Summary of the day
Here is a wrap-up of the day’s key events:
In their deepest attack into Russia yet, a Ukrainian drone struck the primary unit of the third largest Russian oil refinery in the Tatarstan region, more than 1,100 km (690 miles) from Ukraine. A Kyiv intelligence source said the attack on Tatarstan hit a facility where Russia produces Shahed drones, which are frequently used in assaults on Ukrainian territory. The strike caused a fire at the facility, the source said, adding that such attacks would continue in order to reduce Russia’s oil revenue. Tatarstan officials said earlier on Tuesday that the attack didn’t disrupt industrial production, while Nizhnekamsk’s mayor said the attempt to strike a refinery was thwarted by air defenses.
A senior Russian politician has said drone attacks on Russia will only stop ‘when Kyiv is taken’. A translation of Andrei Kartapolov’s remarks suggests he accused Ukraine of carrying out ‘despicable terrorist’ attacks, calling it a ‘vile enemy’ which is striking Russia ‘on the sly’. In response to the attack, the Kremlin said that it was working to minimise the impact of Ukrainian drone strikes.
The Register of Damages for Ukraine opened formally in The Hague, during a conference bringing together senior ministers and officials from Ukraine, the Netherlands and European institutions. Ukrainians can enter claims for damages to their property as a result of Russia’s invasion via a new mechanism launched on Tuesday, with officials expecting as many as 10 million requests overall. The initial launch focuses on claims of damage or destruction to residential property from the invasion. Between 300,000 and 600,000 claims are expected in this category.
President Vladimir Putin vowed to ‘get those who ordered the attack on Moscow’ and urged Russia’s law enforcement agencies to tighten security at mass gatherings. Putin said it is important to determine ‘not only the perpetrators of this outrage, but all links in the chain and its beneficiaries.’ He added: ‘Those who use this weapon against Russia should realise it’s a double-edged weapon.’ Previously, top Russian officials have accused Ukraine and the West of being involved, even though the attack has been claimed by the Islamic State (IS) group. Russian spy service chief Sergei Narynshkin has also said on Tuesday that while the US did send Moscow intelligence ahead of the attack, it was ‘too general.’
Russia has announced new top brass in wake of March Moscow attack. The Russian defence ministry on Tuesday announced that it was appointing several officers to senior military positions. Adm Alexander Moiseev was appointed head of the navy, Vice Adm Konstantin Kabantsov was appointed as commander of the Northern Fleet, and Vice Adm Sergei Pinchuk was named as commander of the Black Sea fleet.
The US secretary of state Antony Blinken has said it is “absolutely essential” that Ukraine gets more munitions and air defences, when speaking to media in France on Tuesday.
France announces plans to propose EU-wide level sanctions on Russain companies spreading ‘disinformation,’.
Pytor Verzilov, the unofficial spokesperson of the feminist opposition group Pussy Riot, has been sentenced in absentia by a Moscow court to eight years and four months for social media posts criticising the war in Ukraine. He left Russia in 2020, and announced last spring that he had joined the Ukrainian army, although it is unclear if he is still there. Reuters reports he could not immediately be contacted for comment.
Russia has accused International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach on Tuesday of taking part in a “conspiracy” with Ukraine to exclude its strongest athletes from this year’s Paris Games. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova posted on Telegram that Bach had ‘entered into a political-administrative and, apparently, criminal conspiracy with one specific party’ – meaning Ukraine – ‘to exclude strong sports competitors from international competitions’.
Russia accuses International Olympic Committee President of “conspiracy” with Ukraine
Russia accused International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach on Tuesday of taking part in a “conspiracy” with Ukraine to exclude its strongest athletes from this year’s Paris Games.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova made the allegation after two Russian pranksters known as Vovan and Lexus published a recording of a conversation with Bach in which he was falsely led to believe he was speaking to an African sports official.
Bach said in the call that the IOC had established a special panel to monitor the media and the internet and ensure that Russian athletes who had made political statements in support of their government could not take part in the Olympics.
“We have also offered to the Ukrainian side – not only offered, but asked them - to provide us with their knowledge of the behaviour of such (Russian) athletes or officials,” Bach could be heard saying in English on the recording.
Zakharova posted on Telegram that Bach had ‘entered into a political-administrative and, apparently, criminal conspiracy with one specific party’ – meaning Ukraine – ‘to exclude strong sports competitors from international competitions’.
She added: ‘The relationship of IOC President Bach with the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine and its officials, and the admissions of a “request to monitor Russian athletes” should be the subject of a thorough investigation.’
Relations between Russia and the IOC have worsened sharply in the run-up to the Olympics, at which Russian and Belarusian athletes will compete as neutrals, without their flags and anthems, because of the war in Ukraine. They have also been banned from taking part in the opening parade.
