Here are more companies in various sectors that have shut operations

Dunkin Donuts, Papa John’s, Burger King, and Yum Brands are franchises that have cut ties but the venture partner in Russia refused to close. These chains own only a part of their business in Russia, mostly below 50%. If their Russian business partner who owns most of the share decides to stay open, they could not do anything.

Bunge, Cargill, and Trafigura argue that exiting the country could risk world supply chains. Natural resources like wheat, corn, and nickel are used for producing essential products. Not just for Russia but for the entire world. Suspending operations in this area could mean a reduction of supply.

The post International Companies Left Russia appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

There are a number of companies who refuse to leave Russia and say it’s due to “humanitarian concerns.” Previous reports have shown big names like McDonald’s, Starbucks, Universal Music, and Heineken have all exited Russia. There are others who have stayed to provide essential needs.

Abbott Labs, AbbVie, AmerisourceBergen, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, and Pfizer had to stay to provide medicines. They cited that humanitarian decency requires them to provide health-related supply chains. We have to remember that the people of Russia did not sign up for war. They have the right to the supply of vital medicines, especially for those with underlying health concerns.

Carlsberg, Danone, General Mills, Kellogg, Kraft-Heinz, Mars, Mondelez, Nestle, and Pepsi supply water and food. There are essential grocery items produced by these companies that are necessities for daily life. Granted that chocolates and snacks are not that essential but everyone needs access to it.

Ventures

Dunkin Donuts, Papa John’s, Burger King, and Yum Brands are franchises that have cut ties but the venture partner in Russia refused to close. These chains own only a part of their business in Russia, mostly below 50%. If their Russian business partner who owns most of the share decides to stay open, they could not do anything.

Bunge, Cargill, and Trafigura argue that exiting the country could risk world supply chains. Natural resources like wheat, corn, and nickel are used for producing essential products. Not just for Russia but for the entire world. Suspending operations in this area could mean a reduction of supply.

At the end of the day, we have to separate the people, they did not sign up for the war. Granted that the people of Ukraine did not sign up for it too, it was not the Russian people who attacked them. We also have to keep in mind they are human too, they too have needs and they too deserve to be supplied with essential goods.

The post Companies Who Refuse To Leave Russia appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Ukrainians are only defending their land and trying to bring back peace.

“Not to yours — to our land. To our people. We are doing everything to end this war. And when we succeed, it will certainly happen, you will be sure of at least one thing: your children will no longer be sent to die on our land, on our territory,” he said.

The Ukrainian President said Russia’s original plan “already failed” in the first two days of the invasion but Russia is still “getting manpower from everywhere.”

“Equipment. Air bombs, missiles. Looking for mercenaries around the world. Any scum capable of shooting at civilians,” Zelensky said.

“Russian troops destroy our cities. Kill civilians indiscriminately. Rape women. Abduct children. Shoot at refugees. Capture humanitarian convoys. They are engaged in looting. They burn museums, blow up schools and hospitals. The target for them is universities, residential neighborhoods … Anything! Russian troops do not know the limits of evil.”

Zelensky also asked politicians attending the NATO Summit, EU Summit, and G7 Summit to support Ukraine.

“At these three summits we will see who is a friend, who is a partner, and who betrayed us for money,” he said.

The President repeated his requests for a no-fly zone over Ukraine, saying the Ukrainian sky has not been made safe from Russian bombs and Kyiv has not received aircraft, modern anti-missile weapons, or tanks.

The war continues to ravage Ukraine and Ukrainian forces push back the Russian aggressors. They are successfully defending Kyiv as Russia appeared to have been stalled in encircling the city.

The post “Save your sons from the war” appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

He drew parallels with the ongoing Russian-Ukraine conflict with that of World War II.

“Western leaders kept saying they were afraid to aggravate Hitler and they thought well, if you’re not showing any resistance, eventually he’ll stop,” he said. “However, that mistake has cost hundreds of millions of human lives. Hundreds of millions of human lives were lost and the same mistake is being committed now.”

NATO has been reluctant to respond to Russia’s military threat because they said it could escalate the war.

Khodorkovsky also commented on the influence of tycoons on President Vladimir Putin. It was “preposterous” to think the tycoons had any real influence over Putin.

“Oligarchs are not true oligarchs in the sense that they actually do not influence Putin,” he said.

