"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2024-04-27T17:22:46Z"
data-video-section="tv"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2024/04/27/ukraine-fm-kuelba-thank-god-for-america.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="Ukraine FM Kuelba thank god for America"
data-first-publish-slug="Ukraine FM Kuelba thank god for America"
data-video-tags=""
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
'Putin is a political animal who can sense fear,' says Ukraine FM
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2024-04-23T00:38:11Z"
data-video-section="world"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2024/04/23/ukraine-us-aid-russia-marjorie-taylor-greene-pleitgen-dnt-ebof-digvid.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="ukraine us aid russia marjorie taylor greene pleitgen dnt ebof digvid"
data-first-publish-slug="ukraine us aid russia marjorie taylor greene pleitgen dnt ebof digvid"
data-video-tags=""
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
Russian media praises MTG for trying to derail Ukraine aid bill
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2024-04-24T12:41:27Z"
data-video-section="world"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2024/04/24/ukraine-fragile-frontlines-russia-invasion-us-aid-sebastian-digvid.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="ukraine fragile frontlines russia invasion us aid sebastian digvid"
data-first-publish-slug="ukraine fragile frontlines russia invasion us aid sebastian digvid"
data-video-tags=""
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
See timelapse of Ukraine's fragile front line as it waits for US aid
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2024-04-10T11:58:26Z"
data-video-section="world"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2024/04/10/zelensky-ukraine-us-aid-russia-pleitgen-sot-cnc-vpx.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="zelensky ukraine us aid russia pleitgen sot cnc vpx"
data-first-publish-slug="zelensky ukraine us aid russia pleitgen sot cnc vpx"
data-video-tags=""
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
Zelensky tells CNN the US needs to send aid to avoid Putin from starting WWIII
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2024-04-09T12:41:23Z"
data-video-section="world"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2024/04/09/mark-esper-putin-us-congress-aid-sot-cnntm-vpx.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="mark esper putin us congress aid sot cnntm vpx"
data-first-publish-slug="mark esper putin us congress aid sot cnntm vpx"
data-video-tags="continents and regions,defense departments,domestic alerts,domestic-international news,domestic-us politics,eastern europe,europe,government and public administration,government bodies and offices,government departments and authorities,government organizations - us,iab-politics,international alerts,international relations and national security,international-us politics,mark esper,national security,political figures - intl,political figures - us,politics,trump-ukraine controversy,ukraine,us congress,vladimir putin"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
Ex-defense secretary: How Putin may base his actions on a Trump presidency
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2024-03-31T20:01:45Z"
data-video-section="world"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2024/03/31/russia-potential-exploit-small-gains-ukraine-war-leighton-nr-vpx.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="russia potential exploit small gains ukraine war leighton nr vpx"
data-first-publish-slug="russia potential exploit small gains ukraine war leighton nr vpx"
data-video-tags="brand safety-nsf sensitive,brand safety-nsf war and military,continents and regions,eastern europe,europe,government organizations - us,russia,ukraine,us air force,us department of defense,us federal departments and agencies"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
Retired colonel says this is one of the 'big problems' amid Russia's recent gains
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2024-03-29T09:20:21Z"
data-video-section="world"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2024/03/29/ukraine-russia-oil-refinery-drone-strikes-sebastian-vpx.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="ukraine russia oil refinery drone strikes sebastian vpx"
data-first-publish-slug="ukraine russia oil refinery drone strikes sebastian vpx"
data-video-tags="aircraft,artificial intelligence,aviation and aerospace industry,bombings,brand safety-nsf oil negative,brand safety-nsf sensitive,brand safety-nsf violence,brand safety-nsf war and military,business and industry sectors,business, economy and trade,computer science and information technology,continents and regions,domestic alerts,domestic-business,domestic-health and science,domestic-international news,eastern europe,energy and utilities,europe,iab-artificial intelligence,iab-aviation industry,iab-brand suitability and risk,iab-business and finance,iab-computing,iab-death, injury, or military conflict (low),iab-death, injury, or military conflict (medium),iab-industries,iab-low risk,iab-medium risk,iab-power and energy industry,iab-sensitive topics,iab-technology & computing,iab-technology industry,international alerts,international-business,international-health and science,military,military aircraft,military operations,oil and gas industry,russia,russia-ukraine conflict,technology,ukraine,unmanned aircraft,unmanned military aircraft,unrest, conflicts and war"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
Video appears to show Ukrainian drone strike on Russian oil refinery
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2024-03-19T01:44:33Z"
data-video-section="world"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2024/03/19/putin-wins-reelection-russia-slams-us-nato-chance-dnt-ebof-vpx.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="putin wins reelection russia slams us nato chance dnt ebof vpx"
data-first-publish-slug="putin wins reelection russia slams us nato chance dnt ebof vpx"
data-video-tags="continents and regions,eastern europe,elections and campaigns,europe,government and public administration,government bodies and offices,heads of government,heads of state,iab-elections,iab-politics,matthew chance,misc people,political figures - intl,politics,russia,vladimir putin"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
Hear what Putin said about US court cases involving Trump after reelection win in Russia
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2024-03-11T00:37:24Z"
data-video-section="world"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2024/03/10/ukraine-medivac-russia-war-eastern-front-npw-vpx.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="ukraine medivac russia war eastern front npw vpx"
data-first-publish-slug="ukraine medivac russia war eastern front npw vpx"
data-video-tags="brand safety-nsf sensitive,brand safety-nsf violence,brand safety-nsf war and military,continents and regions,domestic alerts,domestic-international news,eastern europe,europe,iab-war and conflicts,military,military casualties,misc people,nick paton walsh,russia,ukraine,unrest, conflicts and war,war casualties"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
CNN joins Ukrainian medivac team under cover of darkness
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2022-03-02T03:22:24Z"
data-video-section="tv"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2022/03/02/putin-russia-ukraine-joe-biden-state-of-the-union-2022-vpx.cnn"
data-branding-key="state-of-the-union-2024"
data-video-slug="putin russia ukraine joe biden state of the union 2022 vpx"
data-first-publish-slug="putin russia ukraine joe biden state of the union 2022 vpx"
data-video-tags=""
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
'He has no idea what's coming': Biden sends message to Putin (2022)
United Nations chief Antonio Guterres looked simultaneously relieved and apprehensive as the grain export deal he brokered was signed in front of him in Istanbul on Friday.
