Early on the morning of February 24th, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on state television that Russia will carry out a 'special military operation' in eastern Ukraine.
Moscow claims the 'operation' is aimed at 'denazification and demilitarization' of Ukrainian territory at the request of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk 'people's republics', and is based on the right to self-defence. Russia also says that it does not attack the civilian population.
But, the fact is, Russian armed forces have killed innocent people, including children and the elderly. Russia deliberately targets civilian infrastructure and falsely claims that it is Ukraine's army that puts people's lives at risk.
Suspilne, the largest independent news media outlet in Ukraine, and a number of English-speaking volunteers launch this live updates page to let the world know what is really happening on the ground. Tune in for hourly news bulletins from all Ukrainian regions.
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Read the previous online here - Russia invades Ukraine — live updates from Suspilne
Our news at 21:03
The Russian army shot down several of its own planes in the first days of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Because of this, Russia lacked pilots with combat experience, reports the Financial Times, citing its own sources.
The G7 increased aid to Ukraine to $39 billion for 2023 and called on the IMF to launch a program for the country by the end of March.
In occupied Mariupol, explosions have been heard for several days in a row. The Mariupol City Council announced that Russian occupiers had hit warehouses and bases. The occupation administration of the city announces the work of the Air Defense Forces.
Tanks. The first tanks from Germany and Spain will arrive in Ukraine in March, said Anka Feldhusen, the German ambassador to Ukraine. Also, Sweden is ready to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine, the country's Defense Minister Pal Johnson said. Finland also announced that it will send three Leopard tanks to Ukraine. Great Britain may offer Ukraine more of its main tanks in addition to the 14 already promised, and the first Challenger 2s may arrive in Ukraine in the spring.
Volodymyr Zelenskyi believes that it would be desirable for Ukraine to meet with China and noted that at the level of diplomats such a signal was conveyed to the Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
The Ukrainian Parliament approved sanctions against Russian banks and financial companies for 50 years.
Suspilne suspends the English version online. Thank you for being with us this year. You can read the news following the link in Ukrainian.
Our news at 22:31
There will be decisive battles in the war in Ukraine from the middle to the end of spring, the stockpile of artillery shells in Russia has decreased to 30%, the remaining missiles are almost exhausted, and the maximum of Russian production is about 40 cruise missiles per month, said the head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov.
Russia conducted an unsuccessful test of the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile when US President Joe Biden visited Ukraine on February 20. This was reported by CNN with reference to two high-ranking US officials.
Spain will hand over six updated Leopard 2 A4 tanks to Ukraine, confirmed the Minister of Defense of Spain, Margarita Robles.
Volodymyr Zelenskyi plans to attend the NATO summit in Vilnius, Ukrainian Ambassador to Lithuania Petro Beshta said. For this, he must receive an invitation to the summit, because Ukraine is not a member of the Alliance.
Ukraine will boycott the World Boxing Championships due to the admission of athletes from Russia and Belarus, the Boxing Federation of Ukraine reported.
Ukraine wants to extend the annual grain agreement with new ports, writes Reuters with reference to the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine. The department believes that the agreement should be extended for a year, not for 120 days, and to expand it to the Mykolaiv port.
Russian Ombudsman Tetyana Moskalkova and employees of her office may be involved in the deportation of Ukrainian children, said Dmytro Lubinets, the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada for the Protection of Human Rights. In particular, it is about the removal of two Ukrainian children from the territory of Austria to Moscow.
There are 4.6 million Ukrainians in Europe, Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyridenko said. Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the departure of citizens abroad, the population of Ukraine could decrease to 33.5 million people.
Every tenth hospital in Ukraine has been damaged due to attacks by the Russian Federation, according to research by the organizations eyeWitness to Atrocities, Insecurity Insight, Physicians for Human Rights, the Media Initiative for Human Rights, and the Ukrainian Center for Health Care.
Our news at 21:05
Putin addressed the Russian Federal Assembly for the first time since April 2021, accused the West of "tearing Ukraine from Russia", denied that Russia is at war with the people of Ukraine and stated that the Russian Federation is suspending its participation in the Strategic Offensive Arms Treaty. This is the only agreement that regulates the world's two largest nuclear arsenals of Washington and Moscow.
US President Joe Biden delivered a speech in Poland. He addressed the people of Russia, denied Putin's claims about the West's alleged plans to attack the Russian Federation, and he noted that the United States had assembled a coalition of more than 50 countries to obtain weapons and deliver them to Ukrainian fighters on the front lines.
Russian troops shelled a public transport stop in Kherson. 16 people were injured. Five more died.
Russia is launching a new offensive, mobilizing more troops and reaching out to North Korea and Iran. NATO is also concerned that China may be planning to provide military support to Russia, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said
In Ukraine, the activities of the "Party of Regions", whose leader was ex-president Viktor Yanukovych, were banned. The property of the political forces will be transferred to state ownership.
Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the UN has recorded 18,955 civilian casualties. This is connected with the indiscriminate use of artillery and other weapons systems by the Russian Federation, according to the British intelligence report.
Prime Minister Dorin Rechan confirmed the words of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi that the Russian Federation plans to seize the airport in Chisinau in order to transfer troops to Moldova. However, he assured, the Moldovan authorities are ready to cope with these challenges.
Sociological group "Rating" conducted a study "How the war changed me and the country. Results of the year." Belief in Ukraine's victory is 95% of respondents.
Our news at 23:40
US President Joe Biden came to Kyiv. He met with Volodymyr Zelenskyi and announced a new aid of 500 million dollars. It will include artillery ammunition for HIMARS and howitzers, more Javelin and armored systems, surveillance radars. Shortly before Biden's visit, "basic communication with the Russians to ensure the avoidance of conflict" took place, AR writes about this with reference to the White House.
The administration of US President Biden calls on Ukraine to prepare a counteroffensive against the backdrop of a possible re-offensive by Russia, Politico writes. It is noted that the White House insists on this, in particular, because the level of support currently shown by Ukraine's partners may decrease after some time, and the flow of Western weapons to Ukraine may be limited.
Japan will allocate $5.5 billion in aid to Ukraine. The money will be used to restore infrastructure, said Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida.
Italy is ready to supply Ukraine with five Tornado and AMX combat aircraft, but does not want to do so first for reasons of political expediency, writes the Italian publication La Republica, citing its own sources.
The King of Great Britain, Charles III, visited the training base in the south-west of England, where the Ukrainian military is trained. The king, accompanied by the Chief of the General Staff, General Patrick Sanders, observed how Ukrainian soldiers learn to attack enemy positions.
As of the morning of February 20, more than 1,387 children were injured in Ukraine as a result of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation. 461 children died and at least 926 were injured in varying degrees of severity. Data — Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine.
Our news at 09:00
The threat of Russian missile strikes remains very high throughout the territory of Ukraine, the main efforts of the Russian army are concentrating on the Donbas — on the offensive in the Kupyansk, Lymansk, Bakhmutsk, Avdiivsk and Shakhtarsk directions and are suffering significant losses, the Ukrainian General Staff reports.
The Netherlands, together with Germany and Denmark, will provide Ukraine with 100 Leopard tanks, said the head of the Dutch government, Mark Rutte.
The Czech Republic will manufacture air defense systems for Ukraine. The Netherlands will pay for the assembly of hundreds of modified Toyota all-terrain vehicles equipped with two rapid-fire machine guns capable of hitting drones, among others. Other necessary ammunition will be purchased by Czech companies.
Volodymyr Zelenskyi spoke at the Munich Security Conference and compared Russia's war against Ukraine to the story of David and Goliath and thanked the partners who provide Ukraine with weapons and financial support, comparing it to "David's sling".
Russian Auchan probably supplied goods to the Russian military in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories in the form of "humanitarian aid" for free. This is reported in the investigative The Insider, Le Monde and Bellingcat. Ukrainian Auchan demands clarification from the French office.
Latvia will hand over cars confiscated from drunk drivers to the Armed Forces. The Seimas of the country introduced amendments to the law on support of the civilian population of Ukraine.
Law enforcement officers are investigating 67,000 war crimes committed by the Russian Federation, and there are already 25 verdicts against Russian war criminals, the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, Andriy Kostin, said.
Our news at 10:39
100 Ukrainian soldiers and one civilian were released from Russian captivity. 94 of them are defenders of Mariupol, including 63 soldiers from Azovstal.
At night, Russia fired 32 cruise missiles at critical infrastructure facilities in Ukraine. The Armed Forces shot down 16 of them. Debris of one of the rockets was found in Moldova.
France sends the first batch of AMX-10RC armored vehicles to Ukraine. It is about 14 armored personnel carriers.
The president of Belarus, Oleksandr Lukashenko, who is not recognized by a number of countries, said that he is ready to fight with the Russians only in the event of an invasion of Belarus by neighboring countries.
The Parliament of Slovakia recognized the current Russian regime as terrorist, and Russia as a state that supports terrorism.
Norway will allocate more than $7 billion to Ukraine over five years. Only the Norwegian Socialists, who have eight seats in the parliament, opposed the proposal. The funds will go to military and humanitarian aid at the rate of $1.5 billion per year.
MEPs called to consider the issue of supplying Ukraine with fighter jets, helicopters, appropriate missile systems and a significant increase in ammunition. This is discussed in the resolution dedicated to the anniversary of Russia's war against Ukraine.
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen arrived in Kyiv on his first visit since the start of the full-scale war and declared that Israel would support Zelenskyi's "peace formula".
Our news at 19:42
Russia failed to "penetrate" the defense of Ukraine, even though 97% of the Russian army is on Ukrainian territory, said the head of the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain, Ben Wallace.
Ukraine will need several months to prepare for the de-occupation of the temporarily occupied territories, Defense Minister Reznikov said.
In the morning of February 15, the Russians shelled a house in Pokrovsk in Donetsk region, there are wounded and people under rubble. According to preliminary data, the Russians fired from the Smerch MLRS. In the city, an operational headquarters to help the victims was deployed.
State concern "Ukroboronprom" announced the first product of joint production with one of the NATO member countries — 120-mm mortar mines.
Sweden will transfer 51 self-propelled artillery units and Archer self-propelled artillery to Ukraine, as well as anti-tank weapons, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said.
The Canadian Armed Forces have trained more than 35,000 Ukrainian military and security service personnel, Canadian Defense Minister Anita Anand said.
About a third of Ukrainians are ready to take part in lawsuits and demand compensation from Russia for war crimes. 75% believe that court cases to investigate war crimes of the Russian Federation should be started as soon as possible. This is evidenced by the results of a study conducted by the Rating Sociological Group.
The tenth package of sanctions against Russia will cover the banking sector, access to dual-use technologies and advanced technologies. It is also proposed to introduce sanctions against almost 100 additional individuals and legal entities responsible for military activities, political decisions, propaganda and disinformation, the European Commission reported. The EU plans to introduce the 10th package of sanctions on February 24.
Our news at 13:50
The Russian Federation is likely to bet on aviation and plans to use aircraft and military helicopters to support the ground offensive, the Financial Times reported, citing sources close to Western intelligence. At the same time, an official from Joe Biden's administration noted that Russia's ground forces are currently exhausted, which is why Russia can bet on aviation.
The US government has signed a defense contract worth more than $500 million for the production of artillery ammunition for the Ukrainian army. The first ammunition should be delivered next month. The contract is financed by the Pentagon's Ukraine Security Promotion Initiative.
The Russians, despite significant losses, do not give up their intention to enter the administrative borders of Donetsk and Luhansk regions and have focused on the offensive in the Kupyan, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiiv and Shakhtar directions, reports the Ukrainian General Staff.
The ninth meeting in the Rammstein format took place in Belgium on February 14. Italy and France announced the provision of air defense equipment to Ukraine, France, together with Australia, will launch the production of 155 mm ammunition, Norway has allocated a total of 75 billion euros for various forms of support for Ukraine. There will be no fighter jets yet.
Germany, Poland, Canada, Portugal, Spain, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands are working on providing Ukraine with Leopard battle tanks, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said during a Ramstein-style meeting.
Germany will start production of projectiles for the Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft systems transferred to Ukraine, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said.
18 prosecutors and police officers of Ukraine started a training course on war crimes investigation in Paris, the representative of the Embassy of Ukraine in France Kostyantyn Albazov said.
Ukraine needs 40 to 48 billion dollars in financing this year, the IMF said. It is noted that the fund is working on an aid program for Ukraine and supports it in managing the "war economy".
The US is preparing a $10 billion aid package for Ukraine, The Washington Post reports. In addition, the US is expected to announce another major military aid package and impose additional sanctions against Russia next week.
Our news at 19:59
The tenth package of EU anti-Russian sanctions may include four banks, including the largest private bank of the Russian Federation, Alfa-Bank, about 130 organizations and individuals, bans on the import and export of a number of goods, Politico writes with reference to EU officials and diplomats. The ambassadors will discuss the 10th package of sanctions this week.
Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov went to the meeting of the Contact Group on Defense of Ukraine in the Ramstein format, which will take place on February 14. Among the main topics is the provision of fighter jets, tanks and ammunition to Ukraine.
Ukrainian tankers began training in Germany and Poland to operate Leopard tanks.
Denmark transferred all its CAESAR self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Russia's war against Ukraine is now a "logistics competition", called on countries to provide military aid to Ukraine as soon as possible and stressed that "Putin is not preparing for peace".
1,765 drones worth 3.4 billion hryvnias have already been purchased for the Ukrainian "Drone Army" and more than 3,500 military personnel have already been trained on them, the Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, Mykhailo Fedorov, said.
Russia plans to carry out a coup d'état in Moldova with attacks on government buildings and hostage-taking, the country's president, Maya Sandu, said. Also, the Information and Security Service of Moldova confirmed that the Moldovan side received data from Ukraine about Russia's intentions to conduct a campaign to destabilize the situation in the state.
Our news at 20:18
Russian missile attack on Ukraine. The Air Force of Ukraine shot down 61 cruise missiles and 5 drones during the night and morning. The Russians hit energy infrastructure facilities in 6 regions, emergency shutdowns began. Two Russian missiles crossed the air borders of Moldova and Romania, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhnyi reported. It was confirmed in Moldova, denied in Romania.
On February 10, Ukraine returned the bodies of 61 dead soldiers. In total, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, it was possible to return 888 dead Ukrainian servicemen.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Maloni confirmed the delivery of SAMP/T air defense systems to Ukraine.
A group of Ukrainian servicemen arrived in Belgium as part of a training mission of the European Union, the Minister of Defense of the country Lyudivin Dedonder reported. They will learn how to operate underwater drones.
The EU did not agree on joint procurement of ammunition for Ukraine, said Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
Russia did not mobilize 500,000 because of a "hole in the budget". The monthly budget deficit of the Russian Federation is about 900 billion hryvnias. For comparison, the annual budget of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine for 2023 is 857 billion, reports Forbes Ukraine.
A quarter of the population of Ukraine is at risk of developing serious mental conditions due to the full-scale invasion of Russia — WHO.
Our news at 21:00
Russian troops have launched a major offensive operation in the Luhansk region, according to an analytical report by the American Institute for the Study of War. Analysts note certain Russian successes in the Dvorichny region northwest of Svatovo. In addition, over the past week, the pace of operations along the Svatove-Kreminna line in the west of Luhansk region has increased.
SpaceX has limited the use of the Starlink Internet by the Ukrainian military — the corporation believes that the Armed Forces should not use the system as a weapon, in particular, control drones using Starlink.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced that in the next few days the European Commission will present the 10th package of sanctions against the Russian Federation. It will include restrictions on exports worth 10 billion euros, as well as sanctions against the Russian military and political command and Kremlin propagandists.
More than 60% of losses during the war were caused by artillery, the Ukrainian General Staff analyzed.
The concern Ukroboronprom and one of the NATO member countries began to jointly produce mines of caliber 120 mm. Production facilities are scattered, in particular, part of them is located in one of the European countries, the concern reported.
As of February 9, 17,000 Ukrainians have applied to join the Offensive Guard. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine began forming these assault brigades on February 3. The project aims to gather motivated volunteers for training and participation in offensive operations.
Ukrainian engineers have developed Spire drones. They are able to intercept Iranian Shahed kamikaze drones, which Russia uses in the war against Ukraine.
Last year, after internal audits, 621 officials from the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Ministry of Defense were prosecuted, Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said.
President Zelenskyi arrived in Brussels for the EU summit, spoke at a meeting of the European Parliament, and then at the Eurocouncil, where he called for more weapons to be provided to Ukraine.
Our news at 07:48
The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) has published the results of its investigation into those responsible for the downing of flight MH17 by a Buk missile in 2014 over Donetsk region. It states that Russian President Vladimir Putin gave the order to hand over the missile system to the DPR militants.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi spoke before the Parliament of Great Britain. In particular, he thanked the British for military assistance, presented the Speaker of the House of Commons with a Ukrainian pilot's helmet and called for airplanes. Prime Minister of Great Britain Rishi Sunak instructed to check which combat aircraft Britain can transfer to Ukraine. Also Zelenskyi met with Charles III.
The Ukrainian military will receive the first Leopard 1 tanks by the summer, and the Leopard 2A6 at the end of March, announced the Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Oleksiy Reznikov.
Germany has increased the amount of aid to the Ukrainian army. The updated list includes, in particular: 32 GEPARD self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, 120 units of border guard vehicles, 245 generators.
Great Britain introduced a new package of anti-Russian sanctions, which apply in particular to six organizations that supply the Russian army with military equipment used during Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine is withdrawing from the European Ombudsman Institute due to the fact that the secretary general of the organization, Josef Zigele, took two Ukrainian refugee children to the territory of the Russian Federation, Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said. According to him, the Austrian authorities have launched an official investigation into Siegele's actions.
Our news at 13:16
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine extended martial law and general mobilization for 90 days from February 19.
Germany has approved the supply of 178 Leopard 1 tanks to Ukraine. The first tanks should be delivered to Ukraine in the summer of this year, but most of them — not earlier than next year.
Denmark plans to transfer Leopard 1A5 tanks to Ukraine, which are no longer part of the country's armed forces, DR Nyheder reports. They should be prepared and sent to the battlefield in Ukraine.
Russia is trying to resume major offensive operations in Ukraine from early January 2023, but it is unlikely that the Russian Federation will be able to build up the forces necessary to significantly affect the outcome of the war in the coming weeks, according to British intelligence.
As of the morning of February 7, the Embassy of Ukraine in Turkey found 9 out of 27 Ukrainians who were in the earthquake zones. Their lives are not in danger. However, two Ukrainians are believed to have died, four others were injured, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reported.
The UN Development Program will repair 50 schools in Ukraine damaged by the Russian Federation. About 21,000 students will be able to return to education.
The Security Service of Ukraine revealed that the companies of the wife of Vladimir Putin's daughter godfather, suspected of high treason, ex-deputy Viktor Medvedchuk, who was deprived of Ukrainian citizenship, financed the Russian Guard and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation.
The Ukrainian Parliament introduced transparency in defense procurement. 290 people's representatives voted for the adoption of the document. The new procedure provides for reporting on purchases, with the exception of goods and services that are state secrets.
87 Ukrainian rescuers will arrive in Turkey to help after the earthquake.
Our news at 22:54
Russian troops used about 660 Iranian Shahed-131/136 drones in the war against Ukraine and are expecting new deliveries of drones, according to the intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
More than two thousand people signed up for the ranks of the "Offensive Guard" per day. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine started recruiting for these assault units on February 2. Among other things, the detachments will perform tasks within the framework of the Ukrainian counteroffensive and the liberation of the territories of the country captured by Russia.
Russia plans to launch a new offensive within the next 10 days. The Kremlin wants to seize the initiative in the war and seize the rest of Donbas, writes the Financial Times with reference to the comment of the adviser of the Defense Forces of Ukraine. Also, Ukrainian intelligence predicts a Russian offensive in Donetsk, Luhansk regions and Zaporizhzhia.
Ukrainian servicemen have arrived in Great Britain for training. According to the Ministry of Defense of Britain, the fighters will familiarize themselves with the AS90 armored self-propelled guns.
The first batch of Bradley fighting vehicles went to Ukraine, the US Department of Defense reported. The cargo contains over 60 Bradleys.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Haar Støre has proposed that his country provide about $7.3 billion in aid to Ukraine over five years. According to the Prime Minister, in 2023, half of the aid will go to military needs, and the rest to humanitarian needs, although this distribution may change in the coming years.
Poland advocates that at the Munich Security Conference, Western leaders not only discuss the possibility of providing Ukraine with fighter jets, but also make a unanimous decision on this issue, Polish Ambassador to Germany Dariusz Pawlos said.
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine recognized PVK Wagner as an international criminal organization.
Ukraine nationalized factories and agricultural holdings of sanctioned Russian oligarchs for 2 billion hryvnias. We are talking about Russian billionaires Mykhailo Shelkov and Sergey Chemezov.
Our news at 22:04
The USA announced the allocation of a $2.2 billion military aid package to Ukraine. It includes, in particular, anti-tank missiles, artillery ammunition, as well as conventional and long-range missiles for HIMARS.
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, said that Russia "wants revenge where it didn't work out" and is concentrating its forces to "take away the east of Ukraine." In Donbas, Russian troops continue to conduct offensive operations in the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiiv and Novopavliv areas, the Ukrainian General Staff said.
The amount of restrictions within the framework of the tenth package of sanctions against Russia will amount to 10 billion euros. This was announced by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, during the Ukraine-EU summit in Kyiv. According to her, a new package of sanctions is planned to be introduced on February 24.
The German government has allowed the transfer of Leopard 1 tanks to Ukraine, government spokesman Steffen Hebeshreit said. Deliveries of tanks from industrial warehouses can be made as soon as these tanks are repaired.
Oleksiy Reznikov, an adviser to the Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine, is suspected of embezzling 1.7 billion hryvnias that were supposed to be used to purchase goods for the military, the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine reports.
The SBU announced the liquidation of the scheme of embezzlement of funds for food of the Armed Forces for more than UAH 100 million.
The Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine informed Yevhen Prigozhin of the suspicion of the head of the Russian private military company "Wagner".
Economic activity in 2023 will remain weak, and real GDP will grow by only 0.3% — the National Bank of Ukraine has analyzed how the shortage of electricity will affect economic activity in 2023.
Our news at 11:52
Putin ordered Russian troops to seize the entire territory of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine by March, Ukrainian intelligence said.
On the evening of February 1, the Russians hit Kramatorsk with rockets. An apartment building was destroyed, at least three people died and more than twenty were injured. On February 2, the Russian military launched two more rocket attacks on the city center. Six people were injured.
On February 3, the Ukraine-EU summit will be held in Kyiv. The leaders of the European Union, headed by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, have already arrived. The delegation also included 15 European Commissioners.
The EU will additionally train 15,000 Ukrainian soldiers in the use of Western military equipment. In this way, the total number of soldiers trained under the EUMAM program will increase to 30,000, said the head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell.
The EU Council supported further military aid to Ukraine. It is the seventh package worth 500 million euros and a new aid measure of 45 million euros.
As of February 2, the National Police of Ukraine has initiated more than 60,000 criminal proceedings based on the fact that crimes were committed on the territory of Ukraine by the Russian military.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has protested against the inhumane treatment of Ukrainian citizen Mikheil Saakashvili, who is being held behind bars in Georgia. "In the worst traditions of the NKVD of the USSR, the Georgian authorities are using psychological and physical violence against Mikheil Saakashvili," the statement reads.
The decline of the Ukrainian economy in 2022 amounted to more than 30%. 0.3% growth is expected in 2023, said Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal.
More than 1,378 children were injured in Ukraine as a result of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation. As of the morning of February 3, the official number of dead children is 459. The number of injured is at least 919. Data - Prosecutor General's Office.
Our news at 20:03
Russia and Iran agreed on the Shahed drones back in 2021, there was also talk of missiles, but there is no fact of transferring a large number, said the executive director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies Ihor Semivolos.
According to the Ukrainian General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Russians are actively conducting reconnaissance along the front line and, with heavy losses, are continuing their attempts to advance in Donbas region — in the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiiv and Novopavliv directions.
Bulgaria recognized the Holodomor as a genocide of Ukrainians.
Japan provided 170 millions US dollars for the reconstruction of Ukraine. The funds plan expenses for the implementation of projects of emergency recovery and reconstruction of critical infrastructure.
Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu said that he is ready to become a mediator in the negotiations between Ukraine and the Russian Federation. According to him, he "does not name his candidate", but will consider the offer if it comes from Moscow, Kyiv or Washington. Netanyahu said that he had already received such an offer shortly after the start of the war. Then he refused, leaving no official status.
Ukraine now needs 400-500 ambulances in the de-occupied regions, President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said.
The SBU and OGPU conducted searches of several high-ranking officials. The suspicion was reported, in particular, to several employees of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. We are talking about corruption cases.
The Security Service of Ukraine reported the discovery of the ex-head of the Department of the Ministry of Defense for embezzlement of over 100 million hryvnias. It is about the purchase of low-quality body armor.
Our news at 21:01
The Russian army continues to conduct offensive operations in Donbas — in the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiiv and Novopavliv areas. In other directions, it is being defended, the Ukrainian General Staff reported.
Russia announced the transfer of additional forces to the border with Ukraine. It is about the Kursk region of the Russian Federation, the governor of the region, Roman Starovoyt, said.
British Challenger tanks will be on the front line in Ukraine until the summer, British Defense Minister Ben Wallace said.
Poland can transfer its F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, but only in coordination with NATO, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said.
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened him with a missile strike during a phone call in February on the eve of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
NATO does not see signs that Russian President Vladimir Putin and the military leadership are preparing for peace, but the Alliance sees that Russia is preparing for further war, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said.
The European Union supported the decision to provide tanks to Ukraine in response to the escalation by the Russian Federation. This was stated by the official representative of the EU foreign policy service, Peter Stano.
The EU has introduced sanctions against the Iranian state corporation Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries Corporation, which produces unmanned aerial vehicles. Drones manufactured by this company are used by Russia in particular in the war against Ukraine.
During the next week, the EU will agree on a new package of sanctions against Belarus, and in two weeks it will present the 10th package of sanctions against Russia, Radio Svoboda journalist Rikard Jozwiak reports.
Ukraine hopes to join the European Union in two years, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
Our news at 20:38
Russian President Vladimir Putin is planning a new offensive against Ukraine in February and March and is preparing his country for a conflict with the US and its allies that he expects will last for years. This is reported by Bloomberg with reference to sources close to the Kremlin.
The Russians are exaggerating their successes near Orichov in Zaporizhzhia and Vugledar in Donbas, reports the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain. According to British intelligence, Russian units probably carried out test attacks near Orichov and Vugledar, but it is unlikely that they actually achieved any significant success.
"Shahed hunters are already in Ukraine and protecting energy facilities from Russian drones," Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov said. We are talking about complexes of radars and jammers that detect and block Russian UAVs and release their drones.
Belgium allocated military aid to Ukraine in the amount of 92 million euros, the Prime Minister of the country Alexander de Croo said. It will include, in particular, AMRAAM missiles, light anti-tank weapons, anti-tank grenades and guns.
Poland will provide Ukraine with 60 tanks, including 30 PT-91 Twardy tanks, in addition to the announced delivery of 14 Leopard 2 tanks, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said.
Germany has expanded the list of military aid that the state provides to Ukraine. Among the equipment planned for transfer are Leopard 2 tanks, Bergepanzer 3 repair and evacuation vehicles and missiles for IRIS-T SLM air defense systems.
The Spanish government will send Leopard 2 A4 tanks to Ukraine in the spring, their exact number has not yet been announced. This was announced by the Minister of Defense of the Kingdom, Margarita Robles.
The EU has extended economic sanctions against Russia for another 6 months.
As of the morning of January 27, more than 1,376 children were injured in Ukraine as a result of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation. 459 children died and at least 917 were injured of various degrees of severity. Data — Office of the Prosecutor General.
Our news at 19:58
Russia's massive missile attack. On the night of January 26, the Russians released 24 "Shahed-136/131" kamikaze drones over the territory of Ukraine. All of them were destroyed by the Ukrainian military. In the morning, the Russian military launched 55 air and sea-based missiles on the territory of Ukraine. They were launched from planes and ships from the waters of the Black Sea. 57 missiles were shot down by the Ukrainian air defense, said the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhnyi. 11 people died as a result of rocket attacks.
Poland will be able to hand over Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine within a few weeks, said Wojciech Skurkiewicz, Deputy Minister of National Defense of Poland. We are talking about 14 tanks — one company. Great Britain hopes that 14 Challenger 2 tanks will arrive in Ukraine already in March this year, said Deputy Defense Minister of Great Britain Alex Chalk.
Canada is considering the possibility of transferring Leopard tanks to Ukraine and determining the exact amount of equipment that can be allocated from its reserves, reports the Canadian publication Ottawa Citizen with reference to its own sources in the government.
The United States recognized the Russian private military company "Wagner", which is fighting in Ukraine, as a transnational criminal organization.
Ukrainian military will undergo training in Norway. For the first time, the country will offer Ukrainian military personnel training on sanitary measures, shooting, and a command management course, the country's Defense Minister Bjorn Arild Gram said.
In Ukraine, 30% of the territory is mined, demining will take tens of years, stated the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.
Our news at 22:29
The United States will transfer 31 M1 Abrams tanks and spare parts to Ukraine. This was announced by US President Joe Biden.
The German government has agreed to transfer Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine and allows re-export to other countries. This was stated by Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz. As a first step, Germany will provide 14 Leopard 2 A6 tanks from Bundeswehr warehouses, and the goal is to quickly assemble two tank battalions for Ukraine.
Portugal will send four Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine after Germany agreed to transfer these tanks to Kyiv, Correio da Manhã reports, citing a source close to the government. Also, Spain is ready to send Leopard tanks, Defense Minister Margarita Robles said.
The Ukrainian military withdrew from Soledar, Donetsk region, to "save the lives of personnel," the Ukrainian General Staff reported. But they added that after the departure of the Armed Forces, they were entrenched on pre-prepared defense lines. Also, the General Staff announced that the Armed Forces will not leave Bakhmut.
Next Friday, the Minister of Defense of Belgium Ludivine Dedonder will propose to the government to allocate a new package of military aid to Ukraine: anti-aircraft defense, anti-tank weapons and ammunition.
In Spain, a 74-year-old pensioner from Miranda de Ebro in Burgos was arrested, who allegedly sent letters with explosives to the Ukrainian missions in Madrid and Barcelona, the Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sanchez, and the Ministry of Defense of the country. The Spanish publication LaSexta writes about it.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, under the guarantee of the Netherlands, will provide Ukraine with 25 million euros to support the agricultural sector, the press service of the institution reported.
As of the morning of January 25, more than 1,375 children were injured in Ukraine as a result of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation. 459 children died and at least 916 were injured of various degrees of severity. Data — Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine.
Oue news at 21:26
The administration of US President Joe Biden this week may announce the transfer of a "significant number" of Abrams M1 tanks to Ukraine, reports The Wall Street Journal with reference to American officials.
Leopard tanks. Germany will send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, Spiegel reports. Also, Finland is discussing the possibility of forming a division of Leopard tanks in Europe for Ukraine, said the President of Finland, Sauli Niinisto. Spain is ready to repair its Leopard 2 tanks for Ukraine in a month, writes El Mundo with reference to Defense Minister Margarita Robles.
The Ukrainian military aircraft daily conducts 10-20 airstrikes against the positions of the Russian army along the entire front line, the Ukrainian General Staff reported.
Ukraine handed Russia a list of 748 seriously ill and seriously wounded prisoners of war for verification of their health and whereabouts, Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said.
The president of Belarus, Oleksandr Lukashenko, who is not recognized by a number of countries, said that the Ukrainian authorities seem to be offering him to conclude a "non-aggression pact". Volodymyr Zelenskyi commented on this statement, noting that Ukraine is not going to attack Belarus.
The soldiers of one of the brigades of the Armed Forces of Belarus have started the deconservation of equipment from long-term storage, the Ministry of Defense of Belarus reports.
As a result of Russia's full-scale invasion, about 5.3 million children in Ukraine face barriers to education, including approximately 3.6 million directly affected by school closures, according to a report by the United Nations Children's Fund.
Our news at 08:15
The Council of Foreign Ministers of EU countries in Brussels approved a new tranche of military aid to Ukraine in the amount of 500 million euros through the European Peace Fund.
In Russia, units of the airborne troops are being re-grouped and plan to use them more actively in Ukraine, the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine said.
The next two to three weeks in the war in Ukraine will be decisive, so the Ukrainians must be given more weapons, in particular tanks, said the head of the European Council, Charles Michel.
Attempts to attack the Russians in the direction of Zaporizhzhia failed, the front in the Kamianskyi region did not advance, the Ukrainian General Staff announced. Also, Russia continues its offensive attempts in Donbas — in the Bakhmut and Avdiiv directions.
Estonia handed over all its 155 mm howitzers to Ukraine so that other countries would not have any excuses why they cannot provide Ukraine with the necessary weapons, Estonian Ambassador to Ukraine Kaimo Kuusk said.
A meeting of EU foreign ministers is taking place in Brussels. On the agenda of the discussion of further military support to Ukraine, in particular, it will be about the possible provision of German Leopard tanks to Ukraine, said the High Representative of the European Union Josep Borrell. Ukraine asked Germany for tanks on the seventh day of the full-scale invasion, Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Melnyk said.
Ukraine is completing the implementation of the recommendations of the European Commission and is waiting for a positive assessment, which will make it possible to start negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU as early as 2023, said the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba.
The Russians have destroyed more than 1,200 objects of cultural infrastructure since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, said Oleksandr Tkachenko, Minister of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine.
Our news at 22:10
Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov named the priority weapons that Ukraine needs from Western partners following the eighth international meeting in the Ramstein format: more air defense systems, weapons for offensive operations (tanks, howitzers, ammunition), maintenance and repair of weapons and equipment.
The head of the US Ministry of Defense, Lloyd Austin, explained why they decided not to provide Ukraine with Leopard tanks at the eighth "Ramstein" — the allies "focused on making sure that Ukraine has the capabilities necessary for success right now."
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States, General Mark Milley, said at the final conference after the meeting in the Rammstein format that now is not the time to sit down at the negotiating table with the Russian Federation due to the difficult conditions of hostilities — the front line "goes from Kharkiv to Kherson."
The US plans to begin transferring frozen Russian assets to Ukraine. This will be handled by the KleptoCapture task force of the US Department of Justice. The process will begin in the coming weeks and months, said Andrew Adams, a spokesman for the US Department of Justice.
The USA announced a new package of military aid to Ukraine worth $2.5 billion. In particular, it includes 59 Bradley BMPs, 90 Stryker BMPs, 53 MRAP BMPs, Avenger air defense systems, HARM missiles, ammunition for NASAMS and HIMARS.
Finland will allocate to Ukraine the twelfth package of military aid worth more than 400 million euros, the country's Ministry of Defense announced.
In Germany, a new spring aid package for Ukraine worth over 1 billion euros was announced, said the Minister of Defense of Germany, Boris Pistorius.
The head of the US Central Intelligence Agency, William Burns, secretly came to Kyiv at the end of last week, where he met with Volodymyr Zelenskyi and gave him information about the future plans of the Kremlin in Ukraine.
Our news at 22:47
The European Parliament adopted a resolution on the creation of a special tribunal to prosecute the crime of Russian aggression against Ukraine.
During an online speech at the economic forum in Davos, President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said that there are no responsible people in Russia with whom it would be possible to discuss a peaceful solution to the armed conflict in Ukraine.
Help from partners. Sweden will transfer Stridsfordon 90 (CV90) infantry fighting vehicles, Archer self-propelled artillery systems and grenade launchers to Ukraine. Estonia — howitzers, grenade launchers and ammunition. Great Britain — 600 Brimstone missiles. Denmark — 19 Caesar howitzers.
The French government is considering the possibility of transferring its main Leclerc tanks to Ukraine, in particular, to encourage Germany to transfer Leopard 2 tanks, Politico reports, citing its own sources among French officials.
Poland may send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine without Germany's permission if Germany does not respond soon, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said.
Russia is considering deploying a small number of its new T-14 Armata main tanks in Ukraine for propaganda purposes, the British Ministry of Defense reports.
Iran does not recognize the annexation of Crimea and the occupation of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, said the country's Minister of Foreign Affairs Husein Amir Abdollakhian.
A member of the Ukrainian delegation at the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, Denys Kireev, who was killed in March 2022, probably by the SBU on suspicion of espionage for Russia, warned the head of military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, about Russia's intentions to start a full-scale war, as well as an attack on Kyiv. This is stated in the investigative article of the American edition of The Wall Street Journal.
The ex-head of Ukrainian Naftogaz, Andrii Kobolev, was charged with embezzling over 229 million hryvnias.
Our news at 21:27
A helicopter crashed near a kindergarten in Brovary, Kyiv region. As a result of the plane crash, 14 people died, including 1 child, and 25 people were injured, including 11 children. Among the victims are the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Denys Monastyrskyi, First Deputy Minister Yevgeny Yenin, State Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Yuriy Lubkovich, their assistants, and the helicopter crew.
The defense forces of Ukraine, most likely, left the city of Soledar in the Donetsk region, and created new defensive lines to the west of the settlement, British intelligence reported.
The number of injured as a result of a rocket attack on a high-rise building in Dnipro on January 14 has increased to 80 people, the Dnipropetrovsk regional administration reported. According to updated data, 45 people died, 12 bodies are unidentified. Also, 17 residents of the building are considered missing.
Help from partners. Canada will hand over 200 Senator armored vehicles to Ukraine, the country's Defense Minister Anita Anand said. Latvia will transfer helicopters, drones and "Stingers" to Ukraine, the country's Ministry of Defense announced.
The Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Oleksiy Reznikov, said that he hopes that Germany will agree to transfer Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine during the next meeting of the contact group on the defense of Ukraine in the "Ramstein" format.
In Russia, they are preparing for a new wave of mobilization, the military commissars will pay attention to the residents of the central regions, in particular, Moscow and the Moscow region, the Ukrainian General Staff reports. According to Ukrainian intelligence, groups of military commissar employees are arriving at Moscow enterprises to carry out agitation.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov declared the "unacceptability" of the peace plan proposed by Ukraine. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine replied that this shows that the Russian leadership is not interested in ending the war.
The IAEA mission is starting work at the Chornobyl NPP, said the Agency's general director, Rafael Grossi.
As a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, at least 459 children died, and another 909 were injured. Data — Prosecutor General's Office.
Our news at 22:58
In Dnipro, a rescue operation was completed after a Russian rocket hit a residential building on January 14: 45 people were killed, more than 70 were injured, and 20 are missing. British intelligence reported that Russia hit Dnipro with an inaccurate anti-ship missile.
Ukraine received the first tranche of macro-financial assistance from the European Union in the amount of 3 billion euros out of 18 billion euros. This was reported to the European Commission.
On January 17, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhnyi met with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States, General Mark Milley, in Poland.
Poland is gathering a coalition of countries that will provide Ukraine with German Leopard 2 tanks and hopes that it will be possible to form at least an armored brigade, Polish President Andrzej Duda said.
As of January 15, 2023, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights recorded 18,358 victims among the civilian population in Ukraine. The confirmed death toll exceeded seven thousand.
The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, called on the Russians not to recruit them to the "Wagner" PMC to participate in the Russian war against Ukraine.
The number of Russian Armed Forces will be increased to 1.5 million servicemen, two new military districts will be created, and a new army corps will be formed. This was stated by the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Sergey Shoigu.
In the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, more than 150 signatures were collected under an appeal to the Speaker of the Parliament, Ruslan Stefanchuk, regarding the removal of the powers of deputies from banned pro-Russian parties.
During the year, the Russian Federation carried out more than two thousand cyberattacks on the state bodies of Ukraine, the State Intelligence Service said.
Our news at 21:28
Russian troops may launch a new offensive against Ukraine at the end of February or at the beginning of March, while the most likely is an attempt to strike from the occupied Ukrainian territories in the south and east, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said.
According to Ukrainian military intelligence, Russia is trying to create an army of two million. Probably, the leadership of the Russian Federation will announce the next wave of mobilization in the coming days. Another 500,000 Russians will join the Russian armed forces.
The Ministry of Defense of Russia announced the capture of Soledar. The Armed Forces reported that the fighting continues. During the day, the Russians fired more than 200 times on the Ukrainian military in the direction of Bakhmut, say the Ukrainian General Staff.
Poland and Lithuania will initiate EU sanctions against Russia's nuclear sector before the anniversary of the Russian aggression, high-ranking diplomats of the two countries said.
Weapons from partners. France will hand over AMX-10 RC armored vehicles to Ukraine within the next 2 months, the country's Ministry of Defense says. Israel will provide Ukraine with smart alert systems for drones and missiles, Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel Yevhen Korniychuk said.
Next week, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi will visit the South Ukrainian and Rivne NPPs, as well as the Chernobyl site to launch missions with two IAEA experts at each of the facilities. A group of two people will also be stationed at the Khmelnytskyi NPP in the coming days.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced that in January 2023, they will start considering the first tranche of the 18 billion package for Ukraine.
The Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine reported that about 30,000 Starlink terminals are currently operating in the country.
Almost 4,500 unemployed people from nine regions of Ukraine have already joined the implementation of socially useful works within the framework of the "Recovery Army" project, the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine announced. Most often, people are involved in clearing rubble and restoring residential buildings and premises damaged as a result of hostilities.
More than 1,333 children were injured in Ukraine as a result of the full-scale aggression of the Russian Federation. As of the morning of January 13, the official number of dead children is 453. The number of wounded is at least 880. Data - Prosecutor General's Office.
Former Prime Minister of Great Britain Boris Johnson plans to visit Volodymyr Zelenskyi in Ukraine. The British publication The Guardian writes about it. This trip will be Johnson's fourth visit since the beginning of the war in Ukraine.
Our news at 21:15
Russian armed formations are increasing pressure on the Defense Forces of Ukraine in Donetsk region, while Russia may launch an offensive on the left-bank part of Zaporizhzhia, the Ukrainian General Staff reports. Currently, the fiercest fighting is going on in Donetsk region, in the areas of Soledar, Paraskoviivka, Bakhmut and Klishchiivka. Since the beginning of the week, there have been 355 combat clashes in the Bakhmut direction, 42 of them in the last day.
The summit on the Ukrainian "peace formula" is scheduled for February 24, 2023. It should take place at the UN headquarters in New York with the mediation of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. This was announced by the Ambassador of Ukraine to Turkey, Vasyl Bodnar.
Russia's failure to address its ammunition shortage will hamper the ability of Russian forces to sustain offensive operations in eastern Ukraine in 2023. This is stated in the analytical report of the American Institute for the Study of War.
German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht does not rule out the transfer of Leopard 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine, but the country will take such a step only in cooperation with other allies.
Almost 60% of Ukrainians consider President Volodymyr Zelenskyi to be the main politician in 2022, followed by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Valery Zalyzhnyi, who was named by 10% of respondents. This is evidenced by the survey conducted by the sociological service of the Razumkov Center.
At least 2 billion hryvnias are needed to restore medical facilities destroyed by Russia, Minister of Health Viktor Lyashko said.
From February 24 to October 1, 2022, 4,661 children were left without parental care, including 250 children who became orphans or were left without care because their parents died or went missing, the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine reported.
Our news at 21:29
Ukroboronprom launched serial production of 82-mm fragmentation mines in one of the NATO countries, the Ukrainian concern reported.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyi met with the President of Poland Andrzej Duda and the President of Lithuania Gitanas Nauseda in Lviv. Duda said that Poland would hand over a company of Leopard tanks to Ukraine, and Nauseda promised to provide air defense equipment.
Heavy fighting continues in Soledar, Donetsk region. Russian troops suffer losses, but continue to storm the city. The Ukrainian military is on the defensive, Deputy Minister of Defense Hanna Malyar said. During the day, the Russians shelled Ukrainian positions in this direction 249 times.
The Defense Forces of Ukraine record the preparation of the Russian army for a new massive missile attack: Russia uses drones for reconnaissance and has sent ships for re-equipment, the Ukrainian General Staff reported.
Germany will provide Ukraine with another 20 million euros. These funds will be used to purchase Starlink terminals. A third of them will be transferred to the Armed Forces, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany reported.
Volodymyr Zelenskyi held a coordination meeting in Lviv, the main topic of which was the security situation in the northwestern regions of Ukraine, on the border with Belarus.
Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu removed General Sergey Surovikin from the post of commander of Russian forces in Ukraine, appointing in his place the head of the General Staff of the Russian Federation Valeriy Gerasimov.
Our news at 22:37
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said that Turkey supports the peaceful settlement of the war in Ukraine proposed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyi. This point in particular provides for the withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory of Ukraine.
During the day, the occupiers shelled Soledar 86 times with artillery. Also, the most combat-capable Russian units of the "Wagner" PMC are concentrated under Soledar. The Ukrainian military is on the defensive and trying to wear down the Russian forces as much as possible, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany, Annalena Burbok, visited Kharkiv. She said that Kharkiv was "a symbol of the absolute madness of Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine" and promised more humanitarian aid from Germany.
The Russians have reduced the intensity of artillery fire on some areas of the front by almost 75%, reports CNN citing data from US and Ukrainian officials. The publication's sources do not yet have a clear explanation for this phenomenon.
The Ministry of Defense of Georgia stated that it received "Buks" from Ukraine not for free. Earlier, the temporary charge d'affaires of Ukraine in Georgia, Andriy Kasyanov, said that Ukraine asked Tbilisi to return the Buk complexes, which were given to Georgia during the 2008 war, and was refused.
Citing two American officials, CNN reports that the Ukrainian military will begin training with the Patriot air defense system next week. The training program will take place at Fort Sill in Oklahoma.
The US Ministry of Defense signed a contract for the supply of 14 VAMPIRE missile systems intended for Ukraine. The first four systems will be handed over to Ukraine by the middle of the year, another 10 — by the end of 2023.
Despite increasing pressure on Bakhmut, the Russian army is unlikely to surround the city in the near future. The nearest target of the Russian Federation is Soledar. The Ministry of Defense of Great Britain informs about this.
The IAEA will deploy monitoring missions at nuclear power plants controlled by Ukraine, the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Inspection of Ukraine reported. The purpose of these missions is to monitor the state of security in conditions of military influence.
Latvia may once again provide Ukraine with Stinger anti-aircraft missile systems as part of military aid, the country's Defense Minister Inara Murniece said.
The police discovered 21 mass burials in the de-occupied territories and exhumed more than a thousand bodies from the mass burial sites, the National Police of Ukraine reported.
Since the start of the full-scale war, the SBU has exposed more than 600 Russian agents and spies, the agency said.
More than 1,332 children were injured in Ukraine as a result of the full-scale aggression of the Russian Federation. As of the morning of January 10, the official number of dead children is 453. The number of wounded is at least 879. Data from the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine.
Our news at 22:19
The Russian army shelled Ochakiv in the Mykolaiv region. Eight people were injured, about 50 objects, including residential buildings, were damaged. Also, Russia shelled a residential quarter of Kherson with artillery: one person died, another woman was injured. The Russians fired S-300 missiles at Shevchenkiv, Kharkiv region. Hit the market. There are wounded and dead. At least three pavilions, non-residential buildings and a shopping center were damaged.
The Russians threw reserve groups of Vagners into the assault of Soledar, Donetsk region. According to data as of the evening of January 9, heavy fighting continues. During the day, there were 106 shellings of Ukrainian positions by the Russian army and 22 combat clashes in the area of the city, reports the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Reinforcements have already been sent to the Ukrainian fighters in Soledar.
For the first time since the beginning of the war, Britain is considering the possibility of providing Ukraine with 10 Challenger 2 tanks, Sky News reports with reference to a source close to the negotiations.
The situation on the border with Belarus remains under control, however, the enemy is resorting to provocations that do not allow the transfer of Ukrainian forces to other directions, the Ukrainian border service reports.
The Human Rights Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada Dmytro Lubinets will meet with the Russian Ombudsman Tetiana Moskalkova on the territory of Turkey on January 12-14.
The troops of the Russian Federation are preparing for a possible counteroffensive of Ukraine in Zaporizhzhia or Luhansk region, according to the report of the American Institute for the Study of War. In recent weeks, Russian troops have expanded defensive fortifications in the Zaporizhzhia region. Previously, ISW noted signs of preparations for allegedly defensive actions by Russia along the Svatove-Kreminna line in the Luhansk region.
Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the number of cases of human trafficking has increased, particularly pregnant women and refugees. Searches on the Internet for sexual services and pornographic images of Ukrainian women and children have increased by 600 percent since the beginning of the war, the OSCE said.
Ukraine expects that the 10th package of EU sanctions against Russia will contain restrictions against the Russian nuclear industry, in particular Rosatom, said Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal.
The cargo ship MV Glory, which is carrying more than 65 thousand tons of corn from Ukraine to China, ran aground in the Egyptian Suez Canal.
Our news at 23:05
Putin instructed Russian troops in Ukraine to cease fire on Christmas Day. Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Sergey Shoigu said that the executive order. The Office of the President of Ukraine called it a propaganda gesture.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered Volodymyr Zelenskyi the mediation of Ankara to establish peace between Ukraine and the Russian Federation.
The White House does not confirm the statement of the Russian Federation about the destruction of HIMARS in Ukraine. On January 3, the Russian Ministry of Defense said that the Russians had destroyed "two launch pads for the American-made Himars multiple-launch rocket systems."
The Russian army destroyed Bakhmut in the Donetsk region by 60%, said the head of the Donetsk regional military administration, Pavlo Kyrylenko.
Joint air-tactical exercises with the Russian Federation will be held in Belarus, the country's Ministry of Defense reported.
Russia is increasingly relying on Iranian-made Shahed-131/136 drones in its campaign against Ukraine's critical infrastructure and has likely depleted its supply of these systems, according to a report by the US-based Institute for the Study of War.
Germany handed over a new package of military aid to Ukraine. It includes missile systems, various types of transport, systems for combating drones and generators. Norway delivered another 10,000 shells to Ukraine, which can be used in several types of artillery.
More than 1,329 children were injured in Ukraine as a result of the full-scale armed aggression of the Russian Federation. The official death toll is 452. The number of wounded is at least 877. Data Prosecutor General's Office.
Due to the Russian shelling, Ukraine lost about 90% of wind generation and up to 40% of solar generation: as a result, heat generation will carry more of the load, said Energy Minister of Ukraine Herman Galushchenko.
As a result of the war in Ukraine, 1,189 objects of cultural infrastructure were damaged, the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy reported.
Our news at 09:52
Ukraine is planning a major offensive in the spring, said the head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, and the fiercest battles are expected in March.
In the direction of Bakhmut, the border guards, together with the Armed Forces, launched a counterattack immediately after repelling the assault of the occupiers. As a result, the Defense Forces of Ukraine knocked out the Russians from advanced positions and are entrenched on a new line of defense, the State Border Service of Ukraine reports.
Russian troops hit Nikopol, Dnipropetrovsk region. A 64-year-old man was injured, up to 20 homes were damaged.
The details of 13 American companies were found in Iranian Shahed-136 drones, which are used by Russia to fire at Ukraine, reports CNN with reference to information from Ukrainian intelligence.
The founder of the private military company "Wagner" Yevhen Prigozhin is trying to transfer the failures of the Russian armed forces in the attempts to take Bakhmut, Donetsk region, to the Ministry of Defense of Russia, according to the American Institute for the Study of War.
France intends to hand over Bastion light tanks and armored personnel carriers to Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi said.
Preparations for the transfer of the Patriot air defense system to Ukraine have begun, Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba said. "We expect the Patriot air defense system to be deployed as soon as possible," he added.
Germany provided over 12 billion euros in aid to Ukraine during the 10 months of the war. The amount was reported to the Federal Government of the country.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba named the priority of Ukraine's foreign policy for 2023: relations with the countries of Latin America.
Ukraine criticized the new head of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Eli Cohen, with the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Sergey Lavrov. According to the Ambassador of Ukraine to Israel Yevhen Korniychuk, this is evidence of a change in Israel's policy.
The politician of 2022 in the world is President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi, and in Poland — President Andrzej Duda. This is evidenced by the results of a survey conducted by the Polish Public Opinion Research Center from November 28 to December 11.
Our news at 10:48
Damages caused to Ukraine as a result of the war exceed 700 billion dollars, said Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.
Since September, the Ukrainian military has destroyed about 500 Iranian drones, 84 of them in the first two days of January, the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported.
Germany has started production of RCH-155 self-propelled guns for Ukraine. This is a 155-mm self-propelled artillery installation with remote control.
61 military personnel have gone missing since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation in the Kharkiv region, the National Police reported.
Russia is unlikely to make a significant breakthrough near Bakhmut in the coming weeks — over the past ten days, Ukraine has deployed significant reinforcements to defend the sector and the frequency of Russian attacks has decreased compared to its peak in mid-December, British intelligence says.
Russia does not plan to end the war against Ukraine, it will try to advance again, the Russians are making efforts to preserve the land corridor to Crimea, but Ukraine will strike the positions of the Russian army throughout the occupied territory of the country, Ukrainian intelligence said.
The Russian Federation is planning a new wave of mobilization that will affect the residents of the occupied territories, the Center of National Resistance said.
Russia slows down inspections of ships moving along the "grain corridor". As a result, they have to wait an average of a month for their turn, the Administration of Sea Ports of Ukraine reported. Currently, 94 vessels are awaiting inspection in the Bosphorus: 69 are empty for loading, 25 are already loaded with agricultural products.
In the USA, the Ukrainian nanosatellite PolyITAN-HP-30 was launched from Cape Canaveral. It was created by Ukrainian scientists for the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's independence.
Our news at 21:04
On the night of January 1-2, the Russians launched a massive attack with Iranian-made Shahed-131/136 kamikaze drones. All 39 UAVs were destroyed by the Ukrainian military.