“Yet they are Putin’s instruments of influence and to see for real who has broken their relations with Putin would be when they actually denounce him and when they admit that he is a war criminal. And if that doesn’t happen, that means they still depend on him and they’re still dangerous.”

On the ground, Ukraine’s forces are being helped by Russia’s corruption, Khodorkovsky said, adding: “the level of (Russia’s) unpreparedness has come as a great surprise to me.”

It comes after US sources said that the Russian military is facing food and fuel shortages, as well as logistical and sustainment issues. According to one officer, there are signs that some Russian soldiers have suffered frostbite as a result of their lack of cold-weather gear.

The post West is Repeating the Mistakes it Made with Hitler appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

The US is aware of Russian hypersonic missiles launched towards Ukraine as confirmed by US President Joe Biden. Many are concerned about this advanced weaponry and here is why.

“And if you’ll notice, (Russia has) just launched the hypersonic missile, because it’s the only thing that they can get through with absolute certainty,” Biden said. “It’s a consequential weapon … it’s almost impossible to stop it. There’s a reason they’re using it.”

All missiles are considered hypersonic since they travel five times the speed of sound. It is an existing technology that many countries possess. Any rocket missile launching in the atmosphere will reach the same speed.

HGV

Experts are concerned if it is a Hypersonic Glide Vehicle (HGV). This particular missile can fly low and undetected by radar, almost impossible to intersect. It can also adjust its course and altitude while on its flight.

Russia is thought to have this technology named the Avangard system which President Vladimir Putin announced in 2018. He said it was “practically invulnerable” to any Western air defenses.

The Kinzhal missile that was launched by Russia is not an HGV. A part of its advantage is that it can be launched using the MiG-31 fighter jets. This gives it a longer range and the ability to be launched from multiple directions.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies reported the capabilities of these missiles.

“The MiG-31K can strike from unpredictable directions and could avoid interception attempts altogether. The flying carrier vehicle might also be more survivable than the road-mobile Iskander system,” the report said. “This suggests that claims of the Kinzhal’s invulnerability to missile defense systems may also be somewhat exaggerated”.

Although the US is aware of one instance it was launched, the question as to why it was launched is still unanswered. It is not necessarily an escalation of the war but could be related to other internal problems.

The post Russian Hypersonic Missiles Launched appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

As Kyiv is being surrounded, the Ukrainian army pushed them back on the northern and western part of the capital. The Russian appeared to have either been stalled or pulling back jeopardizing supply lines.

About 48 kilometers from Kyiv is the city of Makariv where Ukraine regained control of the town. For the past few days, the town has experienced a number of bombings and destruction. Today, the Armed Forces of Ukraine said they have taken back the town. If they can defend it further and manage to consolidate control, the Russians will not be able to move further.

In the town of Moschun about 35 kilometers from Kyiv, the Ukrainian army is seen patrolling the streets. Satellite images show armored vehicles abandoned or destroyed on the streets.

In the western part of Kyiv, mother nature seems to have provided an additional defense for the city. The Irpin River has flooded the area and made it difficult for the Russians to cross it. The dam has caused the flood but it is unclear if it was opened by the Ukrainians or hit by strikes.

In the cities of Kherson and Mykolaiv, the Ukrainian forces are trying to regain the cities.

Now that Ukraine fights back the Russian army, many wonder if this would escalate the attacks. Many anticipate that the Russians will now use more advanced and deadlier weapons to try to take the city. In recent news, Russia has launched a hypersonic missile which is an advanced weapon.

The post Ukraine Fights Back appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

This suggests that Russia’s response to the US’s support of Ukraine and harsh economic sanction against the country is a cyber-attack. The US government is concerned that this is part of Putin’s escalation of the war. Recent changes in Russian tactics suggest that they are upping their game. Russia began shelling civilians as well as using new generation weaponry like hypersonic missiles.

 “The magnitude of Russia’s cyber capacity is fairly consequential, and it’s coming,” the President warned. “He hasn’t used it yet, but it’s part of his playbook,” Biden said of Putin.

For a year, the US has blamed the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service for the SolarWinds attack. Also, a group of Russian hackers was believed to be behind the ransomware cyberattack on the trans-America Colonial Pipeline.

In Ukraine, there were small cyber attacks against banks and government agencies. There has been no major cyber attack with heavy repercussions like a blackout or shutting down powerlines.

