Putin beordrar styrkor att gå in i Ukraina - INVASION NU (2022-02-24)

Russia issues warning to Denmark over restrictions on Baltic Sea navigation

Russia has issued a stern warning to Denmark regarding any potential restrictions on Russian ships’ navigation in the Baltic Sea. According to a spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, such measures will be viewed as hostile acts and will lead to retaliation from the Russian side. This statement was published by Reuters and is raising concerns about the security and stability in the region. The background for the Russian warning is not immediately clear, but it comes at a time when there is increased attention on the condition and activities of Russian ships in the Baltic Sea.

Several media outlets have reported on issues with Russian ships, which are described as run-down and often used to circumvent international sanctions. These ships, which often lack clarity on insurance and ownership, have been labeled as part of the so-called Russian shadow fleet. In March, it was revealed that at least 15 Russian oil tankers had rejected Danish assistance for navigation through Danish waters since the beginning of the year, which goes against international recommendations.

Ukraine this year moved up 18 places to 61st out of 180 countries in the global press freedom ranking.

The international non-governmental organization Reporters without Borders (RSF) said this in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index, Ukrinform reports.

Norway remains first in the press freedom ranking, while the worst situation was recorded in Eritrea.

Ukraine moved up in the ranking as a result of improvements in its security indicator – fewer journalists killed – and its political indicator.

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In Eastern Europe, the conditions for practicing journalism are deteriorating due to the scale of disinformation and censorship of media outlets falsely accused of undermining national security or terrorism. This is the case in Russia (162nd), Belarus (167th) and Turkmenistan (175th). Kremlin influence on media censorship was felt in Serbia, Georgia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan.