Almost a month after starting conflict in Ukraine the situation is becoming increasingly tense. Both on the battlefield, where the Russian army continues its numerous sieges of Ukrainian cities, and on the diplomatic level. The sparks between the Kremlin and the United States are becoming increasingly apparent.
Moscow expels US diplomats
Let’s start with the Kremlin’s latest move. Moscow announced thisexpulsion a series of diplomats American in response to a similar action taken by Washington in late February against 12 Russian diplomats at the United Nations.
As the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement, “on March 23, the head of the American diplomatic mission was presented with a list of American diplomats who have been declared persona non grata.”
“The American side has received a stern warning that any hostile action by the United States against Russia will receive a firm and appropriate response,” the Russian Federation said.
Blinking: “Russian forces responsible for war crimes”
Meanwhile, the US Secretary of State Anton Blinken accused the Russian president in a statement Wladimir Putin to have “unleashed incessant violence” in Ukraine. “We have seen numerous credible reports of indiscriminate attacks and deliberate attacks on civilians, as well as other atrocities,” the text reads. According to Blinken itself, Russian forces have destroyed homes, schools, hospitals, critical infrastructure, civilian vehicles, shopping malls and ambulances, leaving “thousands of innocent civilians killed or injured”. The allegations against the Kremlin are therefore very serious.
In the note, Blinken reiterated that Russian forces are carrying on every day attacks, the number of innocent civilians killed and injured, including women and children, is increasing. On March 22, officials from besieged Mariupol claimed that more than 2,400 civilians had been killed in that city alone. Aside from the devastation of Mariupol, the United Nations has officially confirmed more than 2,500 civilian casualties, including dead and injured, and warns that the real number is likely to be higher.
Technological Warfare
In general, relations between Russia and the United States are approaching breaking point. In addition to war and diplomatic issues, it is also important to focus on another strand of headtohead conflict: the technological.
The Russian media regulator (Roskomnadzor) has restricted access to the service Google news, accused of providing access to “false” information about the Russian offensive in Ukraine. The decision was made at the request of the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office, according to a statement from Roskomnadzor.
The online news service “secured access to many publications and containing materials wrong information on the development of the special military operation on Ukrainian territory, “the note reads. Since the beginning of the Russian intervention in Ukraine on February 24, Russia has significantly strengthened its control over information disseminated on the Internet, one of the last free spaces expression in Country.
Social networks in the United States Facebook and Instagram they were also declared “extremists” by a Moscow court. Even access to Twitter it was limited. Last week, Roskomnadzor accused US giant Google and its YouTube video service of “terrorist” activity, the first step towards a possible blockade.