April 12, 2023 - Russia-Ukraine news

By Jack Guy, Hannah Strange, Adrienne Vogt, Leinz Vales and Tori Powell, CNN

Updated 10:42 p.m. ET, April 12, 2023
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8:19 a.m. ET, April 12, 2023

Top US hostage official calls for consular access to Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich

From CNN's Betsy Klein

Reporter for U.S. newspaper The Wall Street Journal Evan Gershkovich appears in an undated handout image.
Reporter for U.S. newspaper The Wall Street Journal Evan Gershkovich appears in an undated handout image. (The Wall Street Journal/Reuters)

The US continues its public push for consular access to Evan Gershkovich as the top official handling hostage negotiation committed to bringing the detained Wall Street Journal reporter home from Russia. 

“The Russians owe us a consular visit. We have yet to have consular access to Mr. Gershkovich,” US special envoy for hostage affairs Roger Carstens told “CNN This Morning.” 

Asked if a prisoner swap is on the table, Carstens said that the US is committed to bringing Gershkovich and others who are wrongfully detained home and that US President Joe Biden would do “whatever it takes to get that job done” and is willing to make “hard decisions.”

“The President of the United States and the Secretary are committed to bringing Evan home and Paul Whelan as well. And we're gonna find whatever it takes to get that job done. We’re not going into the specifics of the pathways of negotiation. To my mind that might decrease our chances to garner that release, but I can tell you that the President’s shown time and time again that he's committed, he's willing to make the hard decisions to find ways to bring Americans home,” he said. 

Now that Gershkovich has been formally designated by the State Department as wrongfully detained, Carstens said it “by force of law obligates the United States of America to seek a wrongfully detained American’s release. And that's what we're doing right now. My office is working closely with the National Security Council at the White House to find those paths that will bring Evan home.” 

More on Americans detained in Russia: Carstens said he spoke with Paul Whelan for about 15 minutes on Monday and they spoke “about Evan’s case.”

“Paul’s spirits are still good. He's still remaining strong. He's still resilient. Small known fact — I mean, he sings the National Anthem every day from his prison cell, and he's ready to come home and we're going to find a way to bring him home,” he said, adding that his office does not prioritize cases and both Whelan and Gershkovich, along with the 30-40 cases currently being handled by his office are “treated equally.”

Carstens noted that there have been conversations between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, as well as discussions between US Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy and her counterparts.

“We've been pressing them for Evan’s release, we've been pressing them for consular access, and anything beyond that I'd rather not talk about. I want to maintain some of our negotiation space,” Carstens said, adding, “We’re going to find a way to bring Evan and Paul Whelan home.”

8:17 a.m. ET, April 12, 2023

How an electronic conscription bill could make it harder for Russians to evade military service if called up 

From CNN's Anna Chernova and Sarah Dean

A smartphone screen showing an open page of Gosuslugi website, in Moscow, Russia, on April 11.
A smartphone screen showing an open page of Gosuslugi website, in Moscow, Russia, on April 11. (AP)

The upper chamber of Russia’s parliament, the Federation Council, has voted in favor of the electronic delivery of military call-up papers, which critics say will make it more difficult for Russians to evade conscription.

The final step is for the bill to be signed by President Vladimir Putin before it officially becomes law.

Once the bill becomes law, a person will be considered notified even if they have not seen the call-up papers or email. The call-up papers will be deemed to be served once they appear on a government portal called Gosuslugi — the main online platform for state services in Russia, such as making a doctor’s appointment, requesting a passport or registering for marriage. 

Previously, conscription documents in Russia had to be hand-delivered by the local military enlistment office or through an employer. 

Those liable for military service will be banned from traveling abroad, the proposed legislation published on the government’s website said. Draft dodgers will receive a travel ban from the day when the summons is considered to have been "handed" to them, in accordance with the law. 

People who fail to show up for a military summons without a valid reason within 20 days will face restrictions, such as being unable to register a vehicle and drive it, being unable to register an apartment, being unable to register as an individual entrepreneur or as self-employed, and be blocked from getting a loan.

Paper and electronic summonses will have equal legal force, Andrey Kartapolov, head of the State Duma Committee on Defense, said to the RBC TV channel. According to Kartapolov, the introduced changes apply to all those liable for military service and not just to conscripts, he told state news agency TASS.

Russia’s Defense Ministry routinely conscripts men for compulsory military service twice per year, in spring and autumn.

The spring conscription this year will apply to 147,000 citizens between the ages of 18 and 27, and will take place from April 1 to July 15, according to an official document published by the government.

