Two dozen personnel associated with the Russian embassy in Zagreb, Croatia, have been ordered to leave the country amid continuing breakdowns of relations between Putin’s regime and governments around the world in connection to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Those two dozen Russians include 18 diplomats and six members of the administrative staff at the disputed embassy, adding to the lengthy list of Russian diplomatic personnel who’ve been expelled from locales across Europe. Other countries that have ordered the exits of Russian diplomats in connection to the war in Ukraine include Lithuania, Denmark, Italy, Spain, and Poland. Officials involved in announcing these expulsions have repeatedly tied the moves to security concerns.
⚡️Mariupol City Council: Russian forces illegally deported 33,500 residents to Russia, occupied territories.
Mayor Vadym Boychenko said the authorities are working on returning the deported residents and that several embassies of European countries have joined the process.
— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) April 12, 2022
Belgian Foreign Minister Sophie Wilmes, whose country ordered the exits of 21 Russian personnel, identified Belgium’s expulsions as connected to suspected Russian spying in which those affected were involved. A Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said the 21 expelled Russian diplomats “were all accredited as diplomats but were working on spying and influencing operations,” as Reuters summarizes. As for Croatia, a statement issued Monday by that country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs states, “On Monday, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs invited the Russian ambassador to express our strongest condemnation of Russia’s brutal aggression against Ukraine and the numerous war crimes that have been committed. Russia was once again called upon to cease all military activities immediately and withdraw its troops from the entire Ukrainian territory, as well as to secure evacuation routes and humanitarian corridors. It was underlined that Croatia expects that those responsible for war crimes be brought to justice.” The statement also outlined “Croatia’s decision to reduce the number of diplomatic and administrative staff at the Russian Embassy in Zagreb to the level of the Croatian Embassy in Moscow.”
⚡️UK Ministry of Defense: Russia's plan for war failing.
The ministry responded to Moscow's claims that everything was going according to plan. Six Russian generals were killed, and over 2,000 units of Russian military equipment were damaged or destroyed, the ministry said.
— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) April 12, 2022
In what’s no doubt another substantial setback for Putin’s strategies surrounding the war in Ukraine, Finland and Sweden were recently reported to be moving towards applying for membership in NATO, which would add two additional countries to the military coalition against Moscow’s aggression. Neither country appears to have made a final decision, but a U.K. publication called The Times said “Finland and Sweden look poised to join Nato as early as the summer, according to officials,” explaining that an application from Finland is “expected” in June, with a similar move from Swedish authorities believed to be set for shortly thereafter. President Joe Biden spoke in a high-profile speech in Poland about how Putin’s actions had driven those on the side of freedom even closer together. “Rather than breaking Ukrainian resolve, Russia’s brutal tactics have strengthened their resolve,” as the president put it. “Rather than driving NATO apart, the West is now stronger and more united than it has ever been… In fact, Russia has managed to cause something I’m sure [Putin] never intended: the democracies of the world are revitalized with purpose and unity found in months that would have once taken years to accomplish.”
⚡️Donetsk Oblast Governor: Up to 22,000 people killed in Mariupol.
Pavlo Kyrylenko told CNN that these were the preliminary estimates. According to the official, it is difficult to make estimates since Mariupol, a seaport in southeastern Ukraine, remains besieged.
— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) April 12, 2022
