Armed Forces destructed Russian A-50 aircraft and US imposed massive sanctions against Russia - Friday brief

Russia's war against Ukraine

• Ukraine to produce rifles according to NATO standards;

• Ukrainian pilots training on F-16 in Denmark: Zelenskyy showed video

• Russia attacks Ukraine with drones and missiles overnight: Air Force reveals destroyed targets;

• Destroyed building, fire, casualties: Consequences of Russian drone attacks on Dnipro and Odesa.

Ukrainian Air Force confirms destruction of Russian A-50 aircraft

The Russian aircraft A-50 with the call sign Bayan was destroyed by the Ukrainian Defense Forces on Friday, February 23, according to the commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, Mykola Oleshchuck.

"A-50 with the call sign Bayan ended badly!" wrote the commander.

Also, Oleshchuk decided to congratulate the occupiers on Happy Defender of the Fatherland Day.

He thanked the Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense and everyone who contributed to the result.

According to the news agency's sources, this was a joint operation of the Air Force and the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine.

The Defense Intelligence of Ukraine also showcased photos of the Russian aircraft's final route, which indicate that it flew over the Krasnodar Krai.

US imposes massive sanctions package against Russia for war in Ukraine and Navalny's death

US President Joe Biden announced that the United States has imposed a large-scale package of sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine and the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

"Today, I am announcing more than 500 new sanctions against Russia for its ongoing war of conquest on Ukraine and for the death of Aleksei Navalny," he said.

According to Biden, the sanctions will target individuals associated with Navalny's imprisonment and Russia's financial sector, defense industry, procurement networks, and sanctions evaders on multiple continents.

"They will ensure Putin pays an even steeper price for his aggression abroad and repression at home," he emphasized.

In addition, the United States is imposing new export restrictions on nearly 100 organizations for "providing backdoor support for Russia's war machine."

Denmark to hand over F-16 to Ukraine by summer, PM explains delay

The F-16 fighters, which Denmark will hand over, will appear in Ukrainian skies by the summer of 2024. The delay is related exclusively to technical issues, says the Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, during a joint press conference with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in Lviv.

"We are all very happy that Denmark is going to provide these fighters in cooperation with the Netherlands, Belgium, and the USA. This is a very powerful weapon. I hope that we will be able to see the F-16 in the airspace of Ukraine in the near future, even before the summer," Frederiksen said.

According to her, the transfer of fighter jets to Ukraine is delayed solely due to technical issues that require time to be resolved.

Frederiksen also reminded that the training of Ukrainian pilots started back in August, and it is going "very well and quickly."

Russia procures T-72 tank parts from Japan and Taiwan despite sanctions, Nikkei

The Russian arms manufacturer imports components for tanks produced in Japan and Taiwan, utilizing a company in China for this purpose, reports Nikkei.

According to the material, an individual associated with the Belarusian government opened a company in China after February 2022, and the Russian arms manufacturer continued to import parts through China.

"The information reveals that sanctions aimed at Russia's munitions industry are not functioning effectively, due to trades through a third country. U.S. and British authorities are aware of the situation and are expected to tighten the sanctions," the material writes.

The company in question is Shenzhen 5G High-Tech Innovation in China's Guangdong province. It began purchasing precision parts for engines, sensors, and other equipment necessary for the production of tanks and other weapons.

Ban of Russian Olympic Committee: Court of Arbitration for Sport announces decision on appeal

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland, has reviewed the complaint of the Russian Olympic Committee against the decision of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to suspend its activities due to encroachment on the territory of Ukraine, citing the official website of the court.

CAS rejected the appeal of the Russian Olympic Committee against the IOC's decision to suspend its membership. The tribunal's decision is final and binding.

"The CAS Panel in charge of this matter dismissed the appeal and confirmed the Challenged Decision, finding that the IOC EB did not breach the principles of legality, equality, predictability, or proportionality. The Arbitral Award issued by the CAS Panel is currently subject to a confidentiality review, meaning that the parties might request that the Arbitral Award, or certain information contained in it, remain confidential," the court statement said.

In October, the IOC suspended the activities of the Russian Olympic Committee due to encroachment on the territory of Ukraine. Russian aggressors had established centers in the occupied Ukrainian territories. The ROC lost its status as a national committee and was deprived of any funding from the IOC.