MOSCOW: The Kremlin said on Friday it was extremely concerned about a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile that was shot down after flying into the air space of its close ally Belarus on Thursday.
Belarus’ defense ministry said on Thursday its air defense forces had shot down a Ukrainian S-300 surface-to-air missile near the village of Harbacha in the Brest region, some 15 km (9 miles) from the Belarus-Ukraine border.
It happened while Russia was firing dozens of missiles at cities across Ukraine in one of the biggest waves of strikes of the conflict.
“This is an incident that causes extreme concern, not only for us, but for our Belarusian partners,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday in Moscow’s first public comment on the incident, which occurred around 10 a.m. (0700 GMT) on Thursday.
The S-300 is a Soviet-era air defense system used by both Russia and Ukraine. In November, an S-300 believed to have strayed after being fired by Ukrainian air defenses — also during Russian air raids — landed on the territory of NATO-member Poland, triggering fears of an escalation that were rapidly defused.
Belarus allowed Moscow to use its territory in February as a staging post for Russian troops and equipment at the start of what Russia calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine.
There has also been a growing flurry of Russian and Belarusian military activity in Belarus in recent months.
Peskov on Friday stressed the close military ties between the two countries, saying they were in “constant dialogue and constant coordination.”
Minsk has, however, insisted that it is not participating in the conflict in Ukraine, and will not participate unless its own security is threatened by Ukraine or Ukraine’s Western allies.
Russia says it is extremely concerned by Ukrainian missile downed over Belarus
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Russia says it is extremely concerned by Ukrainian missile downed over Belarus
- There has also been a growing flurry of Russian and Belarusian military activity in Belarus in recent months
- Minsk has insisted that it is not participating in the conflict in Ukraine
Irish farmers protest EU’s Mercosur free trade deal
- The demonstration, large by Irish standards, followed similar protests in Poland, France, and Belgium on Friday
ATHLONE, Ireland: Thousands of Irish farmers, many of whom traveled across the country on tractors, protested on Saturday against the EU’s Mercosur trade deal after a majority of EU states gave a provisional go-ahead for its largest-ever free-trade accord.
Opponents led by France, the EU’s largest agricultural producer, failed to convince enough fellow member states that the deal with South American nations would flood the market with cheap food products and undercut domestic farmers.
Under pressure from opposition parties, farming groups, and members of its own coalition, the Irish government argued that the deal lacks safeguards for what it says are weaker food safety standards in South America.
BACKGROUND
The demonstration, large by Irish standards, followed similar protests in Poland, France, and Belgium on Friday.
“It’s an absolute disgrace on behalf of the farmers and people that have put Europe where it is today,” said Joe Keogh, a farmer from the central village of Multyfarnham at the protest in the nearby town of Athlone.
“It’s going to close down the whole countryside.”
Protesters held placards reading “Don’t sacrifice family farms for German cars,” “Our cows follow the rules, why don’t theirs,” and “Sell out.”
The demonstration, large by Irish standards, followed similar protests in Poland, France, and Belgium on Friday.
While Ireland is a small exporting nation seeking to diversify beyond its reliance on the US market, it has large beef and dairy industries that are major employers.
Opponents of the deal have secured some concessions and compensation for EU farmers.
The European Parliament must approve the accord
before it takes effect, and, like France, Ireland has pledged to fight its rejection in what could be a tight vote.
“The Irish farmer is at great risk as it is. We’re a small country, we don’t have large farmers and farmers struggle to make an income from the farm as it is,” said Niamh O’Brien, a farmer who traveled from the western town of Athenry.
“But also it’s about the quality of the food we are eating. It has severe implications for both the farmer and the consumer.”
