Good morning. Here’s your Daily Situational Awareness for Friday, 14 October 2022.
RUSSIA ISSUES TRAVEL BAN FOR MEDICAL STAFF: Russian media outlets are reporting that government officials have issued foreign travel bans for doctors, nurses, and other medical providers. Letters received by officials at hospitals in St. Petersburg say that all employees of healthcare facilities must “refrain” from taking business and personal trips to all foreign countries “until further notice.” The structure and wording of the letter matches similar letters received immediately prior to the invasion of Ukraine.
RUSSIA THREATENS TO QUIT GRAIN DEAL: Russian officials announced they would not renew the Black Sea grain deal unless a list of concerns submitted to the United Nations is fully addressed. The announcement follows Russian complaints that it was having difficulties selling its fertilizer and food exports guaranteed as part of the deal. Russian UN ambassador Gennady Gatilov said, “nothing is happening on the Russian side of the deal,” and that Russia would be forced to look at the deal “in a different way.” Citing political difficulties caused by the lack of exports and “terrorist acts” targeting the Crimea bridge, the ambassador said it was a “possibility” that Russia would not renew the deal as it “should be fair and fairly implemented by all sides.”
KREMLIN: TALKS MAY ACHIEVE SETTLEMENT IN UKRAINE: In comments regarding the war in Ukraine made to Russian media, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov indicated Russia was “open to negotiations to achieve our objectives.” Despite this significant break in the Russian approach to the conflict, Peskov reiterated Russia’s objectives in Ukraine had not changed. Noting the West’s “very, very hostile stance,” the Kremlin official said it was “unlikely” that negotiations would occur as “It takes two sides to have a dialogue.” The comments reflect similar announcements by Russian Foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, who indicated Russia’s renewed willingness to cooperate with the international community, saying if there were “serious proposals, we’re ready to consider them.”
CHINESE POLITICAL PROTESTS SPRING UP AHEAD OF CCP CONGRESS: Chinese authorities were forced to remove political protest banners from overpasses in China’s capital of Beijing Thursday, only days ahead of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Congress scheduled to begin on the 16th of this month. The banners called for President Xi Jinping’s ouster and an end to strict zero-COVID policies. Photos of the banners were widely circulated on Chinese social media and the blocked western social media app Twitter. The overt protests are rare for Beijing, especially so close to the coming CCP Congress.
In today’s Early Warning, Mike provides the latest Indications & Warning brief over a potentially catastrophic attack against the United States, another warning for 2023 food security, and how Republicans are targeting the FBI over alleged abuses. Be ‘in the know’ and stay ahead of the curve of what comes next – get access to the team’s full report and analysis here: https://forwardobserver.com/subscribe