Immediately following the signatures by Russia, Ukraine, and intermediary Turkey, the UN secretary general said the deal offered a “beacon of hope,” heralding food relief for the developing world.
Sadly for Guterres and all those counting on the much-needed food, his months of diplomatic slog – including visits to Moscow and Kyiv to nail the deal – ultimately illuminated the limitations of trusting Russia.
There is no explicit ceasefire in the deal, but Russia’s obligations were clearly spelled out: “The Russian Federation has committed to facilitate the unimpeded export of food, sunflower oil and fertilizers,” a statement from Guterres’ office said.
Less than 24 hours after its signing, the post-deal calm in Odesa – the principle port named in the accord – was shattered as two sea-launched Russian Kalibr cruise missiles slammed into the harbor.
Windows were blown out in buildings almost a mile away. Firemen rushed to the port to put out flames on several burning boats. According to officials, one harbor worker was injured.
The damage could have been much worse; two more of the $6 million precision missiles had been shot down by Ukraine’s air defense. Beachgoers in Odesa, who last year jostled for spots on the sand with Russian holidaymakers, cheered as the intercept detonated high above their heads.
Russia’s apparent coda to the grain agreement it had signed has been deplored by Ukraine and its allies – and widely held as proof of its duplicity.
Speaking to CNN within hours of the attack, Ukrainian member of parliament Oleksiy Goncharenko said Russia was “showing they want to continue to threaten the world’s food security.”
“The attack cast serious doubt on the credibility of Russia’s commitment,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, adding that it “undermines the work of the UN, Turkey, and Ukraine to get critical food to world markets.”
“It shows not a word [Russian President Vladimir Putin] says can be trusted,” said Liz Truss, the UK’s foreign minister – and potential next prime minister.
Photo provided by the Odesa City Hall Press Office on July 23, 2022.
Odesa City Hall Press Office/AP
Remarkably, Russia’s initial response to reports of the attack was denial.
According to Turkey – co-signatory to the deal and an arbiter overseeing its safe and fair implementation – the Kremlin told Ankara “in no uncertain terms” that it had “nothing to do with this attack.”
Yet just 12 hours later, Russia’s Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova reversed the initial lie. She said they were Russian strikes after all and claimed the attack had taken out Ukrainian “military infrastructure” in the harbor.
Ukraine has said the strikes hit a pumping station at the Odesa port.
Such obfuscation is run-of-the-mill fare for Russian officials – and that’s the point here. The grain deal has changed nothing in Moscow’s calculus for fighting the war, despite all Guterres’ hard work and diplomatic uplift.
And the damage done here is not just reminding the world of Moscow’s ambiguous relationship with the truth – Russia has also burned the good faith of their intermediary in the deal, Turkey.
Under the terms of the agreement, Turkey is establishing a Joint Command Centre (JCC) with UN help to monitor compliance. But Russia has already torpedoed all trust, in keeping with its cynical approach to the whole war on Ukraine.
Russia’s invasion of one of the world’s breadbaskets has caused global food insecurity, yet Moscow got concessions through the deal in order to allow Ukraine’s grain to flow. That’s usually called extortion.
To get Russia to release the grain by ending blockades on Ukrainian ports, Guterres had to strike a parallel deal on the side with Russia, effectively easing some sanctions on food and fertilizer. UN officials explained the diplomacy as “based on the principle that measures imposed on the Russian Federation do not apply to these products.”
Clearing those sanctions will bring money into Moscow’s coffers – which is perhaps the enduring takeaway of Guterres’ deal: Putin will make limited compromises for cash.
But in doing so, Putin has perhaps revealed, like Tolkien’s Smaug, a potentially fatal vulnerability in his defenses. The mythical dragon’s weakness was a missing scale, and Putin’s appears to be the economic bite of international sanctions. Whatever his other reasons for agreeing to the deal, the need to pay for the war likely weighs heaviest.
Speaking in Istanbul after Saturday’s missile strike, the Ukrainian deputy infrastructure minister Yurii Vaskov said technical meetings to implement the deal were ongoing.
“Ukraine is determined to start grain export as soon as possible,” he said.
Russia’s “attack is also on the agenda,” Vaskov added.
Guterres was right to be hopeful; the future effectiveness of the UN Security Council rides on his ability to keep Russia from escalating its war of choice. But if he was apprehensive at the signing table on Friday, nothing he has seen so far will assuage his fears. Not least Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Sunday embellishing the deal, claiming Russian vessels would help escort the cargo ships. A statement, like the missile strike, willfully aimed at goading Ukraine.