For the past five days, Russian and Ukrainian troops have been fighting for control of the P66 highway north of Kreminna in the Luhansk region. If Ukrainian troops manage to secure the route, it will most likely undermine Russian defenses in Kreminna even more, according to British intelligence.
As of January 2, 2023, the active front line with the Russian army is 1,500 km, and the Ukrainian military has liberated 40% of the territories captured after February 24, said the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhnyi.
In the occupied Makiivka, an explosion destroyed the school building where the Russian occupiers were staying. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation announced the attack of "HIMARS" by Ukraine and the death of 63 Russian soldiers.
The Ukraine-EU summit will be held in Kyiv on February 3, the Office of the President of Ukraine reported, based on the results of negotiations between President Zelenskyi and the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
Russia does not plan to end the war against Ukraine, will try to carry out new offensives on the front and may simultaneously withdraw from the north or east, say Ukrainian intelligence.
85% of Ukrainians are categorically against territorial concessions, according to a survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology.
The head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced a €18 billion support package for Ukraine in monthly installments.
Kyiv received the first two high-power generators (300–800 kVA) under an agreement with Taiwan. In general, the project envisages the transfer of about 20 generators to power the capital's critical infrastructure facilities.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine announced a "reset" of relations with Africa. "The new Ukrainian policy in this priority area, defined by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi, is based on the Strategy for the Development of Relations with African States, approved in January 2022," the agency noted.
In Ukraine, the situation with the coronavirus is dangerous, from 50 to 70 people die a week, said Fedir Lapii, the head of the National Group of Experts on Immunoprophylaxis.
Our news at 10:26
More than 27,000 infrastructure objects were damaged or destroyed in Kyiv region due to the war. Almost 24,000 are in the residential sector, Kyiv authorities reported.
There are 3,400 Ukrainian servicemen and at least 15,000 missing servicemen in Russian captivity, said Alyona Verbytska, the representative of the President of Ukraine on issues of ensuring the rights of defenders.
Estonia sent to Ukraine equipment for demining ammunition left by Russian troops in the de-occupied territories. The equipment was financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country, its cost is 337,216 euros.
The US is considering the possibility of providing Ukraine with Bradley fighting vehicles, writes Bloomberg. They are armed with a 25-mm cannon and anti-tank missiles. "Bradley" will provide a significant increase in ground combat potential, because it is, in fact, a light tank," explained former White House defense budget analyst Mark Kancian.
11,500 "points of invincibility" have become operational in Ukraine, the Office of the President announced. These are places where, in the event of a long blackout due to shelling, you can recharge your mobile devices, warm up and drink hot drinks.
Our news at 15:05
Russia fired 69 missiles at Ukraine. Ukrainian military shot down 54 of them. 10 regions of the country were hit.️
The Ministry of Defense of Belarus announced that the Belarusian air defense forces shot down a missile of the S-300 complex, allegedly fired from Ukraine, over the territory of the country. The country's Foreign Ministry handed the note to the Ukrainian ambassador. An investigation into the incident is currently underway.
During the week, the Ukrainian military advanced to a distance of 2.5 km in the direction of Kreminnaya, Luhansk region, the General Staff of the Armed Forces reported.
Russian troops in Belarus are half as many as were used for the offensive on Kyiv in February 2022, they say in the Ukrainian Genshtay.
Britain will allocate 2.3 billion pounds of aid to Ukraine in support next year, the United Kingdom's Defense Minister Ben Wallace said. Part of this money is non-military aid.
Since the beginning of de-occupation measures in the Mykolaiv, Donetsk, Kherson and Kharkiv regions, the Ukrainian police have discovered 1,116 bodies of dead civilians, the National Police reported.
The head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, said that the "peace formula" proposed by Volodymyr Zelenskyi was supported by Ukraine's main partners. It is about the continued support of Ukraine by allies and the territorial integrity of the country. Russia refused to negotiate with Ukraine on the basis of the "peace formula", said the head of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov.
On the night of December 29-30, Russia attacked Ukraine with 16 Iranian-made kamikaze drones "Shahed-131/136". All drones were destroyed by the Ukrainian military.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called on Germany and other NATO countries to continue supplying arms to Ukraine and said that this is "the fastest way to peace."
Biden signed the 2023 budget. Tens of billions of dollars from the US budget, which totals 1.7 trillion dollars are directed to help Ukraine to fight the Russian occupation forces.
Our news at 22:06
Ukrainian prisoners sent 2,102 letters to their relatives, and their relatives, in turn, sent 2,800, the National Information Bureau of Ukraine reported. The distribution of letters began in August.
Since the beginning of autumn, the Air Defense Forces of Ukraine have destroyed 420 Russian missiles and drones, the Ukrainian General Staff reported.
The Russian army in the Bakhmut direction has probably exhausted its offensive potential and may repeat the "Kherson scenario", i.e. retreat, the American Institute for the Study of War reports.
Recently, Russia has probably strengthened its sector of the front line in the Luhansk region, as it is under constant pressure from the Ukrainian military, the British Ministry of Defense reports in a daily report. The Ukrainian General Staff stated that Russia evacuated the occupation command from Kreminnaya in the Luhansk region, but it is still too early to talk about the de-occupation of the city.
Ukraine has purchased about 1,400 drones, mainly for reconnaissance, and plans to develop combat models capable of attacking Russian drones, Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov said.
More than 45 proceedings against collaborators were registered in Kyiv region. Suspicions have already been announced on the 13th, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine reported.
French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu arrived in Kyiv for talks with his Ukrainian counterpart.
The majority of countries do not support the exclusion of Russia from the UN Security Council, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia said. Therefore, according to the department, this issue is currently hopeless.
In France, law enforcement officers detained the Ukrainian oligarch Konstantyn Zhevago. He is involved in a number of criminal proceedings, so Ukraine requested Zhevago's extradition.
The Guardian has announced the best photos of 2022. Among them, three about Ukraine — from The Washington Post photographer Salvan Georges, Azovstal defender Dmytro "Orest" Kozatsky and Kharkiv photojournalist Serhiy Bobok.
Our news at 12:32
The US has developed a plan for the accelerated deployment of the Patriot air and missile defense system in Ukraine. The system will be deployed in less than half a year, Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba said.
The bodies of 42 dead soldiers were returned to Ukraine.
More than 700 fighters of "Azov" have been in captivity in Russia for the eighth month, representatives of the NGO "WOMEN OF STEEL" reported.
The Security Service of Ukraine said that since the beginning of 2022, it neutralized "hundreds of Russian cyberattacks and cyber incidents" on Ukrainian energy facilities, of which almost 30 could become "supercritical".
Russia bought about 250 kamikaze and Shahed-136 drones from Iran, the Ukrainian General Staff said.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine announced the number of Russians who want to surrender under the "I want to live" program: 4,500 soldiers of the Russian Federation have already applied to the project.
Sweden allocated $19.2 million in military aid to Ukraine.
Russia dispersed its planes after the explosions at the Engels airfield in the Saratov region, the Ukrainian General Staff reported, and the explosions in Engels also led to a decrease in the activity of Russian aviation.
In Ukraine, the property of Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov in the amount of almost UAH 2 billion was seized, the country's Security Service reported.
The Constitutional Court of Ukraine recognized that the law, which requires changing the name of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate with an indication of its affiliation to Russia, complies with the norms of the Constitution. Therefore, the church must officially change its name within 4 months, indicating its affiliation to the Russian Orthodox Church.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that he is interested in Russia not posing a threat to Europe, but does not want to sever economic ties with the Russian Federation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine declared Orban's "pathological contempt" for Ukraine.
Our news at 20:47
Ukraine officially demands the exclusion of the Russian Federation from the UN Security Council. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine accepted the corresponding statement.
In Russia, the missile will be enough for two or three massive strikes on Ukraine, Ukrainian intelligence said.
On the night of December 26, two explosions rang out at the strategic airfield in the Russian city of Engels in the Saratov region. An aerial alert was announced in the city, according to preliminary data, 3 people were killed, and the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation announced the "fall of a Ukrainian drone".
"Belarusian Volunteer Corps" appeared in Ukraine. Its purpose, the statement of the corps states: "the de-occupation of Ukraine and Belarus from Russian captivity."
Ukraine is preparing sanctions against Russian security forces and representatives of the IT sector. The list included more than 1,300 representatives of the Russian law enforcement agencies: the FSB, the Foreign Intelligence Service, the National Guard of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, and the judiciary.
Defense positions that Russian troops are building along many areas of the front line in Ukraine will not be effective, the British Ministry of Defense reports.
Ukraine will return the temporarily occupied Crimea by a combination of military force and diplomacy, the head of the Main Intelligence Department of the Ministry of Defense Kyrylo Budanov said.
The Japanese telecommunications business company "NTT Group" allocated one million US dollars to support the digital educational environment of Ukraine. The Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, Serhiy Shkarlet, said this.
Our news at 21:17
In the de-occupied territories of Ukraine, the prosecutor's office discovered 54 torture chambers and recorded 5,079 cases of torture, the Human Rights Center ZMINA reported.
The Netherlands will provide Ukraine with a new aid package worth 2.5 billion euros. It will include military and humanitarian equipment, as well as equipment to restore critical infrastructure. Also, another package of military aid will be provided by Estonia. It will include drones, personal protective equipment and winter uniforms.
89% of Ukrainians believe in the return of all occupied territories. This is evidenced by the results of the "Post-war future of Ukraine" survey conducted by the Kharkiv Institute of Social Research.
Iran plans to transfer advanced military developments to the Russian Federation, Mossad head David Barnea said. According to him, at the same time, Iran is trying to increase its nuclear potential.
The head of the Italian government, Giorgia Meloni, plans to come to Ukraine on an official visit in early 2023.
The Armed Forces have approved a list of military personnel who will learn to operate Patriot air defense systems in one of the NATO countries.
The Government of Ukraine has allocated 400 million hryvnias for granting grants to entrepreneurs, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
Volodymyr Zelenskyi announced the creation of the Ukrainian International Aid Agency. According to the president, it should create additional lines of cooperation with Western partners.
Our news at 10:02
Ukraine will receive another 900 generators from the European Union to power critical infrastructure, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.
The Minister of Energy of Ukraine Herman Galushchenko stated that, provided that there are no more missile strikes, the supply of light in Ukraine will be stabilized until the summer of 2023.
The UN Fund allocates $20 million to support Ukrainian volunteers who provide assistance to victims of the war in Ukraine, announced Denise Brown, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine.
The spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran, Nasser Kanaani, criticized the statements of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi in the US Congress, which related to the military support of Russia in the war. According to Kanaani, the Iranian side "has not supplied any side with any military equipment for use in the war in Ukraine."
The G7 has collected more than 32 billion dollars to help Ukraine in 2023, according to the joint statement of the G7 ministers.
36 graves were discovered at the cemetery in the settlement of geologists in Kherson, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine reported. This is a mass grave, where there are bodies of servicemen of the Armed Forces, in particular, of the Territorial Defense. Also, the ministry added, in the village of Pravdyno, Kherson district, burials were discovered in the yard of a private house, where the remains of six people with traces of torture and gunshot wounds were found.
German Rheinmetall will hand over 26 HX 8x8 military trucks with a hook load to Ukraine, the concern reported.
Dmytro Rogozin, the former director of the Roscosmos corporation, was wounded in the shelling of the Shesh-Besh restaurant in Donetsk, where he was celebrating his birthday, his aide stated that Rogozin would probably be left with a fragment of a mine in his spine.
Russia sometimes deliberately takes out Ukrainian prisoners allegedly for exchange, and then returns them to the colony and says that Ukraine refuses to exchange them, said Dmytro Lubinets, the human rights commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada. But he added that Ukraine regards this as "a form of torture."
The EU and Ukraine will hold a joint summit on February 3, 2023, said the press secretary of the President of the European Council, Barend Leits. The topic of the summit will probably be how the EU can continue to support Ukraine in the face of a full-scale invasion by the Russian Federation.
Our news at 12:06
Volodymyr Zelenskyi went on a visit to the USA. The President of Ukraine plans to meet with Joe Biden, address the Congress and hold a series of bilateral meetings. This is Zelenskyi's first trip abroad after the start of a full-scale war.
The White House confirmed that they plan to transfer the Patriot air defense system to Ukraine. It will be part of a new nearly $2 billion aid package to be announced by US President Joe Biden.
Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting of the Ministry of Defense, at which Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced the continuation of the so-called "special operation" next year "until the tasks are fully completed" and instructed to increase the number of contractors until the end of 2022.
The head of the IAEA, Raphael Grossi, is scheduled to visit Moscow on December 22 and discuss the creation of a safety zone around the Zaporizhzhia NPP, writes the Russian publication "RIA Novosti". Neither the IAEA nor the Ukrainian side have yet commented on this information.
The special services of the Russian Federation have repeatedly tried to eliminate the head of Ukrainian intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, and the Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Oleksiy Reznikov, the Security Service of Ukraine said.
Gennady Afanasyev, a former political prisoner from Crimea, one of the participants in the case of the so-called "Sentsov group", in which the Russian occupation forces persecuted Crimeans opposed to the annexation of the peninsula, died at the front.
In the week since the introduction of sanctions, oil exports from Russia by sea fell by more than 50% and set an absolute minimum for the year, writes Bloomberg.
Iceland handed over 12,000 sets of winter clothing to the Armed Forces, including socks, underpants and sweaters made of merino wool, hats, winter gloves, shoes, and outerwear.
As of the morning of December 22, the Defense Forces of Ukraine have eliminated about 100,400 occupiers since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine on February 24, the General Staff of the Armed Forces reported.
Our news at 18:43
Zelensky visited the front line in Bakhmut, Donetsk region. This is the hottest point of the front. There, the president presented state awards to military personnel.
The Russian attack on Ukraine by Iranian Shahed-136 kamikaze drones on December 19 was the largest since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the Armed Forces said. But they added that in November and December, the Russian Federation launched 127 Shahed-136 and 300 cruise missiles over the territory of Ukraine.
Ukrainian military shot down two Russian helicopters in the Donetsk region. This is reported by the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The head of the Luhansk Regional Military Administration, Serhii Gaidai, said that the Ukrainian military had a few kilometers left to reach Kreminna, Luhansk Oblast — one of the important nodes of the front.
Ukraine became the country of the year 2022 according to The Economist magazine. The publication noted that usually authors and editors argue when making decisions, but this year the choice was obvious.
The State Budget of Ukraine received grant funds in the amount of 2 billion dollars from the United States from the Trust Fund of the World Bank. This is the second tranche of the grant totaling $4.5 billion. The funds will be used to provide pension payments and salaries to civil defense workers, as well as to pay for medical services under the medical guarantee program.
Ukraine is launching a political process to exclude Russia from the UN Security Council, which should lead to the deprivation of the Russian Federation's place in the organization, said the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba.
Ukraine signed an agreement with Space Exploration Technologies Corp. of Elon Musk and is about to receive additional Starlink terminals. Over 10,000 antennas will be sent to Ukraine in the coming months.
The deputy head of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, Dmytro Bondar, was suspended due to the explosion of a "Ukrainian gift" in Poland. He was responsible for presenting a gift to the Polish police commander, General Szymczyk.
The International Criminal Court in The Hague did not find Russia guilty of the war in Georgia in 2008.
Our news at 22:32
Russia is preparing about 200,000 new soldiers and will try to attack Kyiv again, said the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhnyi. According to him, this may happen at the end of January or in the spring. Russia can launch an offensive from Donbas in the east, the south, or from Belarus and make a second attempt to capture Kyiv.
Belarus is preparing to participate in the war, while the probability of an attack from its territory remains low, the Ukrainian General Staff said.
RF troops again shelled the center of Kherson. The projectile hit the place where the point of medical aid and humanitarian aid is located. Two people died.
The European Parliament recognized the Holodomor of 1932-1933 as a genocide of Ukrainians. 507 deputies voted "for", 12 voted against.
In an interview with The Economist, Volodymyr Zelenskyi emphasized that Ukrainians do not want to make compromises regarding the territory and noted that a difficult situation has developed in the south of the country, in the occupied territories, in Zaporizhzhia and in the Azov region. There is no electricity or water in the settlements there.
Germany handed Ukraine a new batch of military aid — equipment and ammunition, in particular, for the IRIS-T air defense complex.
The Sejm of Poland recognized Russia as a sponsor of terrorism, and also declared that the Russian Federation had committed an act of international piracy, "by militarily blocking Ukrainian ports without declaring war."
In the Russian Federation, in the first reading, a draft law was adopted, which abolishes criminal responsibility for crimes committed by Russians in the occupied territories of Ukraine, if they were committed "for the sake of protecting the interests of Russia." The Office of the President of Ukraine emphasized that this is a step towards the legalization of looting, rape and murder committed by the Russian military.
In 2022, the UN provided more than $4.5 billion in aid to the population of Ukraine, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martino Griffiths announced during a joint press conference.
The Verkhovna Rada adopted a draft law on strengthening the responsibility of the military for the use of drugs and alcohol.
Our news at 22:27
In the morning, the Russians attacked Kyiv and the region with 13 Iranian-made Shahed-136 kamikaze drones. All drones were shot down by the Ukrainian military. Debris from downed drones hit one administrative building, four more residential buildings in the Shevchenko district of the capital suffered minor damage. People were not injured.
The European Parliament approved €18 billion in aid to Ukraine after Hungary vetoed the initial proposal.
US President Joe Biden will approve the transfer of Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine only after the Pentagon answers questions about the training and maintenance of the systems, the legality of their transfer and the impact of this decision on US military readiness, writes The Washington Post, citing sources.
On December 14, another exchange of prisoners took place. 64 servicemen who fought in the Donetsk and Luhansk areas, in particular, participated in the defense of the city of Bakhmut, returned to Ukraine.
According to the results of the energy "Ramstein", which took place in Paris, Ukraine attracted about 1.5 billion dollars for the reconstruction of the energy infrastructure, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
Temporarily occupied Melitopol of the Zaporizhzhia region may be the "next important stage" of the war — a counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the deoccupation of the south of Ukraine. The New York Times writes about it.
The Czech Republic will start producing weapons for Ukraine in large quantities. In particular, this will also apply to heavy weapons, said the country's Deputy Minister of Defense Tomas Kopechny. According to him, thousands of Ukrainians will also come to the Czech Republic to work at weapons factories.
The European Commission announced the payment to Ukraine of another 500 million euros — another tranche within the framework of macro-financial assistance in the amount of five billion for 2022.
184 athletes and coaches died in Ukraine due to the war, Volodymyr Zelenskyi said.
As a result of the war, 4.9 million citizens of Ukraine became internally displaced persons, another 7.9 million went abroad, said Dmytro Lubinets, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Verkhovna Rada.
Verkhovna Rada supported all European integration draft laws recommended by the European Commission, said Verkhovna Rada Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk.
Our news at 21:26
Britain may consider transferring long-range weapons to Ukraine if Russia continues to strike Ukrainian civilian targets, the kingdom's Defense Minister Ben Wallace said.
Volodymyr Zelenskyi gave an interview to the American TV presenter David Letterman in the Netflix show "My next guest needs no introduction". The President of Ukraine talked about the death of Putin, nuclear weapons, the end of the war and the presidency until victory.
On the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiyiv and Zaporizhzhia directions, Russian troops are trying to advance, on the rest of the front they are defending, reports the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. During the day of December 11, the Russian army hit the civilian infrastructure of the city of Kherson and the positions of the Defense Forces troops more than 60 times with rocket salvo fire systems.
On December 10-11, the Ukrainian army struck three "important objects" of the Russian troops in the temporarily captured Melitopol, Zaporizhzhia region, and near the city. "Dozens of Russian soldiers have been killed and at least 200 wounded," Melitopol mayor Ivan Fedorov said.
In the morning, the Russians fired on the city of Hirnyk, Donetsk region, with Uragan surface-to-air missiles. Two civilians died, ten were injured.
Russia still retains the ability to produce new high-precision Kh-101 and Kalibr missiles, while the Russian military currently has enough missiles for 3-5 mass attacks, said Vadym Skibitsky, a representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate.
The embassy of Ukraine in Greece received a bloody package, said the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Oleg Nikolenko. In recent weeks, 33 cases of threats to Ukrainian diplomats in 17 countries have been recorded.
Slovakia is ready to send MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic Rastislav Kacher said that this issue was discussed with the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi.
The EU Council agreed to increase the financial ceiling of the European Peace Fund by 2 billion euros in 2023, with the possibility of further increases at a later stage. This is a fund from which the EU reimburses member states for supplying arms to Ukraine.
Almost 4.9 million displaced people were registered in Ukraine, including 3.5 million who moved after February 24, 2022, the Ministry of Social Policy reported.
Our news at 22:47
Germany plans to transfer to Ukraine 18 RCH-155 self-propelled artillery units, 80 pickup trucks, 7 trucks and 90 units of anti-drone equipment, the country's embassy reported. Also, during the last week, Ukraine received 20 Dingo armored vehicles and 2 M1070 Oshkosh heavy-duty tractor units from Germany.
Commanders from "Azovstal", who are in Turkey under the terms of the exchange, can meet with their families before the holidays, the President's Office reported.
Over 60% of Russian missiles were fired at civilian objects in Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi said.
The US announced a new package of military aid worth 275 million dollars. Also, in the coming weeks, new anti-aircraft weapons and short-range anti-aircraft missiles will arrive in Ukraine from Great Britain, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said.
Norway will allocate one billion kroner for the restoration of damaged infrastructure in Ukraine. The country's government signed a corresponding agreement with the World Bank.
Great Britain introduced new sanctions against Russian and Iranian officials responsible for the Russian invasion of Ukraine and human rights violations. Restrictions are also being imposed on two Moldovan politicians. Also, Canada introduced new sanctions against the Russian Federation, Iran and Myanmar for human rights violations.
Approximately 30% of the territory of Ukraine is currently contaminated with explosive objects, which are planned to be cleared in ten years, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine reported.
Our news at 10:28
Washington is not against Germany's transfer of Leopard 2 heavy tanks to Ukraine, but has left it up to Berlin, said the head of the Defense Committee of the German Bundestag, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann. Germany's leadership is hesitant to provide Leopard 2, citing the fact that none of Ukraine's partners have yet supplied such tanks.
Over the past 30 days, 7 samples of Ukrainian-made drones have been put into operation in the Armed Forces, Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said.
The EU approved a decision not to recognize documents issued by Russia in the occupied territories of Ukraine and Georgia.
Russian troops shelled Toretsk in Donetsk region: one person was killed, two others were injured. Shells hit the private sector, at least 12 houses were destroyed or damaged.
On the territory of the captured Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the Russian military brought several Grad multiple rocket launchers (RSZV), Energoatom announced.
The Security Service of Ukraine completed searches in the churches of the UOC of the Moscow Patriarchate in the Kherson, Cherkasy, Zhytomyr and Volyn regions. According to the results of the searches, Russian passports, "passes of federal advisers of the Russian Federation" and the flag of "Novorossiya" were found.
According to forecasts of the National Bank of Ukraine, by the end of the year, the volume of international aid will exceed 31 billion dollars, said the head of the National Bank Andriy Pyshnyi.
American basketball player, Olympic champion Brittney Greiner, who was arrested in the Russian Federation for importing cannabis oil cartridges into the country, was released from Russian prison. She was exchanged for arms dealer Viktor But.
The Italian La Scala opened the season with the Russian opera "Boris Godunov" by Modest Mussorgsky. The premiere was attended by the President of Italy Sergio Mattarella, the Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni and the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. The Ukrainian community of Milan protested near the theater.
A petition to block Russian content in Ukraine received 25,000 votes. Now it should be considered by President Volodymyr Zelenskyi.
Our news at 23:54
The European Commission has prepared the ninth package of sanctions against Russia, said the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Layen. Almost 200 individuals and legal entities, three Russian banks were added to the sanctions list, and restrictions on Russia's access to drones were also introduced.
Russia is trying to "freeze" the war and will try to launch a new, larger offensive against Ukraine in the spring, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said.
The Russians have already released 400 Iranian Shahed-136 drones over Ukraine, and they need a week to prepare a massive missile attack, the Ukrainian General Staff said.
Russian military shelled Kurakhove in Donetsk region. A market, a bus station, gas stations, and residential buildings came under fire. At least 8 civilians were killed, the Office of the President of Ukraine reported.
The government of the Czech Republic has approved the transfer of about 2 million euros to Ukraine, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the country Jan Lypavskyi said. The money will be used for mobile medical assistance and housing boxes.
Ukrainian diplomats continue to receive threats, a total of 31 cases have already been recorded in 15 countries, and all envelopes have the same address of the sender: the Tesla car dealership in the German town of Sindelfingen, the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, said.
The UN documented the killing of at least 441 Ukrainian civilians by the Russian military. The organization emphasized that 57 murders mentioned in the report were arbitrary executions. Mostly men and boys were executed, who made up 88 percent of all victims of arbitrary executions.
The decrease in profits in the creative industries of Ukraine due to the war amounted to 63%, while 20% of the representatives of the industry went abroad, reported the Minister of Culture and Information Policy Oleksandr Tkachenko.
The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi and the Spirit of Ukraine became the "person of the year 2022" according to Time magazine.
Our news at 22:29
Ukraine conducted another exchange — 60 soldiers returned from Russian captivity. Among those released are defenders of Mariupol, in particular "Azovstal". There are also those who were kept in the colony in Olenivka in Donetsk region.
On December 6, another transfer of the bodies of fallen Ukrainian servicemen took place — 49 dead were returned to Ukraine.
On December 5, Russia launched missiles at Ukraine with a total cost of 400-500 million dollars, Forbes Ukraine calculated. The General Staff reported that on that day, the Ukrainian military shot down 60 out of 70 missiles.
The stockpile of high-precision weapons in the Russian Federation is nearing completion, but Russia still has missiles for several more massive strikes, Ukrainian intelligence said.
The reason for the explosions at two Russian airfields on December 5 was an attack carried out by Ukraine using drones. At the same time, in at least one case, the strike was carried out by a group of special forces in the immediate vicinity of the target, writes The New York Times with reference to sources among high-ranking Ukrainian officials.
Hungary has blocked the allocation of 18 billion euros of macro-financial assistance to Ukraine in 2023, the Minister of Finance of Hungary, Mihai Varga, announced. The EU said that they are currently looking for another mechanism to start allocating these funds to Ukraine.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, reported on new cases of threats to Ukrainian embassies — dangerous packages were sent to diplomatic missions in Denmark and Romania.
Since the beginning of the war, the Cabinet of Ministers has allocated 1 trillion 130 billion UAH for financing the army and the security sector, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
At least 3,300,000 Ukrainian children are in need of humanitarian aid, said Nicolas de Riviere, Permanent Representative of France to the UN. "Two-thirds of children in Ukraine have been displaced since February. 2.5 thousand schools were destroyed or damaged. 5 million children do not go to school," the diplomat emphasized.
More than 14 million Ukrainians were forced to leave their homes because of the war, according to the UN.
Eight Ukrainian women were included in the list of the most influential women by the BBC. Among them are the first lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska, paramedic Yulia Paevska (Tyra), human rights defender Oleksandra Matviychuk, mathematician Maryna Vyazovska.
Our news at 20:43
Ukraine received $1.5 billion from the United States — this is the first part of a $4.5 billion grant that the United States recently announced. The Ministry of Finance of Ukraine says that the money will be used to pay pensions, social assistance, in particular to displaced persons, payment of medical services, etc.
The spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oleg Nikolenko, reported that the embassies of Ukraine in Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, Croatia, Italy, the consulates general in Naples and Krakow, and the consulate in Brno received bloody packages, and they contained animal eyes.
During the day, the Ukrainian aviation carried out 8 strikes on the areas where Russian army personnel are concentrated, and units of missile troops and artillery of the Defense Forces hit 5 control points, the General Staff reports.
Head of EU diplomacy Borrell visited one of the training grounds in Poland, where the EU training mission for the Ukrainian military is taking place. Borrel said that currently 1,100 Ukrainian soldiers are already undergoing training. It is planned that a total of 15,000 military personnel should be trained during the mission.
Hungary does not support the European Union's plans to provide Ukraine with an 18 billion euro aid package planned for 2023, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said. According to him, he does not want "the EU to become a community of debtor states".
The Security Service of Ukraine has completed inspections of UOC MP churches located in Zakarpattia, Rivne, and Zhytomyr regions. During the inspections, they discovered "warehouses" with pro-Kremlin literature, Nazi symbols, "teachings about Satanism" and texts of prayers for the Moscow Patriarch Kirill.
The IAEA hopes to reach an agreement with Russia and Ukraine on the creation of a protective zone at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant by the end of the year, IAEA head Raphael Grossi said. Earlier, the press secretary of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Dmytro Peskov, said that the withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant "cannot happen".
The EU agreed to set the maximum price for Russian oil at $60 per barrel. This is reported by The New York Times with reference to the statement of Polish Ambassador to the EU Andrzej Sados, as well as other EU diplomats and officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.
As of the morning of December 2, electricity producers provided 83% of consumption, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal said.
The government of Ukraine has allocated over 5 billion hryvnias to the regions most affected by hostilities, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
In Gostomel, Kyiv region, attackers cut Banksy's painting from the wall of the house. Eight people were detained on the spot. Criminal proceedings have been opened for intentional damage to property.
Our news at 23:04
Ukraine conducted another large exchange of prisoners with the Russian Federation. 50 defenders of Ukraine have been released, the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, said.
US President Joe Biden has asked Congress to provide an additional 37 billion dollars to support Ukraine.
On November 30, the Embassy of Ukraine in Spain received an envelope that exploded in the commandant's hands during the inspection. Later, the same envelopes with explosive devices were also received by the local company Instalaza, which produces weapons, a base of the Spanish Air Force and the Prime Minister of the country, Pedro Sánchez. It is currently known that the letters were written by the same person. The incident involving envelopes with explosives in Spain will be investigated as an act of terrorism.
Two more embassies of Ukraine abroad, in addition to the embassy in Spain, received letters with "very specific threats", said the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba. However, he did not reveal details and said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will soon issue an official comment on this matter.
In the east and south of Ukraine, the Russian military went on the defensive in the Kupyan, Lyman, Novopavliv and Zaporizhzhia directions, the General Staff reports. The Russians are also preparing to evacuate the population from temporarily occupied settlements in the Zaporizhzhia region.
The total irreversible losses of the Russian army in the war with Ukraine amount to approximately 200,000 Russian soldiers, and Russia lost almost 90,000 servicemen killed, said Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine.
Germany approved a new military aid package for Ukraine. It includes seven Gepard anti-aircraft guns and 100,000 first-aid kits. In addition, according to the German government, this week Ukraine received 3 BEAVER bridge-laying tanks, 8 unmanned surface ships, 12 border security systems, 4,000 sleeping bags, spare parts for Mi-24 helicopters and 30 ambulances.
The Netherlands, Estonia and Norway will hand over a mobile field hospital to Ukraine. It is equipped with an intensive care unit and an operating room, said the head of the Dutch Ministry of Defense Kaisa Ollongren.
The EU will allocate 1 million euros for demining in Ukraine, EU High Representative Josep Borrell said.
Ukraine has made great progress in carrying out the reforms necessary for joining the EU, so negotiations on this issue can begin in the near future, said State Minister for Climate and Europe at the German Foreign Ministry Anna Lührmann.
As of December 1, 1,057 "points of invincibility" have already been deployed in Ukraine. They have heating, water, light from generators, communication.
Our news at 17:05
During the day, units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine repelled the attacks of the occupiers in the areas of the settlements of Stelmakhivka in the Luhansk region and Bilogorivka, Bakhmutske, Pervomaiske, Nevelske and Maryinka in the Donetsk region. The General Staff of the Armed Forces informs about this in the morning summary.
The Russian army carried out 47 airstrikes and 35 attacks from rocket salvo systems on the positions of our troops.
On the morning of November 30, the Russian military shelled the center of Kherson. Several residential buildings and medical facilities were damaged, a gas pipe was hit, the head of the Kherson Regional State Yaroslav Yanushevich reported, a 70-year-old resident of Kherson died in her own apartment due to shelling. During the day, explosions were heard in Kherson.
Russian troops shelled Bakhmut eight times last night, Donetsk police reported. Two people died, eleven were injured, including a 5-year-old boy.
On the morning of November 30, the city of Bilopylla, Sumy Region, was shelled from Russian territory. As a result of shelling, the hospital was destroyed, a teenager died.
On the outskirts of Kherson, in the village of Pravdyne, a new mass grave of people killed by the Russian military was discovered. The bodies were found with their hands tied and blindfolded. All were shot at close range in the back of the head, according to The New York Times.
During the 9 months of the large-scale war, the radio engineering troops of the Air Force detected and escorted more than 240,000 air targets of the occupiers. About 80% is destroyed by Ukrainian firearms. This was announced by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said that during the war in Ukraine, more than 20,000 civilians and more than 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers died. The President's Office informed the public that only the Commander-in-Chief, the Minister of Defense, or the President himself can provide information on losses. Subsequently, the EU explained that the data on losses also apply to the wounded.
Electricity producers provide 73% of consumption in Ukraine. At the same time, the capacity deficit still remains and amounts to 27%.
The government of Ukraine is negotiating the possibility of buying a new large batch of thousands of Starlinks for Ukraine and has allowed them to be imported without VAT and customs duties.
The justice ministers of the G7 countries adopted the "Berlin Declaration" and agreed to closely coordinate cooperation for the purpose of investigating war crimes in Ukraine and to help bring the perpetrators to justice. The text of the declaration is published on the website of the Ministry of Justice of the Federal Republic of Germany.
On November 29-30, a ministerial meeting of NATO member states is taking place in Bucharest. The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, and his foreign colleagues are discussing further military aid to Ukraine and the restoration of Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
Russia has caused damage to Ukraine in the amount of 600 billion euros, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said. She also proposed to create a specialized court with the support of the UN to investigate the crimes of the Russian Federation.
The Odesa City Council supported the decision to dismantle and move the monument to the "Founders of Odesa" in the center with the sculpture of Catherine II.
Our news at 00:26
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced a new aid package to Ukraine in the amount of 53 million dollars. This money will be directed to the restoration of the Ukrainian energy network, which is being systematically destroyed by Russian troops.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki called on Germany to transfer Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine to help protect at least part of Ukrainian skies. This is reported by Polish publications wPolityce and PAP. Earlier, on November 21, Germany offered Poland Patriot anti-missile defense systems for airspace security after a missile fell in the village of Przewodow. Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak asked Germany to send these systems to Ukraine. German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said that this should be coordinated with NATO.
In Donetsk region, the Russian military concentrated on offensive attempts in the Bakhmut and Avdiiv directions. They continue to shell Ukrainian military positions and populated areas, the General Staff reports.
Russian troops with "Grad" self-propelled grenade launchers fired at the residential sector of Lyman in Donetsk region. 1 person died, 3 were injured, Deputy Head of the Office of the President Kyrylo Tymoshenko reported.
Germany will transfer THeMIS ground drones to Ukraine. They are designed to transport the wounded and clear traffic routes. Seven of them will arrive in Ukraine by the end of this year. Others will be delivered in the second quarter of 2023.
France handed over to Ukraine the LRU rocket launcher system — the modernization of the American M270 MLRS on a tracked platform, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said. And the government of Slovakia handed over 30 BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine.
Ukraine and France signed an agreement to provide Ukraine with a loan of up to 100 million euros from the French Development Agency. The funds will be used to finance priority expenses, the press service of the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine reported.
The International Atomic Energy Agency will strengthen its presence at all nuclear power plants in Ukraine, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said.
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Russian military has committed more than 47,900 war crimes, said the head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak. In addition, the Russian military destroyed 46,000 houses and tens of thousands of civil infrastructure objects, including 14,000 institutions for children. 11,400 children were forcibly taken out of the country.
Our news at 19:33
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, 101 Ukrainian servicewomen have been killed, 50 others are considered missing, Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said. About 5,000 Ukrainian women take part in the combats directly.
Since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine, Russia launched more than 16,000 missile strikes on the Ukrainian territory, 97% of their targets are civilian objects, the Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said.
Russians banned the access to the Zaporizhzhia NPP to those station staff who refused to sign contracts with Russian "Rosatom", the General Staff reports. Also, President Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the withdrawal of Russia's troops from the territory of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant "can not be". The day before, Energoatom President Petro Kotin said that there were signs that Russian invaders could leave a Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
The Czech Republic transferred two metal bridges to Ukraine, which will be installed in the Kherson region. In Ukravtodor, it was reported that the blown bridges are the main obstacle to the restoration of transport connections on the territories liberated from the occupiers. Thanks to the previously sent 4 structures, traffic in the Kyiv, Kharkiv and Cherkasy regions were managed to start.
The Russians are preparing to close coal mines in the temporarily occupied territory of Donbass. This is due to mobilization (65% of employees are mobilized) over a half of employees and the fact that non-working enterprises are unprofitable, the Eastern Human Rights Group reports.
Ukraine imported electricity from Romania in the test mode, the Energy Company of Ukraine reported. Earlier, Ukraine imported electricity from Slovakia on October 27 and November 19, 2022.
Lithuania sent six trucks to Ukraine with 114 transformers. In total, the country plans to transfer more than 200 units, the Minister of Defense of Lithuania Arvidas Anushauskas has said.
99.7% of boiler houses started working in Ukraine, 99.6% of the housing stock was provided with heating, Naftogaz of Ukraine reported. Also, 316 heating supply facilities have been restored to the fighting. It is 53.3% of the total number of affected objects, said in Naftogaz.
In Ukraine, as of November 28, 996 "Independence Centres" were launched, Oleksandr Khorunzhyy, a presenter of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, said. These are places where Ukrainians can recharge phones and warm up in the event of long -term effects of Russian attacks on energy and long -range lights.
The Ukrainians began to donate twice as much as recent Russian rocket attacks. At the same time, this trend was also traced during the previous Russian massive blows, according to Openatabot, platform for working with open data. According to the service, the largest fees are recorded on the United24 platform. In total, over UAH 6.8 billion has entered the NBU's accounts in half a year.
Our news at 17:00
During the day, the aviation of the Defense Forces carried out 14 strikes on the areas of concentration of personnel, weapons and military equipment of the Russian occupiers, as well as four strikes on the positions of anti-aircraft missile systems of the Russian Federation, the General Staff reported.
The Russians are regrouping their troops to strengthen their groups in Donetsk region, and in Luhansk region they are suffering heavy losses, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine informs. Also, the Russian army does not stop striking civilian objects, restraining the actions of units of the Defense Forces.
Russia is likely removing nuclear warheads from old nuclear cruise missiles and firing unarmed munitions into Ukraine, the British Ministry of Defense reports, citing intelligence. This is evidenced by the image of one of the missiles shot down in Ukraine.
On the afternoon of November 26, the Russian army shelled the Dnipro. As a result of the explosion, seven private houses were partially destroyed - a woman was pulled out from under the rubble, she was hospitalized, the head of the regional administration said. Currently, 13 are known to be injured.
The Institute for the Study of War believes that the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation has increased the frequency of the exchange of prisoners of war in order to appease dissatisfaction among Russians due to "low-key attention to Russian prisoners of war."
The command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine told the Russian military about the rules of surrender in accordance with international humanitarian law. The official video message in Russian was published on the Telegram channel of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Ukraine freed 12 people from Russian captivity. Among them are nine military personnel who defended Mariupol, Chornobyl NPP and Snake Island, as well as three civilians, the head of the President's Office Yermak said. According to him, over the past week, 98 Ukrainians were returned from captivity.
15 people died, 35 were injured as a result of Russian shelling of the liberated Kherson from November 20 to 25. The data was reported by the city authorities.
Kherson has been connected to the electricity supply, reported the deputy head of OP Tymoshenko. First, power will be supplied to critical infrastructure facilities, then to the population. In general, about 75% of energy consumption needs are provided in Ukraine. Another nuclear unit has been put into operation, capacity is being increased to the planned level at others as well. Due to the shortage of electricity, all regions are in the mode of limiting consumption.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki arrived in Kyiv and honored the memory of the Holodomor victims. In addition to the Prime Minister of Poland, the Prime Minister of Lithuania Shimonite also arrived in Kyiv. Together with the Prime Minister of Ukraine Shmygal within the Lublin Triangle, they signed a joint statement in which they specifically supported the start of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU immediately after a positive assessment of its implementation of the recommendations regarding the application for membership.
Ukraine has launched the "Grain From Ukraine" initiative — the supply of food to countries suffering from its shortage, President Zelenskyi said during a joint press conference with Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo. Belgium became the first country to join the initiative and provide funding for humanitarian food supplies.
International partners are sending equipment to Ukraine to help survive the blackout and prepare for winter. In particular, France sent a hundred powerful generators, Prague - heaters and medical equipment, Riga - heat guns, USAID handed over blankets for Ukrzaliznytsia. The Canadian government allocated 10 million dollars for the purchase of generators.
Our news at 15:27
As a result of Russian missile strikes on Ukrainian territory on November 23, 55 people were injured and another 10 people were killed, said Oleksandr Khorunzhy, the Spokesman of the State Emergency Service. On November 23, Russia launched 67 missiles on energy facilities. Some Ukrainians were left without electricity and water supply. Due to the impact, there was no electricity in Moldova.
On the morning of November 24, specialists managed to restore power supply to critical infrastructure facilities, Ukrainian nuclear power plants should resume work by the evening. It was also possible to partially restore electricity supply in 10 regions.
Zelenskyy announced the deployment of more than 4,000 "invincibility centres" across the country in case of new massive Russian attacks and serious problems with energy supply. These places will be provided with communication, the Internet and other necessary things. The centres will work free of charge, around the clock at government buildings, fire and rescue units, schools, etc.
The Ministry of Defense of Great Britain, with reference to intelligence data, assumed that over the past two weeks, Russia has redeployed its main units to the Donetsk and Luhansk directions in Donbas.
Thus, military analysts note that from September to October, most of the weakened Russian units of the airborne troops were directed to the defense of the Russian-controlled territory west of the Dnieper in the Kherson region.
Militants of the so-called DPR declared that they "formed a battalion" of captured Ukrainian servicemen. The Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense stressed that such actions are a violation of the laws and customs of war.
Prosecutors found nine torture chambers on the territory of the liberated Kherson region. Also, 432 bodies of civilians who were killed were found, said General Prosecutor of Ukraine Andriy Kostin.
The European Parliament recognized Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism and a state that uses the means of terrorism.
The European Parliament approved the allocation of 18 billion euros for Ukraine, its president Metsola said. The decision must now be approved by the European Council.
On November 23, President Joe Biden instructed the State Department to allocate an additional $400 million for military aid to Ukraine. The new aid package will include ammunition for NASAMS anti-aircraft missile systems; 150 large-caliber machine guns with thermal imaging sights to counter unmanned aerial systems; ammunition for high-mobility HIMARS missile and artillery systems.
After the shelling of Ukraine on November 23, the Minister of Defense of Poland Blaszczak asked Germany to transfer to Ukraine the Patriot air defense systems, which it had previously offered to Poland to strengthen its air defense.
Our news at 18:20
The military of the Russian Federation in the Kryvyi Rih and Kherson areas are strengthening their defenses, according to the report of the General Staff. Also, the Russian army continues to bombard settlements on the right bank of the Dnipro River. Due to worsening weather conditions, attacks by the Russian Federation have decreased, but the number of Russian shelling remains extremely high. The fiercest fighting continues in Donetsk region.
In the city of Orihiv, Zaporizhzhia, the Russian army fired at a humanitarian aid delivery point: a social worker was killed, and two more women were injured, the head of the regional administration said.
As a result of shelling by the Russian army in Kherson, two people were killed and seven others were injured. Also, in a comment to Suspilne, the head of the city's military administration, Luhova, said that as a result of the morning attacks, glass was blown out of some houses and the post office was damaged.
The army of the Russian Federation in the Kherson Region has set up a torture chamber on the territory of a recreation center in the village of Strilkove in the Heniche district. Ukrainians are illegally detained and tortured there, the General Staff reported.
At night, the Russian army from "Hrady" and heavy artillery shelled several villages of the Marganets community of Dnipropetrovsk region.
The Institute for the Study of War suggests that Russia is preparing a series of steps to strengthen control over the information space in the country.
Ukraine returned 33 bodies of dead soldiers. In total, the Office of the Commissioner for Missing Persons managed to return 696 dead servicemen.
Russia damaged almost all TPPs and large hydroelectric power plants with massive attacks on Ukraine's critical infrastructure, said the head of Ukrenergo Kudrytskyi.
IAEA experts assessed the extent of damage caused by intense shelling of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Despite the severity of the strikes, key equipment remained intact and there are no immediate nuclear safety or security concerns.
According to the WHO, approximately one in five residents of Ukraine have problems with access to medicines, while Russia's attacks on the Ukrainian health infrastructure have also affected the availability of medical services.
Iryna Vereshchuk, the Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories, called on vulnerable categories of citizens to evacuate from Kherson: women with children, the elderly, the sick, and those with reduced mobility.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced that Ukraine will receive another 2.5 billion euros.
In 2023, Ukraine plans to increase the fee for the transit of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline to Europe against the background of Russian attacks on the Ukrainian energy system, writes Bloomberg.
Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán came to a football match with a scarf depicting Hungary with a part of Ukrainian territory. In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine summoned the Hungarian ambassador to inform him of the "unacceptability of Orbán's act," Nikolenko, a spokesman for the ministry, said.
The NATO Parliamentary Assembly recognized Russia as a terrorist state and called for the creation of a special international tribunal for it.
Russia fired more than 4,700 missiles during 270 days of full-scale war, President Zelenskyi said.
The Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Oleksiy Reznikov, revealed the number of missiles remaining in service in the Russian Federation.
As of the morning of November 22, Russia lost about 85,000 of its servicemen in the war against Ukraine, and approximately 400 people were lost in one day. This is reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces.
Our news at 21:29
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visited Kyiv and met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyi. He promised to provide Ukraine with additional military aid, including 120 anti-aircraft guns, radar stations, as well as special winter equipment for the military. The total cost of the aid package will be £50 million.
During the day, Russian troops launched 2 missile strikes on Ukrainian territory and carried out 12 attacks from rocket salvo systems. In particular, the civil infrastructure objects of the city of Sviatohirsk in Donetsk region were damaged by the missile strike, the General Staff reports.
Russian troops fired at the point of delivery of humanitarian aid in Bilozerka, Kherson region, and five people were wounded, said Kyrylo Tymoshenko, adviser to the head of the President's Office.
One of the goals of Russia's massive missile strikes on Ukraine is to deplete the country's air defenses so that Russian military aircraft can establish dominance in Ukrainian skies, the Pentagon said.
The armed forces of Ukraine can return Crimea by the end of December, and the war with Russia will end by spring. Such a forecast was voiced by the Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Volodymyr Gavrylov, in an interview with Sky News. But he added that Gavrilov is convinced that Ukrainian troops will continue to fight in winter, despite harsh conditions, low temperatures and fatigue, because any pause in operations will give Russia more chances to replenish supplies and attract reinforcements.
Ukraine made the second test supply of electricity from Slovakia. According to Vitaly Butenko, General Director of the Energy Company of Ukraine, in the long run this will allow for additional stabilization of Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
Our news at 14:01
On the night of November 19, the Russian military launched a missile attack on Zaporizhzhia, as a result of which, in particular, the heating system was damaged.
At night, the Russian military fired more than 60 shells from Grady and heavy artillery at three communities of Dnipropetrovsk region
Last day, Russian shelling in Donetsk region killed one person and injured three others. The body of a civilian who died during the occupation was also discovered.
The troops of the Russian Federation are concentrating their efforts on restraining the actions of the Defense Forces in certain directions and at the same time conducting offensive actions in Donbas. The Armed Forces repelled six Russian attacks, the General Staff reported. Over the past day, the Russian military launched 10 air strikes and 10 missile strikes, carried out 42 attacks from rocket salvo systems.
Russia lost almost 84,000 personnel in the war with Ukraine. During the day, the Russians also lost 6 tanks, 7 armored fighting vehicles and 2 artillery systems.
Three servicemen of a separate marine infantry battalion were released from Russian captivity. Dismissed servicemen were provided with primary medical and psychological assistance.
The first train from Kyiv arrived in liberated Kherson. The day before, the train left the capital.
The number of children killed in Ukraine has increased. According to data, as of the morning of November 19, at least 1,274 children were injured in Ukraine as a result of the full-scale armed aggression of the Russian Federation, the Prosecutor General's Office reported. 437 children died and more than 837 were injured of various degrees of severity.
Ukraine is integrated into NATO's defense-industrial complex and will jointly produce weapons and military equipment with 6 member countries of the Alliance.
According to the State Service for Emergency Situations, as of mid-November, about 30% of the territory of Ukraine was mined.
As a result of missile attacks by Russia on the civilian and critical infrastructure of Ukraine, almost half of the energy system failed, Prime Minister Shmyhal said.
On November 16, to support defense spending, Russia carried out the largest issue of debt obligations in history in one day, attracting 820 billion rubles, the British Ministry of Defense said with reference to the country's intelligence.
Our news at 21:01
Ukraine is integrating into NATO's defense-industrial complex and will jointly produce weapons and military equipment with 6 member countries of the Alliance, Ukroboronprom reported. For this, both existing capacities and newly created ones in safe places will be used.
During the Russian occupation, seven people were shot by Russian militaries in one of the villages of the Kherson district. The Ukrainian police opened criminal proceedings, the investigation is ongoing. The police found out that people were killed in the house, after which it was blown up. Among those killed was a minor girl. It is known that this happened in April.
Russia is moving units from the Kherson region to the Luhansk region. Also, according to Petro Andriushchenko, adviser to the head of Mariupol, the military equipment that was moving from the direction of Kherson was heading towards Donetsk. Andriushchenko also added that after the liberation of Kherson by the Ukrainian army, Mariupol began to turn into a rear base of Russian occupiers.
Russian soldier Nikita Chibrin, whose brigade occupied Bucha in the Kyiv region, went to Europe, where he wants to testify against the Russian Federation. On June 16, Chibrin left the location of the brigade, hiding in a car with groceries, got to Russia, then to Kazakhstan, and from there to Spain. On November 15, he arrived in Madrid, where he asked for asylum. Chibrin handed over materials to human rights defenders to expose war crimes and crimes against humanity and humanity, Russian human rights defenders told the Gulagu.net project.
Ukrainian experts have already started work at the scene of the tragedy in Przewodów, Poland, where two people died as a result of a rocket falling on November 15, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said.
The Netherlands has spent 800 million euros on military support for Ukraine and plans to continue doing so in the future. This was stated by the Minister of Defense of the country Kaisa Ollongren. Just this month, the Ministry of Defense of the Netherlands announced that it had provided Ukraine with more than 322 million euros.
On November 22, Ukraine expects to receive 2.5 billion euros of macro-financial assistance. The decision on this should be approved by the European Parliament and EU member states, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal said. In general, since the beginning of the full-scale war, Ukraine has received more than $23 billion in international aid.
Pope Francis said that the Vatican is ready to do everything possible to act as a mediator and put an end to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
According to the State Service for Emergency Situations, as of mid-November, about 30% of the territory of Ukraine is mined.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that almost half of the energy system failed as a result of missile attacks by Russia on the civilian and critical infrastructure of Ukraine. However, a total blackout outage is not expected in Ukraine, explained the executive director of the energy company DTEK Dmytro Sakharuk.
Ukrenergo denied information about the export of electricity. Earlier, information appeared in the mass media that Ukraine allegedly exports excess electricity to EU countries. Export of electricity from Ukraine has been stopped since October 11.
In Ukraine, since February 24, law enforcement officers have registered 47,734 crimes of aggression and war crimes against Russia, the Prosecutor General's Office reported.
Our news at 21:20
In the Netherlands, the meeting ended, where the verdict was announced in absentia to four accused of involvement in the downing of Boeing flight MH17 over Donbas in July 2014. Then 298 people died — all passengers and crew. Prosecutors asked for life imprisonment for the accused. After an almost two-hour session, the court announced life imprisonment in absentia to three suspects — Serhii Dubinskyi (call sign "Growy"), Ihor Girkin (call sign "Strelkov") and Leonid Kharchenko (call sign "Mole"). One of the accused, Russian Oleg Pulatov, was acquitted.
The Kremlin has confirmed that the Russian military is striking Ukraine's energy infrastructure due to Ukraine's "refusal" from negotiations. This was stated by the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmytro Peskov. The spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Oleh Nikolenko, said that this statement by the Kremlin "should open the eyes of some countries" and that Russian aggression "cannot be stopped by talks".
Up to 40% of consumers are currently without electricity due to large-scale damage to energy facilities. In some areas there will be no electricity for several days, said Dmytro Saharuk, director of the energy company "DTEK".
Ukrainian experts got access to the place where the missile fell in Poland. The day before, the Ukrainian side requested access to the investigation. On the evening of November 15, after the massive attack of the Russian Federation on Ukraine, the Polish mass media reported that an explosion had occurred in the town of Przewodów in the Grubeshiv district, located 5 kilometers from the border with Ukraine. The Associated Press, citing a US intelligence source, reported that Russian missiles had crossed the border of Poland. Volodymyr Zelenskyi said that until the investigation is completed, it is impossible to say for 100% whose rocket fell in the Polish village.
Israel has given permission to NATO members to supply self-made weapons to Ukraine: fire control systems and electro-optical systems, reports the Israeli publication Naaretz. Journalists note that Israel agreed to finance the purchase of "strategic materials" worth millions of dollars for Ukrainian military operations under US pressure.
In one week, Russia recruited 650 prisoners in Russian correctional institutions for the war against Ukraine, reports the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In addition, the Russians are preparing a draft law, which provides for the legalization of conscription for military service from the spring of 2023 for citizens of Ukraine who live in the temporarily occupied territories and have received a passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation.
