War in Ukraine: military aid of 2 billion euros, editor-in-chief of Novaya Gazeta condemned… update on the situation

Le point sur la situation. MAXPPP – SERGEY KOZLOV

Tous les jours, Midi Libre fait le point sur la situation en Ukraine. Ce vendredi 1er mars 2024, découvrez les dernières actualités autour de ce conflit.

Novaya Gazeta editor-in-chief fined

Arrested this Thursday, February 29 in Moscow, Russian journalist Sergei Sokolov, editor-in-chief of Novaya Gazeta, was sentenced Thursday to pay a fine for having "discredited " the army, the newspaper reported. Sergei Sokolov rejected the accusations against him.

The prosecution was initiated after the publication in December 2023 of an article relating to Russian orphans who signed contracts with the Russian army to fight in Ukraine, according to a press release of the court broadcast on Telegram.

Novaya Gazeta had indicated on its website that the arrest of Sergei Sokolov was linked to an article on the Russian army, without further details.

Sergei Sokolov was fined 30,000 rubles (304 euros), after a Moscow district court found him guilty guilty of having discredited the Russian armed forces. His predecessor, Dmitri Mouratov, co-winner of the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize, resigned last September to contest his designation by the authorities as "foreign agent".

This term is mainly used by the Russian authorities to discredit journalists, opposition figures or even NGOs whom they accuse of carrying out anti-state activities with the support from abroad.

Zelensky replaces head of military logistics

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday appointed Volodimir Karpenko as the new commander of Ukraine's logistics forces, a presidential decree shows. Volodymyr Karpenko, previously Commander of Logistics of the Ukrainian Land Forces, replaces Oleh Houliaka, who served as Commander of Logistics Forces since 2021.

The appointment of Volodymyr Karpenko comes as the Ukrainian president has made changes in military command.

Volodymyr Zelensky notably appointed the Commander-in-Chief of the Army, Oleksandr Syrsky, as the new Chief of Staff of the Army at the beginning of the month. Ukrainian army to replace Valery Zalouzhny.

Netherlands commits 2 billion euros in military aid to Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte signed a security agreement on Friday that provides two billion euros in military aid in Kyiv, engaged since February 2022 in a conflict with Russia.

The agreement was signed in Kharkiv, in northeastern Ukraine, 42 kilometers from the Russian border. Dutch support in defense matters is also planned for the next ten years, the Ukrainian leader said on the social network X.

In addition to the Netherlands, France, Denmark, Great Britain, Germany, Italy and Canada have signed security agreements with Ukraine, which says it lacks weapons, ammunition and fighters.

Inditex (Zara) will reopen its stores from April 1

Zara's parent company Inditex said on Friday it would reopen its stores in Ukraine from April 1, citing "circumstances" favorable conditions of the local market. This reopening should initially concern twenty stores in the Kyiv region, including three from the Zara brand, as well as the resumption of online sales, said the number one in "fast-fashion& ;quot; in terms of sales.

"The group's priority continues to be the safety of its employees and customers", a announced the company in a press release, confirming information from the Financial Times.
Inditex closed its stores in Russia and Ukraine in March 2022 following the invasion of the Russian army and the imposition of Western sanctions.

The Spanish group, which also owns the Massimo Dutti and Pull&Bear brands, had 72 stores in Ukraine and 558 in Russia in 2019, according to an annual report. The online sales giant sold its Russian stores to the Emirati group Daher Group in 2022.

Inditex aims to reopen 50 stores in the coming months. Its Swedish rival H&M reopened its stores last November.