Russia’s war against Ukraine: Day 145, July 18 – Update 1

– EU meets on new Russia sanctions –

EU foreign ministers meet to discuss imposing more sanctions on Russia, including the possibility of banning gold purchases from the country.  The EU has so far approved six packages of sanctions on Russia. The last one passed in June imposed a ban on most Russian oil imports.

In addition to targeting gold, the bloc is also considering sanctioning more Russian officials.  “Moscow must continue to pay a high price for its aggression,” EU commission president Ursula von der Leyen said.

– Retailer H&M quits Russia –

Swedish fashion retailer H&M says it has decided to wind down operations in Russia, after suspending all sales there in March. “After careful consideration, we see it as impossible given the current situation to continue our business in Russia,” H&M Group CEO Helena Helmersson said in a statement.

H&M has about 6,000 employees in Russia and has operated in the country since 2009.

– UK defence chief slams ‘wishful thinking’ on Putin’s health –

The head of Britain’s armed forces dismisses as “wishful thinking” speculation that Russian President Vladimir Putin is suffering from ill-health or risks being assassinated.

“President Putin has been able to quash any opposition, we see a hierarchy that is invested in President Putin and so nobody at the top has got the motivation to challenge President Putin,” Admiral Tony Radakin tells the BBC, lamenting a “bleak” outlook.

– Russian TV “protester” detained again –

Russian journalist Marina Ovsyannikova, who became prominent in March after interrupting a live Russian TV broadcast to denounce the country’s invasion of Ukraine, has been briefly detained for a second time.  On Friday, July 15, she posted photos of herself staging a new anti-war protest and was detained again two days later but duly released hours later.

Her lawyer, Dmitri Zakhvatov, said she was accused of having “discredited” the army.

Ovsyannikova famously barged onto the set of Channel One’s evening news programme, where she worked, in the early days of Russia’s war on Ukraine, holding a sign reading “No War” in English. She was briefly detained and spent a few months abroad before returning to Russia this month.