Ukraine Latest: Russia, China Hold Naval Exercises With Iran

(Blumberg) —

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Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his top battlefield commanders, spoke via video link with senior US military and national security officials.

The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, citing his alleged role in the illegal deportation of thousands of Ukrainian children to Russia. The Kremlin, which does not recognize the court’s verdicts, called the move unacceptable. US President Joe Biden called the arrest warrant for Putin “justified”.

Xi Jinping will travel to Russia on Monday, his first trip there since Kremlin troops invaded Ukraine, to show his support for Putin. The two are expected to discuss Beijing’s 12-point plan to end the war, a document opposed by most Western governments.

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Important Developments

(All times CET)

Russia, China and Iran complete naval exercises in the Arabian Sea (12:43 p.m.)

Russia, China and Iran have completed a fourth round of naval exercises in the Arabian Sea, Interfax reported, citing the Russian Defense Ministry. Iranian media reported that the exercises, dubbed “Marine Security Belt 2023,” included night-time gunnery operations against air targets.

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The Russian frigate Admiral Gorshkov and the Chinese destroyer Nanjing took part in the exercises, which took place on Thursday and Friday. The war games follow others over the past month involving Russia, China and South Africa, which also used the Gorshkov, which is armed with hypersonic Zircon missiles.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping is making his first state visit to Russia next week since it invaded Ukraine amid concerns China could start providing military aid to Moscow.

Germany, Japan welcome Putin arrest warrant (11:30 a.m.)

Leaders of Japan and Germany jointly welcomed the International Criminal Court’s decision to issue an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin over his alleged role in the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia.

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“No one is above the law. That is also an important principle of international law,” said Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz after talks with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Kishida said his government is following the investigation “with great interest.”

US and Ukrainian officials discuss military needs at Battlefield, Kyiv

Senior US officials, including National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, held a video meeting with Ukraine’s president and his chief of staff, the defense secretary and senior military commanders.

The participants, which included Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and Commander-in-Chief of Ground and Air Defense Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, discussed Kiev’s military needs, including arms and ammunition, Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak on Telegram.

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The officials held detailed discussions about the situation on the battlefield, including the most difficult combat operations, and about the urgent needs of the Ukrainian army, Yermak said.

Russia Launches Drone Attack Overnight (8am)

Air raid sirens sounded across Ukraine on Saturday morning.

Russia launched an attack Friday night using 16 Iranian-made disposable drones from the Bryansk region and the east coast of the Sea of ​​Azov, Ukraine’s Air Defense Force said on Saturday. Kiev’s forces shot down 11 drones in the central, eastern and western regions.

Two drones “significantly” damaged critical infrastructure in Novomoskovsk in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, regional head Serhiy Lysak told Telegram. Three drones hit buildings near Yavoriv in the far west of the Lviv region. Yavoriv is located 15 kilometers from the Polish border and close to Ukraine’s largest military training center.

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Biden Says Putin’s ICC Arrest Warrant ‘Justified’ (8am)

President Joe Biden said on Friday the International Criminal Court arrest warrant accusing Russia’s Vladimir Putin of war crimes was “justified”.

Neither the US nor Russia have signed the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, so the jurisdiction of the court in The Hague is limited in both countries.

“He clearly committed war crimes,” Biden said Friday night outside the White House. He called the warrant “justified,” adding that although the US doesn’t recognize the court, “I think it’s a very strong argument.”

Russia Likely to Expand Conscription, Britain Says (7am)

Russia may be preparing to ease broader conscription to meet its military needs, Britain’s MoD said in a Twitter update.

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The UK noted that the Russian Duma has tabled a bill to change the age range of men eligible for military service from the current 18-27 to 21-30. If adopted, the measure would come into force in January.

“Many 18- to 21-year-old men are currently claiming exemption from military service because of their college education. Authorities are most likely changing the age group to increase troop levels, ensuring that students are eventually forced into service,” the UK said.

ADM Restarts Oilseed Crushing Plant in Ukraine (11:00 p.m.)

US commodities company Archer-Daniels-Midland has reopened its oilseeds crushing plant in southern Ukraine, another sign grain traders are more optimistic about the prospects for shipments from the country.

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The Chornomorsk plant recently resumed operations, an ADM spokeswoman said on Friday. The Russian invasion of Ukraine forced the company to cease operations last year.

Read more: ADM restarts oilseed crushing plant in Ukraine after a year

Kremlin calls ICC arrest warrant against Putin unacceptable (6:10 p.m.)

In a statement, the Kremlin described the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court against President Vladimir Putin as unacceptable and void. Russia, like the US, is not a signatory to the statutes of the court in The Hague.

Ukrainian chief prosecutor welcomes “historic” arrest warrant (5:19 p.m.)

The arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court against Putin sends a global signal that the current Russian regime is criminal and its leaders will be brought to justice, Ukraine’s Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin said on his office’s website.

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“World leaders will think three times before shaking hands with him or sitting down with him at the negotiating table,” Kostin said of Putin.

The Prosecutor General’s Office has registered the forced deportation by Russia of more than 16,000 children from Ukraine, the real number could be higher. Ukraine has so far managed to bring back only 308 children.

ICC issues arrest warrant for Russia’s Putin (4:20 p.m.)

The International Criminal Court on Friday issued an arrest warrant for the Russian president and Maria Lvova-Belova, Putin’s child rights chief, for their role in an alleged plot to forcibly deport thousands of Ukrainian children.

The effort was labeled a “war crime” by the Hague court, whose jurisdiction is not recognized by countries such as Russia, China or the US. Lvova-Belova has been sanctioned by the US, EU, UK and Canada for her alleged role in illegal deportations.

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Officials in Kyiv celebrated the move, and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Twitter that “the wheels of justice are turning”.

NATO moves closer to enlargement as Turkey supports Finland’s bid (3:35 p.m.)

Turkey will ratify Finland’s entry into NATO, bringing the military alliance one step closer to welcoming its 31st member, as waves of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine spread across the European security landscape.

Turkey has decided to start the process in parliament, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at a news conference on Friday along with his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinisto in Ankara.

Grain export deal extension still unresolved (2:30 p.m.)

The extension of the deal that boosted Ukraine’s grain exports is still shrouded in uncertainty as talks resume before the existing term ends on Saturday.

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The deal – brokered by Turkey and the United Nations in July – was crucial in bolstering global grain supplies after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent shockwaves through agricultural markets. Deliveries are continuing for now, with ships still going in and out of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, and new deals being struck as well.

Russia this week proposed extending the initiative by 60 days — half the length of his previous two terms — but Kiev has backed down, saying it contradicts the terms of the overarching deal.

China’s Xi visits Russia next week (1pm)

Xi Jinping is making his first state visit to Russia since it invaded Ukraine over a year ago to support President Vladimir Putin.

The Chinese leader will be in Russia from Monday to Wednesday, according to a statement by the Chinese Foreign Ministry. Xi, who secured a third term as president a week ago, will be the most prominent international leader to visit Putin since the Kremlin’s war on its neighbor began in February 2022.

Xi is expected to discuss China’s 12-point plan to end the war, a document opposed by most Western governments. Criticism of the plan has been more muted from Kiev, which has sought senior-level talks with China since the outbreak of war while urging Beijing to take a more critical stance on Russia.