During the day, the Ukrainian military shot down 2 cruise missiles, 2 guided air missiles and 5 Shahed-136 UAVs in different directions, the General Staff reports. On the morning of November, Russia launched 18 cruise missiles over Ukraine. Worked in the gas production industry and defense enterprises in the Dnipropetrovsk region. In addition, the missiles struck the north, the central regions.
The Ukrainian military has reached the coast of the Dnipro River — this allows it to control the territory close to the temporarily occupied Crimean peninsula, the General Staff said.
Finland and Canada will provide Ukraine with new military aid packages in the amount of 55.6 million euros and about 34 million dollars, respectively. Finland has not released details of the package, but Canada is providing money to provide critical satellite imagery to the armed forces, additional high-resolution cameras for drones and winter gear for the military.
Our news at 22:18
On the morning of November 17, Russia attacked several Ukrainian cities with missiles and drones.
In Odesa, a rocket hit a logistics facility, one civilian was injured, the operational command "South" reported. Six missiles of the air defense forces were destroyed over the sea. Currently, after the previous massive attack on November 15, more than half of the consumers remain without electricity in the Odesa region.
In Kharkiv region, a missile hit a gas infrastructure facility. Three people were injured.
Consequences of the strike on Dnipro. Damaged residential buildings. It is known that there is a 15-year-old girl among the 14 injured, Mayor Filatov said.
At night, the Russian military fired more than 70 shells in Dnipropetrovsk region. In the city of Nikopol, 6,000 people were left without electricity due to shelling, and more than 40,000 families were left without water.
Over the past day, the Ukrainian military repelled seven attacks by the Russian military in Donbas.
So far, 63 bodies tortured by the Russian military have been found in Kherson region, the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Monastyrskyi, said. Also found were 11 places where the Russian army kept people.
"Today there are many signs that one of the missiles that were used to shoot down the Russian missile did not hit the target, the self-destruct system did not work, and this missile led to the tragedy," said the representative of the administration of the Polish president Kumoh. He emphasized that "Russia bears full responsibility for the fall of the missile, no one blames Ukraine."
According to him, Ukrainian specialists will most likely be allowed to investigate at the scene of the incident, where the Polish-American investigative team is currently working, if it "does not have comments at the technical level. "Kyiv demands that Ukrainian experts join the work of the international investigation in Poland at the site of the rocket explosion in Przewodów. Earlier, President Zelenskyi said that he has no doubt that it was not a Ukrainian missile that fell in Poland.
The United States places full responsibility for the deaths of people due to a rocket explosion in Przewodów, Poland, on Russia and is awaiting the results of an investigation conducted by Poland.
Russian shelling increased the risk of accidents at nuclear facilities in Ukraine. On October 15, the Khmelnytskyi nuclear power plant lost access to the power grid, forcing it to temporarily rely on diesel generators as a backup power source, and the Rivne power plant lost connection to one of its power lines.
According to the results of the seventh meeting of the group of partners of Ukraine in the "Ramstein" format, the Defense Forces will receive ammunition for rocket salvo systems, air defense systems and artillery.
The "Grain Agreement" was extended for another 120 days, the Ministry of Infrastructure reported. Ukraine also offered to extend the initiative for at least a year and to include the Mykolaiv port in it. Since the beginning of the agreement in August, Ukraine has exported more than 11 million tons of agricultural products to 38 countries around the world.
During Russia's war against Ukraine, hundreds of Russian spies were expelled from Europe, including Great Britain, and this became the strongest blow to Russian intelligence in modern history, said Director General of the British counterintelligence MI5, Ken McCallum, the BBC reports. More than 600 employees of Russian embassies were sent around the world. Of those, he said, more than 400 were likely spies.
Our news at 22:18
On November 15, Russia fired more than 90 missiles at Ukraine, 70 of which were shot down by the Air Defense Forces of Ukraine, the Office of the President reported. The head of the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine Herman Galushchenko said that this was the most massive shelling of the energy system since the beginning of the war. The largest number of hits on energy infrastructure facilities were recorded in the center and north of Ukraine. Kharkiv and Zhytomyr are completely without electricity. Emergency power cuts are implemented across the country. Stations in a number of cities are without power, about 20 trains are delayed. Due to the shelling in Ukraine, there are also interruptions in the work of the Internet. The Russian missile attack led to massive power outages in Moldova as well. The United States announced that it would provide Ukraine with even more air defense equipment.
Polish mass media reported that two Russian missiles fell in the town of Przewodów, located in the Lublin Voivodeship near the border with Ukraine, at around 3:40 p.m. on November 15. Two people died. Officially, this information is currently unconfirmed. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki urgently convened the Committee of the Council of Ministers on National Security and Defense.
566 miners were trapped underground in four mines in Kryvyi Rih due to rocket fire by the Russians, the head of the military administration of Kryvyi Rih Oleksandr Vilkul said. But he added that he added that by 20:00 all the miners had been rescued.
During the day, units of the Armed Forces hit 4 areas of concentration of manpower, weapons and military equipment of the Russian Federation, 2 ammunition depots and one important military facility of the Russian military, according to the summary of the General Staff.
During October, Belarus transferred to the Russian side the amount of armored vehicles, which would be enough to replace the losses of the tank division. This is reported by Defense Express with reference to the "Union of Railway Workers of Belarus". We are talking about a hundred tanks and dozens of armored vehicles.
Ukrainian soldiers will be trained by all EU countries as part of a military mission that will be able to simultaneously train up to 15,000 Ukrainian servicemen. Each of the participating countries will take on a separate direction of training, EU High Representative Josep Borrell said.
In the detention center in Kherson, the Russian military could hold and torture at least a hundred people at the same time. One of the men, who was kept in the detention center, told the correspondent of Suspilne about this on condition of anonymity. According to him, the Russian military brought him there seven times, tortured him with electric current and beat him, demanding that he collect information about the locals for them. At the same time, about 120-130 people were kept in cells, which he heard from the so-called "commandants".
The Netherlands will allocate an additional 15 million euros to support justice in Ukraine, Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra said.
The Russian Federation will most likely allow the extension of the agreement on the export of Ukrainian grain after its expiration on November 19. This is reported by Bloomberg with reference to four informed sources. Interlocutors of the agency did not specify whether Russia will put forward new conditions in exchange for an extension.
Our news at 20:53
On November 14, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi visited de-occupied Kherson, where the official ceremony of raising the national flag took place.
The European Union has launched a training mission for 15,000 Ukrainian soldiers, EU High Representative Josep Borrell said. But he added that the EU and its member states have already provided at least 8 billion euros to Ukraine for military equipment.
The Military Commissariat of the Brest Region of Belarus has announced a tender for the printing of 50,000 copies of mobilization order forms until December 31, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports.
The Ukrainian army struck a command сentre of the Russian army in the temporarily occupied Horlivka, Donetsk region. Trucks, artillery and other equipment were damaged and destroyed. At least fifteen Russian soldiers were also wounded.
Ukraine received military aid from Lithuania, which includes M113 armored personnel carriers and ammunition, Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anushauskas said.
The British government will allocate funds for the Energy Support Fund of Ukraine for the restoration of civil infrastructure facilities that were damaged as a result of Russian shelling. This was announced by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the country, James Cleverly. The sum is about 5.8 million dollars.
The United States is imposing sanctions against a transnational network of individuals and companies that help Russia procure military technologies for its war against Ukraine. Sanctions affected 14 individuals and 28 legal entities, eight planes were also blocked, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced additional military aid for Ukraine in the amount of 500 million dollars, and also promised to introduce new sanctions against Russia. This money should be used for the purchase of military equipment, surveillance and communication equipment, fuel and medicine.
The war caused damage to Ukraine for a third of the national GDP. Further economic losses from the war are expected at the level of 33-35% of Ukraine's GDP, Minister of Finance Serhii Marchenko said. Also he added that almost half of the Ukrainian budget in 2023 is external financing.
The permanent representative of Ukraine to the UN, Serhii Kyslytsia, at the meeting of the extraordinary special session of the UN General Assembly, presented a draft resolution on the creation of a mechanism to compensate Ukraine for damages caused by the war in Ukraine started by Russia. The document calls on member states to unite and create a legitimate international infrastructure to deal with the consequences of Russian aggression against Ukraine, capture evidence of atrocities and "maintain hope for justice for millions of those whose lives have been forever changed by the imperial ambitions of a small ruler of a large country".
Our news at 17:05
As of the morning of November 13, Russia's total combat losses since the start of the full-scale offensive on Ukraine on February 24 reached about 80,860 servicemen.
In Zaporizhzhia, unexploded shells fell near residential buildings after Russian attack.
The Russian army shelled Hornostayivka of the Kakhovsky district in the Kherson region from GRADs. Two women died, about ten houses were damaged.
At night, the Russian Federation shelled the Nikopol and Marhanets communities in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Two women were injured, more than 40 high-rise and private buildings were damaged.
On November 12, as a result of Russian shelling in the Donetsk region, two people were killed and another person was injured. The bodies of two people who died during the occupation were also discovered.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed the attack on the concentration of Russian occupiers in Dnipriany of the Kherson region: the defense forces hit the building where up to 500 Russian soldiers were stationed.
On the left bank of the Kherson region, Russian militaries continue to "evacuate" civilians, actively build defenses, and shell the liberated settlements of the Kherson and Mykolaiv regions with multiple rocket launcher systems and artillery.
Representatives of the authorities, the Security Service of Ukraine and the National Police have arrived in Kherson and start their work. A curfew is introduced in the city and restrictions on entry and exit from the city are introduced.
The Ukrainian army is advancing the Russians on the Kinburn spit in the Mykolaiv region, said Natalia Humeniuk, spokeswoman for the Southern Defense Forces.
The Russian occupiers do not stop trying to integrate the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions into the legal space of the Russian Federation. They stopped issuing "documents of the DPR and LPR", in particular, regarding participation in hostilities, the General Staff of the Armed Forces informs. According to the General Staff, the soldiers of these occupying units have been offered to continue their service on a contractual basis under Russian law, but the army officers express their fears about the cancellation of documents and benefits assigned by the pseudo-republics in case of refusal of a new contract.
Russia's retreat from Kherson inflames an ideological divide between pro-war activists and Russian President Vladimir Putin and undermines confidence in Putin's ability to deliver on his military promises. This is stated in the analytical report of the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Ukraine will liberate Melitopol and Mariupol by January. After that, the liberation of Crimea will begin, said the former commander of the US Ground Forces in Europe, Lieutenant General Ben Hodges.
According to The New York Times, senior officials of the Biden administration say that Russia's military operations in Ukraine will be at a standstill until next year. Ukraine's successes dashed Moscow's hopes of seizing territory in areas that Vladimir Putin has tried to present as a historic part of Russia.
After the announcement of mobilization in Russia, about 700,000 citizens of the Russian Federation left for Georgia: about 100,000 remained there, others probably went to neighboring countries and Europe, Georgian President Zurabishvili said. According to her, Georgia has accepted about 30,000 Ukrainian refugees.
Ukraine will jointly build a small modular nuclear reactor with the United States. It is about a pilot project for the commercial production of clean fuel from MMR using the electrolysis of solid oxides.
Military intelligence of Ukraine confirmed the agreements between Russia and Iran on ballistic missiles.
Our news at 22:19
Ukrainian military entered Kherson. Currently, the Armed Forces are cleaning the city from the remnants of Russian troops. The police resumed service in the de-occupied territories of the Kherson region. Also, in the Kherson direction, in the course of offensive actions, advanced units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have already reached the right bank of the Dnipro in some places, the General Staff reports.
On November 11, another exchange of prisoners of war took place. 45 soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were freed from Russian captivity. In general, since the beginning of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, 1,183 Ukrainians have already returned from captivity.
The Committee of the Red Cross still has not received unimpeded access to places of detention of Ukrainian prisoners of war. Russia does not inform about the places of their detention, thereby violating the Geneva Convention, said the representative of the press service of the Ministry of Defense Andriy Yusov.
On Friday, November 11, Deputy Head of the Russian Foreign Ministry Serhii Ryabkov said that Russia is "open to dialogue with Ukraine without preconditions". On November 8, another deputy head of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Andriy Rudenko, voiced a similar position. President Zelenskyi has repeatedly stated that the first step to negotiations with Russia is the withdrawal of Russian troops from the territories of Ukraine.
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, announced the formation of a special naval fleet consisting of 100 naval drones. Funds for the first 10 unmanned surface vehicles are planned to be collected within a day on the United24 platform, the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine reported.
Engineering works to strengthen the border line with Belarus are ongoing in the north of the Volyn region of Ukraine. So far, three kilometers of the wall have been built. A reinforced concrete fence with barbed wire is being erected on the border. A ditch and an embankment are being constructed nearby, said Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of the Office of the President. The same works are currently being carried out in the Rivne and Zhytomyr regions.
Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, servicemen of the armed forces of the Russian Federation have committed more than 43,000 crimes in Ukraine, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine reported. Almost 32,000 of them qualify as violations of the laws and customs of war.
The European Commission, together with international banks, allocated 1 billion euros to support the export of Ukrainian agricultural products, the European Commission said in a statement.
About 70% of residential buildings and infrastructure facilities are connected to heating. In some regions, 100% of boiler plants have been launched, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal said.
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The defense forces of Ukraine liberated the town of Snigurivka. The settlement has been occupied by Russian troops since March 19, 2022 and opens the way for the Armed Forces to advance to Kherson.
From October 1, in the Kherson direction, the Defense Forces advanced 36.5 kilometers in depth, in total during this time they de-occupied 41 settlements, said the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Zaluzhny. He added that on November 9, Ukraine liberated 12 settlements in the Kherson region.
The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation announced the completion of the withdrawal of troops from the right bank of the Kherson region to the left. It was reported there that all Russian military personnel had crossed over, "there were no losses of personnel and equipment."
Locals showed how the dilapidated Antoniv bridge in Kherson looks like.
This is what the Antoniv bridge in Kherson looks like on November 11, local residents told Suspilne.
Vitaliy Kim, the head of Mykolaiv Oblast, said on the air of the phone that Mykolaiv region has not yet been completely freed from Russian troops. The territory of the Kinburn spit remains occupied.
Ukraine holds the initiative and is preparing for a great victory in Kherson, the American Institute for the Study of War wrote today in a report. According to analysts, the great Ukrainian victory, which is ongoing in the Kherson region, will not be the last for Ukraine.
Russian troops hit a five-story residential building in Mykolaiv at night. According to data at 12.00, seven people were killed. Rescue operations are ongoing.
Vinnytsya was shelled at night — they hit one of the infrastructure facilities. In the Dnipropetrovsk region, the Nikopol district came under fire - more than 50 shells were fired from "Grady" and heavy artillery.
Over the past 24 hours, the Russian military launched one missile and 17 airstrikes, carried out almost a hundred rounds of anti-aircraft fire, hitting settlements in the Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia and Mykolaiv regions.
About 170,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian land remain to be demined in Ukraine. The United States, Canada, and Great Britain, as well as Denmark, Norway, Estonia, Austria, Poland, Japan, Switzerland, Sweden, Slovakia, and UN structures are helping to clear the territories of Ukraine from mine pollution.
The US will send another $400 million in military aid to Ukraine. The package will contain a large amount of ammunition and, for the first time, highly mobile Avenger air defense systems. There will also be ammunition for the highly mobile HIMARS artillery missile systems, mortars and missiles for the Hawk surface-to-air anti-aircraft system.
Russian President Putin will not participate in the G20 summit — a video address is not planned, his spokesman Peskov said.
Our news at 22:26
Russian troops are strengthening the construction of defense lines in the Zaporizhzhia region, involving local civilians in the work. At the same time, in the Kherson region during the past day, the Ukrainian military liberated 12 settlements from occupation, the General Staff reports. In total, since October, the Ukrainian Armed Forces de-occupied 411 settlements in the Kherson Region.
In the Kherson region, the Russian military is moving to the left bank, but they are leaving enough forces on the right bank, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine declares. During the night from November 9 to 10 in Kherson, the movement of Russian military equipment was observed in the direction of Antonivka, where the crossings of the Russian troops are located.
Russia and Belarus continue the deployment of a joint group of troops on Belarusian territory and may use them in the Volyn and Polisk operational zones, said the deputy chief of the Main Operational Department of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksiy Gromov.
US President Joe Biden expressed hope that military aid to Ukraine will continue "uninterrupted". Despite this, he noted that Ukraine did not receive some of the help it requested. In particular, it is about some types of missiles and aircraft, so as not to be drawn into "the third world war by directly engaging in hostilities".
The US has been monitoring Russian naval vessels preparing for a possible test of a new nuclear torpedo in recent weeks, CNN reports. Among the ships of the Russian Federation was the Belgorod cruise missile submarine. It is capable of launching unmanned underwater vehicles, including the Poseidon torpedo.
Belgium handed Ukraine a grant in the amount of 4.96 million euros, the head of the IMF Kristalina Georgieva reported.
Ukrainian snipers will undergo a training course conducted for them by the Armed Forces of Spain in the city of Toledo. Also, the Ukrainian military will be able to master the skills of detonating explosive devices and paramedicine. This is stated in the cooperation agreement signed between the Ministry of Defense of Spain and Ukraine.
Russian authorities have forcibly deported civilians from temporarily occupied areas of Ukraine in what amounts to a war crime and likely a crime against humanity, Amnesty International says in a new report. People detained during the filtering process told Amnesty International that they were beaten, tortured with electric shocks and threatened with execution. Others were denied food and water, and many were kept in dangerous conditions.
In the Russian army, they treat their own dead with disdain, their bodies are not taken from the battlefield. Abandoned bodies pose a sanitary and epidemic threat to the Ukrainian military in the combat zone, said one of the heads of the National Guard, Mykola Urshalovych.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine, the occupiers have destroyed 144 health care facilities and damaged another 958. The damage caused to the medical infrastructure amounts to more than one billion euros, Deputy Minister of Health Bohdan Borukhovskyi said.
The European Parliament adopted an agreement with Ukraine on the simplification of truck transportation. The document was supported by 586 MEPs.
Our news at 21:44
In the morning, the Russian military attacked a village near Zaporizhzhia with S-300 missiles. At night, two communities in the Dnipropetrovsk region — in Marganetsk and Nikopol — were also shelled.
The Russian Federation "significantly exhausted" its arsenal of high-precision weapon systems and suffered losses in aviation. Therefore, it will probably be difficult to maintain the current pace of coordinated attacks by the Russian military against Ukrainian critical infrastructure, the Institute for the Study of War suggests.
NASAMS anti-aircraft missile systems designed to shoot down fighter jets, combat drones and cruise missiles, as well as Aspide medium-range guided missiles for hitting air targets, have arrived in Ukraine.
The Ministry of Reintegration reported that the bodies of servicemen were handed over on November 8. It was possible to return the bodies of 38 defenders to their relatives. In total, 663 bodies were returned since the beginning of the work of the Commissioner's Office.
Germany will provide the International Commission on Missing Persons with 7.6 million euros to search for Ukrainians who disappeared as a result of the invasion of the Russian Federation. This was reported by the German Embassy in Ukraine.
The representative of the United States of America at the UN, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, arrived in Kyiv on October 8. She is planning a meeting with representatives of the Ukrainian authorities to discuss US support and commitment to the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.
President Zelenskyi said that he told the US representative about the situation at the front and Russia's missile terror. "Targeted attacks damaged almost 40% of our energy infrastructure facilities. Therefore, the first priority is the urgent creation of an air shield over Ukraine," the President emphasized.
This week, the EU will offer a package of financial support for Ukraine in 2023. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced this during a telephone conversation with Zelenskyi.
The Vatican is ready to act as a mediator in the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, as well as to provide a platform for their holding, reports La Stampa. "The Vatican is ready to mediate between Russia and Ukraine," the message says.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will participate in the G20 summit, most likely online. Earlier, he stated that Ukraine will not be represented at the Bali summit if Russian President Putin is there.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo said that Russian President Vladimir Putin can join the G20 summit, which will be held on the Indonesian island of Bali, in a virtual format, Reuters reports.
The White House said that Joe Biden does not plan to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the upcoming G-20 summit.
The Secretary General of the North Atlantic Alliance plans to visit the British military base where Ukrainian servicemen are trained. The visit is scheduled for November 9.
The charity fund Unchain.Fund will sell one of the most popular memes — "Woman Yelling at a Cat" (Woman Yelling at a Cat) at the NFT auction. Part of the proceeds will be used to help Ukrainian children. This was reported on November 8 on the fund's Instagram page.
The DPRK said that it has never had an arms deal with Russia and "does not plan to do so." Earlier in the White House it was reported that North Korea is probably "covertly supplying Russia with a significant number of artillery shells."
Our news at 21:40
In case of a complete blackout of the power grid in Kyiv, the capital authorities will be forced to evacuate residents — a plan has been developed for this. This is reported by The New York Times with reference to the words of Roman Tkachuk, the head of the Municipal Security Department of the Kyiv City State Administration. In a comment to Suspilne, Roman Tkachuk explained that the authorities are considering all possible options for action in the event of a blackout, including the evacuation of the city residents, but now no one is asking Kyiv residents to leave.
During the day, the Russian army launched 3 missile and 3 air strikes, more than 5 attacks from multiple rocket launcher systems. The districts of 7 settlements of the Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Luhansk, Mykolaiv and Sumy regions were hit, the General Staff reports. During the day, the Ukrainian aviation made 18 strikes against Russians, and air defense forces shot down 3 Russian drones. Also, the Armed Forces hit 2 Russian command centres, 10 areas of manpower concentration, weapons and military equipment, 2 electronic warfare stations and a number of other important military facilities of the Russian Army.
Since the beginning of the full-scale war, the Russian Federation has caused damage to Ukraine's environment in the amount of more than 1.35 trillion hryvnias. 20% of Ukraine's nature conservation areas suffer from the war, 3 million hectares of forests have also been damaged by hostilities, 8 nature reserves and 10 national natural parks are under Russian occupation. This is reported by the Accounting Chamber and WWF-Ukraine.
In the Kherson region, according to the the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Russians are destroying private boats on the banks of the Dnieper and have ordered the residents of Beryslav to leave the city by November 10, due to the alleged "possible destruction of the Kakhovska HPP dam by the Ukrainian army".
Romania rejects the statements made by the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, about the alleged existence of Bucharest's territorial claims to Ukraine. This is stated in the statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania. On November 4, Putin accused Poland, Romania and Hungary of seeking "to return the territories of Ukraine that were taken from them by Stalin after the Second World War".
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, held a telephone conversation with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, who announced that this week the EU will offer a package of financial support for Ukraine in 2023. "The EU will be on Ukraine's side as long as it takes", Von der Leyen stressed.
A Freddie Mercury's car was sold for £250,000 at Sotheby's in support of a rehabilitation centre in Ukraine. The 1974 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow was put on auction by Ukrainian actor Andrii Danylko, who had bought the car a few years ago to give it to the Freddie Mercury museum.
Our news at 23:05
At night, Vinnytsia was attacked by kamikaze drones. After midnight, the Russian army attacked one of the settlements in Zaporizhzhia with S-300 missiles.
The day before, on November 4, Russian troops shelled the border of Chernihiv Oblast. Yesterday evening and at night, the Russian army shelled several settlements in Donetsk region. Three civilians were killed, eight more people were injured.
Despite the difficult situation in the south, the Defense Forces continue to hold the initiative and oppose the Russian armed formations. In particular, here during the day, the Ukrainian military managed to destroy two Ka-52 helicopters and six drones. This was reported by the spokeswoman of the Joint Command "South" Nataliya Humenyuk.
The losses of the Russian army on the morning of November 5 exceeded 75,000 servicemen, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported. The Russians lost about 600 soldiers in a day.
Dnipro aircraft modelers produced a drone for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. As Dmytro Panchenko, president of the Federation of Model Aviation Sports of Dnipropetrovsk region, told Suspilne, the first model is an inconspicuous reconnaissance aircraft. It is not visible on radars, it operates at a high altitude, so it is extremely difficult to shoot it down.
In Russia, the annual autumn draft announced on September 30, which began on November 1 and involves the recruitment of an additional 120,000 servicemen, will complicate the problems of the Russian Armed Forces. This was announced by the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain with reference to the data of British intelligence. According to intelligence sources, the Russian Armed Forces have already been overloaded, ensuring the training of approximately 300,000 soldiers as part of the so-called "partial mobilization" announced on September 21.
The Russian military is trying to use mobilized personnel to resume its offensive in Donetsk region, but it is likely that they will not be able to achieve significant operational gains. This is stated in the analytical report of the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Iran supplied drones to Russia, but in small quantities and several months before the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation. This was stated by the head of the Foreign Ministry of Iran, writes AP.
The USA approved a new military aid package for Ukraine worth 400 million dollars. The Pentagon also announced that the United States, together with the Netherlands, will finance the repair of 90 Czech T-72 tanks for Ukraine.
The foreign ministers of the G7 countries rejected Russia's accusation that Ukraine was preparing a "dirty bomb". Also, the joint statement of the heads states that the nuclear rhetoric of the Russian Federation is "unacceptable" and the use of such weapons will lead to "serious consequences."
In Ukraine, during the war with Russia, the sixth American volunteer, who fought as part of the International Legion of Terrorism, died. This was reported by The Daily Beast with reference to the commander of the fallen fighter, who wished to remain anonymous. It is noted that a US citizen named Skyler James Gregg was 23 years old.p
Our news at 22:37
Ukraine, Turkey and the UN have decided not to plan the departure of ships through the "grain" corridor on November 2. This was stated by the UN representative in the Joint Coordination Center at the briefing. Earlier, on October 29, Russia announced that it was ending its participation in the "grain initiative", and Putin told Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Russia could consider resuming the "grain" agreement only after completing the "investigation into the drone attacks on Sevastopol". On July 22, in Istanbul, Ukraine, Turkey and the UN signed an agreement regarding the unblocking of ports and the export of Ukrainian grain. Russia also signed a mirror agreement with Turkey and the UN.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi held a meeting with Kadri Simson, the European Union Commissioner for Energy. Zelensky informed the European Commissioner about the consequences of shelling by Russia, which has already seriously damaged about 40% of the entire energy infrastructure of Ukraine. Kadri Simson said that Ukrainian gas storages are 32.3% full, and the EU has EUR 25.5 million ready to meet Ukraine's urgent energy supply needs.
The Armed Forces hit 19 areas of accumulation of Russian equipment, shot down two Orlan UAVs and six Shahed-136 drones, the General Staff reports. The Russian army shelled more than 20 Ukrainian settlements during the day. As of November 1, the Defense Forces of Ukraine liberated 568 settlements in Kharkiv Oblast.
In early November, Iran plans to send a batch of more than 200 Shahed-136, Mohajer-6 and Arash-2 combat drones to Russia. This was reported in the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. "The UAVs will be delivered via the Caspian Sea to the port of Astrakhan. Drones will arrive in a disassembled state. In the future, on the territory of the Russian Federation, they will be collected, repainted and put on Russian markings, in particular "Geran-2", — the intelligence reported.
The massive missile attack on Ukraine on October 31 cost the Russians approximately 760 million dollars, writes Forbes Ukraine. On that day, the Russian Federation launched 55 Kh-101 cruise missiles, 22 S-300 anti-aircraft missiles, one Kh-59 anti-aircraft missile and five UAVs of various types over Ukraine.
In Germany, about a hundred Ukrainian soldiers are completing training with advanced NASAMS anti-aircraft missile systems, writes The New York Times. This paves the way for delivery of the first systems to Ukraine within the next few days, US officials said.
The deputy head of the Russian Security Council, Dmytro Medvedev, said that Ukraine's return of its territories is a "threat to Russia's existence", and therefore a "direct pretext" for a nuclear conflict. In response, Oleksiy Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, stated that Russia's threat and use of nuclear weapons is an act of its own suicide.
As of November 1, the police found 1,367 bodies of civilians killed by the Russians on the territory of the settlements of the Kyiv region that were liberated from the Russian army. 200 bodies remain unidentified, and 384 people are considered missing, Kyiv region police chief Andrii Nebytov said.
In Kyiv, about 1,000 heating points may be deployed additionally due to Russian missile attacks on critical infrastructure facilities, the mayor of the capital Vitaliy Klitschko said.
Our news at 21:32
On the morning of October 31, Russia hit 18 energy infrastructure facilities in 10 regions of Ukraine with drones and missiles, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said. Hundreds of settlements in seven regions of Ukraine were de-energized, but Ukrainian air defense shot down 45 out of more than 55 missiles. The IRIS-T air defense system, which the Ukrainian Armed Forces received from Germany not so long ago, worked with 100% success, Ukraine needs an even greater number of such modern systems, said the spokesman of the Air Force of Ukraine Yuriy Ignat.
Ukraine is running out of equipment for repairing damaged energy facilities. This was announced by the executive director of DTEK, Dmytro Sakharuk.
The occupiers are expanding the evacuation zone in the Kherson region. According to the occupation "mayor" of Kherson, Volodymyr Saldo, citizens of the region will be deported from the zone within 15 km from the Dnipro: the decision applies to the Novokakhovsky District, Holoprystanskyi, Oleshkinskyi, Kakhovskyi, Gornostaivskyi, Velikolepetyskyi and Verkhnyorogachytskyi districts.
On October 31, the bodies of three men who were shot by the Russian military while trying to evacuate were exhumed from the cemetery in Izyum. A father and son were among the dead, the police of the Kharkiv region reported.
Russia is withdrawing a contingent of private military campaigns from the Republic of Mali to replenish its occupation forces in Ukraine, the Ukrainian General Staff reports.
Andrii Yusov, spokesman for the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine, said that Russia could use Iranian missiles in a month. Earlier it became known that Iran decided to provide Russia with surface-to-surface missiles in addition to a larger number of drones. According to Ukrainian intelligence, it is about Iranian short-range ballistic missiles Fateh-110 and Zolfaghar, which are capable of hitting targets at a distance of 300 and 700 kilometers, respectively.
Russia is not withdrawing from the "grain initiative", but is only temporarily suspending its activities. This was stated by UN Deputy Secretary General Martin Griffiths. But he added that on October 31, extraordinary measures were taken to release some cargoes from Ukrainian ports and check about 100 ships that are waiting in line and ready for departure. At the same time, Russia's permanent representative to the UN, Vasyl Nebenzya, said that "Russia cannot allow the passage of ships without its inspection".
Turkey will continue efforts to find a solution to the global food crisis despite Russia's withdrawal from the United Nations-backed "grain agreement", President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova declared the representative of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Chisinau persona non grata. He is obliged to leave the territory of the country. This is stated in the official statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Moldova. This happened after Russia fired missiles at Ukraine again in the morning. Debris of one of the rockets fell on the territory of Moldova.
Information appeared in the Finnish mass media about the alleged fall of weapons from Ukraine into the hands of Finnish criminals. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine denied this information and called it a "Russian throw-in". The Ukrainian embassy in Helsinki turned to the Finnish police for details. In response, the Finnish side reported that there are no specific facts of the supply of contraband weapons from Ukraine.
On October 31, in Kyiv, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and the Czech Republic signed two memorandums: on mutual understanding and cooperation in the field of standardization and metrology.
Our news at 16:26
Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said that the Russian Federation is ready for negotiations with the West, but only if "there are realistic offers based on equal approaches," RIA-Novosti writes.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine emphasized that the only "realistic" offer should be Russia's immediate cessation of the war against Ukraine and the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory beyond the borders as of 1991.
The Joint Coordination Centre in Istanbul did not agree on the movement of ships through the "grain corridor". The Minister of Infrastructure Kubrakov said that because of this, a ship that was supposed to deliver 40 thousand tons of grain to Ethiopia could not leave the port of Odesa today. The day before, the Russian Federation announced that it would stop participating in the "grain agreement" signed by Ukraine and Russia with Turkey and the UN in Istanbul, which provides the unblocking of Ukrainian ports and food export. The reason is the shelling of the Black Sea Fleet.
The attack on October 29 near the temporarily occupied Sevastopol with the help of UAVs was probably carried out by Ukrainian forces, according to analysts of the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW). "Attacks on warships in wartime are legitimate acts of war, not acts of terrorism," the ISW emphasizes.
The Government of the Russian Federation has expanded the list of unfriendly foreign states and territories, including 11 British overseas territories, according to the website of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Russian Federation. The list of "unfriendly foreign countries and territories" was approved by the order of the Government of the Russian Federation on March 5, 2022.
Italy is handing over self-propelled mortars "PzH-2000", MLRS, as well as 155-mm M109L self-propelled artillery to Ukrainian forces, the journalists of La Repubblica write. Ukraine has already received MLRS systems from Germany - MARS II and Great Britain - M270.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine eliminated a record number of occupiers in a day — 950. "The enemy suffered the greatest losses in the Donetsk and Lyman directions," the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported. In total, the losses of the Russian troops amounted to 71,200 people.
Russia is transferring personnel to the Republic of Belarus and place them in the area of Brest, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported. Russian soldiers were spotted in settlements between the cities of Brest and Malorita.
In Ukraine, over the past day, on October 29, Russian troops killed ten civilians and wounded 13 civilians. This was announced by the deputy head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Kyrylo Tymoshenko. According to him, all ten dead were found in the Donetsk region, in particular five killed earlier. Eight residents of the region were injured during the day.
Most of the occupied Enerhodar in the Zaporizhzhia region was left without electricity as a result of Russian shelling, Mayor Orlov said. According to preliminary data, one of the substations was hit.
In total, during the day, Russians launched 5 missiles and 23 airstrikes, carried out more than 100 attacks from multiple rocket launcher systems. Areas of more than 45 settlements were affected.
In Kyiv, a large common flag of Ukraine and Poland was unfurled and carried through the streets, reports the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security.
Our news at 21:43
Russia has suspended participation in the "grain agreement" signed by Ukraine and the Russian Federation with Turkey and the UN at the end of August in Istanbul, which provides for the unblocking of Ukrainian ports and the export of food. This was reported in the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. The head of the President's Office, Andriy Yermak, called this decision "primitive blackmail", and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, called on all states to demand that Russia stop the "Hunger Games".
Ukraine conducted another exchange of prisoners. 52 Ukrainians were freed from Russian captivity. In particular, defenders of "Azovstal" and defenders of Mariupol returned home.
In occupied Sevastopol, local residents heard explosions that night. The Russian Ministry of Defense said that it was an attack by drones and that in Sevastopol the sea minesweeper "Ivan Golubets" and the barrier in Pivdenna Bay received "minor damage". They blamed Kyiv for the attack. The so-called "governor" of Sevastopol, Razvozhaev, said that today's attack "was the most massive since the beginning of the war."
The operation in Sevastopol could be carried out with the help of HARM-type missiles and combat drones. The attack itself, most likely, was surface and air, Colonel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Roman Svitan said. Now the Russians will try to relocate the most combat-capable units from Sevastopol to Novorossiysk. But there they do not have the opportunity to maintain the entire spectrum of the Black Sea Fleet. Therefore, attacks on Ukraine from the sea side may decrease, said Major General of the SBU reserve Viktor Yagun.
On October 29, Russian troops shelled Zaporizhzhia: they hit critical infrastructure, the head of the regional administration Starukh said. The consequences are clarified. At night, the Russians shelled Nikopol. In the Donetsk region, three civilians were killed by Russian shelling.
Since October 26, the occupying authorities of Kherson suspended the medical staff of several city hospitals, from which the occupiers took away medical equipment. The Russians also took medical drugs from most of the city's pharmacies, reports the Ukrainian General Staff.
The operation to liberate Kherson will last until the end of November, said the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov. According to him, the most prepared and combat-ready Russian units are currently located in Kherson. In total, about 40 thousand soldiers.
The mobilization completed in the Russian Federation will not affect the combat power of the Russian Federation, according to analysts of the American Institute for the Study of War. On October 28, Russian Defense Minister Serhey Shoigu announced the end of Russian military mobilization. According to him, Russia mobilized 300,000 people. Of them, 82,000 are stationed in Ukraine, and 218,000 are studying at Russian training grounds.
Russia lost approximately more than 70,000 of its soldiers in the war against Ukraine, the General Staff of the Armed Forces reported.
Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, more than 17 billion euros of Russian assets have been frozen in the European Union, EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders said.
Lithuania will repair at least 12 war-damaged PzH2000 howitzers. Two are already on their way to Ukraine after repairs, Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anushauskas said.
The Turkish defense company Baykar plans to complete the construction of a plant in Ukraine in two years, its CEO Haluk Bayraktar said. He added that the detailed design phase has now been completed.
Our news at 22:31
The Pentagon announced a new package of military aid for Ukraine in the amount of 275 million dollars. Aid will include ammunition for HIMARS, 2,000 rounds for Remote Anti-Armor Mine Systems (RAAMS), more than 1,300 anti-tank systems, 125 HMMWVs, small arms, more than 2.75 million rounds of small arms ammunition, satellite antennas.
Ukrainian military specialists are already undergoing training under the NASAMS training program, which will be completed in the near future, after which the systems will be transferred to Ukraine. This was stated by Deputy Spokesperson of the US Department of Defense Sabrina Singh. The day before, US Defense Minister Lloyd Austin announced his readiness to transfer NASAMS systems to Ukraine at the beginning of November.
The Defense Forces of Ukraine use the Switchblade 300 kamikaze drones and are waiting for the delivery of the new Switchblade 600 model from the Western allies. This was stated by the spokesman of the Air Force Yuriy Ignat. On August 22, it was reported that the US Army is ready to conclude a contract for the supply of long-range and powerful Switchblade 600 kamikaze drones for Ukraine.
Russian Defense Minister Serhey Shoigu said that the mobilization of 300,000 people has been "completed", and 82,000 mobilized people have already been sent to war in Ukraine.
On the building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Czech Republic, an image of Russian President Vladimir Putin in a body bag was hung between the Czech and Ukrainian flags.
The Russians have announced that from October 30 they will consider all residents of the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine to be Russian citizens "automatically", the mayor of Energodar, Zaporizhzhia region, Dmytro Orlov, reported with reference to the Russian mass media. At the same time, according to him, in order to renounce the "citizenship" of the Russian Federation, local residents must write a "statement" to the migration service. Also, according to Orlov, the campaign to issue Russian passports in Energodar failed, and there is no demand for them among the population.
The deputy head of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, Dmytro Medvedev, said that the stability of energy supply is possible for Ukraine if it recognizes the legitimacy of Russia's demands within the framework of the so-called "special military operation". As the adviser to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Mykhailo Podolyak noted, the Kremlin said through Medvedev: "We will destroy the Ukrainian energy system and terrorize millions of people until Ukraine agrees to surrender".
The company "Ukrenergo" ordered to limit electricity supply in all regions of Ukraine. Operators of distribution networks were provided with schedules for limiting electricity supply to industrial consumers in all regions of Ukraine. The forced restrictions will also apply to residential consumers in the central and northern regions of the country, whose networks were most affected this week by Russian shelling.
During the Ukrainian-German economic forum and the expert conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine, the Ukrainian side managed to preliminarily agree on the allocation by donors of 17 billion euros, necessary for the restoration of the energy infrastructure damaged as a result of Russian shelling. This was announced by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.
The United Nations Children's Fund UNICEF Ukraine delivered to Ukraine 2.3 million doses of the vaccine against COVID-19 Comirnaty produced by Pfizer-BioNTech. They were provided by the US government as part of the COVAX initiative. The vaccine will be delivered to 23 regions of Ukraine.
Our news at 23:15
During the day, the forces of the Russian Federation carried out three airstrikes and carried out three attacks from multiple rocket launcher systems.
On the night of October 27, the Russian army attacked the Kyiv region. Several hits were recorded in one of the communities. Previously, there were no injured. The air defense system also worked in the region.
Zaporizhzhia and its suburbs were also hit at night — the infrastructure object was destroyed. According to preliminary information, they were fired upon with three shells from the "Smerch" MLRS. There are no injured.
Part of the Russian weapons that the occupiers delivered to the east of Ukraine is unusable, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported. In addition, Russia fires at the positions of Ukrainian troops along the contact line, implements fortification equipment of positions in certain directions, in particular on the left bank of the Dnipro River, and actively conducts aerial reconnaissance.
The Pentagon presented a new US defense strategy: it states that Russia poses "serious persistent risks in key areas", including the nuclear threat to the US and its partners. Another challenge for US defense strategy is containing China.
The International Atomic Energy Agency refuted the statements of the Russian authorities about the development of the so-called "dirty bomb" on the territory of Ukraine. The IAEA also plans to carry out another mission to Ukrainian energy facilities.
The US sees no signs that the Russians are preparing to use a "dirty bomb" or tactical nuclear weapons. At the same time, the USA takes threats from the Russian Federation seriously, particularly against the background of Russia's accusations against Ukraine of preparing a nuclear attack.
Russia does not need a nuclear strike on Ukraine, as it makes neither political nor military sense, Russian President Vladimir Putin said. According to him, the West is looking for additional arguments to confront Russia. He also announced Ukraine's alleged plans to obtain nuclear weapons. According to Putin, he personally instructed the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, Sergei Shoigu, to spread information about the alleged intention of Ukraine to use a "dirty" nuclear bomb.
The President of Guinea-Bissau conveyed Putin's request for negotiations to Zelensky. In response, Zelensky emphasized that he does not yet see a desire for peace on the part of the Russian leadership. At the same time, the Kremlin claims that Putin did not convey a "special message" to Zelensky through the president of Guinea-Bissau.
Since the beginning of the war, Ukraine has carried out 28 exchanges of prisoners of war — it was possible to free 978 people. Among them are 99 civilians. This was reported by Deputy Minister of Defense Malyar.
Maria Lvova-Belova, the Commissioner for Children's Rights under the President of Russia, illegally adopted a boy deported from Mariupol. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine initiated the opening of a case against Lvova-Belova, in whose actions "signs of a criminal offense can be seen".
Zelensky signed the law on increasing military expenditures in the 2022 budget by 387 billion.
In Ukraine, a test of electricity import from Europe was conducted — today the first test delivery with a capacity of 1 MW from Slovakia was carried out, the "Energy Company of Ukraine" informed the public.
The Ukrainian aerospace company Ukrspecsystems has developed a new SHARK drone. This was reported by the company's press service. It can adjust the American HIMARS reactive artillery systems and is resistant to work in EW conditions. This is a completely Ukrainian drone — from idea to production. SHARK can solve all the main tasks of reconnaissance, surveillance and adjustment of fire.
Our news at 20:30
On October 26, as part of another prisoner exchange, Ukraine returned 10 Ukrainian servicemen. Among them there is one officer and 9 soldiers and sergeants. The body of an American volunteer, a veteran of the US Army, Joshua Alan Jones, who fought for Ukraine and died in a battle with the occupiers, was also handed over.
Russia exerts constant psychological pressure on Ukrainian soldiers who are in captivity and on their relatives. In particular, Russia constantly repeats that Ukraine abandoned them and no one needs them, said Andriy Yusov, spokesman for the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
During the day, the Ukrainian military repelled Russian attacks in Donbas and the south of the country in the areas of Bakhmutske, Bakhmut, Ivangrad, Andriyivka, Soledar, Kurdyumivka, Krasnohorivka, Novomykhailivka, Nevelske, Maryinka and Kamianka. Also, the Armed Forces hit 3 control points of the Russian Federation, 6 areas of concentration of manpower, weapons and military equipment, 2 warehouses with ammunition and 5 other important military facilities of the occupiers.
Russian strategic missile forces conducted training on the task of a massive nuclear strike "in response to an enemy nuclear strike". This was stated by the Minister of Defense of Russia Serhey Shoigu. Ground, sea and aviation strategic deterrence forces took part in the exercises. During them, Russian troops launched ballistic and cruise missiles.
On October 26, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia "is aware of Ukraine's plans to use a "dirty bomb". This was previously stated by the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Shoigu. The President of Ukraine and the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine emphasized that this is a lie, "as absurd as dangerous".
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia has published a photo of a "Ukrainian dirty bomb", allegedly made by Ukraine. However, it turned out that the photo shows smoke detectors. Photos courtesy of the Slovenian Agency for Radioactive Waste (ARAO). They were made in 2010 and used as explanatory material.
Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog, during his visit to the USA, provided evidence of the use of Iranian drones in Ukraine. Herzog showed images of Shahed-136 kamikaze drones being prepared for launch during military exercises in Iran in December 2021. Another photo shows the same type of drone shot down during the war in Ukraine.
Russia used more than 400 Iranian-made drones against Ukraine, 60-70% of them were shot down, Volodymyr Zelenskyi said.
The Ministry of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine said that about a thousand bodies of dead Ukrainian soldiers and civilians have already been exhumed in the territories recently liberated from the occupiers. In particular, almost 450 in Izyum — on the site of one of the most mass graves.
The Polish Senate adopted a resolution recognizing the Russian Federation as a terrorist regime. The resolution was adopted by 85 votes.
The President of Guinea-Bissau, Sissou Embalo, became the first African leader to visit Ukraine after the beginning of the Russian invasion. With Volodymyr Zelenskyi, they discussed a special tribunal over the Russian Federation and the issue of exporting Ukrainian food from ports on the Black Sea. Also, Sissoku Embalo said that Vladimir Putin is looking for an opportunity to talk with the President of Ukraine and asked him to help in this matter.
Ukraine's budget deficit for 2023 will amount to about 38 billion dollars, due to which the country will need up to 3.5 billion dollars of aid from external sources every month, said Roksolana Pidlas, a People's Deputy from "Sluga Narodu". According to her, this money can be provided to Ukraine by partner countries, primarily the USA and the EU, as well as international financial and credit organizations, for example, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 245. Online updates.
Russian troops shelled Dnipro in the evening of October 25. Due to the fall of shell wreckages, a fire broke out at a gas station, two people were killed and some were injured. Among the dead is a pregnant woman.
Russians continue to loot Kherson — they took away new buses, Internet equipment, and cut cables. "Evacuation" of cultural values is also carried out.
Germany will hand over two MARS systems and four Panzerhaubitze 2000 howitzers to Ukraine in the coming days, President Steinmeier said during his visit to Ukraine.
The manufacturer Raytheon Technologies handed over to the US government two NASAMS anti-aircraft missile complexes, which are intended for Ukraine. This was announced by the company's general director, Greg Hayes, in an interview with CNBC.
Ukraine immediately needs 17 billion dollars to rebuild critical infrastructure and housing where Russian tanks and artillery methodically destroyed cities, President Zelenskyy said during a conference on rebuilding Ukraine in Berlin.
In Ukraine, the "Recovery Army" project is being launched - it involves people who have lost their jobs in recovery work. They will be paid UAH 6,700.
Zelenskyy held his first conversation with the newly appointed British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and invited him to visit Ukraine.
Russia has failed to provide any evidence of plans by the Ukrainian leadership to allegedly create a dirty nuclear bomb for using it against Russian forces. This was stated by the Deputy Ambassador of Great Britain to the United Nations, James Kariuki, after the meeting of the UN Security Council, Reuters reports. He called it "purely Russian disinformation."
Ukraine needs a defense system that would completely close the Ukrainian sky and shoot down drones, said the head of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov in an interview with Fox News. According to him, the Israeli "Iron Dome" system would help to effectively counter the Iranian-made kamikaze drones.
The Russian Federation has informed the US of the start of its annual nuclear exercises, which will include the launch of missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons, the press service of the US Ministry of Defense writes.
Ukraine accuses the Russian Federation of artificially holding ships with grain. Since October 14, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, Russian experts of the Joint Coordination Centre in Istanbul have been significantly delaying the inspection of ships that are heading from or to Ukrainian ports for loading. More than 170 ships, according to the Ministry of Infrastructure as of October 25, are currently in the queue for inspection near the Bosphorus Strait, due to which Ukrainian ports are forced to work at only 25-30% of their capacity.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 243. Online updates.
Over the past 24 hours, the Russian military has carried out 2 missile and 28 air strikes, carried out 65 attacks from rocket salvo systems, the General Staff of the Armed Forces reported in the morning report. They attacked civil infrastructure facilities in the settlements of Bakhmut, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv and Novotavrycheske of the Zaporizhzhia region.
Russia is building a fortified "Wagner line" in the temporarily occupied Luhansk region to the southeast of Kremina, probably preparing for deep defense behind the existing front line, reports the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain with reference to intelligence data.
On October 23, Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Sergey Shoigu held telephone talks with the heads of the defense departments of Great Britain, France, Turkey and the United States. In conversations with ministers, Shoigu accused Ukraine of preparing provocations using a "dirty bomb." Zelensky said that the Russian minister had set up a "telephone carousel", and the head of the Foreign Ministry, Kuleba, added that SergeyShoigu's statements "are a lie as absurd as it is dangerous."
The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs invited experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency to Ukraine to visit the sites of the so-called "dirty bomb" development, which Russia declared. According to him, CEO Rafael Grossi agreed to this.
The Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Oleksiy Reznikov, discussed with his foreign colleagues the statement of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Sergey Shoigu regarding Ukraine's alleged preparation of provocations using a "dirty bomb". He stated that Ukraine is open to any monitoring mission.
As a result of an Israeli airstrike, the assembly line of Iranian kamikaze drones near the Syrian military airport "Damascus" was completely destroyed.
A group of Iranian instructors was spotted on the territory of Belarus, who are probably teaching the Russian military how to use the "Shahed-136" UAV. British intelligence believes that Russia is using a large number of Iranian Shahed-136 drones to penetrate Ukrainian air defenses.
Russian terror using Iranian kamikaze drones may continue for a long time, while Russia's missile stockpile is almost exhausted. The head of the Main Intelligence Department of the Ministry of Defense, Kyrylo Budanov, said this in an interview with "Ukrainian Pravda". According to the head of the GUR, Russia has about 13% of Iskander missiles, about 43% of Kalibr-PL, Kalibr-NK missiles, Kh-101 and Kh-555 missiles, and about 45%.
American businessman and founder of SpaceX Elon Musk assured that the company will continue to provide Starlink satellite Internet service to Ukraine. Musk wrote about this on his Twitter page.
The SBU detained Motor Sich president Vyacheslav Boguslaev and the head of the company's foreign economic activity department. They are suspected of cooperation with military enterprises of the Russian Federation. According to the investigation, Motor Sich supplied Ukrainian aircraft engines to Russia through a number of intermediaries.
51% of surveyed Ukrainians donate regularly or from time to time — they transfer funds to charitable foundations or to individual volunteer meetings. 10% of respondents do it regularly, and 41% occasionally. 23% rarely tip, 12% did it only once, and 13% never did it. This is evidenced by Suspilne survey. The research was conducted on October 23-24, 2022, and 1,000 respondents were interviewed using a mobile application
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 242. Online updates.
At night, Russian troops once again shelled Mykolaiv: rockets hit residential five- and nine-story buildings, and destroyed warehouse. According to preliminary data, it is known about 4 wounded people.
Air defense forces managed to destroy 16 kamikaze drones "Shahed-136" overnight, the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported. 11 of them were shot down over the Mykolaiv region.
Electricity restrictions continue in Ukraine to allow energy companies to repair energy facilities damaged by the recent wave of Russian shelling. By 5:30 p.m. on October 22, Russia fired 36 missiles at Ukraine that targeted critical infrastructure.
In total, over the past 24 hours, Russian troops have carried out 32 missile and 25 air strikes on Ukraine, and have carried out more than 80 attacks from multiple rocket launchers, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported in the morning report. More than half of the cruise missiles and attack UAVs were shot down by the Defense Forces of Ukraine.
Energy and critical infrastructure facilities in the Volyn, Rivne, Kharkiv, Khmelnytskyi, Kirovohrad, Cherkasy, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, and Mykolaiv regions were hit.
Russia is building a fortified line of defense with the help of units of the private military company "Wagner" in the temporarily occupied Luhansk region. There, the Russian army is probably preparing for deep defense along the existing front line, reports the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain with reference to intelligence data.
The SBU detained the president of "Motor Sich" Bohuslaev and the head of one of the company's departments and announced that they were suspected of collaborationism and assisting the aggressor state. According to the investigation, the management of the plant organized the illegal supply of aircraft engines to the Russian Federation - helicopters with these engines were used by Russians during the invasion of Ukraine.
In Perm, Russia, a fire broke out at a gunpowder factory where shells for GRAD, SMERCH and air defense systems are manufactured. The bodies of 3 workers were found under the rubble. This plant was already burning on May 1.
The authorities of Iran again reject the supply of drones to Russia and do not want an investigation at the UN. President Zelensky said that he personally does not trust the leadership of Iran due to the transfer of kamikaze drones, which the Russian army uses against Ukraine. He noted that Iran's leadership has twice compromised trust in itself. For the first time, when the promised compensation was not paid to the families of the dead passengers of the Ukrainian "Boeing" shot down by an Iranian missile in 2020.
In the morning, the Russian Federation launched a massive attack on Ukrainian cities from the Black Sea. 33 cruise missiles were fired. 18 of them were destroyed by Ukrainian defenders.
One critical infrastructure object in the territory of the Kirovohrad region was hit by high-precision Kalibr missiles in the morning. Russian missiles twice hit energy facilities in Volyn. Rockets also flew in the direction of Kyiv, and were shot down by air defense forces.
Two cruise missiles were also shot down over Chernihiv and Sumy regions. The critical infrastructure of Rivne was destroyed.
During the same attack, air defense forces shot down four cruise missiles over Odesa region and one more over Mykolaiv region. At noon in the Kherson region, a Ka-52 attack helicopter of the occupiers was shot down
The energy facility in Lutsk, which was hit by three rockets in the morning, is completely destroyed and cannot be restored, Lutsk Mayor Ihor Polishchuk told Suspilno in a comment. According to preliminary information, the object was hit by Kh-101 cruise missiles.
During the meeting of the UN Security Council on October 21, the permanent representative of China stated that the critical infrastructure of Ukraine should not be subjected to military attacks, and the representative of the United States said that, according to the UN, $4.3 billion is needed to provide rubber aid to Ukraine.
