Diplomacy
Ukraine stripped Iran’s Ambassador of his accreditation and ordered the country’s diplomatic personnel to be “significantly” reduced after supplying drones to Russia.
Sanctions
Poland, Ireland, and the Baltics are pushing the EU to broaden its sanctions against Russia, including a ban on liquefied petroleum gas, restrictions on nuclear energy cooperation, removing more banks from SWIFT, a ban on insurance services and transferring US dollar banknotes to Russia, and restrictions on transactions involving crypto assets.
Consequences
Telecoms provider Ericsson is facing trouble after evidence emerged that it received permits to sell into Russia through August despite public statements saying it would suspend all deliveries in April.
Ukraine Sitrep
Voting in the referenda for four Ukrainian territories – Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia – to join Russia kicked off today. Reports are the voting is being conducted at gunpoint.
A UN inquiry detailed evidence of war crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine, including rape, torture, and executions and attacks that did not distinguish between civilians and combatants.