KYIV, Sept 8 (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened to halt all energy shipments to Europe if Brussels goes ahead with a proposal to cap the price of Russian gas and suggested restricting a U.N.-brokered deal for Ukrainian grain exports via the Black Sea.
In a combative speech to an economic forum in Russia’s Far East region, Putin said on Wednesday that Russia would not lose its war in Ukraine, which he says is being waged to ensure Russian security and to protect Russian speakers there.
Ukraine remained guarded about its counter-offensive in the east but its top general warned Russia could turn to nuclear weapons and other nations could be drawn into a protracted “Third World War.”
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy reported “good news” from the Kharkiv region east of Kyiv, saying some settlements had been recaptured from Russian forces.
In an evening video address, Zelenskiy cited “the extremely successful hits in areas where the occupiers are concentrated” and said Ukrainian artillery had made successful strikes against Russian forces in the south.
The Pentagon said Ukraine’s forces were making “slow but meaningful progress” on the battlefield and were doing better in the south than Russia. Ukraine’s military command for the southern district said its forces killed 108 Russian soldiers and destroyed 37 pieces of military hardware on Wednesday amid Russian shelling and air strikes.
Reuters was not able to verify battlefield reports.
Asked about what Russia calls its “special military operation” at the forum in Vladivostok, Putin said: “We have not lost anything and will not lose anything.”
UKRAINE, RUSSIA SPAR OVER GRAIN DEAL
The grain pact, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey, created a protected corridor after Ukraine lost access to its main export route when Russia attacked via land, air and sea.
Designed to help ease global food prices by increasing supplies, the deal has been the only diplomatic breakthrough between Moscow and Kyiv in more than six months of war.
Putin said the accord was delivering grain, fertiliser and other food to the European Union and Turkey rather than to poor countries, which he said was its original goal.
“It may be worth considering how to limit the export of grain and other food along this route,” he said, adding that Russia would continue to abide by its terms.
The pact is up for renewal in late November.
Ukraine said it was strictly adhering to the accord and there were no grounds for renegotiation.
“Today in Russia, another blatantly false statement was made that somehow most Ukrainian grain is being exported to European countries,” Zelenskiy said in his address.
The Istanbul-based coordination group that monitors the deal says 30% of cargo has gone to low and lower-middle income countries. British U.N. Ambassador Barbara Woodward said Putin’s claim was incorrect and that Africa has received more than 50% of Ukraine’s wheat exports under the U.N. deal.
U.S. SAYS RUSSIAN ‘FILTRATION’ IS WAR CRIME
Meanwhile, the United States accused Moscow of war crimes by unlawfully detaining, interrogating and deporting up to 1.6 million Ukrainians, including 1,800 children.
U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, told the U.N. Security Council that Russian officials are overseeing so-called filtration operations that “aim to identify individuals Russia deems insufficiently compliant or compatible to its control”.
The envoy said the practice was preparation for annexing territory. read more
U.N. political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo said the council had verified that Ukrainian civilians were subjected to filtration and demanded access to all detained people. She said a fact-finding mission would begin…
Read More: Russia threatens to stop European energy exports; Ukraine reports eastern gains