Members of the United States Congress from the Democratic and Republican parties visited Kyiv three weeks before the parliamentary elections in the United States, assuring that their result would not affect the support of Ukraine in the confrontation with Russia.
Missiles for air defense systems are running out in Ukraine. The Armed Forces need more missiles for air defense systems that protect Ukrainian citizens from attacks by the Russian army.
Great Britain and Poland signed a memorandum on support for Ukraine. According to the agreement, 10 million pounds will be allocated to help Ukrainian refugees.
Our news at 22:49
Back in April, Russians mined the Kakhovska HPP in the temporarily occupied Kherson region, the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine reported. Also, 2 military "Kamaz" trucks are placed on the dam. According to Ukrainian intelligence, both trucky are fully loaded with boxes of explosives.
In the temporarily occupied Beryslav of the Kherson region, since October 19, all bodies of the occupation authorities have ceased their activities. Local collaborators continue leaving the city with their families and property, reports the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Russian militaries took 46 pupils of the Kherson regional orphanage from the temporarily occupied Kherson to Simferopol. These are children under the age of 5, said Yaroslav Yanushevych, the head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration.
Britain, France and Germany have called on the United Nations to investigate Russia's use of Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones in violation of a UN Security Council resolution on the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Tehran denies supplying drones to Moscow, and Russia denies its forces used Iranian drones to attack Ukraine.
10 Iranians who were training Russian soldiers to operate Shahed-136 kamikaze drones are believed to have died in "Ukrainian strikes" last week. This was reported by The Jerusalem Post with reference to a Ukrainian official.
The Ukrainian army y repelled attacks of Russians in Ternova, in the Kharkiv region, Bilohorivka and Zolotarivka in the Luhansk region, Lyman, Soledar, Ozaryanivka, Odradivka, and Pervomaiske in the Donetsk region, reports the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. A Russian Su-25 attack aircraft was shot down by the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Bashtanka district of the Mykolaiv region.
The support of both parties for Ukraine will remain in the US Congress even after the elections that will soon be held in the country. Jim Gimes, a member of the House of Representatives of the US Congress from the Democratic Party, said this in a comment to Suspilne. "There are 15-20 skeptics in Congress. But skeptics have always existed in the US. The overwhelming majority is in favor of continued support," the politician said.
Ukraine is running out of missiles for air defense systems and Ukraine does not have enough air defense units to cover every part of the country, the Armed Forces reported. Meanwhile, Ukraine received the first multifunctional TRML-4D radar station for the IRIS-T SLM air defense complex from the German company Hensoldt.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan seeks to organize new talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi and Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding a peaceful settlement of the Russian-Ukrainian war. "I saw that Mr. Putin is much softer and more open to negotiations than before," Erdogan said.
Russia may illegally export about 1.8 million tons of grain from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine by the end of 2022. This is written by Deutsche Welle with reference to the investigation of the broadcaster NDR and the comments of German experts. It is noted that since the beginning of the war, about a million tons of grain have already been exported from the seaports of the annexed Crimea, in particular, about 20 ships with wheat and other grain left Sevastopol.
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted a resolution recognizing the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria as a territory temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation, and condemned the genocide of the Chechen people.
On October 21, the Russian military attacked Zaporizhzhia with S-300 missiles. In total, five people were injured as a result of the rocket fire. Among them are four law enforcement officers and one civilian, the Zaporizhia Regional Administration reported. In the afternoon of October 21, the Russians shelled Kharkiv. At least six people were injured.
In addition, the Russian army shelled more than 40 buildings in Mykolaiv Oblast during the day.
The strikes of the Russian Federation led to the termination of electricity and water supply to thousands of houses in Ukraine. . Children play soccer near a building that was damaged as a result of fighting by the Russian Federation in Borodyanka, Kyiv region, on October 20, 2022. Photo: AR
Ukrenergo reported that on October 21, temporary restrictions on energy consumption are possible throughout Ukraine.
Ukraine currently has no means of anti-missile defense to effectively counter ballistic missiles, said Air Force Command spokesman Yuriy Ignat.
The announcement of the deployment of a Russian-Belarusian group of troops in Belarus is an attempt to demonstrate Russian-Belarusian solidarity and convince Ukraine to withdraw forces to protect the northern border, the British Ministry of Defense reports, citing British intelligence. According to intelligence, Russia is unlikely to be able to form combat formations of the declared number, and the Belarusian military does not have the ability to conduct complex operations.
The Russian occupiers mined the dam and units of the Kakhovskaya HPP, President Zelensky said. He added that after blowing up the dam, more than 80 settlements, including Kherson, would be in the flood zone. According to Ukrainian intelligence, the Russians mined the hydroelectric plant back in April, and now they are conducting additional mining.
The US has evidence that Iranian instructors are present in Crimea. They are helping the Russian military launch kamikaze drones into Ukrainian cities, said White House National Security Council Coordinator Kirby.
Russia may illegally export a total of about 1.8 million tons of grain from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine by the end of 2022, writes Deutsche Welle with reference to experts. It is noted that since the beginning of the war, about a million tons of grain have already been exported from the seaports of the annexed Crimea, in particular, about 20 ships with wheat and other grain left Sevastopol.
Since the beginning of the counteroffensive, the Ukrainian military has liberated 551 settlements in Kharkiv Oblast and 88 in Kherson Oblast, Deputy Head of the Office of the President Kyrylo Tymoshenko said.
The head of the Pentagon, Lloyd Austin, held a telephone conversation with the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, Sergei Shoigu, in which he emphasized the "importance of maintaining communication" during Russia's war against Ukraine, the US Department of Defense reported. The agency also reported on Austin's conversation with Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov: they discussed military aid for Ukraine.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 236. Online updates.
British intelligence believes that the Russian authorities are seriously considering a large-scale withdrawal of troops from the Kherson region, but the destroyed bridges across the Dnipro will complicate this task, the British Ministry of Defense reports.
The Russian army launched 221 kamikaze drones in the southern regions of the country. Air defense forces shot down more than 80% of them — 184 "shaheeds", instead 37 hit the targets, spokeswoman for the press center of the Southern Defense Forces Natalya Humenyuk said.
On October 20, due to damage to the energy infrastructure as a result of Russian shelling, restrictions on the use of electricity were introduced throughout Ukraine. Ukrainians were urged to minimize the use of electricity. In cities, the use of street lighting will be limited. Saving electricity also applies to the use of electric transport.
The special services of the Russian Federation are probably preparing terrorist attacks against their own population, reports the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
The ambassadors of the countries of the European Union have approved sanctions against individuals and legal entities of Iran in connection with Russia's use of Iranian-made unmanned aerial vehicles in Ukraine.
India urged its citizens to leave Ukraine due to the escalation of hostilities. Previously, the US, Chinese, Egyptian, and Italian embassies also advised their citizens to leave Ukraine.
Our news at 22:05
Vladimir Putin signed a decree on the "introduction of martial law" on the territories of Ukraine "joined" to the Russian Federation — the self-proclaimed "DPR" and "LPR" and the occupied parts of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions. The introduction of "martial law" on the occupied territories by the Russian Federation should be considered only as a pseudo-legalization of looting of Ukrainian property before the next "regrouping" (withdrawal of Russian troops — edited), said an adviser to the head of the President's Office, Mykhailo Podoliak.
Britain has warned Russian President Vladimir Putin that the Russian Federation will face "serious consequences" if it uses nuclear weapons in the war against Ukraine. This was reported by The Guardian with reference to a representative of the British government.
The occupying leadership of the temporarily seized territory of the Zaporizhzhia region organized the so-called "inventory of the housing stock" and "census" of the population. This is done in order to find and alienate the housing of local residents who have left the captured territories, reports the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
On October 19, as of 3:30 p.m., 4 out of 6 cruise missiles and 10 Shahed-136 kamikaze drones were shot down in Ukraine, the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reports. The acute threat of kamikaze drone attacks will remain in Ukraine for another one and a half to two weeks. The Ukrainian army has rearranged its work in such a way that it allows eliminating a high percentage of drones, adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs Rostyslav Smirnov said.
It is "difficult for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine to imagine" that China allegedly does not know about Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities with the help of Iranian-made drones, said the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Oleh Nikolenko. Earlier, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs "does not know" about the attack by kamikaze drones on Kyiv on October 17, which killed five civilians, including a pregnant woman.
Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz and opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu said they do not want to sell arms to Ukraine, The Times of Israel writes, however, the country will continue to provide humanitarian aid.
Greece has started supplying Ukraine with BMP-1 armored infantry vehicles, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba said.
SpaceX spends approximately $20 million a month on servicing the Starlink satellite platform in Ukraine, company founder Elon Musk said. He added that several foreign countries, organizations and individuals pay approximately $25,000 per month for 11 Starlink terminals.
The Ukrainian people, represented by the president and civil society, received the Sakharov Prize of the European Parliament "For Freedom of Thought". This prize has been awarded to individuals and organizations that protect human rights and fundamental freedoms since 1988. It is named after the Soviet physicist and political dissident Andrei Sakharov.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy ordered the country's executive authorities to create mobile power points for the critical infrastructure of cities, towns and villages. This became known following the results of a strategic meeting on security at energy supply facilities. Since the beginning of October, Russia has been massively shelling Ukrainian energy infrastructure facilities.
Orikhiv city in Zaporizhzhia has been shelled for seven hours by the Russian military: eight civilians received injuries of varying severity and were hospitalised—Head of Zaporizhzhia Oblast Administration Oleksandr Starukh.
Many settlements of the Kryvyi Rih district remain without electricity because of the shelling of the energy infrastructure.
The Russian military shelled the occupied Enerhodar. The city has partial water and electricity outage. A substation and the building of the City Council Executive Committee were damaged. There is no information on casualties among the civilian population.
30% of Ukrainian power plants were destroyed during the week of constant attacks, said President Zelensky. Ukrainians have been asked to save electricity.
On the night of October 19, the Russian military released Shahed-136 kamikaze drones in Mykolaiv oblast: 13 were shot down by anti-aircraft defence, the national guard, and the border guard.
The Air Force announced that in 36 days, from September 13 to October 19, 223 Shahed-136 Iranian-made kamikaze drones were shot down.
Eight months after the invasion, the main elements of the Russian military leadership become increasingly incapable, and the change of generals and the lack of continuity of command will have devastating consequences for the Russian army, reports the UK MoD with reference to intelligence data.
The occupant mayor of Kherson urged residents to evacuate because "the Ukrainian side is accumulating forces for a large-scale offensive". The commander of the so-called special operation, General Surovkin of the Russian Federation, claimed that "the Ukrainian army is preparing a massive missile attack on the row of the Kakhovska HPP." Suspilne learned from locals that the occupying forces urged Kherson residents to urgently evacuate to the left bank of the Dnipro River.
Iran has agreed to send more drones and missiles to Russia, reports Reuters citing sources from Iranian officials. The surface-to-surface missiles that Iran may transfer can hit targets at distances of 300-700 km.
The United States, the United Kingdom, and France are planning to discuss potential Iranian arms supplies to Russia at a closed meeting of the UN Security Council on Wednesday, October 19. This is reported by Reuters with reference to its sources in diplomatic circles.
Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid will discuss the possibility of supplying air defence systems in a call with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba on October 20.
Russian missile and drone attacks on power plants and other Ukrainian infrastructure are "acts of pure terror" that amount to war crimes, said the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen during a speech in the European Parliament on Wednesday, October 19—Reuters.
Our news at 21:35
During the day, the Ukrainian army repelled Russian attacks in the areas of Ohirtseve in the Kharkiv region, Bilohorivka in the Luhansk region, Novokalynove and Mar'yinka in the Donetsk region, the General Staff reports. The Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed 15 areas of concentration of weapons and military equipment, 2 command centres, 2 air defense and artillery systems, 2 ammunition depots, as well as 7 positions of the enemy's anti-aircraft missile systems. In addition, air defense units shot down 5 cruise missiles.
Iran has finally decided to provide Russia with surface-to-surface missiles in addition to more drones, Reuters reported, citing two senior Iranian officials and two diplomats. According to the publication, the agreement was reached on October 6. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, will submit to the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, a proposal to sever diplomatic relations with Iran.
Since October 10, as a result of Russian strikes on the territory of Ukraine, 30% of Ukrainian power plants have been destroyed. This caused massive power outages, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
Since October 7, Russia has attacked Ukraine about 190 times with missiles and kamikaze drones. More than 70 people died, more than 240 were injured, and more than 380 infrastructure objects were damaged, the spokesman of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine Oleksandr Khorunzhiy said.
NATO will deliver air defense systems to Ukraine in the coming days, said Alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Also, on October 20, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba will hold telephone talks with Prime Minister of Israel Yair Lapid. It is expected that Ukraine will submit an official application for receiving air defense systems from Israel.
Based on the results of its work in the territories of the northern and eastern regions of Ukraine, which were previously under the occupation of Russia, the UN commission stated that it had recorded signs of war crimes and other violations. According to the head of the Commission Eric Mese, it is about thousands of dead civilians as a result of the war and occupation.
On October 18, the Parliament of Estonia supported the resolution recognizing Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism, and also condemned the Russian Federation's attempt to annex occupied Ukrainian territories.
The countries of the European Union agreed on a new package of sanctions against Russia and Belarus, and it took them only a few minutes to agree on this issue, reported Rikard Jozwiak, a correspondent of "Radio Liberty" in Brussels. He specified that the EU did not consider the issue of energy sanctions.
On October 18, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a resolution that recognized the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria as a territory temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation and condemned the genocide of the Chechen people.
The training mission for Ukraine in the EU should begin in mid-November. The details of the mission were agreed upon at the meeting of the ministers of foreign affairs of the European Union. This was reported by Rikard Jozvyak, the editor of Radio Svoboda.
Ukraine received macro-financial assistance in the amount of 2 billion euros from the European Union, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said. These funds are the first part of the 5 billion euro package.
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine supported the draft law, according to which the conditions for acceptance into Ukrainian citizenship are specified — knowledge of the basics of the Constitution and history of Ukraine, as well as proficiency in the state language at a sufficient level. 2 years are given for taking exams and submitting relevant documents.
On the morning of October 18, the Russian military attacked Kyiv with strategic aviation — planes with missiles were launched from the Rostov region, which is closer to Ukraine. The Air Force explained that in this case, the time to get to the shelter becomes less. As a result of the shelling of the Russian Federation, a critical infrastructure object was damaged, and the light went out in one of the city's districts. Currently, two dead civilians are known.
In addition, in the morning, the Russian army hit an energy infrastructure facility in the Dnipro region with two missiles. As a result of the incident, four energy workers were injured. In the morning in Zhytomyr, a hit to an energy facility was also recorded. Also, during the day, the Russian army shelled 16 settlements in Donetsk region, there are dead people, and a child is among the wounded.
Russia attacked Mykolaiv with missiles. President Volodymyr Zelenskyi showed S-300 missiles hitting the city. In addition, Ukrainian defenders destroyed five kamikaze drones at night over the Mykolaiv region.
Since October 10, 30% of Ukrainian power plants have been destroyed as a result of strikes carried out by the Russian military on the territory of Ukraine, Zelenskyy said. "Another type of Russian terrorist attacks: aimed at Ukrainian energy and critical infrastructure. There is no room left for negotiations with the Putin regime," the president said.
Russia's strikes by Iranian drones on residential buildings in Kyiv on October 17 are consistent with a broader pattern of actions by Russian troops, which prefer psychological terror to achieving tangible effects on the battlefield, according to the American Institute for the Study of War.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs published an official statement in which it pointed to Iran's complicity in Russia's crimes against Ukraine. Kyivans staged an action near the Iranian embassy.
The spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oleg Nikolenko, said that there are currently many false allegations about the functioning of foreign diplomatic missions.
He emphasized that they are mostly made by Russian sources in order to sow panic. Among the latest examples is information about the closure of the Serbian embassy, which actually left Kyiv back in March.
The Council of the EU agreed to the creation of the Military Assistance Mission of Ukraine, which will deal with the training of the Ukrainian military. The mission will work on the territory of the member states of the European Union and last, initially, for at least two years. The EU also decided to increase the amount of military aid for Ukraine to 3.1 billion euros.
Canada has imposed sanctions on 34 individuals and 1 legal entity of the Russian Federation involved in the spread of Russian disinformation and propaganda.
Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) received an ultimatum from the people's deputies of Ukraine — to immediately visit the Ukrainian prisoners of war in the Olenivka colony on the territory temporarily occupied by Russia. People's elected representatives addressed the organization with this demand after the ICRC ignored a meeting with the Ukrainian delegation at the demarcation line.
A Su-34 fighter jet crashed into a residential building in Yeysk, Russia. 17 apartments were damaged. As a result of the plane crash, at least two people died, 15 were injured.
Three Russian MiG-31K fighters, which can carry Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, have arrived in Belarus. This was reported by the monitoring group "Belaruski Gayun".
Our news at 22:26
Ukraine and Russia conducted another exchange of prisoners of war. Ukraine returned 108 women held by the Russians. According to the head of the President's Office, Andriy Yermak, among those released were girls who were captured in the temporarily occupied territories of Donbas even before the large-scale invasion.
During the day of October 17, Russian armed formations carried out about 80 strikes on Ukrainian territory, the Ukrainian General Staff reports. The Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed the occupiers' warehouse in Berdyansk and shot down 25 "Shahed-136" UAVs, hit 10 areas of concentration of weapons and military equipment of the Russian Federation, as well as the positions of the Russian anti-aircraft missile complex, 2 ammunition depots and other military targets of the Russian Federation.
To attack Kyiv on the morning of October 17, Russia used attack drones, five of which hit critical infrastructure facilities and a residential building. At least four people died. The head of the National Police, told Ihor Klymenko.
On Monday, October 17, the Iranian authorities again stated that they did not provide Russia with drones for use in Ukraine. "The news that Iran is providing Russia with drones has political ambitions and is being spread by Western sources. We have not provided weapons to any side of the countries that are in a state of war", said the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran, Nasser Kanaani. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has accused Iran of involvement in terrorist acts that the Russian Federation is organizing against the civilian population and critical infrastructure of Ukraine, using Iranian-made combat drones.
The European Union has decided to increase the amount of military aid for Ukraine to the amount of 3.1 billion euros against the background of Russian attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities. Also, the expansion of aid involves the training of 15,000 Ukrainian soldiers, said the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell.
The Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and the "Come Back Alive" Foundation announced the launch of a new project related to the destruction of military targets at a long distance. Its name is "Cotton in Moscow". The fund reported that the team has been working on the project for about two months and recently signed a final contract for it. They promised to provide detailed information about the project and its cost later.
The state concern "Ukroboronprom" announced that it is completing the development of a new model of Ukrainian weapons. "The range is 1,000 km, the weight of the warhead is 75 kg," the message reads.
Elon Musk said that Russia will use nuclear weapons in the event of a threat of losing control over Crimea, because it is as important to it as Hawaii or Pearl Harbor to the United States. In response, the Office of the President of Ukraine noted that the billionaire chose the wrong strategy: "If every time we capitulate to Russia after hearing nuclear threats, after how many iterations of this confrontation SpaceX will become SpaceZ with "Dmytro Rogozin" as CEO? And how many more countries will start a chaotic nuclear race , to protect themselves? A dubious strategy".
As a result of Russian attacks on the energy infrastructure of Ukraine, 585 settlements remain without power, First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Yevhen Yenin said.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation in Ukraine, the State Bureau of Investigation has opened almost 1,000 criminal proceedings against traitors and collaborators. This was reported by Tetyana Sapyan, communications adviser of the State Bureau of Investigation.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 236. Online updates.
On October 17, the Russian military attacked Kyiv with Iranian kamikaze drones. One of them targeted a 120-year-old house, which is part of Kyiv's architectural heritage. According to preliminary data, three people have been killed, including a pregnant woman. A total of 28 drones were fired at Kyiv, however, only five of them reached the target as the others were shot down.
In addition to the assault on Kyiv, in the morning the Russian military attacked Ukraine's energy infrastructure in two oblasts—Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.
The South of Ukraine was attacked by drones during the night. Between 3:30 am and 06:50 am on October 17, Ukrainian air defence shot down fifteen drones: six over Odesa oblast and nine over Mykolaiv oblast.
In addition to the attack drones, Iran plans to supply Russia with surface-to-surface missiles, reports The Washington Post with reference to its sources among American officials. Israeli Minister of Diaspora Nachman Shai responded to Iran's actions by advocating that Israel should provide military assistance to Ukraine.
In the meantime, Iran keeps claiming that they did not provide Russia with the drones to use in Ukraine—Reuters.
The Ministry of Defence announced new data on casualties among the Ukrainian military: the ratio of casualties between Ukrainian defenders and Russian soldiers in the south is approximately 1 to 6.5.
Ukrainian State Concern Ukroboronprom has completed the development of a new model of weapons, according to its press service. “The new weapon has a range of 1,000 km, and the weight of the combat unit is 75 kg. We are completing the development”, says the statement. The Concern did not name what kind of weapon it is: “We tell you practically nothing (so it is necessary, believe me), but this “nothing” works successfully on the battlefield, and another “nothing” keeps passing tests,” added the company.
The Russian invaders are strengthening filtration measures in the Kherson region and began evacuating the so-called "state" institutions to the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea, reports the General Staff. The employees and banking and pension fund assets are being transferred.
France plans to provide additional military assistance to Ukraine, including Crotale air-defence systems, as well as to expand the training program for Ukrainian servicemen, announced the Minister of Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu.
About 9,000 Russian troops will arrive in Belarus as part of the "allied troops alignment"—the Defence Ministry. The first group has already arrived in Belarus.
The poverty rate in Ukraine has increased 10 times due to the full-scale Russian invasion, according to the World Bank.
A team of 11 employees of the International Committee of the Red Cross, including a doctor, is ready to visit prisoners of war in Donetsk, in particular in the Olenivka prison, but does not have minimum guarantees of security and the permission of the local "authorities" for a visit, states the committee's website.
From Monday, October 17, the NATO Steadfast Noon exercise will begin in southwestern Europe as reported on the Alliance's website. As part of the exercise, the NATO air force will work out the possibilities of nuclear deterrence involving dozens of aircraft. The training will be attended by 14 countries and up to 60 aircraft of various types, including B-52 bombers, fourth- and fifth-generation fighters, as well as reconnaissance and refuelling aircraft.
At night, the occupiers fired two rockets at a school in Zaporizhzhia. In Dnipropetrovsk region, Nikopol region came under the fire of the occupiers again. Active hostilities continue in the Kherson region.
At the training ground of the Western Military District in the Belgorod Region, citizens of "one of the CIS countries" fired at "volunteers" who were preparing to go to war in Ukraine, as a result of which 11 people died and 15 were hospitalized.
Russian troops have started arriving in Belarus, about 9,000 Russians, said Valery Revenko, assistant to the Minister of Defense of Belarus. On October 10, the self-proclaimed president of Belarus, Oleksandr Lukashenko, announced that Russia and Belarus had agreed to deploy a joint group of troops.
The Russian defense industry is probably not capable of producing advanced munitions at the rate at which they are being used up. This was announced by the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain with reference to the data of British intelligence.
As of the morning of October 16, Russia's total combat losses since the start of the full-scale offensive against Ukraine on February 24 amounted to about 65,000 servicemen, the General Staff reports. The Russians lost about 300 servicemen in a day.
Iran plans to transfer not only attack drones to Russia, but also surface-to-surface missiles, The Washington Post reports, citing its sources among American officials.
The American billionaire, founder of SpaceX, CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk, after a series of statements regarding the termination of financing of Starlink systems in Ukraine, suddenly changed his position, saying that he is ready to help the Armed Forces of Ukraine for free, despite the losses.
Germany handed over 16 Biber armored bridge-laying machines to Ukraine, and Saudi Arabia announced that it would provide Ukrainians with humanitarian aid in the amount of $400 million.
On October 15, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Embassy called on citizens currently in Ukraine to leave the country immediately for security reasons. This was reported by the Chinese state publication Global Times on Twitter.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 234. Online updates.
In the morning of October 15, an energy facility was destroyed in Kyiv Oblast due to Russian shelling. Energy experts warn of possible power outages in Kyiv and the region and call for economical consumption of electricity.
The Russian army also shelled Zaporizhzhia: they launched 10 rockets and attacked with kamikaze drones. The Mykolaiv region and the Dnipropetrovsk region were shelled, where at night Ukrainian defenders destroyed five Russian kamikaze drones.
81.5% of surveyed Ukrainians have already prepared or are planning to prepare for the coming winter. This is evidenced by the results of a survey conducted by Gradus Research on behalf of Suspilne. 24.7% of respondents made additional supplies of food, water or medicine for themselves or pets, 19.6% bought warm clothes, 14.8% bought additional chargers.
The International Committee of the Red Cross announced that they are ready to go to Olenivka, where Ukrainian prisoners of war are being held. At the same time, the organization asks to provide "immediate and unimpeded access to all prisoners of war", because they cannot break into the place of detention "by force".
Russian occupiers took away several thousand children from the Kherson region. According to the Russian mass media, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Khusnullin said this. According to him, 500 people are taken out from the Kherson region every day and placed in different regions of Russia.
First Russian military personnel from the regional group of troops arrived in Belarus. The Ministry of Defense of Belarus announced that the Russian servicemen were met with "bread and salt".
Saudi Arabia will allocate $400 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine. This was reported by the Saudi state news agency SPA.
Athletes from Russia and Belarus will not be allowed to participate in the 2022 European Games in Poland. "Under these conditions, it is impossible," said Spiros Kapralos, president of the Association of European Olympic Committees. The European Games will be held in the summer of 2023, and Olympic licenses for Paris-2024 will be played for.
Our news at 21:10
The Russian "administration" approved the procedure for evacuating museums located on the territory of occupied Crimea. reports the Ukrainian General Staff. The General Staff also confirmed the destruction of a significant number of personnel of the Russian Federation in the previous days — in the areas of the settlements of Khlibodarivka of the Donetsk region, Tokmak of the Zaporizhzhia region and Tokarivka of the Kherson region, the occupiers lost up to 150 people killed and about 100 wounded. Also, 3 S-300 complexes and up to 10 units of other weapons and military equipment were destroyed.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have de-occupied 1,620 settlements, Deputy Head of the Office of the President Kyrylo Tymoshenko said. In particular, 75 settlements were deoccupied in the Kherson region.
The exhumation of bodies from the mass burial of the Armed Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has been completed in the liberated Lyman. The police removed the bodies of 34 Ukrainian defenders from the mass grave. Exhumation of another mass burial with civilians continues. This is reported by the National Police of Ukraine.
In Belarus, counter-terrorist measures are being introduced in connection with the "aggravation along the perimeter of the borders" and the deployment of the "allied group of troops" together with Russia has begun. This was announced by the self-proclaimed president of Belarus Oleksandr Lukashenko.
The United States government is preparing a new $725 million military aid package for Ukraine, which will include Humvee armored vehicles and ammunition.
Elon Musk's company SpaceX has warned the Pentagon that it may stop funding Starlink satellite communications in Ukraine if the agency refuses to pay tens of millions of dollars a month, CNN reports with reference to the company's letter to the US Department of Defense. As CNN notes, SpaceX's demand that the US military pay the bills has angered senior Pentagon officials. The Office of the President of Ukraine noted that Ukraine will find a solution so that satellite communication will continue to work.
The Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov announced that in October Ukraine will receive additional air defense systems — IRIS-T from the German government and NASAMS complexes from the USA. Also, according to him, Ukraine is receiving systems capable of jamming the signal of Iranian Shahed-136 drones used by Russia. According to Reznikov, there are about 300 of them left in Russia and the Russian Federation plans to purchase several thousand more. Oleksiy Reznikov also reported that Russia has 609 high-precision missiles left in stock.
Employees of the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP are threatened with layoffs if they do not sign labor contracts with Russia's Rosatom. One of the employees of the station told Suspilne about this on condition of anonymity. "The staff was given time to think until November 3. Passes will be blocked for those who do not sign new contracts," he said. The employee added that most employees refuse to sign new contracts.
Vladimir Putin said that now there is no need for massive strikes on Ukraine — "there are other tasks". He also noted that Russia has no task to destroy Ukraine, and that he does not regret the start of the "special operation" in Ukraine: "I want it to be clear. What is happening today is, to put it mildly, unpleasant, but we would have received the same thing a little later, only in the worst conditions for us. So we act correctly and in a timely manner".
Maria Mezentseva, head of the permanent delegation of the Verkhovna Rada to PACE, reported that Ukraine has already received the consent of about 15 countries to jointly establish a tribunal for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his entourage.
October 14 is the day of defenders of Ukraine. Today, 50 rallies are planned in 50 cities of the world.
In the afternoon of October 14, the Russians shelled Kharkiv. At least four hits, details still being worked out. At night, the Russian army fired rocket artillery in Sumy Oblast. Zaporizhzhia was attacked with S-300 missiles. Infrastructure objects were affected. Launched drones in the southern and eastern directions: eight "Shahed-136" barrage munitions were destroyed by anti-aircraft defense. Over the course of the day, the Russian military launched 2 missile and 16 air strikes, carried out more than 70 attacks from rocket salvo systems.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled attacks near nine populated areas and struck dozens of positions of Russian troops, the General Staff reports.
NATO will hand over a hundred drone jamming stations to Ukraine, which will help render Russian and Iranian-made drones ineffective and protect Ukrainian citizens and infrastructure.
Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, announced the progress in creating a protective zone for the Zaporizhzhia NPP after his visits to the Russian Federation and Ukraine.
In Kherson, the Russian military shot the conductor of the regional philharmonic. The Kherson Regional Prosecutor's Office has opened criminal proceedings on the fact of a war crime combined with intentional murder, the Kherson Regional Prosecutor's Office reports.
On October 13, during another exchange, Ukraine returned 20 people from captivity: 14 of them were soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, 4 were soldiers of the territorial defense, one National Guard and one Navy serviceman. Some of them were in the colony in Olenivka.
The head of the President's Office, Andriy Yermak, demanded that the International Committee of the Red Cross send its mission to the colony in Olenivka, where Ukrainian prisoners of war are held, in the coming days.
In Belarus, the regime of "counter-terrorist operation" was introduced, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus, Volodymyr Makei, said in an interview with the Russian publication "Izvestia". There are no details about the "mode of counter-terrorist operation" yet. No deadlines are mentioned.
Elon Musk's company SpaceX has warned the Pentagon that it may stop funding Starlink satellite communications in Ukraine if the agency refuses to pay tens of millions of dollars a month. This is reported by CNN with reference to the company's letter to the US Ministry of Defense.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine stated that Russia may be planning to damage the Turkish Stream gas pipeline. The embassy added that Ukraine is constantly monitoring Russian actions, which have signs of preparations for damaging the gas pipeline, and informs its partners about them.
Russia is ready to abandon the extension of the "grain agreement" next month if its demands are not met. On October 12, Moscow sent a letter with a list of complaints to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. UN officials are due to arrive in Moscow on October 16 to discuss extending the deal.
The Russian government instructed to restore the Crimean Bridge no later than July 1, 2023. The work will be carried out by the Nizhnyoangarsktransbud company, RIA Novosti reports with reference to the relevant order of October 13.
The PACE adopted a historic resolution recognizing the Russian regime as a terrorist state.
Ukrainians were included in the list of finalists for the 2022 Sakharov Prize.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 232. Online updates.
Over the past day, the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled attacks of Russians near five settlements. At the same time, according to the Ukrainian servicemen, in certain areas of hostilities, in particular in the Donetsk region, Russian troops were ordered to temporarily stop offensive operations. Russian troops attacked 9 regions of Ukraine, in particular, they fired 8 S-300 missiles at Mykolaiv and attacked the Kyiv region with kamikaze drones. Fighting continues in the Donbas and the Kherson region.
On October 12, anti-aircraft missile units and fighter aircraft of the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces destroyed 19 kamikaze drones and 5 Ka-52 attack helicopters. This was reported in the command of the Air Forces.
Iranian instructors associated with the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps could arrive in the captured territories of Ukraine to teach Russian militaries to use Shahed-136 kamikaze drones. This is stated in the report of the Institute for the Study of War.
During the day, the armed forces of Ukraine destroyed 5 warehouses with ammunition of the Russian army on the occupied territory. This is stated in the summary of the Operational Command "South" for October 12.
In Ukraine, emergency blackout schedules will not be introduced at the moment due to the stabilization of the electricity supply, as well as the fact that Ukrainians have been saving electricity for several days.
In most regions of Ukraine, the technical possibility of supplying electricity, which was damaged due to massive Russian strikes, has been restored. In 4 regions repairs are ongoing and should be completed in soon.
Russian statements that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is located in the temporarily occupied Enerhodar, will need Russian nuclear fuel - do not correspond. The ZNPP has sufficient reserves of fresh nuclear fuel.
Director General of the IAEA, Raphael Grossi, said that after the meeting with Russian President Putin, he is returning to Kyiv.
The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution condemning Russia's attempt to annex the territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine. 143 out of 193 member countries voted for the resolution, 35 abstained, and 5 voted against.
The USA is ready to create an echeloned air defense system in Ukraine. According to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US, Mark Milley, the system does not control the entire airspace, but it will protect the priority targets that Ukraine must protect. Strengthening the air defense of Ukraine became the main topic of the sixth meeting in the "Ramstein" format.
The Czech Republic closes entry for Russian tourists.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the International Committee of the Red Cross is not making enough efforts to access Ukrainian prisoners who are in temporarily occupied territories. He said this while speaking at the plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
Ukraine received 1.3 billion dollars of additional emergency financing from the International Monetary Fund. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that the funds will be used to fund priority needs: strengthening defense capabilities, paying pensions, social programs and supporting the economy.
Our news at 21:26
Suspilne received the Gunnar Høydahl Award for outstanding achievements in the field of news exchange at Eurovision 2022 and for coverage of the war in Ukraine.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated 91% of the territory of the Kharkiv region occupied by Russia, the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration reported. It is about the de-occupation of 525 settlements out of 576.
On the morning of October 12, in the south of Ukraine, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed four Russian attack helicopters in just 12 minutes, the General Staff reports. Also, the Ukrainian army hit more than 20 areas of concentration of weapons and equipment of the Russian Federation, destroyed six Russian air defense systems and repelled Russian attacks in the Donbass and the south in the areas of Novosadove, Bakhmutske, Ivanhrad, Bakhmut, Soledar, Spirne, Mayorsk and Krasnohorivka.
In Germany, a meeting is held in the scope of Ramstein-6. Intermediate results: Germany will provide Ukraine with PzH 2000 self-propelled artillery systems and MARS II multiple rocket launchers. The Netherlands will provide anti-missile defense systems.
Defense Minister of Canada Anita Anand announced a new $47 million military aid package for Ukraine: winter clothing and equipment, artillery shells and communications technology. Also, Korea will provide security support to Ukraine in the amount of $100 million.
Russian militaries has brought Iranian instructors to the temporarily occupied territory of the Kherson region to launch "Shahed-136" kamikaze drones, reports the Centre of National Resistance with reference to its own sources of information. According to the Ukrainian underground, the Iranians are based in the settlements of Zaliznyi Port, Hladkivka, as well as in Dzhankoy on the territory of the temporarily occupied Crimea.
In the coming weeks, the US will allocate $4.5 billion to Ukraine to support the state budget, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced. Congress approved the funding two weeks ago. Thus, the total direct budget support of Ukraine from the US is 13.5 billion dollars in grants.
The EU will not recognize passports of the Russian Federation issued in the occupied part of Ukraine and Georgia — a statement of EU ambassadors who agreed to a mandate for negotiations with the European Parliament regarding this decision. The Eurocouncil emphasized that this is a response to Russia's military aggression against Ukraine and Russia's practice of issuing Russian passports to residents of occupied regions.
As a result of the Russian attack, the Ukrainian water supply system suffered damage of more than $6 billion, said the president of the Association "Ukrvodokanalekolohia" Dmytro Novytskyi. According to him, more than a hundred energy supply facilities and water canals of the country were attacked.
Western partners will continue to strengthen Ukraine's defense capabilities both now and in the distant future. This was stated by US Defense Minister Lloyd Austin during the sixth meeting in the Rammstein format. According to him, the allies are stimulating new investments in their industrial bases to meet Ukraine's defense needs, as well as their own.
The number of people who negatively assess the activities of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists and the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (OUN-UPA) has decreased more than 5 times since 2013 — from 42% to 8%. At the same time, the share of those who positively evaluate the activities of the OUN-UPA increased from 22% to 43%. These are the results of a survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology.
Pope Francis expressed his solidarity with Ukraine: "These days, my heart is constantly turned to the Ukrainian people, in particular, to the residents of the areas against which the bombing has intensified," said Pope Francis, commenting on the massive rocket attack. But he added that he prays for "the stop of hurricane of violence."
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 230. Online updates.
On the morning of October 11, the Russian Federation continued its massive missile attack on Ukraine. Two rockets were shot down in the Kyiv region. In Odesa, they report on the work of the Air Defense Forces. In Vinnytsia, the Russians attacked the TPP with two kamikaze drones, Serhii Borzo, the head of the Vinnytsia regional administration, said.
At 11 a.m., air defense forces shot down four Russian cruise missiles. The Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reports that repeated rocket launches have been recorded.
Around 6 a.m., Russian troops fired another round of fire at Zaporizhzhia: 12 rockets were fired at civilian objects, one person was killed. During the night, heavy artillery shelled three districts of Dnipropetrovsk region. At dawn in the south, air defense forces shot down eight "Shahed-136" kamikaze drones: five over Mykolayiv Oblast and three over Odesa Oblast.
By the morning in Kryvyi Rih in the Dnipropetrovsk Region, all 854 miners who were trapped in the mines due to the blackout of the city after the missile strikes on October 10 were brought to the surface.
As a result of massive rocket attacks on Ukrainian cities on October 10, 19 people died and about 105 people were injured. The Russian military fired more than 80 missiles at Ukraine, about 45 of which shot down air defense forces. They aimed mainly at critical infrastructure. As a result of the massive missile attack, 11 important infrastructure facilities in 8 regions and Kyiv were damaged. Some areas were without electricity, some still remain.
Putin announced a "massive strike with high-precision weapons on the energy, military management and communications facilities of Ukraine" and added that "responses to terrorist attacks on the territory of Russia will correspond to the level of threats to the Russian Federation."
The Russians could have planned massive missile strikes even before the Crimean Bridge was blown up. The attack on October 10 looks like a long-planned action, according to the coordinator of strategic communications of the US National Security Council, John Kirby.
The Ukrainian General Staff stated that, without success, the Russian army is launching missile strikes and actively using attack UAVs to damage critical infrastructure and densely populated cities of Ukraine. The occupiers are unable to stop the successful counteroffensive of the Defense Forces in the Kharkiv and Kherson directions, so they are trying to intimidate and sow panic among the population of Ukraine.
During the day, the Russians launched more than 61 missile and 32 air strikes, carried out about 92 attacks from rocket salvo systems. 73 air targets were destroyed by air defense units in various directions, including 46 cruise missiles and 27 unmanned aerial vehicles.
Since October 11, Ukraine has stopped exporting electricity due to Russian missile attacks on energy facilities in order to stabilize its own energy system. Due to the damage to the energy infrastructure in Kyiv and the Kyiv region as a result of missile attacks by the Russian Federation, a shortage of energy capacity has formed: hourly electricity blackout schedules are being introduced in the region.
The US will provide Ukraine with advanced air defense systems. US President Joe Biden promised to provide Ukraine with the support it needs to protect itself from Russian aggression.
The embassies of the United States, France, and the Czech Republic, as well as the NATO representative office, continue to work in Ukraine. The Red Cross mission also works.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 229. Online updates.
Russian troops are firing missiles and drones at Ukrainian cities non-stop on October 10. Kyiv, Lviv, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Vinnytsia, Ternopil, Dnipro, and Mykolaiv came under fire. The air raid alarm was announced almost all over the country from the very morning and is still ongoing as of 11:30 a.m.
As of 11 a.m., the Russian military fired a total of 75 missiles into Ukraine this morning, 41 of which were shot down by the air defence—AFU commander-in-chief Zaluzhny.
"The terrorist country, the Russian Federation, is carrying out massive missile and air strikes on the territory of Ukraine including drone strikes," he added.
Suspilne collected videos of the consequences of the morning shelling in Kyiv. Attention! The video contains sensitive content.
Kyiv central railway station was hit by the Russian shelling however the station is still operating—Ukrzaliznytsia. At least five people were killed, and more than 20 were wounded as a result of the attack on the Shevchenkivsky district in Kyiv. Some of the capital's critical infrastructure has been hit as well.
A critical infrastructure facility in Khmelnytska oblast has been damaged. A few houses have broken windows. Air defence is shooting down kamikaze drones in Odesa oblast, and explosions are heard in Ivano-Frankivsk. The Poltava region experiences electricity and water outage. Energy infrastructure facilities in the Lviv region were targeted by missiles. Part of Kharkiv has no power and public transport is not working.
The European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders arrived in Kyiv on a visit on Monday, October 10. He and his team remain in a shelter due to the missile attack on the capital.
Advisor to the Head of the Presidential Office Kyrylo Tymoshenko stated that energy facilities are specifically targeted: "This can affect the energy supply and cause outages."
Russian pro-war nationalist community directly criticise Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin for the attack on the Crimean Bridge, coupled with Russia's recent military failures and partial mobilisation, states the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) analytics. This criticism may indicate growing doubts about Putin's ability to achieve his promised goal of the so-called “denazification” of Ukraine and may undermine Putin's attractiveness among his entourage. At the same time, escalation, conventional or nuclear, cannot solve Putin's problems.
Yesterday, on October 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin commented on the explosion on the Crimean Bridge, accusing the Ukrainian secret services of the incident. According to him, the "terrorist attack" was aimed at "destroying the critical civilian infrastructure of Russia". Putin has called the UN Security Council assembly for October 10.
The U.S. Congress has registered a bill to recognise Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism.
On Sunday, October 9, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz discussed the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its consequences during a telephone conversation with U.S. President Joe Biden reports the official website of the German government.
Responsibility for the war in Ukraine lies with Russian President Vladimir Putin and he could easily put an end to it, but currently, there is no evidence that the Russian leader is going to do it. This was stated by the White House National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications, John Kirby, on This Week on ABC News.Russian troops are firing missiles and drones at Ukrainian cities non-stop on October 10. Kyiv, Lviv, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Vinnytsia, Ternopil, Dnipro, and Mykolaiv came under fire. The air raid alarm was announced almost all over the country from the very morning and is still ongoing as of 11:30 a.m.
Our news at 21:25
The US Congress introduced a bill to recognize the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism. This was announced by Paul Massaro, a senior adviser to the US Congress.
Russian President Vladimir Putin commented on the explosion on the Crimean bridge, accusing Ukrainian special services of being involved in the incident. Putin held a meeting with the head of the Investigative Committee of Russia, Aleksandr Bastrykin. During the meeting, the President of the Russian Federation stated that the authors, executors and customers of the Crimean Bridge bombing were the special services of Ukraine. According to him, "the terrorist attack was aimed at destroying the critically important civil infrastructure of Russia".
In the Luhansk region, the Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated seven settlements, the head of the Luhansk regional military administration, Serhiy Gaidai, said. Units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine repelled attacks by the Russian Federation in Donbas and the south of the country in the areas of the settlements of Budarky, Terny, Soledar, New York, Pervomaiske, Nevelske and Pobyeda, the General Staff said.
Since the beginning of active counteroffensive actions in the Kherson region, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have liberated more than 1,170 square kilometers. This was reported by the head of the joint coordination press center of the Defense Forces of Southern Ukraine, Nataliya Humeniuk.
As of October 9, the number of people killed as a result of a rocket attack by the Russian military on residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia on October 6 has increased to 20 people, including one child. This was reported in the Zaporizhzhia administration.
HIMARS ensured 70% of the advance of the Armed Forces in the Kherson direction, writes The Wall Street Journal. In particular, HIMARS missiles hit hundreds of Russian targets, including command centers, ammunition depots, gas stations and bridges, destroying supply routes for front-line units.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is trying to force the head of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, to directly enter the war against Ukraine, said Vadym Skibitskyi, a representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense. As noted by intelligence, at the same time Lukashenko is ready to give Russia all available resources, but on the condition that the Armed Forces of Belarus do not directly enter the war against Ukraine.
The European Union plans to expand military aid to Ukraine. In particular, it is planned to train 15,000 Ukrainian military personnel, as well as to increase the allocation of funds for the purchase of weapons for Ukraine. This is reported by Welt. According to the publication, the ministers of foreign affairs of the EU countries will officially approve the decision at a meeting in Luxembourg in mid-October.
France handed Ukraine humanitarian aid, which included fire and rescue vehicles, ambulances, medical equipment and pontoon bridges, Deputy Head of the Office of the President Kyrylo Tymoshenko said. According to him, more than 1,000 tons of aid from France are already in the Romanian city of Suceava and the transfer of cargo to Ukraine is underway.
The Minister of Culture of Ukraine, Oleksandr Tkachenko, said that during the full-scale invasion, the Russians stole exhibits from almost 40 Ukrainian museums. Looting and destruction of cultural objects caused damages estimated at hundreds of millions of euros.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 228. Online updates.
On the night of October 9, the Russian military launched a massive rocket attack on Zaporizhzhia. Residential buildings were destroyed and damaged as a result of the attack. As of 6 o'clock in the morning, 17 people are known to have died. The Russian army also shelled the Dnipropetrovsk region: they hit Nikopol and the Marganets community with Grady and heavy artillery, firing 70 shells. During the day of October 8, the Russians opened fire on Sumy region with self-propelled guns and mortars and carried out four airstrikes from helicopters, the head of the regional administration Zhivytskyi said.
On the morning of October 7, the Russian military fired at a column of civilian cars standing in line for a pontoon crossing near the Daryiv bridge in the Kherson region. There are dead and wounded. The police have opened criminal proceedings, the police informed Suspilne.
The troops of the Russian Federation are trying to contain the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and periodically go on the offensive. In Donbas, the Ukrainian military repelled more than 30 Russian attacks. The armed forces of Ukraine struck dozens of positions of Russian troops, the Ukrainian General Staff reports. During the past 24 hours, the Russian military launched 3 missile and 26 air strikes, carried out more than 75 attacks from rocket salvo systems.
The Ministry of Defense of Great Britain said that the explosion and partial destruction of the Crimean bridge would lead to a violation of its carrying capacity, which could impair Russia's ability to maintain its forces in southern Ukraine. The Institute for the Study of War noted that the disruption to the logistics and supplies of the Russian army will only be temporary.
Putin instructed the FSB to protect the Crimean Bridge after the explosion and fire. Part of the bridge was destroyed, but the occupation authorities said they were restoring traffic.
In the Russian Federation, for the first time since the beginning of the war, the head of the occupying forces in Ukraine was appointed. General Surovikin became him.
The Director General of the IAEA is going to the Russian Federation again, and then to Ukraine. He stated that the ZNPP needs immediate protection after its complete de-energization.
At the same time, Josep Borrell said that the European Union condemns President Putin's decree on the illegal seizure of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and the creation of a federal unitary enterprise that will manage the ZNPP.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus handed Ukrainian Ambassador Ihor Kyzym a diplomatic note in which it claims that Kyiv is allegedly planning to attack the territory of Belarus. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine denied this information.
Slovakia handed Ukraine two Zuzana 2 self-propelled howitzers. According to the Minister of Defense of Slovakia Jaroslav Nagy, this step is for the 70th anniversary of the aggressor Putin. "We handed over another gift. Two more brand-new Zuzana 2 howitzers are already in Ukraine (and there will be more)." , - noted Nagy.
Canada has once again started the training and education of the Ukrainian military at the base in Great Britain. The instructors note that the trainees are "incredibly motivated" to learn from Canadians.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 227. Online updates.
On the morning of October 8, a fire broke out on the Crimean Bridge across the Kerch Strait, which connects the occupied Ukrainian Crimea with Russia. A "truck detonation" took place there, as a result of which seven fuel tanks of the railway depot caught fire, the National Anti-Terrorism Committee of the Russian Federation said. Two automobile spans of the Crimean Bridge are partially destroyed.
The video released by the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces shows that part of the road surface has been destroyed.
In Crimea, after the explosion, people are buying up food and fuel, the leader of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, Refat Chubarov, said.
Russian President Putin ordered the creation of a special government commission, and the so-called "head of the parliament" of occupied Crimea, Konstantinov, blamed "Ukrainian vandals" for the explosion.
The bridge across Kerch was built by the occupying Russian authorities, it is part of the Kerch - Novorossiysk road.
At night, as a result of Russian shelling, the last communication line of the Zaporizhzhia NPP with the Ukrainian power system was unlocked. The station was completely de-energized, diesel generators were automatically switched on.
After midnight, Russian forces launched five rocket attacks on Kharkiv. According to preliminary data, one man was hospitalized with injuries.
On October 7, Russian shelling in Donetsk region killed seven people and injured another 17. Nine more civilians who died during the occupation were found in liberated Lyman, Sviatohirsk and Yarovya.
Since the beginning of the offensive operation, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have already liberated 2,434 square kilometers of Ukrainian territories and 96 settlements. Also, during the week, the Ukrainian military liberated 776 square kilometers of territory in eastern Ukraine and 29 settlements, including six in Luhansk region, from the Russian pseudo-referendum.
French President Macron announced the creation of a 100 million euro fund so that Ukraine could directly purchase military equipment. He also informed about the preparation for the transfer of six "Caesar" howitzers to Ukraine.
The UN has decided to appoint a new independent expert on human rights violations in Russia. This is the first time that a special rapporteur has been appointed in the organization.
Our news at 22:15
Western media reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi and Russian President Volodymyr Putin agreed to attend the G20 summit to be held in Indonesia in November. At the same time, Zelenskyi's press secretary, Serhii Nikiforov, explained in a comment to Suspilne that the final decision regarding the president's trip to the summit has not yet been made.
In Donbas and the south of the country, the Ukrainian military repelled Russian attacks in the areas of the settlements of Vyimka, Bakhmutske, Krasna Gora, Bakhmut, Mayorsk, Andriyivka, Pervomaiske, Vesele, Kamianka, Pobyeda, Nevelske, Novomykhailivka and Ternovy Pody.
Since the beginning of the war, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have deoccupied more than 2,400 square kilometers in the Kherson region, Deputy Head of the Office of the President Kyrylo Tymoshenko said.
More than 200 graves and a mass burial have already been discovered in Lyman, Donetsk region, liberated from Russian forces, the head of the Donetsk regional military administration, Pavlo Kirylenko, said. According to him, law enforcement officers are currently investigating these places and will soon begin the process of exhumation.
The European Union plans to allocate two billion euros of macro-financial assistance to Ukraine in the coming days, the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said. She added that since the start of the full-scale war, the European Union has allocated 19 billion euros in aid to Ukraine, excluding military aid.
The International Monetary Fund will provide Ukraine with an additional 1.3 billion dollars to strengthen defense capabilities, pay pensions and social programs, as well as support the economy. This was announced by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.
Prime Minister of Estonia Kaia Kallas announced a new military aid package for Ukraine. It will include ammunition and winter equipment for servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Putin began to be criticized in his closest circle because of the war in Ukraine, the Washington Post writes with reference to American intelligence data. Journalists do not name the person who began to criticize Putin, but indicate that this information was considered quite important and was included in President Biden's daily briefing and passed on to other US officials.
The first rotation of representatives of the IAEA mission, who stayed there for over a month, took place at the Zaporizhzhia NPP. This was announced by the general director of the agency, Rafael Grossi. According to him, the new team is already at the station. He added that now there is a new strengthened team of IAEA safety experts at the ZNPP.
The head of the EU foreign policy department, Josep Borrell, called on the European Union to allocate more money from the European Peace Fund to pay for military support to Ukraine. Earlier, at the end of August, it became known that the European Peace Fund mobilized 2.5 billion euros to finance the delivery of military equipment to Ukraine.
Over the past two months, more than 115,000 Ukrainians have left particularly dangerous regions of the country, as well as temporarily occupied and recently liberated territories, the Ukrainian Government reported. More than 15,000 citizens left Kharkiv region alone. These are mostly women with children, as well as the elderly and people with reduced mobility. In addition, people are in a hurry to evacuate from newly de-occupied towns and villages.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russian troops have damaged 2,608 educational institutions, and completely destroyed 313, the Minister of Education of Ukraine Serhiy Shkarlet said.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 226. Online updates.
US President Joe Biden said that for the first time since the Caribbean crisis in 1962, the world faces a direct threat of using nuclear weapons.
At night, the occupiers used UAVs for the first time to attack Zaporizhzhia. In addition, the city was shelled twice with rockets, targeting residential buildings. 11 people died. In the Luhansk region, the occupiers are destroying archives and copies of documents, especially those containing the history of the occupation. In the Donetsk region, the occupiers began shelling Avdiivka in the morning. At night, the occupiers attacked Mykolaiv, according to preliminary data, with unmanned kamikaze drones. Battles continue in the Kherson region.
During the day, Russians carried out 8 missile and 15 air strikes, carried out more than 70 attacks from multiple rocket launcher systems. Three Russian Kh-22 cruise missiles did not reach their targets.
Defense Minister Reznikov addressed the Russian soldiers and urged them not to waste time and save Russia from tragedy and the Russian army from humiliation. Reznikov stated that the leadership of the Russian Federation deceived and betrayed Russian militaries, sending them to death for the illusory goals of Putin.
Fleeing from mobilization, two Russians sailed by boat from the village of Egvekinot in Chukotka, and after covering a distance of 500 kilometers, reached the coast of Alaska on October 4, where they requested asylum from the US authorities, Bloomberg reports.
