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

President of the European Council António Costa has announced that the proposed future European Union budget includes up to EUR 100 billion for a new cooperation program with Ukraine.

“Of the EUR 28 billion, we have already allocated 22 billion. This means that we have approved procurement schedules totaling EUR 22 billion, and of that 22 billion, we have already disbursed EUR 8.5 billion. In the coming weeks, you will see even more approvals and even more disbursements,” said European Commission Spokesperson Balázs Újvári regarding the disbursement to Ukraine of a new tranche from the defense component of the EUR 90-billion EU loan approved for 2026–2027.

International partners will allocate approximately $10.5 million for the temporary storage of this year’s harvest from small and medium-sized agricultural producers operating in Ukraine’s frontline regions.

Sweden is insisting on resuming discussions regarding the use of frozen russian assets to finance Ukraine. This was stated by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden Maria Malmer Stenergård.

Estonia will allocate more than EUR 75 million to projects in Zhytomyr region by 2027. Lithuania plans to allocate EUR 17 million for the construction of a school hub on the site of Lyceum No. 25 in Zhytomyr, which was destroyed by the russians. The Netherlands has announced its readiness to provide a EUR 35.5 million grant for a new multidisciplinary city hospital in the regional center.

Critical infrastructure facilities in Volyn and Kyiv regions have received more than 27 tons of power equipment from Finland.

Latvia’s Ministry of Economy will use remaining funds to purchase 12 diesel generators for Chernihiv region.

President of Finland Alexander Stubb believes that the window of opportunity for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union is open right now. At the same time, he called Ukraine’s membership in the EU and NATO his “red line” regarding the end of russia’s war against Ukraine. Stubb is also ready, if necessary, to serve as an official negotiator in potential peace talks with russia.

“…We have a plan to be ready by 2030 to respond jointly, to be ready with a unified response to this threat,” said President of the European Council António Costa regarding the EU’s readiness to respond to hybrid threats.

“russia’s behavior poses a threat to Hungary, Europe, and the world order, and also puts the Hungarian minority living in Transcarpathia in serious danger,” read the instructions for the Hungarian delegation to the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.

28 South Korean-made K2 tanks have arrived in Poland and will be deployed near the border with russia’s kaliningrad region.

Starting September 1, new restrictions on the import of russian and belarusian goods will take effect in Latvia. The ban will cover books, newspapers, and other printed materials, as well as clothing, footwear, headwear, toys, games, and sports equipment. The restrictions will also apply to goods imported via third countries.

Armenia will not prevent russians from entering the Republic if a new wave of mobilization is announced in russia, and is ready to provide them with assistance. This was stated by the Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Alen Simonyan.

The volume of transactions on russia’s carbon market has halved.

Indian oil refiners have begun cutting back on purchases of russian oil amid supply disruptions following Ukrainian attacks on russian refineries and ports. The companies are seeking alternative supplies in the Persian Gulf, West Africa, and the US market.

Freight rates for transporting Urals crude from western russian ports to India rose sharply in August amid high demand for tankers and security risks for vessels carrying russian crude. The cost of chartering a Suezmax-class tanker carrying about 140,000 tons of oil from the Black Sea port of novorossiysk to India rose to a multi-year high – about $20 million, up from approximately $13 million a month earlier.

Over the past year, russia’s largest marketplaces have increased the burden on sellers by raising commission rates and the cost of logistics services. On “ozon”, these rates rose on average from 18.6% to 47.8% of the base price of goods, and on “wildberries” – to 42.7%. As the platforms strive to increase their margins, their costs are rising, while sellers’ profitability has fallen three-fold. In the second half of 2026, commission increases will continue, and over the next 12 months, they will rise by at least another 25% compared to current levels.

PAO “nizhnekamskneftekhim”’s net profit fell 16-fold in the first half of the year. nknkh’s revenue for the six-month period fell by 6.1%. The company has also recognized impairment losses on assets totaling 1.5 billion rubles for the reporting period.

Net profit for the retailer PJSC “henderson fashion group” (which operates the henderson men’s clothing shop chain) fell by 53% year-on-year in January–June 2026. The decline in the company’s profit comes amid a general slowdown in demand. In the first half of 2026, sales in the russian fashion market fell by 10–15% in volume terms.

The russian jewelry brand “viva la vika” will sell off all remaining inventory within a month and close its brick-and-mortar shops.

According to August data, in moscow and moscow region, the warehouse infrastructure market decreased by 584,000 square meters of such real estate.

The average vacancy rate in st. petersburg’s shopping centers, based on a sample, rose from 4.7% in December 2025 to 6.8% in June 2026. Vacant space is increasing not because of the active commissioning of new retail space, but due to the closure of shops in existing facilities. In the first half of the year, the area of closed shops exceeded that of new openings by 39%.

Vegetable prices in russia rose despite seasonal factors. In particular, in st. petersburg, the most notable price increases were for carrots (+8.4%), apples (+6.7%), capsicums (+4.2%), onions (+3%), potatoes (+2.5%), and beetroots (+2.4%).

The limit on sales of AI-92 and AI-95 petrol at filling stations in astrakhan region will be reduced to 30 liters per person per day.

russians began saving half as much amid rapidly rising expenses. In January–June 2026, the share of income that citizens allocated to savings fell from 10% to 4.4%. At the same time, in the first half of the year, russians’ nominal incomes rose by 7%, while expenses jumped by 13.7%. After purchasing food, medicine, paying for housing and utility services, and covering other mandatory expenses, most russians have no disposable income left for savings.

At least 47 of russia’s 50 leading universities are encouraging students to sign contracts with the ministry of defense.

In belarus, in July alone, potato prices rose by 10%, prices for onion – by 16.7%, for beetroot – by 58%, and for carrot – by 20%. Overall, since the beginning of the year, potato prices have risen by 81.6% compared to the same period in 2025, onion prices – by 44.3%, beet prices – by 84.6%, and carrot prices – by 91.9%.