The US president also warns big businesses to increase their defenses and ensure additional security.

As he put it: “You have the power, the capacity, and the responsibility to strengthen the cybersecurity and resilience of the critical services and technologies on which Americans rely.”

Cybersecurity comes at a cost and it could hurt small businesses significantly.

The post The US Suggests Russia is Planning a Cyber Attack appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Nestle, makers of global brands like Nescafe, Koko Crunch, Kitkat, and many more defended their stance.

“We have significantly scaled back out activities in Russia: we have stopped all imports and exports from Russia, except for essential products,” a Nestlé spokesperson said. “We no longer make investments or advertise our products. We do not make a profit from our remaining activities.”

“The fact that we, like other food companies, supply the population with important food does not mean that we simply continue as before,” Nestlé said. “We are still one of the few active food companies in Ukraine and sometimes even manage to distribute food in Kharkiv,” Ukraine’s second-largest city, which is currently under siege.

Nestlé said at the time it is “shocked and deeply saddened by the invasion of Ukraine” and the company stands with the international community in calling for peace and the restoration of security and stability.

Many companies have already left Russia like Heineken, Carlsberg, Universal Music, McDonald’s, and Starbucks. They left to support the end of the war as well as the people of Ukraine.

It is the sad truth of war as we see children suffering in Ukraine, cutting the supply of essential goods could mean suffering for Russians. The people of Russia did not sign up for the war and yet they are being asked to pay for it. Is it right to ask a company to starve the people of another country who did not sign up for the war?

The post Zelensky Calls Out Nestle appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

“China will continue to make independent judgments based on the merits of the matter and in an objective and fair attitude. We will never accept any external coercion and pressure, and we also oppose any groundless accusations and suspicions against China,” Wang Yi told reporters, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Wang said “the long-term solution is to abandon the Cold War mentality, refrain from engaging in group confrontation, and truly form a balanced, effective and sustainable regional security architecture. Only in this way can long-term stability on the European continent be achieved.”

This statement comes after the 110-minute call between US President Joe Biden spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The US believes that China is considering supporting Russia’s request for military and economic support.

China’s Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng claimed Western countries were “weaponizing” globalization.

“Sanctions will only harm ordinary people, impact the post-war economic and financial system, and make the world economy worse,” Le said at the International Forum on Strategy and Security held by Tsinghua University.

He added that “historical experience has proven time and again that sanctions cannot solve problems.”

Le said the “root” of Ukraine’s conflict is “Cold War mentality and power politics” and blamed NATO for “going back” on a purported “promise” to not expand eastward.

NATO should have disbanded and been “consigned to history” with the Warsaw Pact, he said.

“NATO continues to strengthen and expand. One can imagine the result of this, the Ukraine crisis is a warning,” Le added.

The post China Speaks Out on the Russian-Ukraine War appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

When the Ukraine invasion began, many huge companies also began to boycott Russia. Companies like McDonald’s, Starbucks, Heineken, and Carlsberg have already exited the country. For Burger King, it could be a little complicated.

“We started the process to dispose [of] our ownership stake in the business,” said David Shear, president of RBI’s international operations, in an open letter. “While we would like to do this immediately, it is clear that it will take some time to do so based on the terms of our existing joint venture agreement.”

Burger King is under the Restaurant Brands International. RBI partnered with Russian businessman Alexander Kolobov to open stores in Russia. In their agreement, RBI controls only 15% of the venture and Kolobov has the majority. He is the one who handles “day-to-day operations and oversight” in Russia.

In comparison to McDonald’s which owns 80% share of its ventures, it is easier to shut down the business. RBI has demanded to shut its businesses in Russia and end the venture but Kolobov has “refused to do so.”

“There are no legal clauses that allow us to unilaterally change the contract or allow any one of the partners to simply walk away or overturn the entire agreement,” Shear said. “No serious investor in any industry in the world would agree to a long-term business relationship with flimsy termination clauses.”

Burger King pulled out its corporate support from Russia including suspending operations, marketing, and supply chain assistance.

RBI is not the only one experienced joint venture complications. Papa John’s partner in Russia also refused to close over 200 stores in Russia.

The post Burger King’s Russian Partner Refuses to Shut appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

The Chinese President has expressed that he is uninterested in escalating the war. He added that US and China have a responsibility in ensuring peace.