Putin began to be criticized in his closest circle because of the war in Ukraine, the Washington Post writes with reference to American intelligence data. In recent weeks, a member of Vladimir Putin's inner circle expressed his disagreement with the Russian president with his behavior in the war in Ukraine. The criticism is evidence of unrest within the Russian leadership over the way of the war.
Since the beginning of the war, Ukraine has captured about 440 tanks and 650 armored vehicles of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain reported, citing intelligence data.
The security service neutralized the "Patriots for Life" group in Kyiv, which was managed from Russia by ex-deputy from the pro-Russian party banned in Ukraine Illia Kyva. Representatives of the group were involved in the so-called "physical support" and protection of public speeches of representatives of the pro-Kremlin party, primarily in the centre of the capital.
The UNICEF team has started work in the de-occupied territories of the Kharkiv region, the office of the Ukrainian representative office reported.
Spain delivered 300 tons of military goods to Ukraine, said Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sanchez. He emphasized that this is an unprecedented amount of aid. In particular, Spain transferred air defense systems, winter equipment and armored vehicles to Ukraine.
French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that Europe will send Caesar howitzers to Ukraine. Earlier, the French publication Le Monde wrote that Ukraine should receive from France from 6 to 12 howitzers, taken from the order intended for Denmark. However, technical negotiations are still ongoing.
The head of the EU foreign policy department, Josep Borrell, calls on the EU to allocate more money to pay for military support to Ukraine. He stated this to journalists before the meeting of the European Council of the EU
The Japanese government accepted additional sanctions against Russia. This was announced by the Deputy Chief Secretary of the Cabinet of Ministers of Japan, Seiji Kihara, reports NHK World Japan. 81 people and nine organizations will be added to Japan's new sanctions list. This will include pro-Russian separatists in the east and south of Ukraine and high-ranking government officials and organizations associated with the military. Their assets will be frozen.
The Russian "Memorial" and the Ukrainian "Centre of Civil Liberties" became laureates of the Nobel Peace Prize. And also the Belarusian human rights defender Ales Beliatskyi. Suspilne broadcasted the event live.
The Defense Minister of Lithuania "congratulated" Putin on his birthday
Russian President Vladimir Putin turns 70 on October 7
Our news at 21:58
In the morning, Russians fired rockets at residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia. As of 15:30, it is known about 13 wounded civilians. One woman died in a private house. The bodies of two more people were pulled out from under the rubble of a multi-story building. As a result of the shelling, more than 40 high-rise buildings and other buildings, as well as 11 private houses, were damaged. Two houses were completely destroyed.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled attacks of Russians in the Donbas in the areas of Soledar, Bakhmutske, Yakovlivka, Odradivka, Zaitseve, Bakhmut, Krasnohorivka, Pobieda, Vodiane, and Lyubomyrivka, the General Staff reports.
In the night of October 6, the Armed Forces destroyed 9 out of 12 Iranian Shaheed-136 kamikaze drones. In total, Russians have already used 86 of these UAVs, 60% of which were destroyed, the General Staff reported.
The Ukrainian military has already liberated more than 400 square kilometers in the Kherson region, the spokeswoman of the operational command "South" Nataliia Humenyuk said.
Since the beginning of October, Belarus has sent almost 30 wagons of ammunition to Russia for Russia's war against Ukraine, the Ukrainian General Staff announced. Also, on October 6, Russian strategic aviation — a group of four Tu-22M3 bombers struck Ukraine from the territory of Belarus for the first time since the end of the summer.
The annexed territories of Ukraine were added to the Constitution of the Russian Federation. Self-proclaimed "L/DPR", temporarily occupied the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions are included in the list of subjects of the Russian Federation listed in the 65th article of the Constitution of Russia.
The IAEA plans to double its mission at the Zaporizhzhia NPP. This was stated by the general director of the organization, Rafael Grossi, during a briefing in Kyiv. Also during his speech, Grossi reminded that he plans to visit Russia to discuss the issue of nuclear safety at the plant and stated that the position of the IAEA is that ZNNP, despite the "referendum" of the Russian Federation, remains Ukrainian.
Russia deported more than 1.6 million Ukrainians, Volodymyr Zelenskyi said.
Almost all NATO countries and other non-Alliance countries take part in the training of the Ukrainian servicemen. The programs of the countries differ from each other — from sniper training to exercises on artillery systems. The Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov told about it.
Finland will provide Ukraine with the ninth package of military aid in the amount of 11.8 million euros, the Minister of Defense of the country Antti Kaikkonen announced.
The United States is allocating $55 million to Ukraine to prepare for the upcoming heating season, said the head of the United States Agency for International Development, Samantha Power, during a visit to Ukraine.
European deputies called on all countries and international organizations to unequivocally condemn the fictitious "referendums" of Russians in Ukraine and Russia's attempt to seize Ukrainian territory by force. The European Parliament adopted the corresponding resolution on the website of the European Parliament. The MEPs also called for a large-scale increase in military aid to Ukraine.
The Verkhovna Rada dismissed the head of the National Bank, Kyrylo Shevchenko, and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau announced that he was suspected of embezzlement during the period when he was in charge of Ukrhazbank. Kyrylo Shevchenko said that the suspicion was unexpected for him and he learned about it from the mass media, because he is undergoing treatment abroad. Earlier, on October 4, Shevchenko submitted to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a statement of resignation due to health issues. The President of Ukraine nominated Andrii Pyshnyi, the former head of the Oshchadbank, for the post of chairman of the National Bank.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 225. Online updates.
The armed forces of Ukraine liberated Novovoskresenske, Novogrigorivka and Petropavlivka in the Kherson region. The day before, it became known that the Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated 8 settlements in the Kherson Region.
The Ministry of Defense of Great Britain, with reference to the data of British intelligence, reports that the withdrawal of forces will make the Russian army a more reliable defense of the remaining occupied territories of the Kherson region. If the Russian army does not retreat, it will benefit its political interests.
The Ukrainian counteroffensive continues in the east: now Ukrainian forces are actively advancing to the western part of the Luhansk region, the American Institute for the Study of War writes in a report.
At the same time, according to the Ukrainian General Staff, Russian troops are conducting an offensive in Donbas.
As a result of the morning shelling in Zaporizhzhia, a woman was killed and ten people were injured. On October 6, 2022, at 5:00 a.m., the Russian army fired missiles at residential buildings in the city center.
At night, the Russians attacked Kharkiv with kamikaze drones, struck the Khmelnytskyi region and fired multiple rocket launchers and heavy artillery at the Dnipropetrovsk region. Over the past 24 hours, the Russian military has carried out 5 missile and 8 air strikes, carried out more than 65 rounds of anti-aircraft fire.
A mass grave was found in the city of Lyman in the Donetsk region liberated from the Russian occupiers, Yuriy Afonin, deputy head of the city's military administration, told Sospilny. Currently, they cannot name the exact number of people buried there.
Ukraine submitted an application to join the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The organization unites 38 leading countries of the world. This year, the regional office of the OECD will open in Kyiv.
The 2030 FIFA World Cup may be held in Ukraine. Zelenskyi said that Ukraine submitted a joint application with Spain and Portugal and the chance of its satisfaction is quite high.
Putin signed a "decree" on the transfer of ZNPP to Russia. "Energoatom" reminded that the decisions of the Russian Federation have no significance for the Armed Forces. Meanwhile, the head of the IAEA is on his way to Kyiv. But they said that the ZNPP plans to restart one of its six reactors, all of which are currently in cold shutdown mode.
The countries of the European Union approved the eighth package of sanctions against the Russian Federation. The new package includes a ban on imports worth 7 billion euros, as well as export restrictions, which will further deprive the Kremlin's military-industrial complex of key components and technologies, and the Russian economy - European services and experience. Sanctions also deprive the Russian army and its suppliers of additional goods and equipment necessary for waging war on Ukrainian territory.
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided almost $9 billion in aid to Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, the US Embassy in Kyiv reported. The vast majority of this amount is $8.5 billion. is direct budgetary support of the Ukrainian government for critical humanitarian needs.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 224. Online updates.
Russian President Vladimir Putin approved the ratification of the "agreement" on the "acceptance" of the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine — "DNR", "LNR", Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions — into the Russian Federation and signed the federal constitutional law on their inclusion into Russia. This is reported by "TASS".
In his decree dated October 4, President Volodymyr Zelenskyi declared null and void the decrees of Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the recognition of Crimea, the so-called L/DPR, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions of Ukraine as "independent".
Ukraine continues to make progress in offensive operations on both the northeastern and southern fronts, according to British intelligence. In the northeast, in the Kharkiv region, Ukrainian forces are currently entrenched in a large area east of the Oskil River. According to the Ukrainian General Staff, the Russian army is conducting an offensive in Donbas. The armed forces of Ukraine repelled attacks near ten populated areas and struck places of concentration of Russian soldiers and equipment. The troops of the Russian Federation carried out 15 missile and air strikes on Ukraine. Aviation of the Defense Forces carried out 17 strikes during the day.
On the night of September 5, the Russians attacked Ukraine from the south with a dozen kamikaze drones. Anti-aircraft missile forces managed to shoot down three drones, three more were shot down by air force aircraft. In particular, drones attacked the city of Bila Tserkva near Kyiv at night. Six hits were recorded there. One person was injured, fires broke out at infrastructure facilities. Zaporizhzhia was shelled with rockets in the morning.
In the Kherson region, the armed forces liberated 8 settlements.
Zelensky spoke with Biden. The US president announced a new $625 million aid package that includes additional weapons and equipment, including HIMARS, artillery systems, ammunition and armored vehicles.
The NATO Secretary General has officially received Ukraine's application to join the Alliance. The next stage should be the discussion of the application with all NATO member countries.
The Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security at the NSDC has issued instructions on how to act in the event of a "dirty bomb", a nuclear attack or an accident at a nuclear power plant.
European Union countries have approved the eighth package of sanctions against the Russian Federation, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.
Japan resumes the work of its embassy in Kyiv. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country noted that the Japanese government has stated that it is convinced that the safety of personnel and other people can now be ensured at a sufficient level.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani denied that Iran supplied drones to Russia for use in the war in Ukraine. This is reported by the Xinhua news agency with reference to the website of the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. According to the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran, "Iran has always emphasized the need to resolve differences peacefully - through dialogue."
Our news at 21:51
In his decree dated October 4, President Volodymyr Zelenskyi declared null and void the decrees of Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the recognition of Crimea, the so-called "L/DPR", Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions of Ukraine as "independent".
US President Joe Biden held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi: The United States has prepared a new $625 million military aid package for Ukraine. Among other things, it will include 4 HIMARS and missiles for these systems, 32 howitzers and high-precision projectiles for them, and much more.
NATO Secretary General officially received Ukraine's application to join the Alliance, Ihor Zhovkva, Deputy Head of the Office of the President, said. The next stage should be the discussion of the application with all NATO member countries.
Putin may conduct a nuclear test near the Ukrainian border, writes The Times with reference to its defense sources. Fears in this regard increased after the appearance of information about a train of a secret nuclear unit moving towards Ukraine. According to a senior NATO source, if Putin dares to use nuclear weapons, he will most likely do it in the Black Sea.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled attacks by Russians in Donbas in the areas of Mayorsk, Vyimka, Spirne, Ozeryanivka, Zaitseve, Bakhmut, Bakhmutske, Vesele, Pervomaiske and Novomykhailivka, the General Staff reports. Ukrainian aviation made 12 strikes on Russian positions. In the Kherson region, the Ukrainian military liberated the village of Davidiv Brid, and in the Kharkiv region — the villages of Borivska Andriivka and Boguslavka.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated 1,534 settlements in five regions of Ukraine — Donetsk, Luhansk, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv and Kherson, Deputy Head of the Office of the President Kyrylo Tymoshenko said. More than 500 settlements have already been cleared of mines, the National Police has resumed its work in 1,200 settlements, and local self-government bodies have started working in 1,508 settlements.
Russian servicemen are looking for ways to surrender, said Andriy Yusov, a representative of the Naked Intelligence Department of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. According to him, over 2,000 relevant appeals from the Russian military have already been received by the Ukrainian "hotlines" in the last few weeks alone.
In Russia, more than 200,000 men have already been drafted into the army as part of "partial mobilization". This was announced by the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Sergei Shoigu. After the announcement of mobilization, more than 360,000 men left the country to Georgia and Kazakhstan. A large number of Russians fled the mobilization to other countries as well. This will have a negative impact on the Russian economy, writes Politico.
Estonian law enforcement officers handed over drones that a Russian trucker tried to take out of Estonia to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, reports the press service of the Estonian police.
The USA announced the introduction of sanctions against Russian oil in three stages. This was stated by Ben Harris, a senior official of the US Treasury Department. He said the G7 sanctions would target Russian crude oil, while later ones would target diesel fuel and a third phase would target cheaper petroleum products.
Employees of the International Criminal Court will be able to work on the territory of Ukraine, the Office of the Prosecutor General reported. Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed the law amending the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine.
The head of the National Bank, Kyrylo Shevchenko, submitted to President Volodymyr Zelenskyi a statement of resignation due to health reasons.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 222. Online updates.
The Russian Federation Council unanimously ratified the "treaties" to accept the self-proclaimed "Donetsk People's Republic", "Luhansk People's Republic", Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions into Russia.
In response to Russia's attempt to annex the Ukrainian territories, President Zelensky approved the National Security and Defence Council's decision that any negotiations with President Putin are impossible.
North Korea became the first country in the world to support Russian pseudo-referendums in the occupied territories of Ukraine. DPRK Foreign Ministry stated that the "referendums" took place in accordance with the UN Charter, which "defined the principle of equality of the people and their right to self-determination".
Over the past 48 hours, Ukrainian troops continued to make significant progress in the Kherson region and likely broke through the Luhansk border in the direction of Kreminna—Institute for the Study of War.
The Ukrainian General Staff reported that AFU liberated Myroliubivka village in Kherson oblast and entered the village of Borova in Kharkiv oblast.
During the night, the Russian military shelled two Kharkiv districts. A woman, 44, was killed and a railway network lost power. Trains are delayed. Also, the Russian army attacked the Dnipropetrovsk region and left four men wounded. More than 7,000 households have no electricity due to damage to a power grid.
During the day, Ukrainian forces repelled attacks near seven settlements and hit dozens of Russian positions—the General Staff. Russian troops launched three rocket strikes and twelve airstrikes and carried out more than 100 MRLS attacks.
Ukraine is trying to persuade Joe Biden's administration to hand over long-range ATACMS missiles, promising to coordinate targets and not to hit the territory of the Russian Federation.
Five commanders from Azovstal who were released from Russian captivity met with their relatives in Turkey.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk tweeted a "plan" to end Russian aggression against Ukraine, which involves handing over Crimea to Russia and holding a referendum in the territories occupied by Russian troops. President's Office and Volodymyr Zelensky himself have responded to this plan.
Zaporizhzhia NPP director Ihor Murashov, who was kidnapped on September 30, was returned from Russian captivity.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock sees no way to end the war in Ukraine through negotiations as she said in an interview with the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung.
The Czech Republic raised 1.3 million USD and purchased the T-72 AVANGER tank for the needs of the Ukrainian army. 11,000 people joined the fundraising initiative that was called a Gift for Putin. "The Czech Republic is the first country where common people bought a tank for Ukraine: the upgraded T-72 AVANGER. It was named Tomasz," said Ukrainian Ambassador to the Czech Republic Yevhen Perebyinis.
Our news at 21:26
The Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled attacks by the Russian Federation in Donbas in the areas of Mayorsk, New York, Zaytseve, Nevelske and Pobeda. In the Kherson region, Ukrainian troops liberated the village of Borov, Izyum district. Also, the Ukrainian military hit seventeen places of concentration of weapons and military equipment of the Russians, three anti-aircraft missile complexes, two warehouses with ammunition, one Ka-52 helicopter and a Su-25 attack aircraft, the General Staff reports.
The Russians have returned Ihor Murashov, the general director of the Zaporizhzhya NPP, who was kidnapped on September 30, IAEA head Raphael Grossi said. The Ukrainian "Energoatom" reported that Murashov is already in Zaporizhzhia: "It is known that the occupiers threw him into the territory controlled by Ukraine on the evening of October 3".
Five commanders from "Azovstal" released from Russian captivity, who are currently in Turkey, met there with their relatives, the Office of the President of Ukraine reported. The commander of the regiment of the National Guard "Azov" Denys Prokopenko (Redis), his deputy Svyatoslav Palamar, commander of the 36th separate brigade of marines Serhii Volynskyi (Volyna), senior officer of "Azov" Oleg Khomenko and commander of the 12th brigade of the NGU Denys Shlega are in Turkey under the terms of exchange under the personal guarantees of protection of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Support for Ukraine's accession to the North Atlantic Alliance among the country's citizens is at the highest level in the entire history of observations. This is stated in the results of a study conducted by the sociological service "Rating" at the beginning of October. "In the referendum, 83% would support this initiative, against 4%, and 9% would not vote," the report says.
The press secretary of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Dmytro Peskov, commented on Ukraine's application to join the North Atlantic Alliance, saying that the alleged Euro-Atlantic course of the Ukrainian government was the reason for Russia's attack on Ukraine.
Bulgarian President Rumen Radev did not support the appeal of the leaders of the nine NATO member states regarding the accelerated accession of Ukraine to the Alliance, noting that this should happen only after the conflict between Ukraine and Russia is settled.
The Czech Republic raised $1.3 million and purchased a T-72 AVANGER tank for the Armed Forces. Fundraising took place within the framework of the initiative called "Gift for Putin". 11 thousand people joined it. The tank was named "Tomas" in honor of Tomas Masaryk, the first President of Czechoslovakia.
The European Union signed a Memorandum on the allocation of $5 billion in macro-financial assistance to Ukraine. This was announced by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. Earlier it was reported that US President Joe Biden approved emergency aid to Ukraine for more than 12 billion dollars.
The State Duma of the Russian Federation "ratified" the agreement on the "accession" to Russia of the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine: the so-called "DPR" and "LPR", Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. The decision was taken unanimously.
Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia has made at least $530 million in Ukrainian grain smuggling, according to an Associated Press investigation.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 222. Online updates.
On the night of October 3, Russian troops attacked Zaporizhzhia city and two villages of the oblast with about ten S-300 missiles and destroyed a rehabilitation centre for children with special needs. They also hit a dormitory in Chasovy Yar, Donetsk region, where at least one person is trapped under the rubble—the head of the Donetsk regional administration Pavlo Kyrylenko. In the morning, the Russians carried out a missile attack on the Dnipropetrovsk region and shelled Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed the liberation of the village of Torske in the Donetsk region, located on the way to Kreminna. President Volodymyr Zelensky also announced the liberation of Arkhanhelske and Myrliubivka in Kherson oblast. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin noted yesterday that Ukraine is "making progress" in Kherson and, in his opinion, "the battle dynamics have changed".
AFU repelled Russian attacks near eight settlements and hit command posts, ammunition depots, and places of concentration of Russian soldiers and equipment—the General Staff. The Russian army launched 11 missile strikes and 10 airstrikes during the past day and carried out more than 65 MLRS attacks against at least 35 settlements.
At least 1,200 children were harmed in Ukraine because of the Russian full-scale armed aggression as of the morning of October 3—the Prosecutor General's Office. 416 children were killed and at least 784 received injuries of various severity.
The Russian military is conducting mobilization in the temporarily occupied Kherson Oblast, having door-to-door surveys and compiling lists of men of conscription age, reports the Operational Command South.
Putin's recognition of the mobilization problems highlights that it is ineffective, believes UK intelligence. Analysts recalled that on September 29, 2022, President Putin addressed the National Security Council regarding "partial mobilization", which he announced on September 21. According to him, a lot of questions arise during this mobilization campaign, and they should promptly correct their mistakes and not repeat them.
The Ada-class anti-submarine corvette Hetman Ivan Mazepa was launched in Turkey becoming the first ship of this class for the Ukrainian Navy.
Baikar training centre and factory will be established in Ukraine, announced President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Our news at 22:12
The presidents of nine Central and Eastern European countries officially supported Ukraine's membership in NATO and called on all Alliance members to increase military aid to the Armed Forces. The statement was signed by the presidents of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.
The United States has expressed readiness to support Ukraine's financial system with $1.5 billion a month in aid while a full-scale war against Russia continues, and is pushing European allies to provide similar amounts. This is reported by Bloomberg with reference to its own sources.
The Ukrainian military repelled Russian attacks in Donbas in the areas of Zaitseve, Bakhmutske, Bakhmut, Odradivka, Pervomaiske, Spirne and Vyimka settlements. Volodymyr Zelenskyi said that the Ukrainian Armed Forces officially liberated the city of Lyman in Donetsk region from the Russian army.
The Minister of Defense of Germany, Christine Lambrecht, called the liberation of the city of Lyman in the Donetsk region by the Ukrainian military "a great success of Ukraine." And US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that his team was "very inspired" by the de-occupation of the Lyman.
Near the German military training ground Wildflecken, where Ukrainian servicemen are trained, about a dozen drones were spotted, which were probably used for espionage. This was reported by Business Insider with reference to the German Ministry of Defense. As the publication notes, at this military base, the Bundeswehr trains Ukrainian soldiers to use Dingo armored personnel carriers. Germany has agreed to supply Ukraine with 50 such machines, the journalists remind.
Denmark, Norway and Germany will pay for the production of Zuzana-2 howitzers for Ukraine, the Slovak publication Dennik reported. The price of the order will be 92 million euros.
Ukraine will nationalize 900 Russian objects under a special procedure, deputy Roksolana Pidlas reported. According to her, the list includes, in particular, enterprises such as Energomashspetsstal in Kramatorsk, which is 92% owned by an offshore Cypriot company controlled by Rosatom. Also on the list is the BROCARD chain of stores, which is 100% controlled by an offshore company, which, in turn, is controlled by the Ministry of Industry of the Russian Federation.
On Sunday, Pope Francis twice called on President Volodymyr Zelenskyi to be open to "serious peace proposals". For the first time on October 2, the Pope addressed the President of Ukraine before reading the "Angelus" prayer in St. Peter's Square in Rome. Then he repeated this appeal on his Twitter. In response, the representative of Ukraine at the UN, Serhiy Kyslytsia, asked if the Pope had any appeals for Putin.
In a telephone conversation with President Volodymyr Zelenskyi, French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the annexation of the occupied territories of eastern and southern Ukraine announced by the Kremlin. Macron and Zelensky also discussed the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. At the same time, the French president condemned the arrest of the director of the ZNPP by Russian troops. On October 1, the Russians detained Igor Murashov, the general director of the Zaporizhzhya NPP, and took him to an unknown destination.
Actor Mark Hamill, famous for the film saga "Star Wars", where he played the role of Luke Skywalker, said that Ukraine needs to be provided with more drones to counter the Russian invasion.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 221. Online updates.
The city of Lyman in Donbas has been liberated and cleared of the Russian military, said President Volodymyr Zelensky. Ukrainian flag has been officially set in Lyman since yesterday, but fighting continued there. Yesterday, the Ministry of Defense of Russia announced the withdrawal of Russian troops. The loss of control over Lyman by Russian forces is a setback that will increase the pressure on the command of the Russian army, reports the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain with reference to intelligence data.
The defeat at Lyman indicates that Russian President Vladimir Putin is more interested in maintaining the occupation regime in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions than in defending Luhansk region, writes the Institute for the Study of War (IWS).
On October 1, it became known about the shelling of a convoy of civilian cars trying to evacuate to Kharkiv region. 24 people were found shot and burned in the cars. Among the dead were 13 children and a pregnant woman. According to the prosecutor's office, Russian soldiers shot people on September 25.
This morning, the Russians attacked Zaporizhzhia and the surrounding area with four rockets. According to preliminary information, the industrial infrastructure was destroyed. Mykolaiv was also bombarded with rockets. Sumy region was attacked with mortars and artillery. In the Dnipropetrovsk region, the Russian army fired from MLRS, and a kamikaze drone destroyed a school in the center of Kryvyi Rih.
Constant shelling in Luhansk region: missile forces and artillery of Ukraine hit 8 command posts, 10 places of concentration of Russian troops, weapons and military equipment in 24 hours. Over the past day, the Russians have launched 14 artillery and mortar strikes, one air strike and two missile strikes on Ukrainian positions in the Luhansk region. In Donetsk region, the shelling of Bakhmut, Soledar, and Avdiivka did not stop. Three civilians died in the region during the day. Shelling and fighting continue in Kherson Oblast as well.
In total, in the past 24 hours, the Russian military launched 4 missile and 16 airstrikes, carried out more than 75 rounds of anti-aircraft fire at military and civilian objects on the territory of Ukraine.
Russia has lost more than 60,000 servicemen since the beginning of the invasion, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported. The Russians suffered the greatest losses during the day in Donbas.
As of now, Ukraine has conducted 24 prisoner exchanges, 808 people have been returned from captivity, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar said.
Russia lost its membership in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). It was not re-elected during the voting. ISAO, which includes more than 30 countries, is a specialized UN agency for civil aviation.
On September 1, German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht and Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov paid an unannounced visit to the Odesa region, the German publication Welt reported. Lambrecht reported that Germany will soon hand over the first IRIS-T SLM air defense system to Ukraine.
"Visa-free customs" with the EU has started working in Ukraine. It provides that the Ukrainian export-import business and carriers will have the opportunity to move goods throughout the European region according to the principle: one transport – one declaration – one guarantee.
Australia has imposed additional financial sanctions and travel bans will be imposed on 28 Russian-designated separatists, ministers and senior officials. The country also submitted an application for intervention in the case of the International Court of Justice (IC), initiated by Ukraine against Russia, in support of Ukraine's claims about Russia's violation of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Genocide Convention).
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 220. Online updates.
Ukraine has officially appealed to the International Court of Justice of the United Nations with a request to consider the merits of the case of Russia's attempts to annex the territories of Ukraine, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, said.
On September 30, the Kremlin held a ceremony of "admission into Russia" of the so-called "DPR" and "LPR", as well as the territories of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine occupied by the Russian army.
At a meeting of the UN Security Council, a number of countries declared that they do not recognize the annexation of part of the Ukrainian territory. However, they could not pass a resolution on this - one vote from Russia itself was against.
Ukrainian fighters surrounded the Russian group in the Lyman region of the Donetsk region, Serhiy Cherevaty, the spokesman of the Eastern Group of Forces, said on air. Five settlements near the city have been evacuated, and stabilization measures are ongoing there. The Russians captured the estuary in May of this year.
The Russian army is shelling the positions of Ukrainian troops along the contact line, conducting aerial reconnaissance, striking civilian infrastructure and civilian homes. During the day, the Russian military carried out 4 missile and 15 air strikes, carried out more than 85 attacks from MSDS on military and civilian objects on the territory of Ukraine. More than 50 settlements were affected by the strikes of the occupiers.
At night, the Russians shelled Dnipropetrovsk region, at dawn they attacked Odesa region with two rockets, and destroyed a residential building in Mykolaiv.
Russian occupiers detained the general director of the Zaporizhzhia NPP Ihor Murashov and took him to an unknown destination, said Petro Kotin, president of Energoatom.
US President Joe Biden approved over $12 billion in emergency aid to Ukraine. The money will be used to provide military assistance, including training, equipment, weapons and logistical support, replenishment of American stockpiles of equipment provided to Ukraine or foreign countries, and ongoing military, intelligence and other defense support.
The United States has yet to see Russia take any action that would indicate a plan to use nuclear weapons during its invasion of Ukraine, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said on September 30. Earlier, Putin said that the Russian Federation can use nuclear weapons and "this is not a bluff."
The USA is not involved in the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea. This was stated by the deputy head of the US Mission to the UN, Ambassador Richard Mills, during the meeting of the UN Security Council on Friday, September 30, in response to accusations from the Russian side about the possible involvement of the US in explosions on Russian gas pipelines.
Our news at 21:55
Vladimir Putin announced the attempted annexation of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia regions of Ukraine. He signed the "documents" about this on September 30 and called on "Kyiv to sit down at the negotiating table."
Ukraine submitted an application to join NATO in an accelerated manner. While the Ukrainian side will wait for approval from all members of the Alliance, it proposes to implement proposals on security guarantees for Ukraine in accordance with the Kyiv Security Treaty, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. Ukraine presented this agreement on September 13. Among other things, it refers to the unification of the main group of allied countries of Ukraine and preventive measures of a military, financial and informational nature, which should be taken in the event of encroachment on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the Alliance and its allies do not recognize the "agreement" of Russian President Vladimir Putin on the attempted annexation of Ukrainian territories and said that "Ukraine's entry into NATO depends on the consent of all allies."
Ukraine is a leader in negotiation efforts. It was Ukraine that always offered Russia to agree on coexistence on equal, honest, dignified and fair terms. However, it is impossible to talk with the current Russian president, Volomir Zelenskyi said: "Therefore, we are ready for dialogue with Russia, but with another Russian president."
In response to the annexation of the territories of Ukraine, Canada imposed sanctions on 43 Russian oligarchs, the financial elite and their family members, and 35 collaborators from the temporarily occupied territories. Great Britain has added Elvir Nabiullin, head of the Central Bank of Russia, to its sanctions list.
After the so-called "accession" of temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories to Russia, the United States introduced a new package of sanctions against Russian and Belarusian government officials and organizations engaged in defense procurement. In particular, the list included close relatives of high-ranking Russian officials: Prime Minister Mykhailo Mishustin, Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu, Director of Rosgvardia Viktor Zolotov, Deputy Chairman of Radbez Dmytro Medvedev
Over the past day, units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled enemy attacks in Donbas in the areas of Mayorsk, Zaytseve, Odradivka, and Bakhmutske, the General Staff reports.
The EU will allocate 2.5 billion euros for the supply of weapons and ammunition to the Armed Forces, the Ukrainian General Staff announced.
The countries of the European Union reached a preliminary agreement on the eighth package of sanctions against Russia for waging war against Ukraine. This was reported by Reuters with reference to diplomatic sources.
Volodymyr Zelensky appealed to people's deputies to support the draft law on the nationalization of all Russian assets in Ukraine at the next meeting of the Verkhovna Rada.
More than 4,000 people are considered missing as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, said Oleg Kotenko, the Commissioner for Persons Disappeared Under Special Circumstances.
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, was included in the list of favorites for the Nobel Peace Prize. The Ukrainian leader ranks high among the nominees in bookmakers' forecasts, Reuters reports. In addition to him, Svetlana Tsykhanovskaya from Belarus and Alexei Navalny from Russia, Swedish eco-activist Greta Thunberg, British TV presenter David Attenborough, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tuvalu Simon Kofe and the Frida group also have a high chance. The award will be announced on October 7 in Oslo.
Our news at 21:42
Another exchange of prisoners took place: four marines and two civilians returned to Ukraine.
In the evening, the Russians struck Mykolaiv with cluster shells. They hit near a public transport stop, Mykolaiv City Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych said. As of 19:20, three dead and 12 wounded are known.
The armed forces of Ukraine repelled Russian attacks near 12 settlements in Donbas, hit four command posts of the Russian military, six anti-aircraft missile systems of the Russian Federation, as well as ten places of accumulation of weapons and military equipment of the Russians. Two Russian Su-25 attack aircraft were shot down by the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Bashtan district of Mykolaiv Oblast.
On Friday, September 30, Russian President Vladimir Putin will take part in the signing ceremony of the so-called "agreements" on the accession to Russia of the occupied territories of Ukraine, where the fake "referendums" were held. This was reported by the press secretary of the Russian president, Dmytro Peskov. On the same day, Volodymyr Zelenskyy will convene an urgent meeting of the National Security and Defense Council, said Serhiy Nikiforov, the presidential spokesman.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres declared the illegality of pseudo-referendums and Russia's annexation of the occupied Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine. According to him, the position of the UN is very clear: the organization supports the sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders in accordance with the relevant UN resolution.
Russia has withdrawn about 80% of its troops in Northern Europe, in particular, those stationed on the borders with the Baltic states and Finland, to redeploy them to participate in the war against Ukraine, Foreign Policy reports, citing its own sources among European security officials.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine collected more than a thousand units of trophy equipment and weapons abandoned by the Russian troops during the retreat, Serhiy Cherevaty, the spokesman of the Eastern Group of the Armed Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, said.
The representative of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Vadym Skibitsky, called the threat of Russia's use of tactical nuclear weapons against Ukraine "very high".
If the Kremlin dares to use nuclear weapons in a war against Ukraine, the reaction of the North Atlantic Alliance will be swift and may include the introduction of NATO forces into the territory of Ukraine, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau said.
Russia has already mobilized more than 100,000 of the announced 300, the General Staff of the Armed Forces said. According to the testimony of captured Russian military personnel in the Kharkiv region, mobilization in Russia began on September 9.
Ukrainian authorities have turned to partner countries with a proposal to investigate parts of the downed Iranian Shahed-136 kamikaze drones, which are used by the Russian army in the war against Ukraine, Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said.
In the temporarily occupied territories of Luhansk and Donetsk regions by Russia, almost all men have been mobilized. After the announcement of the so-called "accession" of the territories of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions to the Russian Federation, the Russian Federation may also announce mobilization there, reports the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 218. Online updates.
Mobilization continues in Russia. The first units, according to the head of the Luhansk Regional Administration Haidai, have already arrived at the front. Austrian analyst Tom Cooper believes that in the nearest future the Russian Federation may send up to 70,000 new troops to Ukraine and do it every 3-4 weeks. This way they can mobilize up to 1 million troops.
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, appealed to the mobilized Russians, urging them to surrender to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, or to fight for their freedom in their country.
Due to the partial mobilization announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin, the most educated and wealthy citizens are trying to flee from Russia en masse, reports the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain with reference to intelligence data.
On Friday, September 30, Russian President Vladimir Putin will take part in the signing ceremony of the so-called "agreements" on the accession to Russia of the occupied territories of Ukraine, where the fake "referendums" were held. This was announced by the press secretary of the Russian president, Dmitriy Peskov, RIA Novosti reports.
In the afternoon of September 29, Russians shelled Kramatorsk with rockets. At least ten people were injured. In the morning, the Russian army shelled the Dnipropetrovsk region with "URAGANs": more than a dozen people were injured, the head of the regional military administration Valentyn Reznichenko reported. At night, the Russians attacked Mykolaiv with a rocket. On the evening of September 28, an industrial facility in Kryvyi Rih was hit.
Shelling continued along the entire front line. The Russian army continues its attempts to fully occupy the Donetsk region and maintain the captured territories, as well as to disrupt the active actions of the Defense Forces in certain areas.
Russia is concerned about Ukraine's achievements near the town of Lyman. They assume that the Russian forces in this area may suffer an inevitable defeat. This is stated in the analytical report of the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
The Defense Forces of Ukraine, primarily combat brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, have been receiving data stream from ICEYE satellites for some time thanks to the funds that Ukrainians, together with volunteer Serhii Prytula, collected for the people's "Bayraktar". The images are directly decoded and processed by military intelligence specialists of the Ministry of Defense who have passed appropriate training.
Finland will close its border to Russian tourists on Friday, September 30. This was announced at a press briefing by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland, Pekka Haavisto. Exceptions will be made for those who visits the country for family, treatment or education purposes. The country's government believes that the entry of Russian tourists to Finland threatens the country's international relations.
The United States declared that it was not involved in the explosions at the Nord Stream gas pipeline. This was said by a high-ranking Pentagon military official, Reuters reports. Meanwhile, the Swedish Coast Guard discovered the fourth gas leak from the gas pipeline.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization expressed concern over the accidents at the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines and declared sabotage. This is stated in a statement published on the NATO website.
Our news at 21:44
As the Associated Press reports, the United States will provide Ukraine with additional aid in the amount of $1.1 billion. The package includes eighteen HIMARS and "associated munitions", 150 armored multi-purpose high mobility wheeled vehicles, 40 trucks and 80 trailers for "transportation of heavy equipment", additional radars for unmanned aerial vehicles and other equipment.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled attacks near 11 settlements and struck at support and command centres and places of concentration of personnel and equipment of the Russian army. This is stated in the summary of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, together with the head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell, presented a new package of sanctions against Russia. The main things: a ban on the import of Russian products in the amount of €7 billion, a ban on EU citizens joining the management of Russian state-owned companies, a new list of sanctioned individuals and legal entities of the Russian Federation, and further restrictions on trade with Russia. In addition, the new sanctions will establish a framework for capping oil prices.
The European Union will apply the sanctions applied to Crimea annexed by Russia against all territories temporarily not controlled by Ukraine, said the EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, Josep Borrell. "Crimean sanctions" against the Russian Federation have been in effect since June 2014. The restrictions include a ban on the import of products from Crimea to the EU and financial support for the peninsula's transport, telecommunications and energy infrastructure.
The administration of US President Joe Biden is preparing a new series of sanctions against the Russian Federation against the backdrop of Moscow's nuclear threats. New sanctions targets — financial institutions of the Russian Federation linked to the government and the system of electronic money transfers. The possibility of disconnecting a larger number of Russian banks from SWIFT is also being considered.
The German government is preparing a new military aid package for Ukraine, which will include equipment for transport infrastructure, machine guns, ammunition and the IRIS-T SLM anti-aircraft missile complex.
As part of the "Boat for Ukraine" operation, 1,000 tons of humanitarian cargo is going from France to Ukraine. In particular, rescue vehicles, motorized watercraft, 25 tons of emergency and resuscitation drugs, 60,000 food rations, more than 200 meters of emergency bridges.
The Ministry of Defense of Lithuania will hand over 25,000 sets of winter uniforms worth about €2 million to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said the Minister of Defense of Lithuania Arvydas Anusauskas.
The monitoring mission created by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, which was supposed to investigate the terrorist attack in Olenivka, never arrived in Ukraine, said Dmytro Lubinets, the human rights representative of the Verkhovna Rada. During the explosion on the night of July 29, on the territory of the former correctional colony in the town of Olenivka in the temporarily occupied territory of the Donetsk region, a building where Ukrainian prisoners of war were kept was destroyed. According to Russians, more than 50 Ukrainian defenders were killed, the number of wounded is unknown. According to the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, 130 people were injured.
Russians did not provide the Ukrainian prisoners of war with personal hygiene products, water and blankets, and also tortured them, said Dmytro Lubinets, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Verkhovna Rada. Earlier, on September 21, Ukraine returned the defenders of Mariupol from Russian captivity. A total of 215 soldiers were released. 108 of them are "Azov" fighters. Also, 10 foreigners who fought on the side of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were released. Currently, other exchanges are being prepared, in particular in the format of "everyone for everyone", said Andriy Yusov, a representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine.
Prisoner of war cards will be created in Ukraine. These are personal pages, on which it will be easier for relatives to track all changes in the status of a prisoner of war, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 217. Online updates.
Russian mass media reported the end of "voting" in the so-called referendums in the occupied territories of Ukraine regarding joining the Russian Federation. The UN Security Council stated that the world does not recognize pseudo-votes and recognizes Ukraine's right to protect its territories.
President Zelenskyy emphasized: if Russia tries to annex them on the basis of the so-called "referendums" in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, this means closing any negotiations with Moscow.
Russian President Putin is likely to announce Russia's annexation of the occupied territory of Ukraine on September 30. The Russian authorities predetermined and falsified the results. At the same time, the occupiers forced Ukrainian civilians in the occupied territories to vote for joining Russia, according to an analytical report by the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Against the background of information about the probable use of nuclear weapons by the Russian Federation, the Secretary of the National Security Council, Danilov, said that in the near future instructions will be published in case of the use of nuclear weapons by the Russian Federation.
The Russian army is advancing in the Bakhmut region due to political pressure. As reported by the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain with reference to British intelligence data, in recent days Ukraine has intensified offensive operations in the north-east of the country, intelligence officers note.
During the day, the Russian army carried out 10 missile and 17 air strikes, carried out more than 105 shellings with anti-aircraft missiles. On the morning of September 28, Russia fired three missiles at the center of the city of Gulyaipole in Zaporizhzhia, the number of casualties is being determined.
The Russian military shelled a school in Donetsk region, which had a storage facility for civilians. They are looking for one person under the rubble, Pavlo Kyrylenko, the head of the Donetsk regional military administration, said. In total, five people were killed in the shelling in Donetsk region during the day. On the evening of September 27, three Russian missiles hit infrastructure facilities in the Kholodnohirsky district of Kharkiv. An electric transformer and a production plant were on fire. There are no injured, the rescuers said.
The investigators of the National Police recorded 582 war crimes in the territories liberated from the occupiers of the Kharkiv region.
Leaks in the Nord Stream gas pipelines are the result of deliberate actions, according to the statement of the head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell, released on the morning of September 28. "All available information indicates that these leaks are the result of deliberate actions. We will support any investigation," the statement said. Borrell, in particular, said that the European Union is deeply concerned about the damage to the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, which led to leaks in the international waters of the Baltic Sea.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that Canada intends to introduce new sanctions due to Russia's pseudo-referendums in the occupied regions of Ukraine, writes Reuters.
The United States is preparing a new package of military aid to Ukraine worth 1.1 billion dollars, which will be announced in the near future, Reuters writes with reference to the statements of the country's officials. The package will include HIMARS and various anti-drone systems.
The Australian band 5 Seconds Of Summer presented a music video shot in Kyiv. This is the first foreign music video filmed in the capital of Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Russia.
Our news at 22:41
During the day, the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled Russian attacks in the Donetsk region near Soledar, Mayorsk, Kurdiumivka, Zaitseve, Bakhmut, Bakhmutske, Vyiimka, Spirne, Pervomaiske and Kamyanka, according to the General Staff. The Ukrainian army destroyed a Russian Su-25 aircraft, 5 UAVs of various types, hit 5 command centres, up to 15 areas of concentration of personnel and equipment of the Russian Federation, 2 air defense positions and 3 warehouses with ammunition.
Since the beginning of the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kharkiv region, 454 settlements have been liberated, Deputy Head of the Office of the President Kyrylo Tymoshenko said.
The upper house of the Russian parliament may consider draft laws on the annexation of the occupied territories of Ukraine to the Russian Federation at a meeting on October 4, Russian "Interfax" reports. The EU does not recognize the results of the "referendums" that Russia organized in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, and all those involved in them will bear responsibility. This was stated by the Deputy Director of the European External Action Service for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Luc-Pierre Devin.
About 800 Azov servicemen remain in Russian captivity, more than 40 of which are women, among them are pregnant women. Almost 90% of the Azov prisoners released from captivity were found to have an extreme stage of anorexia and striking moral and psychological exhaustion, the Azov regiment reported.
French investigators have arrived in Ukraine to investigate the events in Izyum, the French Foreign Ministry reported. Currently, it is not known how long the French investigators will work in Ukraine, and when to expect the conclusions of their work.
In Belarus, an inspection of the railway infrastructure is being carried out, which may indicate preparations for the reception of military echelons from the Russian Federation. This is written by the "Belaruski Hayun" monitoring group. It is noted that the community of railway workers in Belarus reported that inspection of loading points at railway stations, preparation of car approaches to loading and unloading points, development of schedules for the movement of military echelons is being carried out.
9 bulkers with grain for Africa, Asia and Europe left the ports of Odesa, the Administration of Sea Ports of Ukraine reported. Since August 1, when the "grain agreement" came into effect, 231 ships left the ports of the Odesa region. 5.29 million tons of agricultural products were sent for export.
Ukraine has agreed to start work on a new special program with the International Monetary Fund, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said. Ukraine is expected to receive a total of $2.8 billion from the Fund this year.
The New Zealand government has expanded sanctions against Russia. The country's foreign minister, Nanaia Mahuta, announced that 19 new "members of Putin's inner circle" would be subject to financial sanctions and travel restrictions. Earlier, New Zealand member of parliament and opposition leader Christopher Luxon said that the Russian ambassador should also be expelled from the country.
During the seven months of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, 17 journalists and media workers, including bloggers, were killed. This is stated in the report of the UN Monitoring Mission on Human Rights in Ukraine.
Ukraine terminated the air service agreement with Syria, which had been in effect since 1993.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 216. Online updates.
Ukraine presented to 30 partner states the project of the tribunal regarding Russia's war crimes committed against Ukraine, President Zelenskyy said. The difficulty of holding Russia accountable for this crime is that the existing international legal instruments are not sufficient. That is why the Special International Tribunal is needed.
In the morning, the anti-aircraft defense of the Naval Forces of Ukraine destroyed three of the three Shahed-136 kamikaze drones that attacked the Mykolaiv region. The Russian army fired an X-59 missile at the airport in Kryvyi Rih. It was destroyed. No people were injured, said the head of OVA Reznichenko. The Russian Federation also attacked Zaporizhzhia, shelled the Kharkiv region, in particular, attacked the city of Pervomaiskyi with rockets. 8 civilians died there, including a teenage girl. On the night of September 27, the Russian army fired almost 90 shells in the Nikopol district of the Dnipropetrovsk region.
Shelling and fighting continue in Donbas. During the day, the Russians shelled more than 50 settlements, the General Staff reported. There remains the threat of air and missile strikes on the entire territory of Ukraine. Thus, during the day, the Russian army carried out 9 missile and 22 air strikes, carried out more than 90 attacks from multiple rocket launchers.
The US Congress agreed to provide financial assistance to Ukraine in the amount of about 12 billion dollars.
Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to address both houses of the Russian Parliament on Friday, September 30. There is a real possibility that Putin will use his address to officially announce the annexation of the occupied regions of Ukraine to the Russian Federation, according to British intelligence. The fake referendums currently being held in Donbas, as well as in the temporarily occupied territories of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine, are scheduled to end on September 27.
The Russian occupying forces completely blocked the exit from the occupied territories of the Kherson region. And in Luhansk region, the occupiers announced the partial mobilization of medical workers, the head of the regional administration, Serhiy Gaidai, said.
The partial mobilization announced by President Putin continues in the Russian Federation. It became a challenge for the authorities, according to a report by the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Russian state media began to acknowledge complaints about ongoing problems with the mobilization process, analysts noted. They mostly blame the allegedly unmotivated and careless workers at the army recruitment points.
To leave the country after the announcement of "partial mobilization", Russians are ready to pay from 20,000 to 25,000 pounds (that's about 21,000 to 27,000 dollars) for a seat on a private plane. This is reported by The Guardian. First of all, we are talking about flights to countries that do not require visas. These are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey. Yevgeny Bykov, a representative of the Vash Charter company, said: "The situation is absolutely crazy now. We received 50 requests a day, now there are about 5,000 of them."
The Maritime Administration of Sweden warned of two leaks on the Nord Stream-1 gas pipeline in the waters of Sweden and Denmark, writes Reuters. The day before, it became known about the leak on "North Stream-2", the launch of which was blocked after the full-scale invasion of Russia into Ukraine.
Our news at 22:12
The US Congress is allocating $12 billion in aid to Ukraine, Reuters reports citing its own sources. Earlier this month, Joseph Biden asked Congress for $11.7 billion in new emergency military and economic aid to Ukraine. Also, the US will allocate an additional $457.5 million to help Ukrainian law enforcement agencies and criminal justice agencies, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said.
In Donetsk region, the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled attacks by the Russian Federation in the areas of the settlements of Spirne, Soledar, Pidgorodne, Bakhmut, Mayorsk, Kamianka, Pobyeda, and Pavlivka. Also, the Ukrainian aviation carried out about 20 strikes on Russian positions and missile forces and artillery hit 3 control points of the Russian Federation, 5 areas of concentration of manpower and equipment of the occupiers, 1 position of anti-aircraft missile systems, 2 units of missile forces and artillery, 3 warehouses with ammunition.
The commanders of the Mariupol garrison undergo a medical examination in Turkey and are able to call their relatives. However, the date of their meeting with the families has not yet been set, said Tetyana Kharko, the acting sister of the commander of the 36th brigade Serhiy "Volyn" Volynskyi. On September 21, Ukraine returned 215 military personnel from Russian captivity. 108 of them are "Azov" fighters. Five commanders ended up in Turkey. According to the agreements, they will remain under Erdogan's protectorate until the end of the war.
Kazakhstan does not recognize the possible annexation of four regions of Ukraine by Russia after holding pseudo-referendums in the temporarily occupied territories. This was reported by Reuters with reference to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan.
At the Verkhniy Lars checkpoint on the border between Russia and Georgia, an armored personnel carrier with Russian military personnel appeared from the Russian side and are about to set up a checkpoint. This is reported by the Georgian information portal "News of Georgia". According to their information, there is panic in the queue to enter Georgia, and rumors are spreading rapidly that the border guards will check men trying to leave Russia in order to avoid being mobilized. The Russian mass media, citing their sources in the FSB, write that the armored personnel carrier was placed in case people in line decide to break through the border.
Poland has closed entry for Russian citizens through air and sea checkpoints, the State Border Service of Ukraine reports. Citizens of the Russian Federation will not be able to enter the country for tourist, business or cultural purposes. Despite this, those Russians who arrive for humanitarian purposes, as well as dissidents, holders of residence permits, participants in the transportation of goods and members of diplomatic missions will be able to enter Poland.
The International Nuclear Energy Agency has started negotiations on the creation of a nuclear safety zone at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. This was reported in Energoatom with reference to the director of the IAEA, Raphael Grossi.
Lithuania handed over 50 M113 armored personnel carriers to Ukraine, the country's Defense Minister Arvydas Anushauskas said.
The Russian Federation is preparing cyber attacks on the critical infrastructure of Ukraine and its allies, primarily Poland and the Baltic states, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine says. First of all, the blow will be directed at enterprises of the energy sector.
Great Britain introduced new sanctions against Russia due to Russia's holding of pseudo-referendums in temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories. The sanctioned list includes 92 individuals and legal entities. Among them are 33 Russian officials whom the Kremlin sent to the captured territories, as well as local collaborators. The sanctions package also includes 55 managers of Russian state companies, in particular, members of the board of Gazprombank, Sberbank and Sovkombank.
In September 2022, Ukraine liberated almost the entire Kharkiv region from Russian troops. For 80% of Ukrainians, the successes of the Ukrainian army are a joint result of the actions of Ukraine and Ukrainians and the support of the West. These are the results of a survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 215. Online updates.
The Russian military attacked Odesa oblast with kamikaze drones during the night. One drone was destroyed by the air defence and another two hit military infrastructure. Local soldiers were evacuated due to the detonated ammunition and fire. According to the current reports, no one has been injured—operational command South.
During the night, the Russian military launched rocket attacks on Zaporizhzhia and a nearby village. At about 5 am Russian troops shelled Mykolaiv. No casualties have been reported so far. On the night of September 26, Russian troops fired about 130 MLRS and heavy artillery shells at the Nikopol district of the Dnipropetrovsk region.
Russians tried to attack in Kherson oblast but had to retreat. Fighting and shelling continue in Donbas. During the day, the Russian army carried out 5 missile and 12 air strikes, fired more than 83 MLRS shells, and made 4 drone strikes on civilian infrastructure.
Mobilisation continues in Russia. According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Russian military commissariats now work round the clock. Rostov Oblast, bordering the temporarily occupied Donbas, is closed for entry and exit. Russia is also mobilising people in occupied Crimea and continues to use the sham referendum on annexation in Donbas and the captured parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson to find men of combat age.
More than a hundred people were detained yesterday during anti-mobilisation protests in the capital of Dagestan, Makhachkala. Armed security forces and armoured vehicles arrived at the protest sites. Irkutsk resident, 25, who received a conscription notice, opened fire in the military office and injured an enlistment officer.
Mobilisation in Russia will create additional forces; however, they will be ineffective and come with large internal social and political costs, suggests the Institute for the study of war. UK intelligence believes that the Russian military, drafted during the partial mobilization, will be sent to the front line with minimal training.
The United States agreed to transfer NASAMS anti-aircraft missile systems to Ukraine, however, they have not arrived yet, said President's spokesman Nikiforov to Suspilne.
Japan bans the export of chemical weapons-related goods to Russia as part of additional sanctions against Moscow due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The country is also "deeply concerned" about the possible use of nuclear weapons by Russia, stated the Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan Hirokazu Matsuno, according to Reuters.
Our news at 21:42
In the Kherson region, the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed 2 ammunition warehouses and the command centre of Russian troops. In the Zaporizhzhia region, the artillery of the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed about 10 units of weapons and military equipment of the enemy in the area of the settlement of Huliaipole, as well as one S-300 air defense system with ammunition storage near the city of Tokmak, the General Staff reports. However, Ukrainian air defense forces shot down an Iranian kamikaze drone "Shahed-136", which the Russian army was trying to use to attack Mykolaiv. This is the seventh shot down kamikaze drone since September 22.
The USA provided Ukraine with NASAMS anti-aircraft missile systems, President Zelenskyi said in an interview with CBS. It is a Norwegian anti-aircraft missile system with an American radar that can fire 72 missiles in 12 seconds and shoot down planes, helicopters and cruise missiles. NASAMS is used by 12 countries of the world, the USA adopted it as one of the types of protection of the White House, and in Latvia deployed that to protect the Baltic region.
Mobilization in Russia. Russian military commissariats have been put on 24-hour duty, reports the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Russia is also proceeding mobilization in the occupied Crimea. Crimean Tatars receive 90% of summons there, says Yevgeny Yaroshenko, an analyst of the KrymSOS organization. Earlier, the occupation administration of Crimea announced that they plan to mobilize 100,000 citizens on the territory of the peninsula.
After the so-called "referendums" on joining the Russian Federation in "DPR", "LPR", the Zaporizhia and Kherson regions, men of mobilization age will be prohibited from leaving Russia. The approximate date of the start of the ban is September 28, reports Russian media "Meduza".
In the Republic of Dagestan, which is part of Russia, protests broke out against the "partial mobilization" announced by the Kremlin. In particular, residents of the village of Endirey blocked the federal highway. Shortly after the start of the action, Russian security forces arrived at the spot. One of them fired several shots into the air. Protests also took place in the capital of the republic, Makhachkala. As Deutsche Welle reports, in general, thousands of people took part in the protests on the territory of the republic.
