Ukrainian intelligence have managed to seize a batch of iron ore from an alleged ally of Putin worth more than GBP 40 million.
The Prosecutor General’s Office reportedly took a hold of about 166,000 tonnes of iron ore estimated at UAH 1.8 billion (GBP 40.5 million), in several seaports in Ukraine.
It reportedly belonged to the company of Uzbek-born businessman and oligarch Alisher Usmanov, who was recently accused of money laundering and tax evasion.
The operation led by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reportedly took place on Tuesday, 27th December.
SBU said in a statement obtained by Newsflash: “The security service continues to identify and block the assets of representatives of pro-Kremlin corporations involved in financing the war against Ukraine.
“As a result of investigative and operational actions, together with the Economic Security Bureau detectives, the location of underground warehouses of Russia, where more than 160,000 tonnes of Ukrainian iron ore were stored.
“It has been established that the found batch of iron ore belongs to the company of the Russian oligarch, who is in the inner circle of the highest military-political leadership of the Kremlin, Alisher Usmanov.”
The security agency continued: “According to operational information, representatives of the aggressor country tried to illegally transport the hidden raw materials by sea to the territory of Russia.
“After that, they planned to transfer the minerals to the needs of the metallurgical industry and the military-industrial complex of Russia to meet the needs of Russian occupational groups.”
The Economic Security Bureau and the SBU detectives reportedly initiated an investigation concerning the case.
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 307th day of the invasion.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 27th December, Russia had lost about 103,220 personnel, 3,016 tanks, 6,024 armoured combat vehicles, 1,998 artillery units, 418 multiple launch rocket systems, 212 air defence systems, 283 warplanes, 267 helicopters, 1,707 drones, 653 cruise missiles, 16 warships, 4,652 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 179 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called for a “peace” summit with Russia at the United Nations, with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as mediator.
But Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov responded with an ultimatum for Ukraine to either surrender Russian-controlled territory or have the Russian army decide for them.
And a UN spokesperson said that the secretary-general would only agree to meditate only “if all parties want him to mediate”.
Ukraine called for Russia to be removed as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, accusing it of violating international law.
Nearly nine million Ukrainians are left without electricity as power shortages keep persisting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
A drone believed to be Ukrainian reached deep into Russia’s airspace, causing a deadly explosion at the main base for Moscow’s Tu-95 and Tu-160 nuclear-capable strategic bombers.
The Russian military reported that it shot down a Ukrainian drone approaching the Engels airbase, where three servicemen were killed by falling debris.
Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed no Russian aircraft were damaged in the explosion.
The Ukrainian Main Military Intelligence Directorate (GUR) reported that former Chief of Staff of the Eastern Military District Lieutenant General Evgeny Valerivich Nikiforov, a Wagner Group-linked Russian officer, was appointed commander of the Russian Western Military District.
Nikiforov has previous experience commanding elements of the Wagner Group in Donbas from 2014 to 2015.
Russia’s Federal Security Service claimed that a Ukrainian “sabotage group” had allegedly been eliminated while trying to enter the Bryansk region, which lies near the Ukrainian border.
