Russia-Ukraine live news: Cuba denounces sanctions on Russia

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel describes sanctions against Russia as “unfair” during a trip to Moscow, where he and President Vladimir Putin unveiled a statue of Fidel Castro.

Ukraine’s national grid operator says Russian damage to energy facilities is “colossal”, but dismisses calls for civilian evacuations.

Finland to protect payment systems from cyber attacks

The Bank of Finland and the country’s Financial Stability Authority are introducing reserve payment systems for money transfers for consumers and banks.

Finnish central banker Olli Rehn told members of parliament, “Russia’s offensive in Ukraine has increased the threat of cyber and hybrid attacks also in Finland.”

He added that the new reserve systems were designed to prevent serious cyber attacks or prolonged telecom faults.

Due to the “changed threat situation”, financial market authorities set up backup systems earlier this year to secure daily payments under all conditions, Rehn said.

$4.5 billion in economic aid for Ukraine will begin soon: US

The payment of $4.5 billion in economic aid for Ukraine will begin in the coming weeks, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said.

The funds, which were approved in September as part of the stop-gap government funding bill, were aimed at “bolstering economic stability and supporting core government services,” Yellen said in a statement.

The secretary added that other donors should increase and accelerate their assistance to Ukraine as it defends against Russia’s invasion.

Cuban president condemns ‘unfair’ Russia sanctions

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Cuban counterpart Miguel Diaz-Canel unveiled a monument in a north Moscow square to Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, pledging to deepen their friendship in the face of US sanctions against both countries.

Putin evoked Castro’s memory as he told Diaz-Canel that the two countries needed to build on the “solid foundation of friendship” established between Castro and Soviet leaders.

Diaz-Canel condemned Russian sanctions and said, “Cuba strongly condemns the sanctions that are imposed today unilaterally and unfairly on the Russian Federation.

“The causes of the current conflict in this area must be found in the aggressive policy of the United States and in the expansion of NATO towards the borders of Russia, which Cuba has systematically denounced in international forums.

“Cuba, as it has expressed on many occasions, is in favour of a negotiated solution to the current conflict,” he added.

-al jazeera