ($216 billion) have been frozen in the EU.

Ukraine's security services said on Sunday they found a bug in an office that could have been used in the future by army chief Valery Zaluzhnyi.

"We emphasize that the equipment was found not directly in Valery Zaluzhny's office, but in one of the premises that could be used by him for work in the future," authorities said in a statement.

"According to preliminary data, the found device was in a nonoperational state," it continued.

"No data storage devices or means of remote audio transmission were found. This technical device will be sent for examination."

Authorities have opened investigation under an article in Ukraine's criminal code on "unlawful acquisition, sale, or use of special technical means for obtaining information."

Local and foreign media have recently reported on growing tension between Zaluzhny and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zaluzhny has publicly said the conflict has turned into a war of attrition that could allow Russia to rebuild its military power — an analysis that Zelenskyy has rejected.

The Freedom of Russia Legion — a Ukraine-based paramilitary group consisting of Russians who oppose the Kremlin — has claimed responsibility for a cross-border attack on Sunday.

The group said it destroyed a platoon stronghold of Russian troops near the village of Terebreno  in Russia's Belgorod region.

Earlier on Sunday, the governor of the Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said Terebreno had come under fire from Ukrainian forces.

He said a "shooting battle" took place in the village, but added that no civilians were hurt.

zc/wd (Reuters, AFP, AP, dpa)