Ukraine and the World – Against russia’s Aggression. Sanctions in Action

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas believes that focusing on Ukraine’s actions in the process of preparing a peace agreement risks blurring the lines of russia’s responsibility for the aggression it has unleashed. She also stresses that Europe must demand concessions from russia, including restrictions on military force, the army, and nuclear weapons.

Sweden plans to provide Ukraine with one of the largest military aid packages, which will include air defense systems and radars manufactured by Saab, additional electronic warfare systems, and drones, the deep strike included.

Sweden has also provided Ukrainian military medics with a medication used to replenish the water and electrolyte loss in patients with low blood volume or low blood pressure.

Minister of Defence of the FRG Boris Pistorius has stressed that ending support for Ukraine would have serious consequences and would cost Germany much more than continuing aid.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy Antonio Tajani has assured Ukraine of his country’s support for its accession to the EU.

In 2025, the European Investment Bank signed five new financial agreements with Ukraine worth EUR 390.5 million, including a grant agreement worth EUR16.5 million. Projects worth EUR 600 million are being developed for the current year. The EIB will also provide financing to the state-owned Ukreximbank for a total amount of EUR 100 million as part of the Economic Resilience Support Program II project to finance small and medium-sized businesses.

The training of Ukrainian military servicemen continues in Poland as part of the EUMAM Ukraine mission.

The 2026 Munich Security Conference (MSC 2026) for the first time will feature Ukraine House – a special venue that will highlight the Conference’s unwavering support for Ukraine.

“Fifteen miners were killed in Dnipropetrovsk region after a russian  UAV attack on a bus that was taking them home after their shift. These are acts of terrorism. It’s simple and clear,” said the EU’s  Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Mathernova.

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On February 3, 2026, the decision on the EU’s complete giving up  imports of russian gas from 2027 is coming into force. The regulation provides for the following:

From April 25, 2026 – short-term contracts for liquefied natural gas (LNG) will be prohibited; From June 17, 2026 – short-term contracts for pipeline gas will be prohibited; From January 1, 2027 – long-term contracts for LNG imports will be prohibited; From September 30, 2027 – imports of pipeline gas under long-term contracts will be prohibited.

Besides, the European Commission intends to submit a legislative proposal in early 2026 with the aim of banning oil imports from russia as soon as possible, but no later than the end of 2027.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia Baiba Braže has called for EU ban on provision of maritime services to russian vessels.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Kęstutis Budrys has  supported Estonia’s calls for EU countries to introduce a coordinated ban on issuing Schengen visas to russians who fought in Ukraine on the side of the rf.

In 2025, russia exported about 80 million tons of food. This is significantly worse than the result for 2024, when supplies were estimated at 109 million tons.

Petrol shipments from russian ports fell by 40% in 2025.

Freight traffic on the “russian railways” network in January 2026 amounted to 89.3 million tons, which is by 4% less than in the same period of 2025.

russia will adopt a mechanism whereby new large customers in the power grid will pay for services at maximum capacity rather than actual consumption. The government must prepare the relevant regulations by April 15. New consumers with a capacity of more than 670 kW will have to pay for network services in full based on the declared capacity, rather than actual consumption.

russians have begun to complain about low wages and declining energy levels amid a worsening economic situation, rising prices, and tax burdens. 41%  of russian company employees are dissatisfied with their wages, while  25% admit that they often or constantly feel tired at work.

In the rf, from 2020 to 2024, the incidence of depression, anxiety, and stress disorders increased by 21.5%. The primary incidence of mental disorders during this period increased by 18%.

In russia, from January 1 to 18, more than half a million packages of antidepressants were purchased with a doctor’s prescription. This is by 18% more than in the same period in 2025.

The state duma has proposed to grant the central bank the authority to restrict the use of Visa and Mastercard cards for payment for goods and services. This is due to the fact that 20% of russians continue to use these payment systems.

The apps of the rf’s banks which  refused to hand over correspondence with clients to the fsb will be unavailable during Internet outages.

russia wants to prohibit commercial courses on making voodoo dolls.

Director of “kazan lifts” petr korolev has  said that sanctions have hit the industry hard. Delivery times for spare parts have increased, and prices have skyrocketed fivefold for some items. For example, replacing a French winch now costs about a million rubles. He has also added that almost all russian lifts manufacturers are “dependent on China” – from machine tools to parts. There is also an acute staffing issue for the entire lift industry in russia. Everything depends on veterans, with the average age of electrical engineers being 55. Other cities in russia already have experience of lifts being shut down due to a lack of personnel. If there is no influx of professionals  in the next 3-5 years, there will simply be no one to service the lifts.

The ministry of internal affairs  of the rf registered 199 rapes in belgorod region in 2025. This is the highest rate for the border region in at least 18 years. Compared to 2022, when a full-scale war against Ukraine began and a large number of troops were stationed in belgorod region, the number of reported rapes has quadrupled. In 2025, the region became the leader in the number of such crimes among all subjects of the rf.

The minimum budget for buying a home in moscow has increased by 50% in a year. Apartments in new moscow buildings have risen in price by 70% in three years, with the most noticeable increase in cost occurring at the end of 2025. Market participants expect housing prices to rise by at least 15% this year.

The ministry of finance of karelia has suggested that residents try a “month without spending”: refrain from buying clothes, going to cafes and restaurants, taking taxis, and enjoying entertainment such as going to the cinema. According to officials, this approach “turns financial literacy into a game”. Local residents were outraged – they have been living in such a “challenge” for years. The region ranks 70th  in russia in terms of living standards.

The foreign trade deficit in goods in 2025 in belarus amounted to $6.975 billion. Over the year, it grew by 29.9%.

The average cost of apartments in the primary housing market in 2025 in the rb increased by 15.7%.

More than half a million belarusian citizens still do not have access to centralized water supply.