In the eighth package of EU sanctions against Russia, there will probably be no limits on oil prices. Most likely, there will be sanctions on chemicals, machines, and steel products, reports Radio Liberty's Brussels correspondent Rikard Jozwiak. Earlier it became known that the ministers of foreign affairs of the European Union agreed to prepare new sanctions against Russia and increase the supply of weapons to the Ukrainian troops in response to mobilization in the Russian Federation, announced on September 21 by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Ukraine plans to offer the European Union three areas of support for Ukrainian culture and mass media: protection of objects of Ukrainian national heritage damaged or destroyed by the Russians, support for Ukrainian artists and mass media, because the advertising market has shrunk a lot, said Oleksandr Tkachenko, Minister of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy topped the list of the 50 most influential Jews in the world in 2022 by The Jerusalem Post. The President of Ukraine was ahead of Prime Minister of Israel Yair Lapid, who took second place in the rating, and Prime Minister of France Elizabeth Bourne, who was in third place. The US Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides and former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are also in the top five of the list.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 214. Online updates.
Odesa was attacked by kamikaze drones and hit the administration building in the center of the city three times. The rescue operation and fire extinguishing are ongoing.
At night, the Russian army shelled Mykolaiv: residential buildings were damaged, there is a connection to the water supply network, the mayor Sienkevych said.
The Russian military fired about 170 shells from "Grady" and barrel artillery at three communities of the Nikopol district in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Almost 7 thousand people were left without electricity.
Today is the third day of so-called "referendum" on joining the Russian Federation in the occupied territories of Donbas, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions.
The Russian state agency TASS reported that Ukrainian servicemen in Olenivtsi, who are registered in the Donetsk region, allegedly "took part in referendums." The adviser to the head of the OP Podolyak stated: "They can be forced to engage in propaganda, but they are still heroes for Ukraine."
Ukraine has sent a request about the timing of the UN Security Council regarding Russia's fictitious referendums in the occupied territories, said the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nikolenko. He added that the Russian Federation should bear responsibility for attempts to change the internationally recognized borders of Ukraine in violation of the UN Charter.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) suggests that Russia may be preparing for the forced mobilization of Ukrainian servicemen, which would violate the Geneva Convention.
British intelligence suggests that the mobilization in the Russian Federation can be used to strengthen units of the Russian Guard, which is now specifically helping to hold "referendums."
The Netherlands does not deport Russian men who left the Russian Federation due to the announcement of partial mobilization there. This was announced by the State Secretary of the Netherlands, Van der Burgh. Earlier, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia declared that they do not allow Russians to cross the border. And the German authorities promised that they would let Russians into the country's territory.
Ukraine calls on all nuclear powers countries to express their views on the inadmissibility of the Russian Federation's statements about their possible use of nuclear weapons, said the head of the Foreign Ministry, Kuleba.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 213. Online updates.
Pseudo-republics of "LPR" and "DPR" and representatives of occupation administrations in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts continue the sham referendums on joining the Russian Federation.
U.S. President Joe Biden stated that America will never recognise the results of the fake referendums in the occupied territories of Ukraine and their annexation by Russia.
Turkey will not recognize the results of Russian pseudo-referendums, stated President's Spokesman İbrahim Kalın according to CNN Türk. "We do not consider these one-way referendums to be correct. We did not recognise the 2014 Crimean referendum and its results and our position on such referendums is clear."
Over the past 24 hours, Russians carried out 5 missile strikes and 14 air strikes and fired more than 60 MLRS shells at military and civilian objects in Ukraine. 60 settlements were shelled.
In Zaporizhzhia, Russians hit a residential building with a rocket. One person was killed and another eight residents were injured. In the morning, communities in Dnipropetrovsk oblast were attacked with Grad MLRS. Russians shelled settlements near the border in Kharkiv oblast. Continuous shelling and fighting continue in Donbas.
The Russian army continues to attack Ukrainian dams and respond to the offensive of Ukrainian troops. On September 21 and 22, Russia struck a dam in the Kharkiv region on the Siversky Donets River, using short-range ballistic missiles or similar weapons. This happened after the attacks on a dam in central Ukraine near Kryvyi Rih. Ukrainian forces are advancing further downstream along both rivers.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine deprived the Iranian Ambassador of accreditation and will "significantly reduce" the number of diplomats at the Iranian Embassy in Kyiv. This decision was made in response to the supply of Iranian weapons to Russia to be used in the war against Ukraine. In just 24 hours, the Air Force of the Armed Forces shot down six Iranian kamikaze drones launched by Russia.
In the Odesa region, kamikaze drones launched from the direction of the Black Sea destroyed the administrative building in the port area, killed two people, and injured two others.
Oleksii Makeyev was appointed Ambassador of Ukraine to Germany. He replaced Andrii Melnyk, who had been an ambassador for almost 8 years. Makeyev was a special representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine on sanctions policy and a member of the international expert group of Yermak-McFaul.
The Bundestag did not support transferring tanks to Ukraine. At the same time, Germany is preparing a new military aid package, which includes six Gepard anti-aircraft self-propelled units.
The President of Ukraine Zelensky called on the Ukrainians mobilised in the occupied territories to move to Ukrainian positions at the earliest opportunity.
The EU should allow entry to Russian citizens avoiding mobilisation, believes European Council President Charles Michel. He is convinced that the EU should “be open to those who do not want the Kremlin to use them for its purposes.” Finland, on the contrary, plans to completely ban tourist trips for Russians.
According to American officials, in recent weeks, Russian President Vladimir Putin has become more directly involved in the strategic planning of the war in Ukraine, in particular, rejecting the request of his commanders to allow the retreat of Russian troops from Kherson—The New York Times
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 212. Online updates.
So-called 'referendums' for joining Russian Federation have started in the occupied territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions. In the so-called "L/DPR" people will be asked: "Do you want to join Russia?". And in the captured parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions: "Do you support withdrawal from Ukraine, creating an independent state and joining the Russian Federation?". The results of the so-called "referendums" will be announced by the invading administrations on September 27-28.
Law enforcement and intelligence agencies of Ukraine, as well as the Ministry for the Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories, have full information on the organisers and executives of pseudo-referendums in the temporarily occupied territories. The Ministry stresses that collaborative or separatist activities during the full-scale invasion could lead to a prison sentence of up to 15 years.
President Volodymyr Zelensky encouraged Russians to protest, fight or surrender to Ukrainian captivity after the mobilisation has started in Russia.
In total, during the war, Ukraine returned 802 citizens via a prisoner exchange. The twentieth exchange took place on September 21, returning 215 Ukrainians, 200 of whom were exchanged directly for Putin's daughter's godfather, ex-leader of a pro-Russian party Viktor Medvedchuk. According to intelligence, FSB was especially after him as Medvedchuk provided a link to financing certain officials and intelligence networks.
According to UK intelligence, fighting continues in the Donetsk region, as Ukrainian troops attack Lyman east of the Siversky Donets River, which Russia occupied in May.
In the past day, the armed forces of the Russian Federation carried out 4 missile strikes and 27 airstrikes and fired more than 75 MLRS shells at military and civilian objects in Ukraine—the General Staff. On the night of September 23, the Russian army shelled Dnipropetrovsk oblast, bombed Donetsk oblast, and shelled houses and infrastructure in Zaporizhzhia oblast attacking more than 45 settlements in total.
Ukrainian military in Mykolaiv oblast destroyed four Shahed-136 Iranian-made kamikaze drones used by the Russian army—AFU Air Force Command spokesman Yurii Ihnat.
Ukraine has restricted international travel to male students of foreign universities. Previously, students who were studying abroad before February 24 were allowed to travel outside Ukraine to continue their studies. However, the permit was withdrawn due to the mass forgery of documents.
The Czech Republic is against giving humanitarian visas to Russians fleeing the mobilisation declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Some Baltic countries have also announced that they will not grant asylum to Russians fleeing from mobilisation. At the same time, Germany declared its readiness to provide asylum and international protection to defectors from the Russian army, who are threatened with repression in the Russian Federation by the Putin regime.
Our news at 22:18
During the day, Ukrainian aviation struck ten areas of Russian military and equipment concentration and two positions of anti-aircraft missile systems of the Russian Federation, the General Staff reports.Units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine repelled Russian attacks in the areas of Kupyansk, Zaitseve and Novomykhailivka settlements.
The classified clause of the decree on mobilization allows the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation to call up one million people for military service, instead of 300,000, as previously reported in the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, writes the Russian edition "Novaya Gazeta. Europe" with reference to a source in the Administration of the President of Russia. "The number was corrected several times, and at the end, they stopped at one million," the source howled. The press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmytro Peskov denied this information.
The special operation regarding the exchange of prisoners from Azovstal was being prepared in 4 countries, said Andriy Yermak, the head of the President's Office. According to him, in addition to Ukraine, Poland, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey were included in it. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres also participated in the exchange.
All Ukrainians released from captivity on September 21 are in different conditions. Some of them were tortured. In addition, captured military personnel were held in many different institutions, the head of Ukrainian intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, said. Head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Denys Monastyrskyi, said that most of those released from captivity have already met their relatives, some of them are in hospital in Chernihiv.
Five British soldiers, who were held captive in the "DPR" and were released during the exchange of prisoners of war on September 21, arrived at London's Heathrow Airport and have already met their families. This is reported by The Guardian.
During the war, Ukraine returned 802 citizens through exchange. There were 20 exchanges in total, said Vasyl Malyuk, acting head of the SBU.
The "DPR" plans to involve children aged 13 to 17 to participate in the "referendum" on joining Russia, the Security Service of Ukraine reports. The department added that the occupiers are recruiting children in order to artificially increase the lack of "votes".
The International Financial Corporation, which is part of the structure of the World Bank, allocated 30 million dollars for investments in Ukraine and Moldova. This money will be invested in fast-growing technologies as well as in export-oriented companies of both countries.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 211. Online updates.
Ukraine has released 215 Ukrainian military from Russian captivity, 108 Azov fighters among them. By the exchange agreement, five officers, including the commander of the Azov regiment Denys Prokopenko, 36th Marine Brigade commander Serhii Volynsky and others, will stay in Turkey until the end of the war "under the personal protection of President Erdogan," said Zelensky. The military is guaranteed the opportunity to see their families. Other fighters already arrived in Ukraine, a pregnant medic among them.
Ten foreigners who fought on the Ukrainian side, including citizens of the United States, Britain, Morocco, Sweden, and Croatia, were also released. They are returning to their countries with the mediation of Saudi Arabia. British citizens Shawn Pinner and Aiden Aslin and Moroccan citizen Brahim Saadoune, previously sentenced to execution by the illegitimate Donetsk Republic's militants, are also released.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomed the prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia, which includes two U.S. citizens captured while serving in the Ukrainian military.
As part of the exchange, Ukraine handed over to the Russian Federation Viktor Medvedchuk and 55 Russian captives. The pro-Russian politician and Putin's daughter's godfather Medvedchuk is accused of treason in Ukraine. The head of the Security Service assured that the investigation is completed, and the criminal case can go on even if Medvedchuk was transferred to the Russian Federation.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said: "We could exchange Medvedchuk for only one of our Azov heroes, and the fact that we returned so many of them is, indeed, something, pardon me, to drink to today."
During the past day, the Russian military carried out 8 missile strikes and 16 air strikes and fired 115 MLRS shells on the territory of Ukraine—the General Staff.
The Russian army attacked the Dnipropetrovsk region during the night and hit Zaporizhzhia city centre on the morning of September 22. The missile destroyed a hotel trapping people under the rubble. One fatality has been confirmed, and five more were wounded.
Anti-mobilization rallies were held in Russia following President's Putin announcement. According to the Russian media, the security forces have already detained more than 1,300 Russian protesters.
Russia has exhausted its supply of volunteers who want to fight in Ukraine, thus the mobilisation was announced, believes UK intelligence. There is an indication that partial mobilisation is likely to be extremely unpopular among part of the Russian population.
EU foreign ministers agreed to prepare new sanctions against Russia after Vladimir Putin announced the first mobilisation since World War II—EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell. This will be the eighth package of sanctions.
Our news at 22:22
The Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled enemy attacks in Kharkiv region and Donbas in the areas of Kupyansk, Vesele, Zaitseve, Kurdyumivka, and Bakhmutske settlements. Ukrainian aviation made 32 strikes against Russian positions. It has been confirmed that 17 areas of concentration of manpower and military equipment of the enemy, 4 strongholds, 10 positions of anti-aircraft missile systems and one warehouse with ammunition have been damaged, the General Staff reports.
On September 21, the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, signed a decree on partial mobilization in Russia. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that 300,000 reservists will be called up during the mobilization.
During the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, Joe Biden condemned Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, accused it of the global food crisis and of spreading lies about Western sanctions against the background of the war in Ukraine. "President Putin has made open nuclear threats against Europe and reckless disregard for the obligations of the non-proliferation (nuclear weapons — ed.) regime. Now Russia has announced mobilization and the Kremlin is organizing a sham referendum to try to annex parts of Ukraine — an extremely significant violation of the Charter UN," said Biden.
Russian President Vladimir Putin threatens to use nuclear weapons again. There are fears that Russia may use the so-called referendums on Ukrainian territory as an excuse to declare Ukrainian counterattacks an attack on Russia itself, said John Kirby, a spokesman for the US National Security Council. "We always have to take this kind of rhetoric seriously. It's not like what he's been saying for the past seven months. We've taken it seriously," he added.
British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said the partial mobilization announced in Russia is a sign that Russian President Vladimir Putin recognizes that "his invasion is failing." "He, together with the Minister of Defense, sent tens of thousands of his citizens to their deaths, poorly equipped and poorly managed. No amount of threats and propaganda can hide the fact that Ukraine is now winning the war," he added.
Despite the announcement of a partial mobilization in the Russian Federation, Putin has already been conducting mobilization in his country for the entire last month. This means that he has problems with military personnel. The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, stated this in an interview with Bild.
The bodies of 320 civilians and 18 servicemen of the Armed Forces have already been exhumed at the cemetery in Izyum, which was formed during the occupation of the city by the Russian army. Such figures were given by the prosecutor of the Kharkiv region, Oleksandr Filchakov, on the evening of September 21. According to him, 445 graves were discovered in the cemetery, in some of them 2 to 4 people were buried at the same time.
The European Commission has started discussing a new package of sanctions against the Russian Federation. Rikard Jozvyak, the editor of Radio Svoboda, said: "It can potentially be presented to the member states next week. The focus is likely to be on oil production curbs and G7 lists."
Speaking to the faithful in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican during his weekly general audience, the Pope called hints of nuclear weapons "madness": "This tragic war brings us to the fact that what some people think about nuclear weapons is madness."
After the President of the Russian Federation announced a partial mobilization in the morning, Russians bought up all airline tickets from Moscow to Minsk, Istanbul and Yerevan, and ticket prices rose sharply.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 210. Online updates.
On the morning of September 21, the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, announced a partial mobilization in Russia. He informed that the decree has already been signed and mobilization begins on September 21. He said that Russia will support the so-called "referendums" in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, which are scheduled for September 23-27. In addition, the head of the Kremlin said that the Western countries have arranged "nuclear blackmail" of Russia, therefore, in the event of a threat to its territorial integrity, it is ready to "use all available means."
During the partial mobilization, 300,000 reservists will be called up, Russian Defense Minister Serhiy Shoigu said. He also said that during this time, Russia lost 5,937 servicemen in the war on the territory of Ukraine. According to the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as of the morning of September 21, Russia's total combat losses since the start of the full-scale offensive on Ukraine on February 24 amounted to about 55,110 servicemen. The Russians lost about 300 servicemen in a day.
Mobilization in Russia is a tragedy for the Russian people and recognition of the incapacity of the professional army of the Russian Federation, said the spokesman of the president Serhii Nikiforov.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's announcement of a partial mobilization in Russia amid the war against Ukraine is a worrying escalation, British Foreign Secretary Gillian Keegan told Sky News. She added that Ukraine is moving forward, liberating territories previously occupied by the Russians. In her opinion, Putin's threats should be taken seriously. Keegan called blackmailing Putin with nuclear weapons as an obvious escalation.
Latvia will not issue humanitarian visas to Russians who want to leave the country to avoid the mobilization announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rynkevich said. Also, the country will not change the border crossing restrictions for Russian citizens with Schengen visas, introduced on September 19.
During the day, the Russian military carried out 8 missile and 35 air strikes, carried out more than 120 attacks from rocket salvo systems on objects on the territory of Ukraine, the General Staff reported.
At night, the Russian military shelled the Kholodnohirsky district of Kharkiv — they hit a high-rise building. Rescuers unblocked 10 people, including one injured person.
Nikopol in the Dnipropetrovsk region was shelled twice overnight - 30 Russian shells landed there. A 56-year-old man was injured. The Russian army also shelled the Zaporizhzhia NPP — the communication equipment of the sixth power unit was damaged. On September 20, in Donetsk region, six people were killed and another 20 people were injured as a result of shelling by Russian troops.
The UN recorded 5,916 civilian deaths as a result of the Russian invasion, of which 379 were children. According to the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, 391 children have died since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.
Our news at 21:18
The occupying "authorities" of the temporarily occupied Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia regions of Ukraine will hold "referendums" on joining the Russian Federation on September 23-27. The Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, Vyacheslav Volodin, emphasized that the State Duma will support the "free expression of will" of the residents of the "DPR" and "LPR" to join Russia. The press secretary of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi, Serhii Nikiforov, said that the holding of the so-called "referendums" will not affect the position of the president in any way, but it will close any diplomatic way to resolve the military conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated that fictitious referendums have no legitimacy and do not change the nature of Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine. Also, Federal Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz stated that Germany will not recognize "referendums" on the Ukrainian territories occupied by the Russian Federation.
Russia is withdrawing a paratrooper regiment from Syria in order to transfer it to Ukraine, the General Staff reports. Due to the terrorist actions of the Russian troops, the infrastructure of more than 20 settlements of Ukraine was damaged during the day. Among them: Slovyansk, Siversk, Soledar, Bakhmut, Vuhledar, Stepne, Nikopol and Ochakiv.
The State Duma of the Russian Federation adopted a draft law with amendments to the Criminal Code, which introduce liability for desertion and surrender. According to the new law, refusal to participate in military operations will be punishable by up to 3 years — as a failure to comply with an order. Surrender will also become a criminal act, punishable by up to 10 years of imprisonment. 13 Russian anti-war movements urged Russian soldiers not to "die for Putin".
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that, in his opinion, Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to end the war he started in Ukraine. "In Uzbekistan, I met with President Putin, and we had very thorough discussions with him. And he is actually showing me that he is ready to end this (war, — ed.) as soon as possible. That was my impression, because the way it is now things are going on, it's quite problematic; I think a significant step forward will be made," Erdogan said.
The European Union handed the State Border Service thermal imaging equipment for monitoring the border in the amount of almost 500,000 euros.
The Verkhovna Rada passed a law that provides that parents who have a third child born during military service have the right to demobilization. Now the document must be signed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyi.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 209. Online updates.
At night, the Russian army shelled the Nikopol district in the Dnipropetrovsk region. During the day, Russians attacked settlements in the Kharkiv region. Fierce fighting continues in the Luhansk region. In the Donetsk region, a rocket hit Bakhmut at night. Fighting continues in the Kherson region.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled Russian army's attacks near four settlements, and carried out airstrikes on 24 areas of concentration of servicemen and equipment of the Russian army. In the meantime, Russian troops launched 10 missile attacks and 15 air raids, carried out more than 56 attacks from multiple rocket launcher systems at objects on the territory of Ukraine, the General Staff reported.
Russia still can't manage to establish air superiority over Ukraine. Since the beginning of the war, the Air Defense Forces of Ukraine have shot down about 55 Russian fighter jets. Because of this, Russian planes rarely fly deep into Ukraine, but fire long-range missiles instead, said the commander of the US Air Force in Europe, General James Hecker.
The so-called "public chambers" of "LPR" and "DPR" called for immediate "referendums" to recognize them as subjects of the Russian Federation. The Office of the President stated that this will not be a panacea for the invaders. In the report of the American Institute for the Study of War, it was noted that such calls mean the panic of the puppet regimes against the background of the counteroffensive of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
During four days, the bodies of 146 people who died during the occupation of the city by the Russian military were exhumed in Izium.
Up to 50 women from "Azovstal" are being held captive by Russians, two of them are pregnant. A total of about 50 women are held captive by the Russians. In May, on the order of the top military leadership, about two thousand Ukrainian servicemen surrendered to the Russians from the territory of "Azovstal", 900 of them were fighters of the "Azov" regiment.
Slovenia will transfer 28 M-55S tanks to Ukraine. In exchange for this, the country will receive 40 military transport vehicles from Germany. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Holub agreed on this.
The Council of the European Union officially decided to urgently provide Ukraine with additional macro-financial assistance (MFA) in the amount of €5 billion.
Entry restrictions for citizens of the Russian Federation with Schengen tourist visas, regardless of the country in which they were issued, came into effect in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 208. Online updates.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that it may seem to some that after a series of victories on the Ukrainian front, "we have a certain lull." But this is preparation for the next series of "important words that must be heard, because Ukraine must be free - all of it."
On the night of September 19, the Russian army shelled the Mykolaiv region. The missile hit 300 meters from the South Ukraine nuclear power plant. There was a short-term power outage. Windows were damaged in buildings on the territory of the NPP.
In general, during the past 24 hours, during Russian shelling, civilians were injured in the regions of Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv and Donetsk. There are casualties in the Sumy and Donetsk regions.
In the Kharkiv region, in one of liberated cities, seven Sri Lankan citizens were found, who were held captive by the Russian military. Documents were taken from the prisoners, their nails were pulled out, they were beaten and fed twice a week.
In Svatove, the Luhansk region, there was an explosion in the building of the former bus station, where Russian militaries stayed. About 200 soldiers of the Russian army died.
Over the past day, the aviation of the Defense Forces of Ukraine has carried out 21 strikes — it has been confirmed that 16 locations of Russian military deployments and strongholds, as well as 5 positions of anti-aircraft missile systems, have been hit, the Ukrainian General Staff reported.
Russia has probably lost at least four aircrafts in Ukraine over the past 10 days, the British Ministry of Defense reported, citing British intelligence.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is increasingly betting on irregular volunteer and intermediary forces, rather than on regular units and formations of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, according to analysts of the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW). According to their data, Putin avoided the Russian higher military command and the leadership of the Ministry of Defense all summer, and especially after the defeat in the Kharkiv region, it means that relations between the Kremlin leader and the Russian military leadership are deteriorated.
The situation in the south of Ukraine remains tense, but it is controlled by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Russian troops are attacking, and the Ukrainian army continues to repulse assaults and strengthen its positions in some areas of the southern front, the spokesman of the Operational Command "South" Vladyslav Nazarov reported. At the same time, ISW believes that Russian troops are trying to carry out a more targeted and controlled withdrawal of forces in the western part of the Kherson region. In this way, Russians are trying to avoid the chaotic fleeing of their troops that took place in the Kharkiv region at the beginning of September.
Ukraine appealed to the Russian Federation, the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross regarding the new shelling of the colony in Olenivka, where Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilian hostages are being held in violation of the Geneva Conventions. Russian media reported that as a result of the shelling, one Ukrainian prisoner of war was killed and four more were wounded.
A plane carrying more than 150 Ukrainian peacekeepers, who performed a peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and will now help the Armed Forces of Ukraine, arrived at Lviv International Airport.
On September 20, first McDonald's restaurants, closed due to the full-scale war across Ukraine, will open in Kyiv. At first, the restaurants will work only for delivery, and the halls, express windows and McDrive will open in October.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 207. Online updates.
Over the course of a day, the Russian military launched six missile and 28 airstrikes, carried out more than 90 rounds of anti-aircraft fire at military and civilian targets in Ukraine, the General Staff reports.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed a barge with equipment and accompanying Russian military personnel in the Kherson region, the operational command "South" reports. The Russian army lost 62 soldiers and five units of armored vehicles.
Ukrainian aviation struck 13 areas of concentration of manpower and equipment of the Russian army and three positions of anti-aircraft missile systems. In addition, Ukrainian air defense units shot down five UAVs and a Ka-52 helicopter.
On the night of September 18, Russian troops struck the Nikopol district of the Dnipropetrovsk region three times with Grady and heavy artillery, injuring three people. In Donetsk region on September 17, as a result of Russian shelling, five people were killed and another 18 were injured.
Four doctors were killed during an attempt to evacuate patients of a psychiatric hospital in the village of Strelecha in the Kharkiv region on September 17 — the Russian military opened fire, Oleg Sinegubov, the head of the OVA, said. Two patients were also injured. During the evacuation, 30 out of 600 patients were taken out of the hospital.
According to British intelligence, Russia has increased its targeting of civilian infrastructure, even where it is unlikely to have an immediate military effect, in an attempt to directly undermine the morale of the Ukrainian people and government.
The US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) noted that Russian forces continue to prioritize "strategically pointless" offensive operations around Donetsk and Bakhmut instead of defending themselves during Ukrainian counteroffensive operations in the Kharkiv region.
The Czech Republic, which currently chairs the EU Council, called on the European Union to create an international tribunal in the case of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This happened after the discovery of hundreds of graves in Izyum, recently liberated by Ukrainian troops, the BBC reports.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Russian President Vladimir Putin that now is not the time for war and that it is necessary to "move to the path of peace". Putin told Modi that he was aware of his concerns.
Australia will not ban Russian tourists from entering the country, Defense Minister Richard Marles said. Asked whether Australia would ban Russian tourists from leaving, Marles said the sanctions were aimed at the Russian government "not at the Russians themselves".
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 206. Online updates.
The UN will send a mission to the place of mass burial in Izium in Kharkiv oblast. The exhumation of bodies for further forensic medical examination is in progress. There are over 400 corpses, and most have traces of violent death. Some of them are children. ISW believes that mass burials and Russian torture in the liberated cities of Kharkiv prove that Russians commit war crimes in all occupied territories. The international community is shocked and condemns the massacres of Ukrainians in Izium. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said reports of a mass grave in Izium should revive supporting Ukraine in the liberation of its lands. European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said that the EU will make efforts to punish all those involved in this crime. The head of the Latvian Foreign Ministry Edgars Rinkēvičs said that the mass burial in Izium proves that Russia is a terrorist state.
Over the past day, the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled attacks near five settlements and hit the locations of the Russian Army units, headquarters, and positions of anti-aircraft missile systems. Over the past 24 hours, the Russians have launched 4 missile attacks, 24 airstrikes and 72 rocket artillery shells.
On the night of August 17, Russian troops shelled the Dnipropetrovsk region with heavy artillery and launched a rocket attack on the village of Tavriiske in the Zaporizhzhia region. A school and a sports club were destroyed as a result of the attack. Also, rockets were fired at Kharkiv: one of them hit an enterprise building and caused a fire. No casualties have been reported.
The invaders in Luhansk oblast increased checks on local residents due to a boost in the Ukrainian partisan movement. Mobile and cable Internet networks have been disconnected according to the head of the Luhansk Oblast Administration Serhii Haidai.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed the German Bundeswehr plans to provide Ukraine with MARS II multiple launch rocket systems and 50 Dingo armoured vehicles. This was stated by the Minister of Defence of the Federal Republic of Germany Christine Lambrecht at the Bundeswehr conference in Berlin.
Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard will propose to the UN General Assembly a plan to establish a Dialogue and Peace Committee for an immediate stop of hostilities in Ukraine—Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. According to him, the initiative will aim to achieve a truce for at least 5 years "for the sake of peace among all nations".
The head of the National Police of Ukraine, Ihor Klymenko, reported that 10 Russian torture chambers were found in the cities of Vovchansk, Kupyansk, Balaklia and Izium released from the Russian occupation of Kharkiv Region, six of them in Izium. "Approximately 445 burials are known. This is more than one week's work. These bodies have been covered since March," he said.
In Izium, exhumation of bodies at mass burial sites has begun. "The number of dead may exceed the tragedy of Bucha many times over," says Oleg Kotenko, the commissioner for issues of persons missing under special circumstances. More than 400 dead civilians have already been reported, including children. Most of them have traces of violent death. Also in a mass burial after the discovery of mass burials in the city, Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on the world to recognize the Russian Federation as a sponsor of terrorism.
In Kupiansk, Kharkiv Region, the occupiers illegally held 400 people in cells designed for 140, the SBU press service reports. "The illegal prison was confined to the district police department of Kupiansk, where the "command center" of the occupation administration was located during the Russian invasion. In these premises, the Rashists were keeping and abusing local residents who refused to cooperate with them," the report says.
Vladimir Putin stated that the main targeted Russian "military operation" against Ukraine remains unchanged and takes place in the "liberation" of the entire territory of Donbas. In addition, Putin said that he "regrets" the fact that in a Western country "an idea has appeared to use Ukraine for the collapse of Russia."
In Donetsk region, the Ukrainian Armed Forces repelled Russian attacks in the areas of Vesela Dolyna, Bakhmut, Zaitseve, Avdiivka and Novomykhailivka settlements, the General Staff reported. Today, Ukrainian aviation hit 4 areas where the Russian military and military equipment of the Russian army are concentrated and one Russian stronghold.
Russia has placed about 800 military planes and helicopters at airfields near the Ukrainian borders. The press secretary of the Air Force of Ukraine, Yuriy Ignat, will start about this. In total, Russian aviation near Ukraine makes about 200 sorties per day, he added.
The UN General Assembly decided to allow the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky to speak at the week of the high-level session of the UN General Assembly in the format of a video address. 101 participants voted for the decision. Against - 7 (Russia, Cuba, Belarus, Eritrea, North Korea, Nicaragua and Syria). Abstained — 19. The general debate of the week in the UN General Assembly will be held on September 20-26.
The military reserves of the Russian Federation are smaller than expected, said the Minister of Defense of Germany, Christine Lambrecht. According to her, Russia was aware of significant losses in Ukraine, and the discovery that Russian forces have a large number of military equipment "does not correspond to reality."
Ukraine is more than 80% prepared for the heating season, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said. According to him, the state is already storing the amount of energy carriers, and the government has allocated 1.4 billion hryvnias to prepare for emergency situations.
At least 39 media workers became victims of the Russian Federation's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Two more are considered missing, reports the National Union of Journalists.
In two months, more than 50% of Ukrainian schools were equipped with protective shelters, said Minister of Education and Science Serhiy Shkarlet. It is noted that for the next year, a subvention in the amount of UAH 1.5 billion is planned in the budget for the arrangement of special buildings or shelters in schools.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 205. Online updates.
A mass burial site was discovered in liberated Izium, Kharkiv region. In total, ten Russian torture chambers were found in the liberated cities of Kharkiv oblast, six of them in Izium. The National Police reported that 445 graves have been discovered so far.
The US Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on 22 people who support Russia's war against Ukraine, in particular, the head of Chechnya Kadyrov and his close relatives.
The IAEA requires Russia to cease all actions at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and at any other nuclear facility in Ukraine.
The water level in the Ingulets River has dropped and continues to fall after the Russian missile damaged the dam. Russia launched seven cruise missiles at the city on September 14, which caused the rising of Ingulets and partial flooding of more than a hundred residential buildings.
Russia continues to shell the Ukrainian infrastructure and hit hydraulic structures in Kryvyi Rih again on September 15. An infrastructure object in the Kirovohrad region was also shelled. Four people, including two children, were wounded in a Russian strike on Kharkiv during the night. Over the past 24 hours, the Russian troops have launched 11 missile attacks and 15 air strikes and fired 96 MLRS shells at various Ukrainian objects—the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
A powerful explosion occurred in the Russian-occupied Kherson on the afternoon of August 16. Another explosion occurred near the Prosecutor General's Office in Luhansk, which was captured by the Russians in 2014.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau is looking for MP Andrii Derkach. He is suspected of state treason and illegal enrichment, according to the report. According to the investigation, over the past two years, the MP received at least 567,000 USD from the Russian Federation for "subversive activities" against Ukraine.
Russian officials and bloggers are increasingly blaming the Russian Defence Ministry for Russia's failures on the front lines, according to ISW analysts. Analysts also noted that the Russian authorities are intensifying covert mobilization and recruitment of soldiers for the war in Ukraine after the successful Ukrainian counterattack in the Kharkiv region.
From September 19, Latvia is restricting entry for Russian citizens with Schengen visas for security reasons, announced the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs. He also urged Russian troops to get out of Ukraine.
Official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Maria Zakharova said that if the United States decides to supply Ukraine with long-range missiles, Washington will cross the red line and become a direct party to the conflict. The spokesman for the U.S. Department of State Ned Price responded that the United States of America is sending weapons to Ukraine only to protect its territory from the Russian invasion.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 204. Online updates.
As of September 14, almost all Kharkiv oblast was liberated from the Russian military. Almost 400 settlements were deoccupied, said President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky in an appeal to the nation.
Since September 6, the Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated about 8,500 square kilometres, 388 settlements, and 150,000 people in Kharkiv oblast. UK intelligence believes that part of the Russian troops fled from the Kharkiv region in "obvious panic" under AFU's pressure, as evidenced by the abandoned high-value equipment.
Ukrainian defenders freed the village of Kyselivka in Kherson oblast, and currently, only Chornobaivka separates them from the city of Kherson.
During the past day, Russia launched 27 missile and air strikes on Ukraine and fired 86 rocket artillery shells at military and civilian objects in 30 settlements of Ukraine—the General Staff. Russia has to move the remnants of its troops from Kharkiv to keep the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia.
The Russian army shelled Toretsk in Donbas and destroyed a hospital, including pediatric and surgical departments, and damaged windows in a maternity ward. The nurses were injured in the shelling.
Russia launched a missile attack on the Kryvyi Rih. Dam constructions were damaged, which led to the water level in the Ingulets River rising by 2.5 meters and partially halting the city's water supply. Authorities are evacuating people to safe areas due to the risk of flooding. According to the Head of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Administration Valentyn Reznichenko, Russians struck Kryvyi Rih with Kinzhal and Iskander missiles.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled Russian attacks in eight settlements and launched 12 air strikes on the places of concentration of troops and equipment of the Russian Federation. Air defence units destroyed four Russian aircraft.
About 80 million euros are frozen in Latvian banks due to sanctions against the Russian Federation due to the war in Ukraine. Also, the EU extended individual sanctions for another six months. President Biden's administration is discussing new sanctions against Russia with the US Congress. The proposed sanctions would be similar to declaring the Russian Federation a state sponsor of terrorism.
On 14 September, the European Commission launched a contest within the annual Creative Europe programme for projects supporting Ukrainian culture and allocated five million euros to implement them.
Volodymyr Zelensky was involved in an accident on the evening of September 14. According to his press secretary Serhii Nikiforov, the president was examined by doctors and did not have serious injuries. The driver of the car that caused the accident was handed over to the ambulance doctors.
Our news at 22:33
In the Donetsk region, the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled Russian attacks in the areas of Spirne, Soledar, Mayorsk, Zaitseve, Odradivka, Vesela Dolyna, Vodiane, and Novomykhailivka. Over the course of a day, the Ukrainian aviation carried out 11 strikes — six positions and places of concentration of Russian personnel and their equipment, three positions of anti-aircraft missile systems, and one plane were eliminated, the General Staff reports.
In the centre of Izium, liberated from the occupiers in the Kharkiv region, on September 14, military personnel together with representatives of the authorities led by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi raised the flag of Ukraine. "We have to send messages to our people who, unfortunately, are still under occupation. And here is my signal to the people in Crimea: we know that these are our people, and it is a terrible tragedy that they have been under occupation for more than eight years. We will come back. I don't know when exactly. But we have plans, and we will come back, because this is our land and our people," Zelenskyi said.
The strategy behind Ukraine's rapid military gains began to take shape several months ago during a series of intense talks between Ukrainian and American officials. This was reported by The New York Times, citing data from American officials. During August, at the request of the Ukrainians, US officials intensified the provision of intelligence on the position of Russian troops, highlighting weak points in the Russian lines. The intelligence also indicated that it will be difficult for Moscow to quickly strengthen its troops in the northeast of Ukraine or transfer troops from the south, the publication writes.
At the beginning of the war with Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin could reject a peace agreement with Ukraine recommended by his aide Dmitrii Kozak. Reuters writes about this with reference to its sources. According to Reuters, the Deputy Head of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation, Dmitrii Kozak, allegedly told Putin at the beginning of the war that he had concluded a temporary agreement with Kyiv. The document seemed to say that Ukraine would remain outside NATO. But Putin, according to Reuters, rejected this offer and continued the campaign. The agency learned about this from three people close to the Russian leadership.
A group of creditor countries, including the United States, postponed Ukraine's debt payments until the end of 2023. This was reported by the US Treasury Department.
The Russian military command is canceling the dispatch of new units to participate in the war against Ukraine due to the mass refusal of personnel to participate in hostilities, reports the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine. In addition, the Russian Federation is trying to reduce the treatment time of its soldiers in hospitals.
Ukraine has agreed with the European Union on macro-financial assistance in the amount of $8 billion, $5 billion of which will be provided by the end of September, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said. In general, Ukraine will receive $3 billion per month from the EU next year as financial aid, and 12 billion will be provided by the IMF.
Regional commissions have registered three thousand applications for compensation for destroyed houses as a result of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation in Ukraine, but now it will not be possible to restore all homes. "Funds are being formed for the first wave of housing. 15.8 billion hryvnias will be sent from the funds confiscated from (Russian — edited) Sberbank and Prominvestbank," said Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal.
The Government expects that the weighted average exchange rate of the dollar in 2023 will be around UAH 42/$1 and will fluctuate. As of the end of 2023, the exchange rate may rise to UAH 49/$1. This was announced by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 203. Online updates.
For the first time since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin admitted its defeat in the Kharkiv region, reports the American Institute for the Study of War. Analysts made this conclusion based on the statements made by officials and propagandists of the Russian state media, who widely discuss the reasons for Russia's defeat in Kharkiv. Until now, the Russian Federation has never admitted a defeat. Retreat from Kyiv and Serpent Island in the Black Sea was called "a goodwill gesture" and was explained by prioritising the "liberation" of Donbas.
The Ukrainian military liberated more than 300 settlements in the Kharkiv region during the week of the counterattack. Zelensky reported that the de-occupied area of about 4,000 square kilometres is still being stabilised.
Russian occupation troops continued shelling the border of Chernihiv oblast on September 13. Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts were shelled as well, and attacks continue in Donetsk oblast. Avdiivka suffered massive shelling, and Kramatorsk residential buildings were destroyed by rockets. Positional battles continue for each settlement of the Luhansk oblast. Mykolaiv was also shelled during the night, and at least two people died from the rocket attack.
The consequences of the shelling of Mykolaiv.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, Russian occupiers are trying to strengthen their forces under temporarily occupied Kherson, redeploying additional units there.
The Russian occupation authorities disconnected the mobile internet in Luhansk oblast. Also, the occupiers continue to export looted property to the Russian Federation, as reported by the Head of Luhansk Regional Administration Serhii Haidai.
After the attack on thermal power plants and transmission lines which left the Kharkiv region without electricity for a long time, the government decided to provide the region with 400 million UAH and additional energy generators.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that she would travel to Kyiv today to meet with President Zelensky. They will discuss introducing Ukraine to the free European roaming zone.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke to Russian President Putin for an hour and a half. German Chancellor stressed that Russia should withdraw its troops from Ukraine and recognise its sovereignty and territorial integrity, otherwise a “diplomatic solution is inconceivable.” Putin spoke to Scholz about "the screaming violations of humanitarian law by the Ukrainian side, the continuous shelling of Donbas and Zaporizhzhia NPP".
The International Monetary Fund has allocated $1.4 billion in additional support to Ukraine.
Our news at 21:56
The Ukrainian military liberated more than 300 settlements in the Kharkiv region during the week of the counteroffensive, Deputy Minister of Defense Hanna Malyar reported.
Head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak and 12th Secretary General of NATO Anders Fogh Rasmussen presented recommendations on security guarantees for Ukraine. In particular, the recommendations provide for multi-year stable investments in the defense and industrial base of Ukraine, large-scale transfer of weapons, preventive measures of a military, financial, infrastructural, technical, and information nature to avoid a new encroachment on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Russia believes that Ukraine's security guarantees are aimed at escalating the war.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Ukrainian hackers have blocked a number of Russian sites. More than 2,400 online resources have been blocked in the last two weeks alone, the General Staff reports.
Russia has turned to the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Tajikistan with a request for the transfer of 220-mm rockets to the Uragan surface-to-air missile defense system. The Russians are also interested in ammunition for the 203-mm Pion self-propelled guns and UTD-20 engines for the BMP-1 and BMP-2, which are stored in large quantities in military warehouses in Tajikistan, reports the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
After the attacks of the Russian Federation on energy infrastructure facilities on September 11 and 12, work on the restoration of electricity supply continues. 820 settlements of Ukraine, a total of about 681,900 consumers, are still without power.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell called on the European Parliament to continue financial support for Ukraine. In particular, he noted that "soon" Ukraine will be able to receive eight billion euros from the proposed nine-billion-euro aid package from the EU.
Russian military personnel are evacuating their families from Crimea and southern Ukraine, reports the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur arrived in Kyiv and handed over a mobile hospital to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the draft budget for 2023. The projected GDP for 2023 is set at 6,371.3 billion UAH. GDP growth by +2.5% compared to 2022, a projected drop of 33.1%. Inflation +30%. The bill must be adopted by December 1.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 202. Online updates.
The National Guard of Ukraine confirmed the liberation of Sviatohirsk in Donetsk Oblast. Some settlements in Luhansk oblast were liberated as well, but they cannot be named yet, said the head of the regional administration Haidai. Meanwhile, the entire northeast of the Kharkiv region—from Vesele to Vovchansk—has been cleared from the Russian military.
In the Kharkiv region, the Armed Forces of Ukraine "crushed" the 1st Russian Guard Tank Army, which was being prepared to "counter" NATO. It was one of the most capable units of the Russian Federation, according to UK intelligence.
The counter-offensive continues in the south. Over the past 2 weeks, the Armed Forces have liberated about 500 sq km in Kherson oblast including Vysokopillia, Novovoznesenske, Bilohirka, Myroliubivka, and Sukhyi Stavok. According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Ukrainian troops continue to make significant progress in the Kherson region and constantly deteriorate the morale and combat capabilities of Russian troops in the area.
In general, since the beginning of September, the Armed Forces have liberated more than 6,000 sq km in the east and south of the country, announced President Zelensky.
According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Russian military command suspends dispatching newly formed units to Ukraine.
During September 6-11, the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed 590 units of equipment of the Russian Federation worth 670 million dollars, much of which was destroyed during the counterattack in the Kharkiv region.
Ukrainian military destroyed an Iranian-made drone for the first time. The photos of the device were published by an officer.
The Russian army continues shelling Ukraine. A school and kindergarten were destroyed in the Kharkiv region during the night. In the afternoon, Kharkiv lost the power supply due to an attack. The city still has no electricity and experiences cell network outages. The Russian military shelled the Sumy region with mortars and attacked Dnipropetrovsk oblast with rocket artillery systems. Fighting continues in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions. Five people were killed in Donetsk in the last 24 hours due to Russian shelling, and another ten were wounded. One of the strikes hit Sloviansk.
In total, during the past day, the Russians conducted two missile and 25 air strikes, as well as fired 11 MLRS attacks on military and civilian objects in Ukraine.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called on the West to strengthen the weapons supply to Ukraine in light of the successful counterattack. He said in an interview with Politico that this will help finish the full-scale war more quickly. Mr Kuleba noted that Ukraine's offensive in the east and south proves that all Western partners' investments in Ukrainian defence capabilities “lead to staggering results.”
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 201. Online updates.
Ukraine has changed the course of the war in its favour, but the counterattack will not end it, reports the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Most likely, the war will last until 2023, but Kyiv will increasingly dictate the place and nature of the main hostilities, analysts said.
According to UK intelligence, Russia has ordered to withdraw its troops from the entire occupied part of the Kharkiv region to the west of the Oskil River. Since September 7, Ukraine has regained territory of at least twice the size of Greater London. In total, over 30 settlements in Kharkiv oblast have been liberated and controlled by the Armed Forces in recent days.
The Russian army suffered significant losses due to the successful actions of the Ukrainian army in the Kherson direction—the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. According to UK intelligence, Russia is probably trying to move reserves across the Dnipro River to the front line near temporarily occupied Kherson. The Southern Defence Forces speaker Nataliia Humeniuk stated that Russian units are looking to negotiate with UAF about surrendering the Russian so-called "special operation". “They abandon weapons and equipment and either take the risk and leave in the opposite direction or resort to the international humanitarian law and surrender,” she said. It is also known that the Russian military prohibited civilians from entering and leaving settlements and imposed a curfew.
On the evening of September 11, the Russian army fired rockets at Dnipropetrovsk and Poltava oblasts. Some were shot down by air defence. One of the missiles was directed at a thermal power plant and power lines. Emergency power and water supply outage affected Kharkiv, Poltava, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Sumy regions. As of now, the electricity and water supply have been restored.
Positional battles continue in Luhansk oblast. Russia carried out seven artillery, six mortar, and five MLRS shellings at Ukrainian positions overnight. During the night, the Russian Federation launched a missile attack on Kramatorsk in the Donetsk region. A maternity hospital and residential houses were damaged. Other settlements were also shelled: three civilians were killed and nine were wounded across the region in the past day.
Consultations began on how to establish a secure zone at the Zaporizhzhia NPP where the last functioning reactor was shut down yesterday —IAEA press service. The IAEA stressed that a nuclear and physical security protection zone should be established immediately.
The EU decision to cancel the visa facilitation agreement with the Russian Federation came into effect on September 12. The agreement was established in 2007. From now on, Russian citizens are subject to the general rules: the visa fee will be 80 EUR, additional documents will be required, and the issuing time will increase to 45 days.
Our news at 21:03
During September 11, Russians launched 16 missile and 3 air strikes on objects on the territory of Ukraine. 15 settlements were hit, including Derhachi, Kramatorsk, Kostiantynivka, Dnipro, Voznesensk and Mykolaiv, the General Staff reports. The Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled several Russian attacks in the Donbas and continue to liberate the Kharkiv region. Russian occupiers are fleeing the territory of the Luhansk region, leaving even those cities that were occupied back in 2014, and in Kreminna, the Ukrainian flag was raised by the partisans. This was announced by the head of the Luhansk Regional Military Administration, Serhii Haidai.
Russians are not conducting a controlled withdrawal from the territory of the Kharkiv region, as the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported the day before, but are fleeing in a hurry, reports the American Institute for the Study of War. Ukrainian forces entered the Russian-occupied territory of the region to a depth of 70 kilometers in some places and recaptured more than 3,000 square kilometers of territory during last five days since September 6, ISW said. This is more territory than Russian forces have captured during all operations since April, the analysts added.
On September 11, the last working power unit was turned off at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Preparations for its transfer to the "cold state" are currently underway, said Olena Pareniuk, a senior researcher at the Institute of Radiation Safety. "Now the entire cooler, which was loaded in the power unit, is working. It will not be possible to start the operation of the reactor quickly, it will be necessary to overload the fuel and carry out certain routine works. We completely stopped the ZNPP for quite a long period of time," she added.
The command of the Russian occupation forces is probably planning another provocative attack on the city of Enerhodar and the Zaporizhzhia NPP in order to blame Ukraine for this. This is reported by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
On September 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron held telephone talks. The heads of state discussed the situation in Ukraine, focusing on the issue of restoring the safety of the Zaporizhzhia NPP.
Russians are using all means to force Ukrainians to resettle. In particular, to Russia and the occupied territories. This was told by the deputy director of the European department of Human Rights Watch, Rachel Danber. She added that not all deported Ukrainians manage to leave Russia easily, due to lack of money, communication, and often documents.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 200. Online updates.
Since the beginning of September, more than 3,000 square kilometers have been returned to the control of Ukraine, said the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Zaluzhny. In the Kharkiv direction, the Ukrainian military began to advance not only to the south and east, but also to the north. There are 50 kilometers to go to the state border.
On September 10, 2022, Ukrainian troops announced that they had entered the city of Kupyansk in eastern Ukraine, pushing Russian troops out of a key logistics center during a counteroffensive.
The Ukrainian flag flew over the village of Chkalovske, Chuguyiv District, Kharkiv Oblast, President Zelenskyi said.
During the day, the Russian military launched 16 missile and 34 air strikes against military and civilian targets in Ukraine. 28 settlements were affected by this.
At night, Russian troops shelled Mykolaiv: nine people were wounded, three of them are in the hospital. The Russian military also hit the center of the Dnipro with a missile. One person is injured. Pokrovsk in Donbas came under shelling at night: four dead and six wounded people are currently known. More than 20 residential buildings were damaged. The Russian military also struck the Kramatorsk industrial zone. As a result of all shelling of the Donetsk region during September 10, ten residents of Donetsk region were killed, 19 more people were injured.
In the morning, the Russians attacked the Cherkasy region with rockets, the Ukrainian anti-aircraft defense system went off, debris damaged a private house.
In Donbas, Ukrainian military personnel are located on the outskirts of Lysychansk in Luhansk region, the head of Luhansk OVA Gaidai reported without details. Fighting continues on the outskirts of Liman in Donetsk region, Mayor Zhuravlyov told Suspilne.
In the south, the Ukrainian military has advanced from two to several tens of kilometers in some areas, Humenyuk, the head of the press center of the Southern Defense Forces, told Suspilne.
Russia has recognized its retreat from the districts of Balaklia and Izyum in the Kharkiv region to the territory of the so-called "DNR". Russian forces are not conducting a controlled withdrawal. They are hastily fleeing from the southeastern part of the Kharkiv region to avoid the encirclement around the city of Izyum. This was reported by the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
The Zaporizhzhia NPP has been completely stopped: the sixth power unit has been disconnected from the power grid and should be transferred to a "cold shutdown" — the safest state, Energoatom reported.
Ukraine expects to receive the first state-of-the-art German Iris air defense system in the fall. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba announced this at a press conference with German Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock in Kyiv on Saturday, September 10. He also said that during Burbok's visit to Kyiv, he discussed with her the possibility of supplying Ukraine with Leopard tanks and artillery ammunition.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 199. Online updates.
The Russian army carried out 13 missile and 23 air strikes on the territory of Ukraine during the day. The Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled attacks near five populated areas and struck ammunition depots and 25 strongholds and places of concentration of the Russian military, the General Staff reports.
The Russian military shelled three districts of Dnipropetrovsk region, there were no casualties or casualties. The Russian army was also shelled at night in Mykolaiv, according to preliminary data, without casualties.
As of September 9, the Ukrainian military in the Kharkiv region recaptured about 2,500 square kilometers during the counteroffensive. Also, the Armed Forces of Ukraine can destroy the positions of the Russian Federation and create a cauldron for their troops around Izyum, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported. On August 10, the military reported that the Armed Forces entered Kupyansk, Kharkiv region. The city has been under Russian occupation since February 27.
The Armed Forces liberated and took control of more than 30 settlements in the Kharkiv region. In some villages of the region, right-wing activists and the military are already checking the territory.
In three days, the Ukrainian military destroyed Russian air targets worth 157.5 million dollars, the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported. These are cruise missiles, airplanes and helicopters. According to the military, the Kh-101 cruise missiles are among the most expensive and most technologically advanced missiles in service with the Russian Federation.
In the conditions of the energy crisis in the European Union, Ukraine will help neighboring Poland, in particular by exporting electricity.
Russian President Vladimir Putin resorts to energy blackmail of Europe because the Russian army is not achieving its goals on the battlefield in Ukraine. This was stated by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken after a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Putin thought he would divide and weaken NATO, he said, but the alliance has become stronger, more cohesive and better resourced than ever before.
The Council of the EU will allocate five billion dollars of macro-financial aid to Ukraine — this decision was made at a meeting of finance ministers of EU countries and heads of European banks. The money should go to the "normal work" of the country and the work of critical infrastructure, including schools and hospitals.
As a result of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, 5,767 civilians were killed, 8,292 were injured, and a total of 14,059 civilian casualties were confirmed. THIS is the data of the UN Monitoring Mission on September 9. They say the actual numbers are probably much higher.
On Saturday, September 10, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany, Annalena Burbok, arrived in Kyiv with an unannounced visit. This is reported by DW. This is the second visit of the German minister to Kyiv since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 198. Online updates.
As of September 1, the Armed Forces of Ukraine freed more than a thousand square kilometers from Russian troops, President Zelenskyi said. The Ukrainian military liberated Balaklia in the Kharkiv region, advanced in the Donetsk region and liberated the village of Ozerne from Russian troops.
Russian troops struck seven regions of Ukraine. Fighting continues in Donbas and Kherson region. It was reported in the summary of military-civilian administrations. Shelling continued in Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kharkiv regions.
The armed forces of Ukraine repelled attacks by Russian troops near seven populated areas, and also carried out 20 airstrikes on two strongholds and 15 areas of concentration of Russian manpower and military equipment.
Russia uses almost all types and classes of missiles that they have against Ukraine, and the country has de facto become a testing ground for these weapons. Yuriy Ignat, the spokesman of the Air Force Command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, stated this in an interview with RBC-Ukraine.
Military exercises started in Belarus on the border with Ukraine. In response, Ukrainian side also started training near the border, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced.
The new $675 million military aid package for Ukraine announced by the US Department of Defense will include additional munitions for HIMARS MLRS, HARM high-speed anti-radar missiles, RAAM remote anti-tank mines, as well as armored vehicles, ammunition and shells. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken also arrived in Kyiv with an unannounced visit, he announced another $1 billion in US military aid.