“We have that concern,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said. “The President detailed what the implications and consequences would be if China provides material support to Russia as it conducts brutal attacks against Ukrainian cities and civilians. And that is something we’ll be watching and the world will be watching.”

No additional details were released about the talks except that it was “direct,” “substantive” and “detailed”. There were also no details on the sanctions the US will make in case China supports Russia.

“China has to make a decision for themselves on where they want to stand and how they want the history books to look at them and view their actions,” Psaki said. “That is a decision for President Xi to make.”

China have always expressed that they are open to mediating talks between Russia and Ukraine to promote peace. They have not denounced the invasion but they also acknowledge Ukraine’s need of humanitarian assistance. There were reports however that inside China, they are supporting the Russian propaganda.

“We must not only lead the development of China-US relations down the correct path but also shoulder our international responsibilities and make efforts for world peace and tranquility,” Xi said on the video call, according to CCTV.

“The world is neither peaceful nor tranquil,” Xi acknowledged. “The Ukraine crisis is something we don’t want to see.” could be open to supporting the Russian aggression.

The post Biden Warns China appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Zhao Lijian said that China respects “the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries.”

“China always stands for respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, abiding by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, attaching importance to the legitimate security concerns of all countries, supporting all efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of the crisis and promoting peace talks and easing the humanitarian situation,” Zhao said.

“China’s position is above board, fair, objective, and unquestionable.”

China has talked about a “no-limits partnership” with Russia. President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin have expressed support for each other numerous times.

US officials allege that Russia asked for economic and military support from China and Beijing is open to the idea. Both countries have always denied this allegation.

Mr. Zhao addressed it by saying “some people in the US have been spreading disinformation to smear and put pressure on China, which is extremely irresponsible and will not help solve the issue. China is firmly opposed to this and will never accept it.”

“The US should seriously reflect on its role in the Ukrainian crisis, take its due responsibilities, and take concrete actions to ease the situation and resolve the issue, rather than adding fuel to the fire and shifting the conflict to others,” he said.

The post China and US Talks on Russia appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

On the ground, Kyiv continues to face challenges as the Russians press closer towards the capital. In the southern city of Mariupol, a theater with hundreds of people seeking shelter has been bombed. Hundreds of thousands of people are also surrounded by Russian forces in the Ukrainian coastal cities.

Head of the Russian negotiating delegation, Vladimir Medinsky said that the talks were “difficult” and “slow”. He also said that his objectives in negotiations with Ukraine have not changed. Moscow wants a  “peaceful, free, independent and neutral” Ukraine. He also added that joining a military bloc like NATO was not an option. Putin sees Ukraine joining as NATO expansion and an existential threat to Russia.  

This week, however, President Zelensky has expressed his opinion that joining NATO is not on the cards. They would rather welcome joining the EU rather than seek membership with NATO.

In a video call with the US congress, Zelensky repeated his calls for a no-fly zone in Ukraine.

“In the darkest time for our country, for the whole Europe, I call on you to do more,” Zelensky said. “New packages of sanctions are needed, constantly, every week until the Russian military machine stops. Restrictions are needed for everyone on whom this unjust regime is based.”

The White House does not support instituting a no-fly zone over Ukraine. They also are not keen on supplying the Ukrainian Air Force with new fighter aircraft. “I think he is a war criminal,” Biden said to reporters on Wednesday.

The post Ukraine and Russia Negotiations Show Progress appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Russian Foreign Ministry released the statement and said that the sanctions were “an inevitable consequence of the extremely Russophobic course taken by the current US Administration, which, in a desperate attempt to maintain American hegemony, has relied, discarding all decency, on the frontal constricting of Russia.”

The Russian government also plans to expand the list to “top US officials, military officials, lawmakers, businessmen, experts and media people who are Russophobic or contribute to inciting hatred towards Russia and the introduction of restrictive measures.”

They added that the Russian government does “not refuse to maintain official relations if they meet our national interests, and, if necessary, we will solve problems arising from the status of persons who appear on the ‘black list’ in order to organize high-level contacts.”

“It won’t surprise any of you that none of us are planning tourist trips to Russia, none of us have bank accounts that we won’t be able to access, so we will forge ahead,” said White House press secretary Jen Psaki. He assured that they would still have the ability to have direct contact with Russia.