More context: The Kremlin has consistently denied rumors of a possible second wave of mobilization in Russia. Its “partial mobilization” last year for its invasion of Ukraine resulted in a significant number of citizens fleeing Russia.

Conscription involves the selection and enlistment of young men into the military, while mobilization refers to the larger-scale process of calling up reservists and other military personnel in the event of an emergency or war.

 

8:04 a.m. ET, April 12, 2023

UK sanctions those with financial links to Russian oligarch and ex-Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich

From CNN’s Allegra Goodwin in London 

Roman Abramovich at the UEFA Champions League Final between Manchester City and Chelsea FC at Estadio do Dragao in Porto, Portugal, on May 29, 2021.
Roman Abramovich at the UEFA Champions League Final between Manchester City and Chelsea FC at Estadio do Dragao in Porto, Portugal, on May 29, 2021. (Alexander Hassenstein/UEFA/Getty Images)

The UK has announced sanctions on a network of companies and individuals with financial links to Russian oligarch and ex-Chelsea football club owner Roman Abramovich, as well as oligarch Alisher Usmanov.

It said the move would target those helping the pair to “avoid the full cost” of sanctions already imposed in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

“We are closing the net on the Russian elite and those who try to help them hide their money for war,” UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said in a statement.

“There’s no place to hide. We will keep cutting them off from assets they thought were successfully hidden. Together with our international partners the UK will continue to crack down on those who are supporting the war. We won’t stop until Putin does.”

Among those sanctioned are Demetris Ioannides and Christodoulos Vassiliades, whom the statement described as “two Cypriot professional enablers” of Abramovich and Usmanov.

Companies which the Foreign Office said were part of Usmanov’s financial network were also sanctioned, including USM, Curzon Square and Hanley Limited, according to the statement.

Several family members of other Russian oligarchs who it said were “used as proxies to hide their assets” were also sanctioned, according to the statement. 

The assets of Usmanov and Abramovich were frozen by the UK government shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. 

7:46 a.m. ET, April 12, 2023

Russian conscription bill will streamline military registration, Kremlin says

From CNN's Anna Chernova

A new bill allowing for the electronic delivery of military draft papers is meant to fix a chaotic process of registration and enlistment, the Kremlin said Wednesday.

“We must be aware that we must regulate the system of military registration and conscription. According to the Constitution, conscripts must serve in the army. This is a constitutional duty of citizens. When the special military operation began, we saw that in some places we had a lot of chaos in the military registration and enlistment offices,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov told press on a Wednesday conference call.

The bill is designed to “fix the mess” and make the process “modern, efficient and convenient for citizens,” he said. 

Russian officials have denied suggestions that the bill lays the groundwork for a fresh wave of mobilization, after a chaotic order in September prompted scores of Russians to flee the country.

But the measure will make it harder for Russians to evade conscription.

On Tuesday, the State Duma -- the lower chamber of the Russian Parliament -- voted in favor of allowing electronic delivery of military call-up papers in addition to traditional letters. The upper chamber, the Federation Council, approved the bill on Wednesday.

The final step is for the bill to be signed by President Vladimir Putin before it officially becomes law.

Putin is “aware” of the legislation and will “read the document” before signing it, Peskov added. 

He also said the bill was passed through in “accordance with the procedure provided for in the State Duma,” and questions regarding the speed in which the bill passed should be addressed to Parliament.

7:24 a.m. ET, April 12, 2023

EU stresses "firm commitment" to holding war criminals to account 

From CNN’s Catherine Nicholls in London

The EU has pledged to hold those responsible for war crimes in Ukraine to account, EU spokeswoman Nabila Massrali said on Wednesday. “The EU reiterates its firm commitment to holding to account all perpetrators and accomplices of war crimes committed in connection with Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine,” Massrali said. 

The statement is in response to two videos released on social media in the past week which purport to show beheaded Ukrainian soldiers. “If confirmed, this is yet another brutal reminder about the inhumane nature of the Russian aggression,” Maasrali said. “Killing prisoners of war is a very serious breach of the Geneva convention and demonstrates once more Russia’s complete disregard of international law, in particular, international humanitarian law.” 

7:35 a.m. ET, April 12, 2023

It's mid-afternoon in Kyiv. Here's what you need to know

From CNN staff

A video purporting to show the beheading of a Ukrainian soldier has sparked widespread outrage and a war crimes investigation by Ukraine's security services.

Elsewhere, authorities in Russian-annexed Crimea have canceled planned Victory Day parades citing security concerns.

