The retreated Russian troops left behind a trail of casualties and destruction in the streets of Bucha, with bodies of civilians scattered all over the outskirts of Kyiv. Images of bodies with bound hands, signs of torture and close-range bullet wounds sent shockwaves around the world.
According to Ukrainian officials, over 410 civilian bodies have been found in the Kyiv area.
Response from leaders
Outraged at the atrocities in Bucha, Western leaders, including the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken are asking for war crimes investigations and are ready to impose tougher sanctions on Moscow. Germany’s Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht urged the EU to consider banning Russian gas.
Russia’s next move
Retreating from Kyiv, Russian troops now seem focused on the southern Ukrainian port city, Odessa on the Black Sea. According to Ukrainian and Russian officials, the Russian army bombed the city’s oil refinery and fuel storage facility.
Lithuania becomes the first European country to cut off Russian gas, urges the EU to do the same
Former Soviet republic Lithuania cuts off all gas imports from Russia, becoming the first of the European Union’s 27 countries to sever energy ties with Moscow. This decision is followed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the recent decree by Putin for foreign energy investors to pay for Russian gas in rubles.
Lithuania and Russia: A glimpse of the energy business
Lithuania was one of the most dependent countries on Russian resources. In 2015, almost 100% of the country’s gas supply was provided by Russian entities.
The opening of an off-shore LNG import terminal in Klaipeda saw a remarkable change in dependence, with Lithuania getting only 26% of gas supplies from Russia last year.
Lithuania, a great example for the EU
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda posted a tweet following the country’s decision to cut off the Russian gas supply. The tweet read, “From this month on — no more Russian gas in Lithuania. Years ago, my country made decisions that today allow us with no pain to break energy ties with the aggressor. If we can do it, the rest of Europe can do it too!”
Following Lithuania’s footsteps
Latvia and Estonia, Lithuania’s fellow Baltic neighbors have also cut off energy ties with Moscow despite being heavily dependent on its resources.