Under the scheme, buyers are obliged to deposit euros or dollars into an account at Russia’s Gazprombank, which has to convert them into rubles and transfer the payment to Russian gas giant Gazprom. In March Putin demanded that European consumers pay for gas in rubles in violation of gas supply contracts. Eventually the European Union refused to pay in rubles, and the Kremlin came up with the Gazprombank scheme. Tim McPhee, a spokesman for the European Commission, said on May 12 that the Gazprombank scheme would breach EU sanctions because it involves Russia’s central bank, which has been sanctioned by the European Union.
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Wednesday, February 18
The alleged raid was described by Zaluzhnyi as "an act of intimidation," according to AP.
Investigators and bomb disposal experts continue to work at the scene, the report read.
(Updated: )Peace talks
'Difficult' talks in Geneva — Zelensky signals progress on ceasefire, political stalemate continues.
"We agreed to continue and move forward," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
"We will significantly step up efforts to counter all forms of his facilitation of the killing of Ukrainians. We will work with our partners so that this has a global effect," Zelensky said.
Russia launched an Iskander-M ballistic missile and 126 drones at Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said.
The number includes 740 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.
(Updated: )Peace talks
"Discussions focused on practical issues and the mechanics of possible solutions," Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov said.
Six Russians and four Belarusians will be allowed to compete at the upcoming Games in Milan. It will be the first time the Russian flag has flown at the Paralympics since 2014.
Tuesday, February 17
The attack on the Metafrax Chemicals plant in Perm Krai was carried out overnight between Feb. 16-17 by deep strike specialists from the SBU's Alpha unit.
Presidential aide Nikolai Patrushev called the European raids on shadow fleet ships "piracy," and expressed concern that the next step would be a full-fledged blockade.
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