Russia claims economic war unleashed against it is 'crude violation' of international law

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with the Moscow-accredited ambassadors from the BRICS countries on Tuesday morning. During the meet, the participants enthusiastically exchanged views on developing and strengthening their strategic partnership in BRICS. They reaffirmed their invariable interest in promoting the five-way dialogue at key international venues and other associations. Lavrov also argued that the economic war unleashed against Russia is a 'crude violation' of international legal standards.

According to the press release, the participants reviewed current international issues with an emphasis on the ongoing situation in Ukraine and around it. Sergey Lavrov presented a thorough analysis of the reasons for the Ukraine conflict and gave a detailed explanation on the issues linked with ensuring the security of civilians, including foreigners, organizing humanitarian corridors & granting aid to refugees & other people who need it. Lavrov stressed that the unprecedented economic war unleashed against Russia through sanctions is a crude violation of key international legal standards.

Russia-Ukraine War

The war between the two neighbouring countries has now entered its 28th day with no peace agreement in sight. As Russia continues to uphold its so-called security concerns, Ukraine has categorically refused to give up. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on French multinationals based in Russia to stop indirectly supporting the war against Ukraine by leaving Russia. 

In a 20-minute virtual speech to the French parliament, the wartime leader name-checked several French companies such as carmaker Renault, supermarket chain Auchan and home improvement giant Leroy Merlin. He said they "must stop being sponsors of Russia's war machine."

NATO estimates 7,000 to 15,000 Russians killed in Ukraine

A senior NATO military officer said that the alliance estimates Russia has suffered between 30,000 and 40,000 battlefield casualties in Ukraine through the first month of the war, including between 7,000 and 15,000 killed. It is NATO’s first public estimate of Russian casualties since Russia's invasion on February 24.

The military officer, while speaking on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by NATO, said the estimate of the number killed is based on a combination of information from the Ukrainian government, indications from Russia, and open-source information. The US government has largely declined to provide public estimates of Russian or Ukrainian casualties, saying available information is of questionable reliability. 

The NATO military officer, in a briefing from the alliance’s military headquarters in Belgium on Wednesday, said the estimate of 30,000 to 40,000 Russian casualties is derived from what he called a standard calculation that in war an army suffers three wounded soldiers for every soldier killed. The casualties include killed in action and wounded in action, as well as those taken prisoner or missing in action, the officer said.