Here are the latest headlines:

  • Beheading video sparks war crimes investigation: The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has launched a war crimes investigation into a video that purports to show the beheading of a Ukrainian soldier, and President Volodymyr Zelensky called for those involved to be punished. “We are not going to forget anything. Neither are we going to forgive the murderers," he said.
  • Kremlin calls for video to be verified: Video purporting to show the beheading of a Ukrainian soldier is “terrible,” but “first of all, we need to verify the authenticity” of it, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. 
  • Russia speaks out on Gershkovich: Russia will not tolerate attempts by the US to “pressure” it over the detention of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Wednesday. Gershkovich is facing up to 20 years in prison on espionage charges. The US State Department has designated him as being wrongfully detained.
  • Russia cancels parades: Authorities in Russian-annexed Crimea and the city of Sevastopol have cancelled parades and marches to celebrate Victory Day on May 9, as well as May Day (May 1), citing security reasons. The two dates are public holidays in Russia, with May 9 marking Soviet victory over Nazi Germany. 
  • Ukraine requests aid from India: Ukraine's Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova has requested more medicine and medical equipment from India, according to India's Ministry of External Affairs. Dzhaparova also “proposed that rebuilding infrastructure in Ukraine could be an opportunity for Indian companies."
  • EU condemns Russia over civil society forum: The European Union strongly condemns the decision of Russian authorities to declare the activities of EU-Russia Civil Society Forum "undesirable." The Russian Prosecutor General's Office on Tuesday had effectively shut down the Berlin-based organization which hosts intergovernmental conferences and civil society events.
7:05 a.m. ET, April 12, 2023

Ukraine appeals for people to "stop sharing" beheading video

From CNN’s Olga Voitovych in Kyiv 

A Ukrainian defense ministry official has appealed for people to stop sharing video that purports to show the beheading of a Ukrainian soldier.

“We urge to stop the sharing of this video, as well as any similar video footage," said Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar.

"Now after everyone has seen it, prosecutors and the International Court should watch it.”

Two videos have emerged on social media in the past week: One purports to show the execution of a captured Ukrainian solider, and a second purports to show the mutilated bodies of two Ukrainian soldiers lying on the ground.

“From the first moments after the video of the execution of a Ukrainian soldier by Russian inhumans appeared, all competent Ukrainian services have been carefully studying it frame by frame in order to identify the war criminals," said Maliar on Telegram.

“Tonight, we were doing just that together with other law enforcement agencies and special services," she added.

Maliar also appealed to the public to refrain from guessing the identity of the soldier in the apparent execution video, saying authorities “are doing everything to identify the deceased.”

8:50 a.m. ET, April 12, 2023

Ukraine soldier execution videos "not an isolated incident," UN says

From CNN's Andrew Carey

The United Nations says it is “appalled by particularly gruesome videos posted on social media” -- one of which purports to show the execution of a captured Ukrainian solider, and a second which purports to show the mutilated bodies of two Ukrainian soldiers lying on the ground.

In a short statement, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, part of the UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), says the apparent executions are “not an isolated incident.”

“In recent reports the Mission documented a number of serious violations of international humanitarian law, including those committed against prisoners of war. The latest incidents must also be properly investigated, and the perpetrators must be held accountable,” the statement said.

On March 24, the UN said it has documented dozens of cases of summary executions of prisoners of war (POWs) carried out by both Russian and Ukrainian forces since February 2022, but admits it is far harder to get information from Russia, or territories under Russian control, than it is from Ukrainian authorities.

The OHCHR said it has documented the summary execution of 15 Ukrainian POWs by Russian forces, in addition to the use of Ukrainian POWs as human shields, the death of two wounded POWs due to lack of medical care, as well as torture. 

On the other side, the report says it has documented -- through open-source information, in situ visits and witness interviews -- the summary execution of at least 25 Russian POWs being held by Ukrainian forces. 

7:14 a.m. ET, April 12, 2023

Kremlin says "authenticity" of beheading video must be checked

From CNN's Anna Chernova

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov attends a news conference in Moscow, Russia, on December 23, 2021.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov attends a news conference in Moscow, Russia, on December 23, 2021. (Evgenia Novozhenina/Reuters)

Video purporting to show the beheading of a Ukrainian soldier is “terrible,” but “first of all, we need to verify the authenticity” of it, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

“Of course, these are terrible shots. Then it may be a reason to check whether this is true or not, whether this took place and, if so, where and from which side," Peskov said during a regular call with journalists on Wednesday.

Two videos purporting to show beheaded Ukrainian soldiers have emerged on social media in the past week.

Earlier Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for the perpetrators to be punished.

“There is something that no one in the world can ignore: how easily these beasts kill,” he said.

“We are not going to forget anything. Neither are we going to forgive the murderers. There will be legal responsibility for everything. The defeat of terror is necessary,” Zelensky added.