The fifth meeting of allied countries that are helping Ukraine in the war with Russia took place at the Ramstein air base in Germany. Representatives of more than fifty countries discussed what they can do to improve Ukraine's defense and security. The US announced a long-term support strategy, NATO - a "winter package", Germany promised mine clearance training, Norway - 160 high-precision multi-purpose Hellfire missiles and night vision devices.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 197. Online updates.
Ukrainian troops in the southeast of Kharkiv Oblast are likely to use the redeployment of Russian forces to the south to conduct a very effective counterattack northwest of Izium. According to the analytical report of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), the Ukrainian forces advanced at least 20 km into the Russian-controlled territory in the east of the Kharkiv region.
At the same time, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports that the Russian army continues to focus on establishing full control over the territory of the Donetsk region, maintaining captured areas of Kherson, part of Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Mykolaiv regions. During the past day, the Russian army launched more than 10 missile attacks and 22 airstrikes on Ukraine.
On the afternoon of September 8, the Russian Federation shelled Kharkiv. Two people were killed and five were wounded. In total, eight civilians were injured in the past 24 hours in the Kharkiv region, including a child, 2. The Russian armed forces continue to shell civilian infrastructure and settlements of Mykolaiv oblast. Nikopol district of Dnipropetrovsk oblast was shelled four times with Grads and heavy artillery during the night of September 8.
Three bodies were found under the rubble of a house destroyed by Russian shelling on the morning of September 7.
The occupation administration of Luhansk oblast reported all but 8.5% of houses are ready for the heating season. However, the head of the Luhansk Oblast Military Administration Serhii Haidai stated that the invaders did not account for the destroyed Sievierodonetsk, Lysychansk, Kreminna, and Rubizhne. "There will be a disaster in the captured cities of Luhansk oblast: the houses are damaged, have no heating, windows, ceilings or walls, there’s no promised electricity and gas supply," he said.
A series of explosions on air bases in the temporarily occupied Crimea was caused by AFU's successful actions, according to a joint statement of Commander-in-Chief Zaluzhny and the First Deputy Chairman of the National Security and Defence Council Committee Zabrodsky.
As a part of the prisoner exchange, the Russian Federation handed over the body of the captured British volunteer Paul Ury to Ukraine. The body indicates a violent death. The Ukrainian and UK sides have already opened an investigation.
Ukraine's budget for 2023 allocates more than a trillion UAH for security and defence, said President Zelensky.
The Ministry of Defence postponed the mandatory military registration of women in Ukraine until October 1, 2023.
US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin announced another military aid package for Ukraine worth $675 million. The package will include 105mm howitzers, artillery ammunition, HARM missiles, Humvees, armoured ambulances, and AI systems. In total, the United States supplied 126 howitzers to Ukraine and allocated another 6.3 billion USD for security assistance.
Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ilze Brands Kehris told the UN Security Council that setting up filtration camps for the Ukrainian population has led to numerous violations of human rights, including the right to freedom, personal security, and privacy.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 196. Online updates.
The Russian army continues to focus its efforts on establishing full control over the territory of the Donetsk region, holding the temporarily captured districts of the Kherson region, part of the Kharkiv region, Zaporizhzhia region, and Mykolaiv region. According to the General Staff, during the day, the Russian army launched more than 7 missile and 25 air strikes on military and civilian objects on the territory of Ukraine.
On the night of September 7, the Russians again shelled Slovyansk in the Donetsk region, the head of the city administration, Vadym Lyakh, said. In the morning, the Russian army shelled Zmiiv in the Kharkiv region
On September 6, a child died as a result of Russian shelling in the Mykolaiv region. In total, since the beginning of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation in Ukraine, 383 children have been killed. This is reported by the Office of the General Prosecutor of Ukraine.
Over the past day, the Ukrainian aviation has carried out 27 strikes and destroyed the Russian ammunition depot. Almost 40 strongholds and places of accumulation of Russian military personnel and equipment were also hit, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported. Air defense units of Ukrainian forces destroyed a Su-25 aircraft, a Ka-52 helicopter, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and five Kh-101 cruise missiles.
"Radar and communication stations, bridge and pontoon crossings, 3 warehouses of ammunition and fuel and lubricants of different levels fell into the affected area - thereby significantly reducing the combat and logistical capabilities of the occupiers," the message reads.
Russia is buying millions of artillery shells and short- and medium-range missiles from North Korea, The New York Times reports, citing declassified US intelligence data. Similar information was given in an interview with CNN by an unnamed American official.
The Russians tried to put pressure on IAEA Director General Raphael Grossi when IAEA experts were preparing a report on the situation at the Zaporizhzhia NPP. This was stated by the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN, Serhiy Kyslytsia, at the meeting of the UN Security Council, which was once again initiated by Russia due to the shelling of the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant allegedly by the Ukrainian military. According to Kyslytsia, Russia is trying to use the tools of the UN Security Council to redirect the attention of the international community and divert it from the urgent need to demilitarize and de-occupy the Ukrainian nuclear power plant, which the Russians have turned into their military base.
According to the analysts of the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russian President Putin may try to force the IAEA and the international community to recognize the de facto right of Russia to participate in the operation of the ZANP, in order to achieve de facto recognition of Russia's occupation of southern Ukraine.
The President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, said that Russia has allegedly not started anything in terms of military operations, but is only trying to end them. He also accused the West of deception related to the grain agreement. He stated this during a speech at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum in Russia.
Our news at 22:52
The IAEA published a report on the results of the mission in the Zaporizhzhia NPP. According to experts, the situation in Ukraine is unprecedented. To prevent a nuclear accident due to physical damage caused by military means, the agency insists on the immediate creation of a nuclear safety zone. In addition, the agency reported that they have a specific and detailed technical plan for assistance in restoring the safety of Ukraine's nuclear facilities.
Russian troops launched at least 16 missile and air strikes on the territory of Ukraine. The Armed Forces shot down five cruise missiles and repelled Russian attacks near eight settlements — Dolyna, Soledar, Novobakhmutivka, Kodema, Zaitsevo, Avdiivka, Maryinka, and Liubomyrivka, the General Staff reports. Also, during the day, the Armed Forces destroyed the pontoon and ferry crossings of the Russian army, eight Russian ammunition warehouses, and struck six control points of the occupiers, in particular, the corps level.
More than 25,000 Russian soldiers have died in the war in Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, British Defense Minister Ben Wallace said. On the morning of September 6, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that the Armed Forces of Ukraine had already liquidated about 50,150 servicemen of the Russian Federation.
Another operation was held to transfer the bodies of fallen soldiers between Ukraine and Russia. Ukraine returned the bodies of another 25 of its defenders.
Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz refused to supply Kyiv with German Leopard-2 tanks for €1.55 billion, Welt reports with reference to Ukrainian government circles. Back on April 8, 2022, the Krauss-Maffei Wegmann company informed Kyiv that it was ready to deliver 100 Leopard-2 tanks to Ukraine, but it never received an export license from the German government.
Russia still receives record revenues from energy sales that far exceed its spending on the war against Ukraine. The European Union remains the largest buyer of Russian fuel. Spiegel writes about this with reference to research by the Finnish Centre for Energy and Clean Air Research. Russia's revenues from oil, gas and coal exports in the first six months of the full-scale war against Ukraine amounted to about 158 billion euros, far exceeding the costs of the invasion, which are estimated at 100 billion euros.
The European Commission has approved a proposal to completely suspend the visa facilitation agreement with Russia from September 12. According to the European Commissioner for Internal Affairs Ilva Johansson, being a tourist in the EU is not a fundamental right of Russians. According to her, the European Commission expects the EU Council to approve this decision within a week. In addition, the commission adopted a proposal on non-recognition of Russian passports issued in the occupied regions of Ukraine.
Ukraine has already fulfilled almost 70% of the Association Agreement with the EU, so it is waiting for the support of European politicians to start negotiations on EU membership as early as next year, said Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal.
According to the results of August, the international reserves of Ukraine increased by 13.6% and as of September 1, according to preliminary data, amounted to $25.436 billion, the press service of the National Bank of Ukraine reports.
About 7,000 restaurants and cafes have been closed in Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation. At the same time, more than 2,000 new establishments were opened. This was reported by the co-founder of the National Restaurant Association of Ukraine, Olha Nasonova.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 195. Online updates.
Russians fired 3 missiles, launched more than 35 airstrikes, and conducted about 50 MRLS attacks in the past 24 hours. On the night of September 5-6, Russian occupiers launched rocket attacks on civilian targets in Bakhmut and Kostiantynivka in Donbas. The situation there remains difficult. In the Luhansk region, the Russian military tried twice to storm the Bakhmut direction, where defenders of the Luhansk region hold the defence. A school was destroyed in the Donetsk region during the shelling of Kurakhove.
This morning, anti-aircraft Air Force units destroyed five out of the six X-101 cruise missiles fired from Russian Tu-95MS from the Caspian Sea into Southern and Eastern Ukraine—Air Force Command.
An Air Force anti-aircraft unit also destroyed a Russian Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopter on September 6.
Yesterday the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed a warehouse with Russian S-300 missiles that were used for attacks on Kharkiv. The President of Ukraine announced that Ukrainian troops are conducting multiple counterattacks, not only in the Kherson direction.
This morning, Russian troops attacked Kryvyi Rih with a missile and set an oil depot on fire, according to the head of the Dnipropetrovsk regional military administration Valentyn Reznichenko. Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions were also attacked, and Sumy suffered mortar and artillery shelling.
The Russian army is losing drones and trying to save UAV stocks, given the lack of components due to international sanctions. The limited availability of reconnaissance UAVs probably worsens the tactical awareness of commanders and increasingly interferes with Russian operations, according to the UK MoD.
As of the morning of September 6, the total combat losses of Russia since the beginning of the full-scale offensive against Ukraine on February 24 reached 50,150 personnel. According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Russians lost about 350 servicemen in the past day.
On September 5, after Russian troops shelled around Zaporizhzhia NPP and caused a fire, the last 330 kV power line linking Zaporizhzhia nuclear and thermal power plants was disconnected from the Ukrainian power system. The sixth power unit was unloaded and disconnected.
As shelling intensifies in the temporarily occupied Enerhodar and the situation around the Zaporizhzhia NPP remains tense, the Russian Federation should provide a humanitarian corridor to evacuate the residents, stated Minister of Reintegration Iryna Vereshchuk.
Our news at 20:53
During the day, Russian militaries carried out more than 40 attacks from MRLS and more than 25 airstrikes on the territory of Ukraine. The Armed Forces repelled attacks near 9 settlements, and also knocked the Russians out of their positions in the Kramatorsk direction. The Ukrainian aviation carried out 15 strikes on the positions of the Russian troops, the General Staff reports. In the Kherson region, the Armed Forces of Ukraine struck a pontoon crossing, which was set by Russian militaries near the bridge over the lock of the Kakhovska HPP. They also destroyed two ammunition warehouses in the Kherson district. Russians turned off the Kakhovska HPP, which caused the blackout of part of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
In the temporarily occupied Luhansk region, during several days, the Ukrainian army destroyed about 400 Russian soldiers and 100 units of Russian vehicles near Kreminna, the head of the Luhansk regional military administration Serhii Haidai said. "We have some positive news regarding the situation on the left bank of the Siversky Donets — this is the Izium direction. For the Luhansk region, these are the "first signs" of future good news that may relate to the process of deoccupation of our region," Haidai said.
The adviser to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Mykhailo Podoliak, called on the residents of the temporarily occupied territories, as well as the occupied Crimea, to prepare for the deoccupation and follow the recommendations — to set up shelters, stock up on water and charge power banks.
The Verkhovna Rada's Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence supported the draft law proposing to make military registration for women voluntary. According to the order of the Ministry of Defense, starting from October 1, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is obliged to register women for military registration according to a new list of specialties and professions related to military registration.
The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held telephone talks with French President Emmanuel Macron. The Elysée Palace issued a statement following the conversation: the French president reminded of the urgent need to restore security and preserve nuclear facilities, which can only be achieved through the withdrawal of Russian troops.
As part of the Eighth meeting of the Association Council between Ukraine and the EU in Brussels, Ukraine and the EU signed five agreements that bring Ukraine closer to joining the European Union and contribute to the stability of the Ukrainian state in the war against the Russian Federation. It is about the "Digital Europe" program, cooperation in the customs and tax spheres, the provision of budgetary support to Ukraine for €500 million, and the agreement thanks to which the European Commission increases the budget for grants for Ukraine by €122 million.
More than 1,100 Hasidim arrived in Cherkasy to celebrate the Jewish New Year Rosh Hashanah. The head of the Cherkasy Regional Military Administration, Ihor Taburets, noted that the local authorities are introducing additional restrictions for pilgrims within the curfew, due to the fact that a crowd of people can become a target for rocket attacks and terrorist threats.
The Ukrainian Oscar Committee announced that one more film from Ukraine will be included in the list of candidates for the "Oscar" award — the film "Sniper. The White Crow" by director Maryan Bushan. The film is based on the real story of an eco-settler and teacher from Horlivka, who enrolled in a volunteer battalion after the occupation of his hometown in 2014 and became a sniper.
Electricity manufacturers received UAH 1.25 billion from Ukrenerho to prepare for winter. This money can be used to repair power units and other equipment. Thermal power plants will be able to additionally purchase coal and gas for the winter.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 194. Online updates.
Ukrainian troops liberated one settlement in the Donetsk region and two more in the south of Ukraine, and moved forward in Donbas towards Lysychansk-Siversk, announced President Zelensky in his evening address.
Russians shelled the Nikopol district of the Dnipropetrovsk region twice during the night. Sumy and Chernihiv oblasts were attacked as well. The invaders shelled Mykolaiv once again overnight. In the evening, Russians hit a district in Kharkiv with a C-300 missile. Three people were injured. The shell fell on the ground damaging a residential building.
Shelling continues in Donbas. The invaders carried out five mortar attacks and six artillery shellings of Ukrainian positions and adjacent settlements overnight. Twice, the Russian military tried to break through the defence. All the attacks were repelled. Three people were killed in the shelling in Donetsk oblast.
The offensive in Donbas will remain the main priority of the Russian troops in Ukraine, despite the latest Ukrainian offensive actions, believes the UK Department of Defence with reference to British intelligence. According to the experts, the main directions of the Russian offensive in Donbas remain in Avdiivka near Donetsk and 60 km north of Bakhmut.
In total, in the past 24 hours, the Russian Federation has fired 25 missiles and launched more than 22 airstrikes on military and civilian objects—Ukrainian General Staff.
Since the beginning of the full-scale war, Russia has deported more than 7,000 children from Ukraine. Only 51 minors have managed to be returned so far, human rights commissioner Dmytro Lubinets said in an interview with Voice of America.
Four out of the six IAEA inspection team members completed their work at the Zaporizhzhia NPP and left it, according to Energoatom. It is expected that two experts will continue to work at the NPP permanently.
The Ukrainian company added that the plant continues to operate at the risk of violation of radiation and fire safety standards. Power unit no.5 is disconnected from the power grid due to Russian shelling since September 5.
Before the 8th meeting of the Ukraine-EU Association council, the EU High Representative Josep Borrell published a joint video address with the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal on Twitter. “Ukraine is Europe, and Europe is your home. We reaffirm our support for Ukraine and its European path,” said Borrel.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 193. Online updates.
During the day, the troops of the Russian Federation carried out more than 10 missile attacks and 24 airstrikes on the territory of Ukraine. They hit military and civilian objects, says the morning summary of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Russian armed formations do not stop trying to attack Ukrainian positions in the Donetsk region, in particular, in the Bakhmut and Avdiivka directions. At the same time, the Russian Federation is trying to compensate the lack of military personnel by calling for volunteer railway employees to join the army.
At night, the Russians shelled the entire border with the Sumy region, attacked a community in the Chernihiv region and shelled the Nikopol district in the Dnipropetrovsk region three times. In addition, air defense forces destroyed a Russian missile in the Kryvyi Rih region.
Kharkiv and the districts of the region were also attacked. One person died, two were injured.
Around 02:30, Mykolaiv came under massive rocket fire, initially from the S-300. Three medical institutions, two educational institutions, a hotel and a museum were significantly damaged.
In Chernihiv, during a charity fair where there was an exhibition of military equipment, a grenade launcher went off, as a result of which six children were injured. The SBI has already started an investigation.
The IAEA reported another shutdown of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. "Enerhoatom" reported that this happened as a result of "continuous shelling by the Russian occupation forces."
The occupying forces of the Russian Federation stopped letting humanitarian cargoes in, including vital medicines, in the temporarily occupied territory of the Zaporizhzhia region. Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov told this on a national telethon on September 4.
The United States does not see Putin's readiness to end the war against Ukraine right now, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.
Since the beginning of Russia's attack on Ukraine, almost 6 million Ukrainian citizens have already crossed the Polish border. This is reported by the Border Service of Poland.
As of the morning of September 4, at least 1,120 children were injured in Ukraine as a result of the full-scale armed aggression of the Russian Federation. This was reported in the Prosecutor General's Office. According to the official information of juvenile prosecutors, 382 children died and at least 740 were injured of varying degrees of severity.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 192. Online updates.
The Ukrainian military repelled the attacks of the Kadyrovets’ in the Bakhmut direction, and also struck Russian military warehouses in the temporarily occupied Energodar and Kherson.
Russian troops fired from the "Grad" MRL at Nikopol and Marganets in the Dnipropetrovsk region. They also fired 5 rockets over the region, but they were shot down by Ukrainian air defense forces. In Kharkiv, the Russians fired a rocket near a school.
There were also rocket attacks in Donetsk region. In the Kherson region, the Russian military continues shelling not only the occupied, but also the liberated territories of the Armed Forces.
S President Joseph Biden will address the Congress with a request for emergency funding for Ukraine in the amount of 11.7 billion dollars, which will be directed to military aid and budgetary support of the state.
Gas transportation in the "North Stream" gas pipeline has been completely stopped. The official reason is malfunctions that prevent safe operation of the gas turbine engine. At the same time, the European Commission believes that Russia is reporting false information about the pipeline damage.
In Kalush, in the Ivano-Frankivsk region, students of the youth organization "Union of Ukrainian Youth in Ukraine" purchased a Starlink user terminal. 11-year-old children sold lemonade on the streets of the city. The communication system will be handed over to the Special Operations Forces unit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Russia has submitted a request for US visas for 56 members of the Russian delegation headed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who are going to participate in the annual meeting of world leaders at the UN General Assembly on September 20. The US has not yet issued any visas.
The last burial of 13 Ukrainians, who were killed by the Russians during the occupation of the city in March and February, took place at the cemetery in the city of Bucha, Kyiv region. Some of the dead have not yet been identified. In general, according to the city council, about 1,100 people died in the Buchansk district due to the actions of the occupiers, including 12 children and young people under the age of 21. The figures are imprecise, because the bodies are still being exhumed, and for most of the buried, investigation is establishing the causes of death.
Our news at 21:27
Another exchange of prisoners of war between Ukraine and Russia took place in the Donetsk region. Fourteen Ukrainian defenders returned home. Ten soldiers from the 58th and four from the 30th Independent Motorized Infantry Brigade were released from captivity. They were captured in the spring of 2022.
A permanent mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency will function at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant stated IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi after he visited the NPP. According to him, the mission's work has just started, the agency's experts had the opportunity to go around the entire site of the power plant, and the Ukrainian employees of the Zaporizhzhia NPP are in serious emotional and psychological distress, but thanks to professionalism they "carry on with all the responsibilities entrusted to them perfectly".
Russian armed forces have redeployed some of their equipment and forces in the temporarily occupied southern regions of Ukraine in connection with the IAEA visit to the NPP, as well as due to Ukrainian well-targeted strikes — AFU General Staff. The Ukrainian military repelled Russian attacks near Husarivka, Kharkiv region, and in Bakhmut and Avdiivka directions, Donetsk region.
The European Union is preparing a new funding package of 5 billion euros for Ukraine. The European Commission will offer a loan package next week, writes Bloomberg with reference to EU diplomats familiar with the plan. This money is part of a larger aid package, worth EUR 9 billion, promised by Europe last May.
Since August 1, Ukraine has sent 1.72 million tons of agricultural products from Odesa, Chornomorsk, and Pivdenny ports — press service of the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine. In total, 68 ships bound for 18 countries left the unblocked ports during August.
Ukraine imposes five years sanctions on teachers from the occupied territories cooperating with the invading authorities. Educational institutions that disseminate the occupants’ so-called "educational standards" will also be sanctioned. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Reintegration. National Security Council will define how the sanctions will be implemented.
Ukraine and the United Kingdom are developing a project to better distribute the Ukrainian television and radio signal in the temporarily occupied territories, said the Minister of Culture and Information Policy Oleksandr Tkachenko.
The National Police seized the property of eight Russian and two Belarusian enterprises, namely 390 railway cars worth about 400 million UAH.
56% of educational institutions in Ukraine are ready for full-time in-person studies, said the Minister of Education and Science Serhii Shkarlet. Most of them are in Kyiv, Lviv, Zakarpattia, Chernivtsi, and Kirovohrad regions.
As of the beginning of September, 48% of Russian citizens support the continuation of hostilities in Ukraine, while 44% believe that it is necessary to return to peaceful negotiations according to the Russian Levada-Center survey results. At the same time, the war is supported mainly by the older people: 40-54 years (53%) and 55+ years old. Respondents between 18 to 24 years predominantly (54%) believe that it is worth initiating peaceful negotiations.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 191. Online updates.
A permanent mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency will function at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, stated IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi after his visit to the NPP. According to him, the mission’s work has just started. Agency experts had the opportunity to go around the entire site of the power plant. “I went inside the blocks, I had the opportunity to see emergency systems, diesel generators, other elements,” said Grossi, “It is obvious that the plant and its physical integrity have been violated several times, accidentally or intentionally—we do not have the necessary elements to evaluate it”. The mission will be at the station for a long time.
A plant employee told Suspilne on September 1 that IAEA inspectors did not have private conversations with Zaporizhzhia NPP staff and moved around the station with Russian military and Rosatom employees. The Russians led the inspectors along their route, showed "maps of attacks" and tried to convince them that the station was allegedly being shelled by the Ukrainian military.
Today's UK intelligence report states that fierce fighting continues in southern Ukraine, specifically in the Enerhodar district near the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP.
During the night, Russians launched rocket attacks on Kharkiv and Donbas, destroying a kindergarten in Sloviansk. Four people were killed in the Donetsk region in the past day, and ten more were injured. The Russian army also shelled Mykolayiv oblast. Explosions were heard in Kherson all night and during the day according to the military and civil administrations report. Nikopol district in the Dnipropetrovsk region suffered shelling as well: a man, 56, was wounded.
In the past day, southern defence forces destroyed five ammunition depots in Beryslav, Kherson and Bashtansky districts and the ferry crossing near Kozatske in Kherson—OC South.
On September 1, Russia started military exercises Vostok-22. The UK intelligence believes that the war in Ukraine showed that the previous training of the Russian troops proved ineffective and aimed to make an impression. Russia publicly stated that 50,000 military personnel will take part in the exercise, but it is unlikely that more than 15,000 servicemen will be actively involved this year.
Russian President Vladimir Putin extended the deadline for Russian troops to seize the Donetsk region from August 31 to September 15 states the Institute for the Study of War. ISW analysts refer to the words of Deputy Chief of the Main Operational Directorate of Ukraine Oleksii Hromov, who said that Russian forces are regrouping units of the Central Military District to increase the number of troops operating in Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts.
The High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine confiscated the Ukrainian assets of the Russian oligarch Yevtushenkov, particularly 17 real estate objects and his shares in several Ukrainian companies. This is the first court verdict on assets of Russian origin.
Ukrposhta started selling charity stamps with the dog Patron raising a million EUR for a demining machine. The proceeds will also be donated to animal shelters.
Our news at 21:14
The International Atomic Energy Agency mission aiming to study the situation at the Zaporizhzhia NPP arrived in temporarily occupied Energodar, where the plant is located. Ukraine cannot ensure the UN inspectors' safety at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, reports CNN with reference to Minister of Energy of Ukraine Herman Halushchenko. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has been advised that safety is "your personal responsibility". According to Halushchenko, Grossi "confidently accepted the risk".
Russia is trying to seize the Donetsk region, however, their attacks in Sloviansk, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Novopavlivka directions were repelled by Ukrainian forces during the day — General Staff. Deputy Head of the Main Operational Department Oleksii Hromov said that Russian troops received an order from Vladimir Putin to reach the administrative boundaries of Donetsk Oblast by September 15.
Vladimir Putin announced this new goal of the so-called "special operation" in Ukraine during an open school lesson in Kaliningrad. According to the Russian president, an anti-Russian enclave is allegedly being created in Ukraine and "the special military operation aims to eliminate it". Mykhailo Podoliak, Advisor to the Head of the Ukrainian President's Office, responded that Russian leaders change their goals as they please. Previously, Russia called the United States' dominance in the world the reason for the war in Ukraine. Before that, the goal was to "prevent the threat of a Third World War". This includes the "rescue" of the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk "people's republics".
As of September 1, Ukraine managed to export about one and a half million tons of grain via the grain corridor. 60 ships carrying Ukrainian grain, rape seeds, sunflower seeds and other products left from three Black Sea ports to Africa and the EU. This was reported by the Ambassador for Special Assignments at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Olha Trofimtseva.
The International Committee of the Red Cross only managed to visit a few hundred prisoners of war on both sides. ICRC has no access to thousands of other prisoners, stated its Director-General Robert Mardini. He added that the ICRC has fruitful negotiations with the Russian side regarding access to the injured prisoners of war in Olenivka: "Unfortunately, we have not received access yet, but we are trying to get it, it is an absolute priority for us".
A Human Rights Watch report released on September 1 describes how Russian and Russian-affiliated forces forcibly relocate Ukrainian civilians, including those who try to evacuate, to the Russian Federation or occupied Ukrainian territories. This violates the laws of war.
The Finnish Ministry of Defence has officially announced a new military assistance package for Ukraine. The nature and details of military assistance are not disclosed. According to The Guardian, Finland will allocate 8.3 million euros to Ukraine, and the total amount of financial aid will reach 92.3 million euros.
Minister of Environmental Protection Ruslan Strilets announced that Ukraine's environment suffered losses of about one trillion UAH due to Russia's military invasion.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 190. Online updates.
Mortar shelling is going on in Enerhodar, the city neighbouring the Zaporizhzhia NPP, since 5 a.m. Some people were injured according to the preliminary information, and civil infrastructure has been hit as well, said Mayor Orlov. The shells hit the NPP site where emergency protection was triggered and the 5th unit was disconnected from the power, reported Energoatom. According to the General Directorate of Intelligence, Enerhodar was attacked by a group of Russian K-52 assail helicopters.
The shelling continued in the morning along the pre-agreed route of the IAEA mission from Zaporizhzhia to the nuclear power plant. Initially, the group could not proceed "for security reasons", reported the head of the Zaporizhzhia military administration Starukh. Ukraine demands that the Russian Federation "stops provocations". Later, despite the danger, IAEA representatives continued their way to Enerhodar. IAEA head Rafael Grossi said that even with "increased military activity in the area", the mission will go on.
The Ukrainian military destroyed a pontoon crossing in Dariivka, Kherson region, set up by the Russian military to supply equipment and ammunition—operational command South.
Five people were killed in Donetsk oblast in the past 24 hours, and another 12 were injured, reported the head of the regional administration Kyrylenko. The shelling continued in Chernihiv Oblast: three communities suffered mortar fire on August 31. Dnipropetrovsk region was attacked with Grad MLRS.
Russian army continues to shell the Mykolaiv region. Kharkiv was attacked with rockets during the night, however, not all the missiles fired from Belgorod reached the city. Odesa was attacked with two Oniks missiles on the night of September 1. According to the operational command South, the rockets were fired from the temporarily occupied Crimea. One of them was shot down by ASW, and the other hit an open area. No one was hurt.
U.S. intelligence believes that Russia faced a "serious shortage" of the military in Ukraine. They are likely to start recruiting convicts, according to Associated Press and CNN.
The United States received an arrest warrant for a Boeing 737-7EM aircraft belonging to Lukoil, a Russian transnational oil and gas corporation. Its value is approximately $45 million.
Our news at 21:15
The International Atomic Energy Agency mission arrived in Zaporizhzhia. IAEA director Rafael Grossi stressed that the mission to the Zaporizhzhia NPP will last at least several days and may be extended if possible. He stated that the IAEA mission's visit is fully coordinated with the Ukrainian side.
The Russian armed forces tried to attack Ukrainian positions in Kharkiv and Donetsk oblasts: in Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Novopavlivka directions, however, the Ukrainian military repelled all the attacks — the General Staff. In Kherson Oblast, the Armed Forces of Ukraine keep the Kakhovsky and Antonovsky automobile bridges under fire control. The bridges are used to transport Russian equipment and ammunition for the defence of the region's captured territories.
Sweden will hand over another package of military aid to Ukraine, including artillery ammunition worth half a million SEK, announced Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde, and noted that this package won't be the last. In particular, the Swedish government is considering transferring artillery and ASW systems to Ukraine.
Russian armed groups participating in the war in Ukraine may face a shortage of artillery ammunition, guided missiles, and other types of weapons by the end of the year, writes Russian The Insider. The media notes that there is a steady perception of huge artillery stockpiles that Russia inherited from the USSR. However, in reality, Soviet artillery shells have a limited shelf life: the Russian army already faced a shortage of the main 122-mm and 152-mm calibre ammunition in the summer of 2002, during the second Chechen campaign.
More than 130 people who openly oppose the war, support Ukraine and resist Russia have been illegally detained in Crimea since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This was reported by Tamil Tasheva, the permanent representative of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
The European Union has suspended the visa agreement that facilitates issuing Schengen visas to Russians. However, this is not a total visa ban since the countries cannot agree on the latter, said EU High Representative Josep Borrell.
Ukraine has already accumulated 13 billion cubic meters of gas. Approximately 14.4 billion will be stockpiled by October 15, according to the forecast. It is possible to get through a moderate winter with such supplies as gas consumption has significantly decreased, said CEO of Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine Serhii Makohon.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 189. Online updates.
The IAEA mission led by its head Rafael Grossi left Kyiv for Zaporizhzhia NPP in the morning, reported Energoatom. The mission will spend several days at the nuclear power plant. "We have a very important task to perform there, to assess the real situation and stabilise it as much as we can. I am very aware of the relevance of this point," said IAEA Director Rafael Grossi during a press conference in Kyiv. He announced that IAEA is planning to establish a permanent representation at the Zaporizhzhia NPP.
The Russian army is shelling Enerhodar before the mission arrives at the NPP to accuse the Ukrainian military of shelling the city from Nikopol's side, reported the head of the Nikopol district administration Yevtushenko. The Mayor of Enerhodar Orlov published a photo of the damaged City Council building.
During the night, Russian troops shelled Kramatorsk, Sloviansk, Chasiv Yar, and Kurakhove in Donetsk Oblast. Nikopol district (Dnipropetrovsk region) suffered four artillery attacks: one woman was injured. Two people were injured during the night shelling of the Kharkiv city centre.
Ukrainian troops managed to push the front line during the counter-offensive in the south and now Russia will likely try to close the gaps in its defence line, reports the UK intelligence.
Russian Gazprom suspended Nord Stream gas pumping for scheduled preventive maintenance. The gas supply is to be restored on September 3.
The EU is discussing a ban on issuing Schengen visas to Russians. At the same time, the Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell believes that this idea is unlikely to have the necessary unanimity. The Kremlin is already threatening with a response, but they don't know what would it entail.
Our news at 21:58
Russian troops are trying to establish full control over the territory of Donetsk region, to hold captured areas of Kherson, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia and Mykolaiv regions. Also, Russia is strengthening the grouping of troops in the Donetsk direction and is continuing to move parts of the 3rd Army Corps to the temporarily occupied territories of the Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv regions, the General Staff reports.
A team of 14 UN nuclear service experts arrived in Kyiv ahead of a planned visit to the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The mission is headed by the head of the IAEA, Raphael Grossi. According to the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Oleg Nikolenko, the mission is expected to start work at the ZNPP in the coming days and will focus on three tasks: physical protection of the plant, nuclear safety, guarantees of non-proliferation of nuclear materials.
The European Union will send 5.5 million tablets of potassium iodide to Ukraine to protect Ukrainians from possible radiation exposure. This is stated in the statement of the European Commission.
The Russian army attacked at least ten wooden HIMARS dummies with expensive Kalibr missiles. This is reported by the American publication The Washington Post with reference to anonymous Ukrainian and American high-ranking officials. As the publication writes, the Armed Forces of Ukraine use wooden dummies of the HIMARS multiple-launch rocket systems to force the Russians to spend expensive cruise missiles on the wrong targets. It is noted that Russian reconnaissance drones are not able to recognize a fake target.
Ukraine is negotiating with some countries of the European Union about the location of the international tribunal regarding the top military leadership of Russia. Andriy Smirnov, deputy head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, announced this.
All the countries of the European Union are united in the issue of providing assistance to Ukraine in the war with Russia, and in the summer the pace of military aid to the Armed Forces increased. This was stated by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, after the meeting of foreign ministers in Prague. The official also reminded that the European Peace Fund, from which five tranches of military aid were allocated to Ukraine, amounts to 5.7 billion euros, and the EU is far from "exhausting it", and that the war in Ukraine requires the training of new soldiers and training military infrastructure.
For the first time since February, a ship with Ukrainian grain arrived in Africa. This was announced by the director of the UN World Food Program, David Beasley. A ship with grain docked at the port of Djibouti, it will be unloaded, and then the ship will go to Ethiopia, Beasley explained. Also, on August 30, six ships left the ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk, and Pivdenny at once. Among them is the KATERIA vessel chartered by the UN World Food Program to help the population of Yemen. This was reported by the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine.
According to safety indicators, more than 51% of educational institutions of Ukraine are ready for the beginning of the educational process in full-time education. This was reported by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.
The Cabinet of Ministers introduced personal sanctions against the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, and seven more of its representatives. The Government adopted the relevant order at a meeting on August 30.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 188. Online updates.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine launched offensive operations in various directions, in particular in the Kherson region, and also broke through the first defense line of the occupiers. President Zelenskyi called on the occupiers to go home.
Over the past day, the Armed Forces of Ukraine hit 13 command centres of the Russian army in the Kherson, Beryslav and Kakhovka districts. A ferriage that Russian militaries were building across the Dnipro, and three ammunition depots were destroyed in Beryslav, Vysokopillia, and Antonivka.
After the announcement by the Armed Forces of Ukraine about the start of the offensive to the south, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation stated that "the Ukrainian counteroffensive was limited and unsuccessful" - with such disparaging statements, the Kremlin seeks to "support the facade of its great military successes in Ukraine", according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
British intelligence, referred to by the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain, states that it is still impossible to confirm the scale of Ukrainian achievements during the advance of Ukrainian troops in the south.
On August 29, the Russian army attacked Mykolaiv with two rockets. It is known about at least 24 wounded and 2 dead.
Around 10:00 a.m. on August 30, explosions rang out in Kharkiv — according to reports, eight strikes were recorded in the city centre, mayor Terekhov confirmed. There is destruction, a fire broke out in one of the recreation areas. According to preliminary information of the RMA, at least 5 people were killed and four others were injured.
At night, the Russian army launched a rocket attack on Zaporizhzhia, and the Chernihiv region was shelled with artillery. In the Dnipropetrovsk region, Russians shelled three districts. Powerful explosions continued all day and all night in the Kherson region, heavy fighting is taking place in the region. During August 29, Russian occupiers shelled populated areas of the Donetsk region for 26 times. Most of the shells were fired at Avdiivka, Bakhmut and Slovyansk.
The fifth meeting of the Contact Group on the Defense of Ukraine with Pentagon member Lloyd Austin, defense ministers and high-ranking officials of a number of countries will be held at the Ramstein Air Base on September 8.
Sweden will provide Ukraine with $50 million for defense, and Norway will help with the heating season.
On the eve of the meeting of the ministers of foreign affairs and defense of EU countries in Prague, Germany and France wrote a letter in which they suggest not to completely ban entry for Russian citizens, – Politico said. The ministers are expected to simply reach a political agreement to slow down the Russian visa process and make it more expensive.
The IAEA mission arrived in Kyiv — CNN journalists saw members of the delegation in Kyiv in the morning. Soon, a mission of 14 international experts, led by IAEA Director General Grossi, is to go to the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 187. Online updates.
On August 28, in the evening, the Russians shelled the Rivne region. Strikes were made on the object of military infrastructure. In the Dnipropetrovsk region: the Russian army shelled three districts — Nikopol, Synelnikiv, and Dnipro. Due to shelling of Nikopol, one person died, five were injured. On the evening of August 28, the Russian military attacked the industrial infrastructure of Mykolaiv with the Uragan surface-to-air missile. The Kharkiv region was repeatedly attacked: in particular, on the evening of August 28, the center of Kharkiv was shelled, and in the morning, the Kyiv district was shelled, presumably with cluster shells. One person is injured.
Fighting continues in Donbas. The Russian army tried unsuccessfully to advance in several directions, reports the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. A rocket attack and artillery shelling were recorded in Luhansk region. In the Donetsk region, 8 civilians were killed and 7 more were wounded due to shelling.
EU foreign ministers plan to support the idea of canceling the visa facilitation agreement with Russia. A decision may be made this week.
The Prosecutor General's Office reported that since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as of August 29, Ukrainian law enforcement officers have registered 44,938 crimes committed by the Russian Federation.
The Director General of the IAEA, Raphael Grossi, said that the mission to the Zaporizhzhia NPP is already on its way. Grossi announced this on Twitter. He also said that he personally led the mission.
As of August 29, Zaporizhzhia NPP operates with the risk of violating radiation and fire safety standards. The company "Energoatom" reported that during the last day, the Russian military continued to shell Energodar and the site of the ZNPP. As a result of this, 10 peaceful residents of Energodar received injuries of varying degrees of severity, four of them were employees of the nuclear plant. "The occupiers, preparing for the arrival of the IAEA mission, increased the pressure on the personnel of the ZNPP to prevent them from disclosing evidence of the occupiers' crimes at the plant and its use as a military base," the state-owned enterprise added.
According to independent Russian media reports, due to the problems Russia is facing in its war against Ukraine, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has now been removed from the Russian leadership. Operational commanders inform President Putin directly about the progress of the war. This was announced by the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain with reference to the data of British intelligence.
Sunday evening news
The Ukrainian military repelled the attempts of the Russian armed formations to attack in the Kharkiv region - near Svitlychny, and in the Donetsk region - in the Slovyansk, Avdiivsk and Novopavlovsk directions, the General Staff reports. In the Kherson region, the Armed Forces of Ukraine struck the control points of the Russian army — in Kherson, Darivka, and Nova Kakhovka. Ammunition, 3 armored cars, an MSTA-S self-propelled artillery installation and 11 Russian soldiers were destroyed.
Russian propagandist and mercenary Ihor Mangushev staged a public stand-up performance, taking with him to the stage a skull that, according to him, belongs to a Ukrainian soldier from "Azovstal". Dmytro Lubinets, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, said that despite the speech arranged by the Russian, Ukrainians should control their emotions and continue to document the crimes of the Russian Federation. He also reminded that the bodies of those killed in war should be treated with respect and dignity.
Poland and the Czech Republic will protect Slovakia's airspace as it decommissions its MiG-29 fighter jets, and Ukraine may receive these aircraft.
This was reported to the Ministry of Defense of Slovakia. The agreement on patrolling the airspace of Slovakia will enter into force on September 1.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's decree to increase the size of the army is unlikely to increase the combat power of the Russian Federation in the war against Ukraine, since Russia has already lost many soldiers, and there are very few willing to go on a contract. This was reported by the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain. Earlier, on August 25, Vladimir Putin signed a decree to increase the size of the Russian army by 137,000 people. The decree enters into force on January 1, 2023.
In the temporarily occupied territory of the Kherson region, Russian military personnel will live in schools, where the educational process will take place at the same time, in order to avoid shelling by the Armed Forces. Deputy director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Serhiy Danilov, announced this.
200,000 tons of grain of the new harvest, collected in the fields of the occupied Luhansk region, were exported to Russia. This was reported by Lyubov Bezkorovaina, deputy director of the Department of Agro-Industrial Development of the Luhansk Regional State Administration.
EU foreign ministers plan to support the idea of terminating the visa facilitation agreement with Russia, the Financial Times reports citing its own sources among European officials. As a first step, ministers plan to provide political support for suspending the deal at a two-day meeting in Prague scheduled for August 30
Ukraine informed the IAEA about renewed shelling at the site of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in recent days. On August 25-27, shelling took place at the ZNPP. Hits were recorded in the special housings of the station, located 100 meters from the reactor housings. Some water pipes were also damaged, but they were repaired. The head of the IAEA, Raphael Grossi, said that he continues consultations with all parties with the aim of organizing an IAEA expert mission to the ZNPP in the next few days. At the same time, Energoatom reported that the radiation cloud in the event of a severe accident at the Zaporizhia NPP will cover part of southern Ukraine and southwestern regions of Russia.
Almost 45,000 crimes related to the military invasion of the Russian Federation have been registered in Ukraine. This is reported by the Prosecutor General's Office.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 186. Online updates.
The Armed Forces forced the Russian troops to retreat in the Kharkiv, Slavyansk, Kramatorsk, Bakhmut, Avdiiv and Novopavlovsk directions.
Over the last day, the Russians suffered the biggest losses in a day in the Donetsk direction. In particular, the Russian army lost about 250 soldiers per day, the total number of Russian personnel losses reached 46,750 soldiers. Also, during the day, the Russian Federation lost six tanks and armored vehicles, five artillery systems and several drones.
At night, the Russians shelled Zaporizhzhia, attacks were also recorded in the suburbs of Melitopol. Also, a Russian missile hit near a children's camp in Kharkiv Oblast. The area of the Kramatorsk railway station and the center of Sloviansk came under Russian shelling: there were no casualties or injuries.
On August 28, another 6 ships with Ukrainian grain left the ports of Odesa region. Currently, other bulk carriers continue to be loaded in the ports of Greater Odesa. The process is coordinated by the Joint Coordination Center. It includes representatives of the UN, Turkey, Ukraine and Russia.
Russia blocked the UN declaration on nuclear weapons because of the mention of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The IAEA has already formed a mission that will visit the Zaporizhzhia NPP — it will be headed by the head of the agency, Raphael Grossi. The visit is expected next week, according to The New York Times.
Experts from 13 different countries will join the mission. Among them there will be no representatives of the USA and Great Britain, because Russia considers them biased towards Ukraine.
Ukrainian intelligence claims that the Russian Federation has 45% of the missiles it had before the war.
The US began to use more sea transportation to deliver weapons to Ukraine. The Pentagon expanded the use of sea transportation for the delivery of weapons to Ukraine. At the beginning of the war, aviation was used for this purpose, then with the increase in the supply of heavy military equipment and artillery, which requires a large amount of ammunition, preference is given to the sea route.
Ukraine successfully uses the method of resistance warfare developed in the USA. According to CNN, it is about the "Operational Concept of Resistance" (Resistance Operating Concept/ROC). The concept of resistance was developed in 2013 after Russia's war with Georgia. The approach is guided not only by the Ukrainian military, but also by the civilian population of the country as part of the concerted resistance to the Russian army. The doctrine of resistance involves violent actions, including the use of Molotov cocktails, deliberate arson, and the addition of chemicals to gas tanks to sabotage enemy vehicles, and calls for an extensive messaging campaign to prevent the spread of hostile messages and maintain population unity.
On August 28, a 430-meter-long flag of Ukraine was unfurled in Kyiv. The flag was unfurled across the Park Pedestrian Bridge to Trukhaniv Island, the correspondent of Suspilne reports.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 185. Online updates.
Russia shelled 7 regions. On the night and morning of August 27, there were loud explosions in Zaporizhzhia. In the Dnipropetrovsk region, the Russian military shelled the Nikopol district seven times and Kryvorizky district three times during the night. Kharkiv region: the city center and several other districts of the city and region were shelled at night. Mykolaiv and Kherson regions were shelled.
Serhii Gaidai, the head of the Luhansk region, said that Russia has increased its firepower, but it has no operational success at the front. According to him, on the night of August 27, the Russians launched 23 artillery barrages, in particular, they used MLRS. Three tank offensives were carried out, and four missile strikes were carried out.
Over the past five days, the intensity of Russian assaults in the Donetsk direction has also increased. British intelligence suggests that Russia has stepped up attacks in Donbas to draw additional units of the Armed Forces there amid reports of Ukraine's plans for a counteroffensive.
On August 26, in the temporarily occupied village of Kamianka in the Zaporizhzhia region, the Russian military fired at residential buildings for the purpose of provocation. So far, five dead are known, among them two children.
The representative of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Vadym Skibitsky, said that the territory of Belarus poses a threat to Ukraine, and this is primarily a threat of missile strikes both from the air and from the ground. One division of the "Iskander" missile complex, which carries out missile launches, three divisions of C-400 and S-300 are located on the territory of Belarus, he said. Tu-22M3 bombers, which can carry cruise missiles, threaten the country's airspace.
In connection with hostilities, the Ukrainian government plans to evacuate the population from part of Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Mykolaiv regions. At the same time, the evacuees are promised monetary assistance.
In the evening of August 26, the second power unit of Zaporizhzhia NPP was connected to the grid, reports Energoatom. In the meantime, Ukraine has purchased the necessary drugs to protect the thyroid gland in the event of an accident at the ZNPP in order to deliver it to medical facilities in time, taking into account where the radioactive dust will spread in the event of an accident at the ZNPP.
The head of the IAEA hopes for the admission of the mission to the ZNPP in the coming days. According to The Wall Street Journal, the visit may take place on August 29. Ukraine told the agency that the ZANP has permanent access to off-site power for cooling and security, and that one reactor unit has been reconnected to the national grid.
Amnesty International commented on the plans of the Russian Federation regarding the so-called "trial" of the fighters of the "Azov" regiment. Human rights defenders emphasized that Russian mock trials of prisoners of war in Mariupol are illegal and "a mockery of justice."
The Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine reported that 44 vessels transported a million tons of agricultural products from the ports of Odesa region in almost a month through the "grain corridor".
The US Ministry of Defense concluded a contract for 182 million dollars. with the company Raytheon Missiles & Defense for the manufacture of NASAMS anti-aircraft missile systems, which will be transferred to Ukraine. The estimated date of completion of the works is August 23, 2024.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 184. Online updates.
During the night, the occupiers shelled the Dnipropetrovsk region for 9 times. The Mykolaiv Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Kherson regions and the Donbas were also shelled. The day before, on August 25, the Sumy region came under GRAD fire and mortar shelling.
The IAEA stated that the ZNPP has restored the connection with the energy system of Ukraine, but all 6 units remain disconnected. Previously, the actions of the Russian occupiers caused a complete disconnection of the ZNPP from the power grid. Previously, regulators warned that the loss of all power sources could lead to a "Fukushima scenario."
Zelenskyi had a telephone conversation with Biden. The leaders of the states discussed Ukraine's next steps on the way to defeating the aggressor and the importance of holding Russia accountable for war crimes.
The statement of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, Sergei Shoigu, that Russia is deliberately slowing down the pace of its military campaign in Ukraine, guided by the need to reduce casualties among the civilian population, is deliberate misinformation. This was announced by the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain with reference to the data of British intelligence. Russia's offensive stalled due to Russia's poor military performance and fierce Ukrainian resistance, intelligence sources said. According to them, Shoigu and President Putin fired at least six generals for insufficient speed of advancement.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree increasing the number of Russian army personnel by 137,000 to 1.15 million. The decree enters into force on January 1, 2023.
Latvia supports Ukraine in the investigation of Russian war crimes. Latvian prosecutors are collecting evidence, in particular, regarding the filtration camps through which Ukrainians relocated to the Russian Federation pass. About 80 citizens of Ukraine who reached Latvia from Russia have already been interrogated.
Our news at 21:42
In the Kharkiv Region, the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled the Russian offensive near Petrivka. In the Donetsk region, Russian attacks near Dolyna and Dmytrivka (Slovyansk direction) and near Kodema and Bakhmutske were repulsed (this is how Russians are trying to advance on Bakhmut). Near Avdiivka, the Russian army tried to advance in the area of Pervomaiske, but had no success. In the Mykolayiv region, the Ukrainian army repelled Russian attacks in the Blahodatne district, and in the Kherson region — near Tavriyske, the General Staff reports.
The Zaporizhzhia NPP was completely disconnected from the power grid for the first time, Enerhoatom reported. This happened due to fires at the Zaporizhzhia TPP ash dumps, located next to the Zaporizhzhia NPP. Start-up operations are currently underway to connect one of the power units to the grid. At the same time, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Raphael Grossi, said that sending the IAEA mission to the Zaporizhzhia NPP is "inevitable". UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that the UN will support any IAEA mission through the territory of Ukraine to the ZNPP.
The European Union strongly condemns the Russian missile attack on the settlement of Chaplyne, said the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell. And the UN humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine, Denise Brown, called on "all parties" to follow the international law. It is about the Russian shelling of the Chaplyne railway station in the Dnipropetrovsk region with four missiles, which took place on August 24, on the Independence Day of Ukraine. As a result of the shelling, five passenger cars of the train caught fire. Another rocket destroyed a private house. 25 people died, 31 people were injured. In total, during the day of August 24, Russians shelled 58 Ukrainian settlements, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Yevhenii Yenin said.
About 500 bodies of Ukrainian soldiers have already been returned from Mariupol, the patronage service "Azov" reported. According to Olena Tolkachova, the head of the "Azov" patronage service, the bodies of the soldiers are in bad condition. It is impossible to identify them visually, so experts are involved.
Ukraine has already returned 53 children from Russia, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said. But she added that parents, relatives or acquaintances of children who were probably kidnapped and taken to the Russian Federation can apply to the Ministry of Reintegration regarding their search.
Spain sent approximately 20 armored vehicles, 75 pallets of field artillery ammunition and a full air defense battery to Ukraine. This was reported by the Ministry of Defense of the country. In addition, Spain will give Ukraine a thousand tons of diesel, as well as military uniforms for the winter. Shipment should be in September.
More than 200,000 tons of Ukrainian agricultural products have already been exported through the "grain corridor" through the Black Sea. This was reported by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
Elon Musk's company SpaceX, which is behind the Starlink global satellite systems development project, has reduced prices for satellite internet for Ukraine and a number of other countries. In Ukraine, the subscription fee for Starlink will decrease from $100 to $60.
Yuliia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine, said that Ukraine's economy should stabilize and can grow by 15.5% next year. But it all depends on the war scenario. According to the minister, current forecasts for gross domestic product in 2023 range from a further contraction of 0.4% to growth of 15.5%, after a likely drop of 30-35% this year.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 183. Online updates.
On Independence Day, August 24, the Russians intensified their shelling of Ukraine: in a day they shelled 58 populated areas, First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Yevgeny Yenin said. The air alert on Independence Day in Ukraine was announced a total of 189 times.
On August 24, Russian troops shelled the village of Chapline in the Dnipropetrovsk region several times. During the first shelling, the rocket destroyed a private house. A woman and a child were rescued from the rubble, one child died. The second shelling was three rockets. They targeted the railway building and the railway station. The impact caused a fire in 5 passenger cars. According to data on the morning of August 25, 22 adults and three children were killed, and more than 30 were injured.
They fired all night in Dnipropetrovsk region. Strikes were recorded in four districts of the region. Also at night, the Russians shelled Chernihiv Oblast. Kharkiv and Mykolaiv Oblast were subjected to night shelling. At night, the Russians shelled the Kyiv region. Kryvyi Rih was attacked with cluster munitions.
On August 24, three people were killed and another person was injured in Soledar by shelling from the Russian invaders. Sloviansk was shelled in the morning, it passed without casualties.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine, 762 people have died in Donetsk region, and 1,953 people have been injured. It is currently impossible to establish the exact number of dead and wounded in Mariupol and Volnovakha.
On August 24, Boris Johnson visited Kyiv, where he announced a new aid package from Great Britain worth 54 million pounds. In particular, it will include 850 hand-held Black Hornet microdrones. President Zelensky awarded Johnson with the Order of Freedom.
US President Biden announced a package of military aid to Ukraine worth almost three billion dollars. It will include air defense systems, artillery systems and ammunition, unmanned aerial systems and radars.
The UN Security Council held a meeting on the anniversary of Ukrainian Independence on August 24. The meeting was convened by the USA and European countries represented in the Security Council (Great Britain, France, Norway, Ireland, Albania). Western and European countries, in particular the USA, Great Britain, Albania, and Norway, called on Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine and emphasized that the Russian Federation violates international law, the laws of warfare and must answer for its crimes. Representatives of China and African countries also condemned the war, and in particular the military actions threatening the Zaporizhia NPP. They called for a peaceful solution and negotiations. All countries welcomed the unblocking of Ukrainian grain exports from Black Sea ports.
Russia maintains an increased military presence on the territory of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, and the occupation of the plant poses risks to the operation of the reactors. This was reported by the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain with reference to intelligence data. On August 21, 2022, images showed Russia maintaining an increased military presence at the site with armored personnel carriers within 60 meters of Reactor No. 5, intelligence said.
GUR of the Ministry of Defense released footage of how on August 24, 2022, the Resistance Movement unfurled the flag of Ukraine over Mariupol and other occupied cities of Ukraine.
Since mid-March, Russian troops in Ukraine have lost a territory larger than the territory of Denmark. At the same time, in the last 39 days they managed to get a territory the size of Andorra. This is only one percent of the territory they lost. This is stated in the analytical report of the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW). On August 24, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that Russian forces are slowing down the overall pace of their offensive operations in Ukraine.
Shoigu also confirmed that Russia's goals in the war have not changed, analysts noted.
On Ukraine's Independence Day, Pope Francis said that the daughter of Kremlin ideologist Oleksandr Dugin, Daria, who was blown up in the suburbs of Moscow, is an "innocent victim of war." Ambassador of Ukraine to the Vatican Andriy Yurash expressed his disappointment with the words of the pontiff.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 182. Online updates.
