The export of agro-processing products from Ukraine to Russia in 2022 decreased by 15.3 times in comparison with 2021 – down to $ 3 million from $ 46 million, while the supply of similar products to Belarus decreased by 7.5 times, to $ 69 million from $ 520 million.
According to the website of the Ukrainian Agrarian Export Association (UAAE), Ukrainian exporting companies are no longer planning to supply food products to the Belarusian and Russian markets, given the military aggression of Russia against Ukraine and the successful reorientation of its export to the European Union.
According to UAAE, in particular, the export of cocoa paste to Russia stopped in 2022, although in 2021, Russia was its largest buyer with the share of 60% of Ukrainian imports of these products and the volume of $20 million.
Ukraine also stopped supplying ice cream to Russia last year, although in 2021 it was the 3rd largest exporter of this Ukrainian product after Moldova and Israel. In 2022 Germany was added to its main markets instead.
Also in 2022, deliveries to Belarus, in particular the Ukrainian bakery confectionery decreased by 8.5 times – down to $ 2 million, whereas in 2021 it was the 3rd largest importer in this segment with an indicator of $ 17 million. Similarly, the supply of Ukrainian frozen beef – to $0.3 million in 2022 against $ 13 million a year earlier, and canned fruit products – by 6.7 times, to $1.5 million from $10 million.
According to the association, if in 2021, Belarus was the main importer of Ukrainian potatoes with the share of exports at 80% by $3 million, in 2022, it took the second place with 23% and $1 million respectively (a 3-fold decrease). Also, the supply of Ukrainian tomatoes, onions, cabbage, carrots, where in 2021, Belarus was among the top destinations for the purchase of these commodities, has decreased significantly or ceased. In addition, last year the Republic of Belarus from the position of the leader of importers of cooked unfrozen vegetables from Ukraine, where it took first place in 2021, “displaced” Moldova, Georgia and Hungary.
“With actually unchanged rates of export of jams, jellies and marmalades in 2022, their main buyers were Poland, Moldova and the Czech Republic (in 2021 – Poland, Belarus, Israel),” the association stressed in the report.
UAEA specified that in the segment of frozen vegetables last year Ukraine generally increased the volume of exports, while its geographical structure changed compared to 2021: Germany moved up to the second position instead of Belarus, which was ousted from the top three, and Turkey took the honourable “bronze”. Poland remained the leader here, as it was the year before last.
“The reciprocal embargoes with Russia, imposed since 2016, significantly reduced mutual trade even earlier. In particular, exports of frozen beef, fresh and processed vegetables, and confectionery products to Belarus dropped significantly. Last year, supplies of cocoa paste and ice cream to the Russian market were also reduced to zero,” the organization summarized in its report.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky on Sunday signed a decree enacting a decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine to impose personal sanctions against 198 Russian propagandists and talk show participants on Russian channels, as well as other figures in the Russian media sphere.
The corresponding document #23/2023 was published on the website of the head of state.
“To enact the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine dated January 15, 2023 “On the application and amendment of personal special economic and other restrictive measures (sanctions),” the decree reads.
The decision of the National Security and Defense Council is attached to the decree. It contains a list of 198 people of Russian culture and the media sphere, against whom personal sanctions are imposed.
The list includes, among others, Russian blogger, translator and publicist Dmitry Puchkov (Goblin), politician Sergei Stankevich, general producer of Russian propaganda television channel “Zvezda,” Boris Yanovsky, TV presenter Yana Rudkovskaya, actor and TV presenter Boris Korchevnikov, Russian music critic and journalist Sergei Sosedov, sociologist Yevgeny Kopatko, political scientist Rostislav Ishchenko, Rodion Miroshnik, publicist and propagandist Vladimir Kornilov, sports journalist Dmitry Guberniev, film director Andrei Konchalovsky, and other propagandists from Russian central TV channels, as well as so-called Russian “war correspondents.
Diana Panchenko, a former Ukrainian TV anchorwoman who now shoots propaganda clips for Russian television in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, was also put on the list.
A full package of personal sanctions for a period of 10 years is being imposed against those on the list.
“This decree shall enter into force on the day of its publication,” the document signed by the president reads.
Switzerland followed the EU in imposing new sanctions against Russia, with 141 individuals and 49 legal entities added to the “black lists,” the Swiss government said in a statement.
“Switzerland, by amending the sanctions lists on December 21, thus joined the EU measures,” the press release said.
“Switzerland is amending the sanctions regime as part of the measures that the EU adopted in connection with the supply of Iranian drones to Russia and the continuing alarming situation in Ukraine,” the document specified.
The sanctions will take effect at 6 p.m. local time.
According to the statement, on December 16, the EU also imposed a ban on exports to Russia of a number of other categories of goods and services, and the Swiss government, in turn, will study these measures.
On December 16, the EU Council approved the ninth package of sanctions against Russia, which includes restrictions against the mining and energy sectors and a ban on exports of space industry goods and drones.
Among other things, the EU also added 168 more entities related to the defense industry of Russia to its “black lists. In addition, the ninth EU sanctions package against Russia included 144 individuals, including high-ranking Russian officials, MPs, military personnel and artists from Russia.
The ninth package of European Union sanctions on Russia for the war it is waging against Ukraine will be approved in writing on Friday.
The Czech Presidency announced this on its Twitter page.
“Ambassadors agreed in principle on a sanctions package against Russia as part of the EU’s ongoing support for Ukraine. The third Russia sanctions package negotiated under the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union should be confirmed via written procedure tomorrow,” it said.
In accordance with the practice of the EU, initially the decisions that must be further approved by the leaders of the EU are agreed upon at the level of ambassadors of the EU member states. So in this case, before the leaders approved the ninth package of sanctions for Russia, they were agreed upon by the ambassadors, whose Committee meetings were held almost simultaneously with the meeting of the European Council.
The European Commission on Wednesday proposed to introduce another – ninth – package of sanctions against Russia, which should include a ban on transactions with three Russian banks and other measures.
According to a statement from EC Chairwoman Ursula von der Leyen, the EU executive body proposes as part of the new package of measures to include about 200 more individuals in the sanctions lists, to introduce a ban on transactions with three Russian banks, including the All-Russian Bank of Regions Development, as well as the broadcasting of four Russian media channels.
Von der Leyen’s proposals also include a ban on the export of unmanned aerial vehicles to Russia. In addition, the EC wants to impose new export restrictions, in particular on dual-use goods – “key chemicals, neuroparalytic substances, electronics and IT components.
Switzerland on Wednesday approved the eighth package of sanctions against Russia, which includes the introduction of a “ceiling” on Russian oil prices.
“The Swiss Federal Council adopted another set of sanctions against Russia on November 23. The council approved the measures adopted by the European Union as part of the eighth sanctions package,” the document published on the Federal Council’s website reads.
“The sanctions include a legal basis for imposing a ‘ceiling’ on prices of Russian oil and oil products, as well as restrictions on iron and steel goods, aerospace products and goods of economic importance to Russia,” the statement stressed.
It is specified that the sanctions will take effect at 18:00 Wednesday local time (19:00 KSC).
The new measures also include a ban on the provision of IT, engineering, architectural and legal services to the Russian authorities and companies. In addition, a ban is introduced for citizens of Switzerland to occupy managerial positions in some companies owned by Russia.
The document notes that on October 12, the Swiss authorities added 30 more individuals and entities to the sanctions list for Russia.
The EU adopted the eighth package of sanctions with similar measures on October 6 in response to Russia’s escalation of military aggression against Ukraine.
