American journalist Evan Gershkovich will remain in detention in Russia after his request for release was rejected by a Moscow court.
The Russian president has set foot in the occupied zone. Vladimir Putin visited the occupied regions of Kherson and Luhansk in Ukraine, the Kremlin announced on Tuesday April 18. But it is not known when this visit took place exactly. For his part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was on the front line in the east of the country. There were also announcements about Ukrainian cereals and the demand for the release of the American journalist imprisoned in Russia. Franceinfo summarizes what to remember from this day of April 18.
An agreement has been reached on Ukrainian wheat
Common ground has been found. Poland and Ukraine have reached an agreement on the resumption of the transit of Ukrainian cereals, suspended on Saturday, announced the Polish Minister of Agriculture. “We managed to put in place mechanisms so that not a single ton of wheat will remain in Poland, that the goods will transit through Poland”, said Robert Telus, after a meeting with Ukrainian officials. The transit through Poland of Ukrainian cereals should therefore be able to resume in the coming days, according to the two parties. Poland had decided on Saturday to ban imports of cereals and other agricultural products from neighboring Ukraine to protect its farmers.
Evan Gershkovich goes to jail
American journalist Evan Gershkovich’s appeal has been rejected by a Moscow court. He will therefore remain in pre-trial detention at least until May 29, the judge decided. Arrested at the end of March, the correspondent of the prestigious American daily Wall Street Journal is accused of “espionage”, a charge deemed fanciful and politically motivated by his defenders. This audience nevertheless allowed the press to briefly see Evan Gershkovich, a first since his arrest. In this case, the American reporter continues to reject the charges against him. The date of the start of his trial has not yet been announced.
Putin and Zelensky go to the front
Vladimir Putin visited areas controlled by the Russian army in Ukraine. The Russian president paid a whirlwind visit to the Kherson and Luhansk regions on the occasion of the Orthodox Easter holiday, which was celebrated on Sunday, the Kremlin said in a statement. It is not known, however, when exactly this visit took place. This is only the second time that the Russian president has visited the conflict zone since the start of the war. For his part, the Ukrainian president went to Avdiivka, one of the hottest points on the eastern front in Ukraine. “I have the honor to be here today, to thank you for your service, for the defense of our land”, said Volodymyr Zelensky in front of Ukrainian troops.
Alexei Navalny is prosecuted again
He is overwhelmed by procedures. Russian political opponent Alexei Navalny, 46, is facing new criminal charges after an altercation in prison, his spokeswoman Kira Iarmych announced. The opponent, who is serving a nine-year prison sentence, faces an additional five years in prison “for disorganization of the activities of the penitentiary institution”. This is the tenth ongoing criminal case against the anti-corruption activist, who has been incarcerated since January 2021.
Moscow summons diplomats
Tensions rise a notch. Moscow summoned the American, British and Canadian ambassadors accusing them of“interference” in Russian affairs, Russian news agencies reported, citing the Foreign Ministry. The United States, the United Kingdom and Canada had denounced the conviction of the Russian opponent Vladimir Kara-Murza. A little later, Moscow warned the American ambassador, Lynne Tracy, against any “subversive activity” in Russia.