The decision of Russia to sanction the US was “to protect the Russian economy and ensure its sustainable development.”

Russia on Tuesday also announced it is banning Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly, and Canadian Defense Minister Anita Anand from entering the country, the Russian Foreign Ministry tweeted on Tuesday.

The post Russia Sanctions US Officials appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

“For years we have been hearing about how the door is supposedly open but now we hear that we cannot enter. And it is true, and it must be acknowledged,” he said.

“I am glad that our people are beginning to understand this and rely on themselves and on our partners who assist us,” he added.

Initially, Ukraine expressed its intention to join NATO as a partner. This is one step away from full membership to NATO. This was also the initial reason Russian President Vladimir launched the “special military operation”.

US Secretary of State Tony Blinken called it a “reflection of reality” for Zelensky. The signal was sent through the message that he will not join NATO anytime soon.

“I don’t think that’s a concession. I think first of all it’s a reflection of reality that even before this aggression by Russia, Ukraine was not going to get into NATO tomorrow. All the more reason why as we’ve seen when Putin was saying that their concerns about Ukraine centered on its admission to NATO, that was wrong. That was a lie,” Blinken said.

Blinken said that Putin has demonstrated that this war in Ukraine is about “denying Ukraine its independent existence.”

Blinken called the US support for Ukraine “extraordinary”. He also said that support will continue “to make sure that Ukraine has the means to defend itself.”

Blinken would not detail what consequences China would face if they provide military or economic support to Russia. However, he said the US has “made very clear that is not something we are going to face sitting down.”

The post Ukraine May Not Join NATO After All appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki called for Ukraine to be “very quickly” considered as a candidate to join the EU. Poland also committed to helping Ukraine organize its defenses.

“We are here to admire your fight against such a cruel aggressor. This invasion has to stop,” Morawiecki said. “Those who are killed by (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, they can never be forgotten. They are not forgotten.”

“We will never leave you alone. We will be with you. Because we know you are fighting not only for your homes, for your freedom, for your security, but also for ours,” he said.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala coming face to face with the Ukrainian President is “something really special.”

“The main goal of our visit and the main message of our mission is to say to our Ukrainian friends that they are not alone. That Europe stands with you,” Fiala said.

The Czech Republic has now taken in 250,000 refugees, according to the prime minister. They also committed to “continue to provide more aid and support.”

Zelensky thanked the EU leaders for their “wonderful support”. “So many other ambassadors have left Ukraine because of the full-scale Russian invasion.”

“Most important, is that we truly trust these leaders,” Zelensky said. “When we are talking about the security guarantees, about our future in the European Union. When we talk about the sanctions policy, we are 100% assured that whatever we are discussing, whatever we talk about, this will reach a positive outcome for our country.”

He continued that with “friends like this,” Ukraine “can win.”

The post Europe Stands with Ukraine appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Korean Air has also suspended all passenger and cargo services to and from Moscow and Vladivostok.

Korean Air said it is also rerouting its flights to avoid Russian airspace, citing “operational challenges and safety concerns.”

Flights from Seoul to Europe will be rerouted over China, Kazakhstan, and Turkey. This would extend flight times up to two hours 45 minutes. Flights from eastern areas of North America to Seoul will also be rerouted over Alaska and the Pacific Ocean. This will be adding close to two hours for some flights.

Ukrainian official in South Korea requests Seoul’s assistance in boosting its cybersecurity capability to defend against Russian attacks.

Ukraine’s ambassador-designate to South Korea, Dmytro Ponomarenko said that many government institutions suffer from cyber-attack. These Russian cyber-attack cripples many systems that aid important government functions.

Top global cyber security firms also suggest that destructive software is found to circulate in Ukraine. It has already hit hundreds of computers and is part of a suspected hack.

“We would also be grateful if the Republic of Korea, being a highly developed hi-tech country, gave us a hand in strengthening our cybersecurity capabilities,” Ponomarenko said.

A foreign ministry official who later briefed reporters mentioned export controls as part of possible international sanctions. “Of course, some countries are considering unilateral sanctions including financial measures but we are not considering that.” Discussions are underway to finalize details, the official added.

South Korea supports international efforts to stop the armed aggression against Ukrainians. They also would like both countries to seek a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

The post South Korea Supports Ukraine appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.