August 24 is Ukrainian Independence Day and exactly six months since the full-scale Russian invasion. The Office of the President does not rule out that today Russia may increase the number of missile strikes on Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated Ukrainians on the 31st anniversary of Independence. "Half a year ago, Russia declared war against us. On February 24, all of Ukraine heard explosions and shooting. And on August 24, we might not have heard the words: "Happy Independence Day." On February 24, we were told: "You have no chance." And now, on August 24, we say: Happy Independence Day, Ukraine!" said Zelensky.
More than 1,097 children were injured in Ukraine during six months of full-scale armed aggression of the Russian Federation. As of the morning of August 24, according to the official information of juvenile prosecutors, 374 children died and at least 723 were injured of various degrees of severity. This was reported in the Prosecutor General's Office. These data are not final.
On the morning of August 24, in Myrhorod, the Poltava region, four shellings were recorded over the city's infrastructure, the head of the regional administration, Lunin, reported. At midnight, the Russian army struck Zaporizhzhia. The Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions were shelled at night: peaceful areas of the city were attacked with rockets and MLRS. Three Kharkiv residents and a child are in the hospital because of these shellings. At night and in the morning, the Russian armed forces shelled the Mykolaiv region. As a result of the shelling of the city of Novy Buh, at least nine people were injured, there are children among them, the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration reported.
The Donbas met August 24 restlessly. Settlements and fortifications of Ukrainian troops on the border of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions withstood three missile strikes and one air raid. For 13 times Russians fired from barrel artillery, and another 17 times from rocket launchers. Mortars were used five times. Six times Russians were forced to retreat when they tried to attack.
In the Donetsk region, one person was killed and two were injured in one day.
The Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported that on the night of August 24, they shot down a Russian Ka-52 helicopter in the eastern direction.
The Security Service of Ukraine reported that it prevented the plans of the Russian special services to use relatives of the Ukrainian military to hold staged rallies in the Kyiv, Zhytomyr and Poltava regions on the eve of Independence Day. With such "protest actions", Russia intended to aggravate the socio-political situation in Ukraine. According to the idea of the Russian special services, the hired "protesters" were supposed to criticize and condemn the military command of Ukraine.
A meeting of the UN Security Council was held in New York, which was urgently called at the request of Russia. For the second time, the Russian Federation has appealed to the UN regarding Ukraine's accusation of shelling the Zaporizhia NPP. Most of the countries at this meeting called on Russia to withdraw its troops from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the UN stated that in this way Russia is diverting information from the Security Council meeting scheduled for August 24, the topic of which will be the consequences of Russian aggression in Ukraine.
Alexandr Lukashenko, who allowed the Russian military to attack Ukraine from the territory of Belarus, congratulated Ukrainians on Independence Day. Lukashenko's wishing a "peaceful sky" is published on his official website.
The Pentagon released a photo of preparations for sending a new batch of weapons to Ukraine.
Ukraine's worst-case scenario regarding a military invasion of the Russian Federation is behind us, and ahead is a counteroffensive by the Armed Forces of Ukraine and a new stage of the war, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said in a CNN commentary. "We are in the process of stabilizing the entire battlefield or the front lines with little movement of units, and we have established a lot of good methods of restraining the enemy," he noted.
Our news at 21:02
The troops of the Russian Federation are concentrating their efforts on establishing full control over the territory of Donetsk region, maintaining the captured districts of Kherson, part of Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Mykolaiv regions. During the day, the Armed Forces repelled several Russian attacks, the General Staff reports. The Ukrainian military destroyed ammunition warehouses and command posts of Russian troops in three settlements of the Kherson region. The defense forces struck the places of deployment of Russian troops in the Kherson region and on the territory of the Novovorontsov community of the Kherson region.
In Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Polish President Andrzej Duda opened the Walk of the Brave on Constitution Square. Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized that this Alley will feature the names of political leaders and other representatives of partner countries that provide Ukraine with important support in the fight against the Russian Federation.
The Russians are shelling the ash dumps of the Zaporizhzhia TPP, reports the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. As a result of mortar strikes on ash pits, clouds of dust are formed, which are blown by the wind around Energodar, the city where the plant is located, increasing radiation levels.
Since February 24, Russia has launched about 750 missiles over Ukraine from the territory of the temporarily occupied Crimea, said Volodymyr Zelensky. "They destroyed at least hundreds of civilian objects: schools, universities, residential buildings. And that's why the restoration of Ukraine's control over the Crimean peninsula will be the biggest anti-war step in Europe," the Ukrainian president added.
The President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in a speech during the summit of the Crimean Platform, noted that non-recognition of the annexation of Crimea is and will remain the principle position of the country headed by him. "We consider the seizure of Crimea illegal and unconstitutional. This is our principled position from both a moral and a legal point of view," he said.
The Turkish government handed over 50 Kirpi armored vehicles to Ukraine and plans further deliveries. Defense News writes about this with reference to sources in the Turkish government and defense industry. According to a government source, the supply of armored vehicles to the Armed Forces of Ukraine was the result of a government agreement, not an agreement between Ukraine and the company BMC, which manufactures these armored vehicles.
Ukraine will receive 30 BVP-1 tracked infantry fighting vehicles from Slovakia. In return, Slovakia will receive 15 Leopard tanks from Germany. This was announced by the Minister of Defense of Slovakia, Jaroslav Nagy.
Germany and Japan will allocate more than 60 million dollars for the construction of permanent and temporary grain warehouses in Ukraine. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said this during a speech at the summit of the Crimean Platform. He also emphasized that Germany continues to provide weapons to Ukraine: "We are giving a new package that includes some air defense systems, MLRS, as well as armored vehicles."
In Russia, more than a thousand children from occupied Mariupol were illegally adopted in Tyumen, Irkutsk, Kemerovo and Altai Krai. This was reported by the Krasnodar Administration for Family and Childhood. More than 300 children are temporarily cared for in specialized institutions in the Krasnodar Territory.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced new sanctions against Russia during his speech at the second summit of the Crimean Platform. They will concern 62 people, as well as one enterprise of the defense sector.
Our news at 12:50
At night, the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled Russian offensives in the Bakhmut, Avdiivka directions and near Vugledar, the General Staff reports. Also, the Russian army again shelled the Kryvorizky and Nikopol districts of the Dnipropetrovsk region. A fire broke out at the Shevchenko plant in Kharkiv. Shelling continues in Donbas. As of 8 a.m., this was reported to the Suspilne at the military-civilian administration headquarters.
As of the morning of August 23, Russia's total combat losses since February 24 are about 45,550 soldiers. This is stated in the notification of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. During the day, the Russian army lost about 150 soldiers.
The United States of America calls on its citizens to leave the territory of Ukraine. This is due to the increased threat of missile strikes "in the coming days". The day before, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine urged Ukrainians to be especially careful on Independence Day due to the threat of missile attacks and provocations from Russia.
The Pentagon is sending Ukraine new weapons and equipment that will better prepare the Armed Forces for close contact combat. The Washington Post writes about it. This potentially signals that Kyiv sees an opportunity to regain lost ground after weeks of heavy artillery duels on the front line, the publication notes.
The Netherlands will allocate an additional aid package to Ukraine for support in the war and for the reconstruction of the country. This is reported on the website of the Ministry of Defense of the country. It is about more than 80 million euros.
Russian occupation officials in the Zaporizhia region covertly declared the region's independence from Ukraine, passing off Ukrainian citizens entering the occupied region as temporary asylum seekers. This is stated in the analytical report of the American Institute for the Study of War.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the risk of nuclear conflict has become the most serious in recent decades and called for an end to the rattling of nuclear weapons. He said this during a speech at a meeting of the UN Security Council initiated by Russia.
The former Chairman of the Constitutional Court, Oleksandr Tupytskyi, was declared wanted at the request of the prosecutors of the Office of the General Prosecutor. He is accused of unauthorized interference in the work of the automated system of the State Treasury Service of Ukraine. This was reported by the press service of the Prosecutor General's Office.
As of the morning of August 23, more than 1,097 children were injured in Ukraine as a result of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation. 374 children died and at least 723 were injured in various degrees of severity. Data — Office of the Prosecutor General.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated Ukrainians on National Flag Day and assured that he would return to every city and village temporarily occupied by the Russians.
Our news at 23:40
Almost 9,000 Ukrainian defenders died in the Russian Federation's war against Ukraine. This was said by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi.
Russian troops are conducting an offensive in six directions, in particular, they are trying to take full control over the territory of the Donetsk region and hold the captured districts of Kherson, part of the Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Mykolaiv regions. The Armed Forces repulse the attacks. This is stated in the evening summary of the General Staff.
Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to the head of the President's Office, emphasized that Ukraine was not involved in the bombing of Daria Dugina, the daughter of Kremlin ideologist Alexandr Dugin. Earlier, it became known that on the evening of August 20, a car exploded in the Moscow suburbs, in which the daughter of the Kremlin ideologist Alexandr Dugin was inside. The FSB of Russia said that the woman suspected of having committed the murder served in the Azov regiment. The "Azov" regiment denied this.
Ukrainian defenders, who were captured by Russia, are kept by the occupiers in terrible conditions — in particular, the Russians torture and abuse them, as well as keep them in cramped cells where it is impossible to sleep. Ukrainian fighters who returned home after Russian captivity told about this during the press conference.
Moscow does not see the possibility of a diplomatic solution to end the war in Ukraine and expects a long conflict. The Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN in Geneva, Gennady Gatilov, told the Financial Times. According to Gatilov, the UN should play a greater role in efforts to end the conflict. He also accused the US and other NATO countries of pressuring Ukraine to withdraw from the negotiations. According to him, there will be no direct negotiations between the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, and the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi.
About a million servicemen of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and other units of the Defense Forces are opposing the Russian army, Volodymyr Zelenskyi said. According to him, at the beginning of this year, before the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, there were about 500,000 combatants in Ukraine.
The US Army is ready to conclude a contract for the supply of long-range and powerful Switchblade 600 kamikaze drones for Ukraine. This was reported in the Pentagon.
Ukraine received 5,000 Starlink satellite Internet terminals from Poland. This was announced by the Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba said that this year's "Crimean Platform", which will start on August 23, will become truly global — participation in the summit has been confirmed by 60 countries and international organizations, in particular from Africa and Latin American countries.
A representative of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights did not visit Ukrainian prisoners of war on the territory of the so-called "LPR". The press secretary of the UN Secretary General Stefan Dujarrik said this in a comment to Suspilne. The day before, the Russian mass media reported with reference to the "ombudsman of the LPR" that a representative of the UN visited Ukrainian prisoners of war in the pseudo-republic.
55% of the surveyed Ukrainians will consider the expulsion of Russian troops from the entire territory of Ukraine as a victory, and more than 90% believe in the victory of Ukraine in the war with Russia. These are the results of a new survey by the "Democratic Initiatives" Foundation named after Ilka Kucheriva and the sociological service of the Razumkov Centre.
Our news at 22:36
In the Kherson region near Chornobayivka, the Ukrainian army destroyed the ammunition depot of the Russian army. Also, the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled most of the Russian attacks in the Donetsk region — in the Slavyansk, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, Novopavlivsk directions, and in the south of the country, but the Russian Federation was able to partially advance on two sections of the front — in the direction of Vasylky – Blahodatne (the Mykolaiv region) and in the direction of Lozivskyi — Pisky (the Donetsk region), the General Staff reports. The head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, once again stated that the Russian army had captured Pisky, but the city's military administration denied this.
There is a shortage of volunteers for contract service in Russia. Even despite the promise of monetary rewards to volunteers and members of their families, the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine says.
Deputies of the German Bundestag are in favor of expanding military aid to Ukraine, even if it temporarily weakens the military potential of the Bundeswehr. This is stated in a joint article by three members of the German Parliament — Christian Klink from the Social Democratic Party, Sara Nanni from the "Greens" and Alexander Müller from the Free Democratic Party.
The United States of America plans to transfer high-precision M982 Excalibur artillery shells to Ukraine, Politico reports citing its own sources. However, he says, these munitions will not be included in the next tranche of military aid for 800 million dollars. The M982 Excalibur is a precision-guided munition compatible with 155 mm digitally fire-controlled artillery mounts such as the US M777 or the French Caesar self-propelled guns.
As of the morning of August 21, 2022, Zaporizhzhia NPP operates with the risk of violating radiation and fire safety regulations. This was reported by Enerhoatom. The company noted that the station's Ukrainian staff continues to work to ensure nuclear and radiation safety, as well as to eliminate the consequences of damage caused by the actions of Russians.
Only one out of 20 Russian missiles hit military targets, the remaining 19 hit peaceful cities. This is reported by the Security Service of Ukraine.
Ukraine has fulfilled its obligations related to the Association Agreement with the EU by 70%, and is waiting for clarity on further steps, said Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olga Stefanishyna. Earlier, the head of the Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk, said that the parliament should adopt a package of laws by the end of 2022, necessary to start negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union.
Our news at 13:20
In Donetsk region, the Ukrainian Armed Forces repelled several assaults by Russians in the Slavyansk and Bakhmut directions. Fighting continues near Avdiivka. In the Mykolaiv Oblast, the Russian military is conducting an offensive in the direction of Vasylky — Blagodatne, and they have partial success — they have occupied the southern outskirts of Blagodatne, the General Staff reports.
During the night, Russian forces shelled cities and villages in eight regions of Ukraine, in particular they struck Mykolaiv, Nikopol, and Marganets and fired five Caliber missiles at Odesa region. Ukrainian air defense shot down two missiles over the sea. In Donbas, the Ukrainian Armed Forces repelled 13 Russian attacks. As of 8 a.m., this was reported in the summary of military-civilian administrations.
The American Institute for the Study of War believes that after attacks on military infrastructure in occupied Crimea, Russia is considering strengthening security on the peninsula, and such measures could distract Russian forces from the front line. "Russia's failure to stop attacks on occupied Crimea may also cause public discontent in the Russian society," the report says.
As of the morning of August 21, Russia's total combat losses since February 24 are about 45,200 servicemen. In a day, the Russians lost about 300 soldiers and a lot of equipment, according to the report of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
In the suburbs of Moscow, a car exploded in which the daughter of the ideologue of the "Russian world" Oleksandr Dugin was inside. This is reported by TASS. The explosion occurred in the evening of August 20 on the Mozhaisky highway in the area of the village of Velyki Vyazemy. Darya Platonova (Dugina) died on the spot. The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation initiated a case under the article "on murder committed in a generally dangerous manner."
Russia may increase the number of missile attacks on certain Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, on Independence Day. This was stated by the adviser to the head of the Office of the President Mykhailo Podolyak. "They hate us, so they will try to increase the number of cruise missile attacks on a number of our cities on August 23-24. "Certainly, Kyiv will be on the list of these cities," said Podolyak.
As of the morning of August 21, at least 1,094 children were injured in Ukraine as a result of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation. 373 children died and more than 721 were injured to the various degrees of severity. Data — Office of the Prosecutor General.
Our news at 14:43
On the morning of August 19, the Russians began shelling Sumy Oblast with mortars. In the morning, the occupiers shelled Kharkiv with rockets, one person was killed. Also in the morning, the Russian army launched a missile attack on Mykolaiv. During the day, fighting continued almost on the entire territory of the Kherson region. In Donbas, the Ukrainian Armed Forces repelled ten Russian attacks. The military-civilian administrations reported about this as of 8 a.m.
On the frontlines, in the eastern and southern directions, shelling continues along the contact line. In Donetsk region, there are battles in the Slovyansk, Avdiivsk and Bakhmut directions, most of the attacks of the Russian armed forces have been repulsed, the General Staff reports.
As of the morning of August 19, Russia's total combat losses since February 24 amount to about 44,700 servicemen, the General Staff reports. The Russians lost 400 servicemen in a day.
The FSB of Russia tried to install "bugs" on the sidelines of the Verkhovna Rada, the Security Service of Ukraine reports. Counterintelligence revealed the fact of the recruitment of a former employee of the Apparatus of the Verkhovna Rada by the special services of the Russian Federation. On the instructions of his Russian curator, the agent was supposed to collect intelligence about the visits of foreign delegations to the Ukrainian parliament. In particular, about their personal composition, the content of official and informal conversations.
The Russians are forcing the Armed Forces of Ukraine to defend Kharkiv in order to prevent counterattacks elsewhere, according to a report by the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain. The report also notes that Russian troops hold the Kharkiv sector relatively weakly, but continue to conduct local raids and "probing attacks against Ukrainian forces".
The administration of President Joe Biden is preparing a new military aid package for Ukraine in the amount of about 800 million dollars. It can be announced on August 19. This was reported by Reuters with reference to three sources familiar with the matter. Estonia also approved a new military aid package for Ukraine. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Defense of the country. These are additional lethal support such as mortars and anti-tank weapons.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is going to take part in the summit of the G20 countries on November 15-16 on the Indonesian island of Bali. Indonesian President Joko Widodo said this in an interview with Bloomberg. According to Widodo, Putin announced his desire to come to the summit. According to the President of Indonesia, the President of the People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping, also intends to visit Bali.
As of the morning of August 19, more than 1,078 children were injured in Ukraine as a result of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation. 362 children died and at least 716 were injured in various degrees of severity. This was reported in the Prosecutor General's Office.
Our news at 23:24
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres met in Lviv. The parties discussed the initiative to overcome the food crisis, the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine, the situation at the Zaporizhzhia NPP and a number of other issues. The meeting lasted 40 minutes. According to the media, Erdogan initiated the talks between Zelenskyi and Putin. After the meeting, the President of Ukraine stated that they are possible only if the Russian troops leave the illegally occupied territory of Ukraine.
In the Donetsk region, the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled the Russian offensive in the Mykolaivka-Vyimka direction (the road to Kramatorsk), and from several villages through which the Russian army is attacking Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Pisky, the General Staff reports.
More than 600 million hryvnias, which the Serhiy Prytula Charitable Fund managed to save from the "Bayraktar" collection, were spent on a satellite of the Finnish company ICEYE for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It allows to scan objects in any weather conditions and "see" through obstacles, even walls.
On August 17-18, Kharkiv suffered the largest losses from Russian shelling in terms of the number of dead and wounded people since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Russia, said the mayor of the city Ihor Terekhov. On the evening of August 17, Russian militaries fired a rocket at a dormitory in the Saltivsky district of the city, killing at least seven people. On the morning of August 18, the Russian army launched seven S-300 missiles on Kharkiv and the region. With them, they hit a dormitory in the Slobidsky district of the city. 13 people died.
Russia is concentrating a large number of transport-launch containers with missiles for the S-300 complexes near the borders with Ukraine and in the occupied territories. The Armed Forces of Ukraine has admitted that the Russian Federation is preparing a massive shelling of Ukrainian cities on August 24, the day of Ukraine's Independence.
Most likely, Russian armed formations are preparing a provocation on the territory of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant on August 19. In particular, the occupiers ordered to reduce the number of personnel at the station and evacuated Rosatom employees, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported. At the same time, the Ministry of Defense of Russia is spreading statements about the alleged preparation of a "terrorist attack" by the Armed Forces, intelligence officers noted.
The Human Rights Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada, Dmytro Lubinets, has still not received answers from the Russian side regarding the possibility of visiting the territory of the former penal colony in Olenivka, in the temporarily occupied territory of the Donetsk region, where Ukrainian prisoners of war were killed in an explosion on the night of July 29. The official also reported that the Ukrainian side still has not received official lists of the dead and wounded in Olenivka.
The flow of international aid to Ukraine ran out in July. No major EU country, such as Germany, France, or Italy, has taken on significant new commitments, and military aid to Ukraine from European states, primarily the largest, has dropped to almost zero. This is the conclusion reached by analysts of the Kiel Institute of the World Economy, who monitor the amount of aid in Ukraine Support Tracker.
Slovakia will continue to provide armed support to Ukraine despite attempts by the Russian Federation to disrupt the supply of fighter jets. This was announced by the Minister of Defense Yaroslav Nad`. He added that this autumn, the government wants to hand over a fleet of MiG-29 aircraft to Ukraine for 300 million euros.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation of Ukraine, 906 health care facilities have been damaged, 123 of them have been completely destroyed, Minister of Health Viktor Liashko said.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 175. Online updates.
On the night of August 17, Russian troops launched a missile attack on the Odesa region. As a result of the impact of two rockets, destruction and fires broke out at one of the recreation centers and in several private buildings nearby. 4 people were injured.
In Kharkiv Oblast, during the day, the Russian occupiers launched artillery and rocket attacks on the city and the region. The Defense Headquarters recorded the launch of more than 5 missiles from the territory of the Russian Federation. Dnipropetrovsk region was also shelled. In Mykolaiv, a university building was targeted. In the afternoon of August 16, a missile was fired at the military airfield in Zhytomyr region.
More than a thousand people died in Kharkiv Oblast from Russian aggression. This is evidenced by the data of the international organization Human Rights Watch, published on August 16. All documented attacks in various settlements of the Kharkiv region were carried out by Russia with the use of explosive weapons with a wide range of action and prohibited cluster munitions, according to the report.
Ukraine may consider the Crimean bridge, which connects the occupied peninsula with the Russian mainland, as a legitimate military target. Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to the head of the President's Office, said this in an interview with The Guardian.
Russia's strategic goals remain unchanged: regime change in Kyiv and ensuring territorial control over most of Ukraine. This is stated in the analytical report of the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Analysts say that despite Putin's rhetoric, which only talks about the "liberation" of Donbas, Russia's global goals, such as seizing Ukraine, have not changed.
UN Secretary General Guterres will visit Ukraine for the second time since the beginning of the war: on August 18, he will come to Lviv, where he will meet with the President of Ukraine Zelenskyi and the President of Turkey Erdogan (who will visit Ukraine for the first time since the beginning of the invasion), and then he will go to the port of Odesa.
The Washington Post published a story about Putin's plans before a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which the US President Joe Biden's administration knew about in the fall of 2021. The plans of the Russian Federation included the seizure of most of Ukraine. The Russians planned to capture Kyiv in 3-4 days, Russian special forces were to find and eliminate President Volodymyr Zelensky, killing him if necessary, and install a puppet government friendly to the Kremlin. Separately, Russian troops were to come from the east and pass through the center of Ukraine to the Dnipro, and troops from the temporarily occupied Crimea to seize the southeastern coast of the Dnipro. Then there was a plan: to move west, to the line from Moldova to western Belarus, leaving the remnants of the Ukrainian state in the west - a territory that, according to Putin's calculations, was inhabited by "incorrigible neo-Nazi Russophobes".
In an interview with the Washington Post, President Zelensky, answering the question of why Ukrainians were not warned about the Russian invasion in advance, said that it would have caused mass panic and people leaving, and "Ukraine would not have lasted more than three days."
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 174. Online updates.
Russian troops are attacking in several directions in Donbas. They reached partial success in the direction of Solodke-Novomykhailivka, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. According to the head of the Luhansk Oblast Administration Serhii Haidai, fighting continues on three border sites between Luhansk oblast and Donetsk oblast. Four tank attacks and four air strikes were carried out around the Lysychansk refinery last night.
During the night, the Russian army intensively shelled Kharkiv with missiles and MLRS. Seven rockets were fired from the direction of the Russian Belgorod. Russians shelled Nikopol and Kryvyi Rih districts of the Dnipropetrovsk region. Two people were injured. Also, Russian troops continue to shell the Mykolaiv region: one person was killed, and one more wounded.
AFU are already using six M109 self-propelled howitzers, handed over by Latvia, in combat, announced Minister of Defence Oleksii Reznikov.
Explosions were heard in the Dzhankoi district of the Russian-occupied Crimea on the morning of August 16. Local Telegram channels and the occupation media started reporting the explosions around 7 a.m. Later, the self-proclaimed head of Crimea Aksionov confirmed the explosions and announced that two people were injured. Russian MoD claimed that "some ammunition has detonated" and "the situation is under control". Neither the General Staff nor any other command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has commented on these explosions. Adviser to the Head of the Presidential Office Mykhailo Podoliak wrote "Demilitarisation in action".
The Institute for the Study of War reported that there was a split in the Russian forces fighting in Ukraine: "LPR" militants refused to continue fighting in the Donetsk region and complained about the exhausting pace of the offensive outside the Luhansk region.
Five more foreign citizens of the UK, Sweden and Croatia who fought on the Ukrainian side were charged with mercenarism in the so-called "Donetsk People's Republic". They all refused to plead guilty in the so-called "Supreme Court of the DPR".
Zaporizhzhia NPP continues to operate with the risk of violation of radiation and fire safety standards. The periodic MLRS shelling by Russian troops caused a serious risk to the safe functioning of the station. NPP reports that there are risks of hydrogen leakage and spraying of radioactive substances, and the fire hazard is high as well.
Our news at 22:47
In the Kharkiv region, the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled Russian attacks in the direction of Kozacha Lopan' — Udy. In the Donetsk region, the Ukrainian army stopped the assault of the Russian troops in the direction of Dovhenke — Mazanivka (this is the way to Slovyansk) and on the way to Bakhmut in the areas of Ivano-Daryivka, Vyiimka and Vesele, and near Maryinka.
The Russian publisher "Vazhnye istorii", which specializes in journalistic investigations, established the names of Russian soldiers involved in the killing of Ukrainian civilians in the village of Andriyivka, the Kyiv region. One of the Russians confessed to the crimes during an interview. Thus, Russian military officer Danylo Frolkin, talking about the "execution of the civilian population", admitted that he killed a Ukrainian in March because he allegedly disclosed the coordinates of Russian army units. According to him, the commanders ordered to "take off the civilians", and they "don't treat Russian private soldiers like human beings."
The National Armed Forces of Latvia handed over four combat helicopters to Ukraine. This was announced by the Minister of Defense of the country, Artis Pabriks.
New Zealand is sending another 120 New Zealand Defense Force servicemen to Great Britain to help train the Ukrainian troops. They will join other partner countries in the UK's efforts to train 10,000 Ukrainian servicemen.
The Verkhovna Rada adopted a draft law on allocating 270 billion hryvnias of additional costs to the state budget through domestic lending. The state plans to transfer the main funds to military needs.
Also, the Verkhovna Rada allowed the forced confiscation of property during the war. The draft law concerns the forced seizure of equipment that can be used for the defense-industrial complex. Also, movable and immovable property can be transferred to the management of the National Agency for Identification, Search and Management of Assets Obtained from Corruption and Other Crimes.
The Verkhovna Rada approved the law on "customs visa exemption". Among other things, the document simplifies customs clearance for reliable enterprises, provides the status of a financial guarantor and ensures the payment of customs payments. The draft law also provides for the introduction of a European complaint handling mechanism and the continuation of the digitalization of customs, which should speed up its passage and reduce corruption risks.
According to security indicators, about 40% of institutions in the territory controlled by Ukraine are ready for the new academic year, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Kateryna Pavlichenko said. "But the local self-government bodies will independently decide on the resumption of the educational process," she added.
Latvia is resuming the program for providing rehabilitation services to wounded Ukrainian military personnel. Treatment will resume from August 15, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia informs. Also, the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine launched a register of psychological rehabilitation service providers for veterans and their families.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 173. Online updates.
Donbas. The Russian military tried to advance on Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, Avdiivka, and Bakhmut directions, however, had to retreat after the attacks were repelled, according to the General Staff. The centre of Sloviansk came under fire.
For more than a week, invaders claim on social media that they have captured Pisky. Yet Pisky remains under the control of AFU, said the Eastern command spokesman Serhii Cherevatyi.
On August 14, the Armed Forces of Ukraine attacked the headquarters of Russian mercenaries from the private military company Wagner based in the occupied city of Popasna, Luhansk region. This was reported by the head of the Luhansk Oblast Administration Serhii Haidai. The number of mercenaries killed is being clarified.
This morning, the Russian Federation shelled Kharkiv. The rockets hit near a public transport stop. At least five people were injured. Kharkiv was also shelled during the night: at least 12 explosions were heard in the city. Four districts of the Kharkiv region were attacked with tanks and artillery. The number of casualties is currently unknown.
Explosions were also heard in Mykolaiv: an educational institution and a hotel on the outskirts of the city were damaged. Several communities of the Bashtanka district were also shelled, reported the head of regional military administration Vitalii Kim. According to preliminary information, there are no casualties. Nikopol and Synelnykovo districts of the Dnipropetrovsk region suffered shelling too, a social infrastructure object was destroyed in the latter according to the head of regional administration Valentyn Reznichenko.
Russians lost about 200 servicemen and 27 tanks and armoured vehicles in the past day, as well as one helicopter and five artillery systems, reports the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The total combat losses of Russia since the beginning of the full-scale offensive on Ukraine reached about 43,750 servicemen.
The Armed Forces took full fire control of all Russian logistics routes in Kherson Oblast. None of the bridges across the Dnipro River is suitable for transportation of heavy military equipment or ammunition, announced Kherson regional administration.
42 countries issued a joined statement calling on Russia to immediately withdraw troops from Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and its immediate surroundings "so that the operator and the Ukrainian authorities can resume their sovereign responsibilities within Ukraine’s internationally recognised borders and the legitimate operating staff can conduct their duties without outside interference, threat, or unacceptably harsh working conditions."
Our news at 21:47
According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Ukrainian military in Donetsk region fired at Russians who tried to scout the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Serebryanka area and near Vesely, Spirny and Ivano-Daryivka in the Kramatorsk direction. In the direction of Bakhmut, Ukrainian soldiers neutralized a reconnaissance group of the Russian Federation in the area of Soledar.
At night, the Armed Forces of Ukraine once again struck the Antonivskyi road bridge, which connects the right and left banks of the temporarily occupied part of the Kherson region, Natalya Humenyuk, spokeswoman for the Operational Command "South", reported. According to her, the attack was made in order to establish the status of the bridge as impassable — it is one of the bridges through which the Russians transfer equipment and ammunition to their troops in the Kherson region.
During the day of August 13, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed about fifteen armored fighting vehicles of the Russian Federation and dozens of soldiers. This is reported by the command of the Air Force.
The Russians once again shelled Energodar, the city where the Zaporizhia NPP is located. "As a result of the shelling, an employee of the Zaporizhzhya NPP, shop foreman Marko Maksym Petrovych, was killed. Two more energy workers were injured and have now been sent to the specialized medical and sanitary unit of Energodar," said Mayor Dmytro Orlov.
The European Union and 15 other countries put forward Russia's demands regarding the Zaporizhzhia NPP: to immediately withdraw troops from the station and the entire territory of Ukraine. The joint statement was published on the website of the EU delegation to international organizations in Vienna. The participants emphasized that the placement of Russian military and weapons at the nuclear facility: "is unacceptable and violates the principles of security and guarantees that all IAEA members have undertaken to respect."
Russian troops attack the civilian infrastructure of Ukraine much more often than military facilities. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the Russian army has hit more than 22,000 civilian objects and about 300 military personnel. This was announced by the First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Yevhen Yenin.
Poland is working on a concept that will allow Russians to be denied visas. This was announced by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Piotr Vavzyk. But he added that Polish diplomacy has been conducting negotiations on this topic with some member states for several weeks, and Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, the Czech Republic and Slovakia also have a similar view on these issues.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 172. Online updates.
Russian troops shelled Mykolaiv: a rocket exploded near a residential building. One injury was reported so far. Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions were shelled as well.
On the night of August 14, the Russian military shelled Sloviansk in Donbas, reported the head of the Sloviansk city administration Vadym Liakh. The whole situation in Donbas remains difficult and tense, said the spokesman for the Eastern Command. "For more than a week, invaders claim on social media that they have captured Pisky. In fact, that's not true. Pisky is still controlled by the AFU".
Russian military shelled the Zaporizhzhya NPP once again on August 13 according to the mayor of Enerhodar Mr Orlov. Local residents report that the shelling is carried out from the city's park zone.
The Institute for the Study of War analysed the consequences of Ukrainian strikes on bridges across Dnipro in the Kherson region. The report states that Russians would feel the aftereffect in a few days or weeks, depending on how many reserves they have been able to stockpile on the Dnipro's western bank and how successfully Ukrainian forces find and destroy these stocks. ISW analysts note that if the Ukrainian Armed Forces destroyed all three bridges across Dnipro in the Kherson region and can prevent the Russians from restoring their operations, the Russian troops on the western bank of Dnipro likely won't be able to defend.
Germany blocked Russian aircraft due to sanctions. According to the German Ministry of Transport, ten Russian aircraft are currently residing at airfields in Germany. They cannot leave the country because of the sanctions against Russia, writes DW.
The Canadian military flew to the UK: instructors of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry regiment will conduct combat training for Ukrainian soldiers within the Unifier program. The program was suspended before Russia's full-scale invasion, hence it’s the first time this year that Canadian troops train Ukrainian fighters.
Our news at 21:21
Russian armed units are attacking the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the directions of Bakhmut and Avdiivka, where fighting continues. At the same time, the Ukrainian army repelled attacks in the directions of Slovyansk and Kramatorsk, as well as in the south of Ukraine, the General Staff reports. In the Kherson region, the leadership of the Russian army is moving to the left bank of the Dnieper, while the soldiers of the Russian Federation remain on the right bank. These positions of the Russian military have recently been shelled by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
In the city of Brovary, Kyiv region, relatives of the "Azov" regiment servicemen staged the action "Olenivka — the new Auschwitz" with the demand to bring Ukrainian prisoners back home.
Despite offensives and counteroffensives, Ukraine and Russia will most likely not resort to decisive military actions this year, so it is worth preparing for a long conflict between Ukraine and the Russian Federation, said the head of military intelligence of Great Britain, Lt. Col. Jim Hockenhull.
Slovak Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad said that the first four Zuzana self-propelled howitzers, which were handed over by the country, are already at the disposal of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and are ready for deployment.
Slovakia plans to transfer its MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine next month. This was reported by the Slovak TV channel RTVS with reference to the Minister of Defense of the country Jaroslav Nad.
From July 1, the Ministry of Statistics and the General Staff of the Armed Forces launched a joint project to raise funds for 200 drones for the army. In the first month, more than 750 million hryvnias were transferred to the "Army of Drones", which is almost half of the required amount, said the head of the State Intelligence Service Yurii Shchygol.
The apartments, that are being built for displaced people, will be provided to servicemen, doctors and police officers after the war, when the displaced people return to their homes, said Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Kyrylo Tymoshenko. It's about five-story buildings that will be built within 5-6 months in 16 regions of Ukraine — 2,000 apartments in each region. Their cost with all furniture and equipment will be about $700-800 per square meter.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 171. Online updates.
The Russian army is focusing its efforts on establishing full control over the territories of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions and maintaining the temporarily captured areas of the Kherson, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia and Mykolaiv regions, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports.
On the evening of August 12, the Russian army struck Zaporizhzhia: infrastructure facilities were destroyed. One woman who was taken to the hospital died. Two more people were injured.
In Kherson region, Russian troops shelled Posad-Pokrovsky, Stepova Dolyna and 27 other settlements with tanks and artillery. Units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine struck another blow on the bridge over the dam in Nova Kakhovka — this road is no longer usable.
The Russian military shelled the private sector of Kramatorsk — at least three people were killed and more than 10 were wounded, the head of the regional administration Kyrylenko said. The shelling damaged at least 20 houses.
In the Kyiv region, the body of a resident who was shot by the Russian military during the occupation of the Buchan district was discovered. According to the Bucha city council, his daughter was kidnapped and taken to the territory of Belarus on February 28.
Ukraine has returned the bodies of 522 dead soldiers who were on the lists of missing persons, and is working to return all of them, Kotenko, the Commissioner for Missing Persons in Special Circumstances, said.
Ukraine calls on the international community to prevent the trial of Ukrainian defenders in Mariupol and asks to send representatives of the UN and the Red Cross to Olenivka, says a joint statement of the security and defense forces.
The Ministry of Culture is working on a draft law that will allow English to be given a special status in Ukraine as the language of international communication.
The Kremlin is trying to mobilize Russian industry to support the protracted war in Ukraine. The Military-Industrial Commission of the Russian Federation, chaired by Putin, is preparing to change the state defense procurement program and increase expenditures by 600-700 billion rubles (about $10 billion) by the beginning of September, the Institute for the Study of War reports.
Screenwriter and director Abel Ferrara visited Gostomel and the remains of the "Mriya" plane, which was destroyed during one of the first attacks of the Russian Federation in February. He came to Kyiv region together with his team. "What I see is horror," Abel said. He plans to make a documentary about the Ukrainian-Russian war.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 170. Online updates.
Kharkiv suffered rocket fire during the night: explosions were heard in three districts of the city. A higher education institution, a canteen and several warehouses were damaged. No casualties have been reported so far. Two districts of the Dnipropetrovsk region came under artillery fire yet again. Three people, including a child, were injured.
Fighting continues in the Donetsk region: the Armed Forces repelled several attacks, but the Russian military partially succeeded in the direction of Horlivka-Zaitseve, reported the General Staff.
Two more ships with food left Ukrainian ports: they are heading to Turkey and Iran, reported the Turkish Ministry of Defence.
Defence Minister Mr Reznikov reported that Ukraine received additional M270 MLRS from the UK.
Four ammunition depots detonated at the Saki airfield in Novofedorivka in the occupied Crimea, however, the airfield probably remains usable, reports the UK MoD intelligence. The British intelligence noted that at least five Su-24 FENCER fighter bombers and three Su-30 FLANKER H multi-purpose aircraft were likely destroyed or seriously damaged during the explosions. The air force was used as a base for the Russian Black Sea Fleet aviation. The naval aviation fleet is now considerably impaired.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he does not share the idea to stop issuing visas for Russian citizens. He noted that the war in Ukraine is Putin's war [and not Russians']. Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba responded that it's not Putin himself but Russian soldiers who come to Ukraine to "kill and rape", while Russians tolerate it.
The UN Security Council emergency meeting initiated by Russia on the topic of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant was held in New York. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi called on the parties to grant the agency's mission access to the Zaporizhzhia NPP. He noted however that there is no immediate safety threat to the nuclear power plant. The Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations Nebenzia accused Ukrainian Forces of shelling the NPP. He states that Russia has no reason to shell "neither itself, nor the station, nor Enerhodar". Nebenzia added that the Russian Federation is ready to support the IAEA mission and will do everything to make it happen by the end of August. Permanent Representative of Ukraine Serhii Kyslytsia said that the only way to eliminate the nuclear threat is to withdraw Russian troops and return control over the station to Ukraine, which was supported by the U.S. representative. Mr Kyslytsia welcomed the readiness of the Russian Federation to support the IAEA mission however noted that Russia must stop shelling Nikopol and Marhanets to make it happen. The representative of China, who currently chairs the UN, called on Russia and Ukraine to return to the peace negotiations.
The Russian Federation has been shelling the nuclear power plant for the past few days. Zaporizhzhia NPP is the largest in Europe. The Ukrainian company Enerhoatom, which manages the plant, said that the plant works with the risk of violating radiation and fire safety standards. Russian Rosatom employees are located at the station for the moment. However, Ukrainian personnel continue to work there.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 169. Online updates.
Russia is trying to establish full control over Luhansk and Donetsk Oblasts, reports the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Ukrainian troops repelled eight Russian attacks in Donbas and destroyed several Russian warehouses and positions in Kherson Oblast.
Russians shelled cities and villages in seven Ukrainian regions, hit Kharkiv and Kramatorsk.
On the night of August 11, Russian troops shelled four areas of the Dnipropetrovsk region with Grad and Uragan MLRS. At least two people were killed, seven were injured, 40 apartment buildings were damaged in Nikopol district, announced head of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration Valentyn Reznichenko.
More than three thousand people evacuated from Donetsk region in 10 days. Between August 1 and August 10, 2,968 people had left by evacuation trains, 195 people with limited mobility and 405 children among them.
Germany handed over 4 more Gepard anti-aircraft guns to Ukraine. According to the German government, there are now 12 of them in Ukraine. The Armed Forces also received 10 highly mobile multi-purpose wheeled vehicles, eight anti-drone devices, eight mobile ground radars and thermal imagers, and several refrigerators for medicines.
Switzerland may be representing Ukraine's interests in Russia. The countries have completed negotiations on the possibility of representing Ukrainian interests in Russia after diplomatic relations between Ukraine and the Russian Federation were severed. At the same time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia stated that Moscow does not have any contacts with the official authorities of Switzerland on this issue.
Latvian Saeima approved the statement "On purposeful military attacks of Russia on civilians and public space of Ukraine" and recognised Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 168. Online updates.
Russian troops shelled populated areas in seven regions of Ukraine, in particular, they hit Mykolaiv with "Smerchas" and "Hrads" attacked the Nikopol district of the Dnipropetrovsk region, where 10 people were killed and 11 wounded. Fighting continues in Donetsk region and Kharkiv region. In the Zaporizhzhia region, the air defense of the Ukrainian Armed Forces shot down two Russian missiles at night.
On August 9, explosions rang out near the Russian airbase located in Novofedorivka (near the city of Saka) in the occupied Ukrainian Crimea in 2014. One person died, five others were injured. In the evening, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation announced that "aircraft ammunition was detonated" at the airfield, and the equipment was not damaged. On August 10, the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces confirmed the destruction of 9 Russian military aircraft in Crimea.
British intelligence believes that Russia has created a large formation of ground troops to continue the war in Ukraine. This is stated in the report of the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain. It is noted that the Russian army corps usually consists of 15-20 thousand servicemen.
Ukraine returned 17 dead servicemen, the Ministry of Reintegration reported. The transfer of the bodies took place in accordance with the norms of the Geneva Convention.
The Bayraktar strike drone production plant, for the construction of which the Turkish company Baykar Makina has already purchased a plot of land in Ukraine, may begin its work at the end of 2023. This was stated by the Ambassador of Ukraine to Turkey, Vasyl Bodnar.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine received 50 Turkish Kirpi armored personnel carriers. This BMP is designed for two crew members and 12 paratroopers. Another delivery of 150 units is expected soon.
The US State Department has approved the allocation of $89 million in aid to Ukraine to equip and train 100 teams to dispose of landmines and unexploded ordnance within a year.
Europe's largest airline Lufthansa will not use the airspace of Ukraine and Russia until March 25, 2023 due to the war in Ukraine.
Hungary offered to pay Ukraine for the transit of Russian oil through the Druzhba oil pipeline due to the fact that the Russian side cannot transfer funds to Ukraine due to the sanctions imposed on it by the European Union. On August 9, the Russian mass media, citing their own sources, reported that the Ukrainian state company Ukrtransnafta temporarily stopped pumping oil through the southern branch of the Druzhba oil pipeline due to the fact that Russian Transneft could not pay for services due to sanctions imposed by the European Union.
Russia convenes a meeting of the UN Security Council due to the situation at the Zaporizhzhya NPP — the Russian Federation claims that the Ukrainian military struck the territory of the nuclear power plant. The station has been occupied since the beginning of March, Russian troops are stationed there, Ukrainian specialists are supporting the work of the NPP.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 167. Online updates.
The Russian Army is conducting offensive battles in the directions of Bakhmut and Avdiivka, and also trying to dislodge the Armed Forces from held lines with the help of artillery. On August 8, as a result of shelling by the Russian army, three civilians in the Donetsk region were killed. Another 19 people were injured.
According to British intelligence, Russia's offensive on the town of Bakhmut was its most successful axis in Donetsk region, but Russians managed to advance only 10 km for 30 days. This is reported by the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain. It is noted that over the weekend, Russia continued to focus its efforts on strengthening defense in southern Ukraine.
On the night of August 9, the Russian army shelled two districts of the Dnipropetrovsk region. In particular, at night Nikopol was shelled for three times from GRAD multiple rocket launcher systems, 120 shells were launched. One person was injured.
At night, a series of explosions rang out in Kharkiv: Russian troops shelled two districts of the city. There is no information on the dead and wounded. In the morning, the outskirts of Mykolaiv came under fire. Information about the consequences is being clarified.
Daily losses of the Ukrainian military have decreased by three times compared to the beginning of June, when they amounted to 100-200 servicemen per day, said an adviser to the head of the President's Office Mykhailo Podolyak in an interview with the BBC and added that only the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces can provide more accurate figures .
Russia has closed the inspection of nuclear facilities under the 2010 agreement on Strategic Offensive Weapons. The agreement provides for a mutual reduction of the arsenals of deployed strategic nuclear weapons.
The World Bank announced that it will mobilize another $4.5 billion for financial support to Ukraine. According to the bank's statement, the funds will help Kyiv pay for social services and pensions and will be "the key to mitigating the economic consequences of the Russian invasion."
2 ships left the port of Chornomorsk with a total cargo volume of 70 thousand tons. The RAHMI YAGGI vessel will deliver 5.3 thousand tons of food to Turkey, and the panamax bulker OCEAN LION will deliver almost 65 thousand tons of corn to South Korea.
Ukraine will receive NASAMS anti-aircraft missile systems from the United States within a few months, the Pentagon said. Missiles for them are already included in the latest aid package.
Our news on 8 Aug.
Projectiles for HIMARS and NASAMS. USA announced a new aid package for Ukraine worth 1 billion dollars. It also contains 75,000 155-mm artillery shells, 20,120-mm mortar systems and 20,000 shells for these mortars, 1,000 Javelins and hundreds of AT4 anti-tank systems, 50 armored medical vehicles, and more.
In Donetsk region, the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled Russian assaults in the directions of Bakhmut, Zaytsevo, Vershina and Kodema, and also stopped the attacks of the Russian army in the directions of Avdiyivka and Piskivy, the General Staff reports. In addition, the Russian military tried to break through the defense of the Armed Forces in the direction of the settlements of Marinka and Shevchenko, but without success.
The Ministry of Defense of Finland announced that the country will send about 20 servicemen to Great Britain to participate in the training program of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The educational program is led by Great Britain, which has turned to partner countries for support.
Russia is ready to blow up the ZNPP, Energoatom reports. According to the Ukrainian company, this was announced by the head of the radiation, chemical and biological defense forces of the Russian Federation, Major General Valery Vasiliev, who commands the garrison at the captured nuclear power plant. "Energoatom" noted that Vasiliev promised that "there will be either Russian land or a scorched desert."
The World Bank announced that it will mobilize another 4.5 billion dollars for financial support of Ukraine. According to the bank's statement, the funds will help Kyiv pay for social services and pensions and will be "the key to mitigating the economic consequences of the Russian invasion."
The international human rights organization Amnesty International used for the preparation of the report "Ukrainian military tactics endanger the civilian population" the testimonies of people who were in infiltration camps and prisons in the temporarily occupied territories, and therefore the interviews were selected under obvious pressure - these are the conclusions of the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security of Ukraine.
The buyer in Lebanon refused to take Ukrainian corn from the Razoni ship. The reason is the delay in delivery for more than five months, the Embassy of Ukraine in Lebanon informed. The supplier is currently looking for another buyer. On August 1, Razoni left the port of Odesa with 26,000 tons of corn.
More than 450 components produced abroad, in particular in the USA, were found in 27 Russian weapons systems that were captured by the Ukrainian military during the war and handed over for examination. This is stated in the report of the Royal Joint Institute for Defense Studies. Almost a quarter of all Western weapon components were produced by the American company Texas Instruments.
The Security Service of Ukraine detained the "killers of the special services of the Russian Federation" who planned the murders of the Minister of Defense Oleksiy Reznikov and the head of the GUR of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Kyryll Budanov.
The department reported that as a result of a multi-stage special operation, the sabotage and reconnaissance group of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation was neutralized.
In Ukraine, under the National Security Council, it is proposed to create a Bureau of Sanctions Policy. It will coordinate the activities of subjects implementing the sanctions policy of Ukraine", will check the proposals on the application of sanctions for compliance with the conceptual approaches, directions, measures in the sphere of the sanctions policy of Ukraine, determined by the National Security Council.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 166. Online updates.
The Russian military tried to advance in the Kramatorsk and Bakhmut directions of Donbas but was forced to withdraw — the General Staff.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that hot spots in the Donetsk region take "the main effort and many lives". The situation in Donbas remains very difficult. Evacuation from Donetsk Oblast continues.
At about 10:00 am Ukrainian air defence forces destroyed a Kalibr cruise missile over Odesa Oblast. According to operational command South, the missile was fired from a submarine in the Black Sea.
Early in the morning, the Russian army shelled the outskirts of Mykolaiv and caused approximately seven explosions. No casualties have been reported so far. The Russian army attacked the Nikopol district with Grad MRLS and missiles three times during the night. Four villages in two communities came under fire. Some buildings were destroyed, but no injuries have been reported. The Russian army shelled Kharkiv last night and today's morning.
The armed forces of Ukraine hit the bridge over Dnipro in Kherson, as well as several targets in other occupied settlements of the Kherson region. This was reported by the deputy of the Kherson regional council Serhii Khlan. Also, on the night of August 8, high-precision HIMARS missiles struck the invaders' positions in the various industrial sites of the occupied Melitopol, announced mayor Ivan Fedorov.
A ship with Ukrainian food left Pivdenny port for the first time since February 24: SACURA bulk carrier is heading for Italy. The ship formed a caravan with ARIZONA bulker which has departed from Chornomorsk port to the Netherlands. Both vessels carry a total of 60,000 tons of agricultural products.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres demanded to give international inspectors access to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Russian troops shelled Zaporizhzhya NPP once again on August 6 and hit close to the spent nuclear fuel dry storage facility. Three radiation monitoring sensors were damaged during the shelling.
American actress and producer Jessica Chastain visited the capital of Ukraine on August 7. The celebrity visited a children's hospital, where she learned how the clinic operates during martial law. The actress also visited Irpin: she talked to the local authorities and drove through the city. She also had a closed meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the Head of the President's Office Andrii Yermak.
The Turkish UAV producer Baykar Makina which makes Baykar TB2 has already registered in Ukraine and purchased a site for the future plant said the Ambassador of Ukraine to Turkey Vasyl Bodnar in an interview with RBC Ukraine.
The first three Gepard anti-aircraft self-propelled artillery units arrived in Ukraine from Germany, announced operational command South. All units have two mortars which can fire 550 rounds per minute each. The unit range varies from 100 meters to 4 kilometres.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 165. Online updates.
In Luhansk region, the Russian army tried three times to storm the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In addition, Russian armed formations tried to advance near Bakhmut, Avdiyivka, and Sloviansk, but were repulsed by the Ukrainian military, suffered losses, and retreated.
Russian troops are trying to take control of Pisky in the Donetsk region, but were able to capture only the southeastern outskirts of the village. This is stated in the report of the American Institute for the Study of War. Analysts noted that the Ukrainian side denied Russia's claims that Russian troops are in full control of Pisky.
At night, the Russians shelled Dnipropetrovsk region. The Nikopol district was hit by "Grady". In Marhanka, two people were injured in the shelling, one person is in the hospital. 48 private houses were damaged in the city. The next missile attack was on Kharkiv. Rockets hit businesses. In addition, Russian troops shelled two districts of Mykolaiv region. Local residents are injured, a woman has died.
Russia is deploying additional forces and means of air defense on the territory of Belarus — General Staff.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Russia in Ukraine, more than 1,600 people, allegedly involved in subversive activities, have been detained, said First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Yevgeny Yenin. According to him, they often transfer information for $130-250. State traitors face 15 years in prison.
The attack aircraft of the Armed Forces of the Ukrainian SSR carried out 9 strikes on three strongholds of the Russian military in Kherson region and Mykolaiv region, four positions of accumulations of troops, weapons and equipment, and one warehouse of ammunition and radar stations.
The low efficiency of the Russian army during its invasion of Ukraine cost the Russian military leadership dearly — at least six generals of the Russian Armed Forces lost their positions. At least ten more generals have died in Ukraine, reports the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain with reference to intelligence data.
The second caravan of ships with food has been sent from the ports of the Odesa region, the Ministry of Infrastructure reports. 3 ships left Chornomorsk and one more from Odesa. Four bulkers MUSTAFA NECATI, STAR HELENA, GLORY and RIVA WIND have almost 170,000 tons of agricultural products on board. The ships are heading to the ports of Italy, China and Turkey.
Our news at 21:29
The Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled Russian attacks near Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Sloviansk in the Donetsk region, reports the General Staff. Meanwhile, Russia has increased the number of ships in the Black Sea, Azov Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea: 13 surface ships are currently on duty.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan once again invited Vladimir Putin to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Erdogan believes that it's important to resume negotiations in Istanbul.
Vitalii Hura, so-called deputy head of the "military and civil administration" of occupied Nova Kakhovka, died in Kherson Oblast after an attempt on his life, informs Russian RBC.
Presidential advisor Mykhailo Podoliak confirmed that North Macedonia handed over combat aviation to Ukraine. On August 4, MKD media reported, that according to its sources, North Macedonia had decided to hand over four Su-25 attack aircraft purchased in 2001 to Ukraine.
The European Commission has developed a new proposal to provide Ukraine with macro-financial aid in the amount of 8 billion euros, reports Politico with reference to EU officials. Ukraine will receive 5 billion euros in long-term loans under EU guarantees, and the rest of the money as grants.
The Association of Families of Azovstal Defenders accused the Red Cross of inaction and condemned the ICRC head's visit to Moscow. Sandra Krotevych, a member of the Association, said that such trips indicate that the certain organisation "will play along with the Russian side".
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs commented on the Ukrainian Ambassador's to the UK statement that the Russian Federation should return a part of the USSR's foreign assets to Ukraine. Russia stated that such claims have no grounds because its status as the USSR's successor was recognised by the international community and confirmed by the International Court of Justice of the United Nations.
Bulk carrier FULMAR S under Barbados flag has become the first ship to arrive at Odesa port since February 24 — Minister of Infrastructure Mr Kubrakov. After being loaded, the vessel will depart for a Turkish port.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 164. Online updates.
Russian troops continue to advance in the Bakhmut and Avdiivsky areas. After the last attacks, they did not succeed and withdrew, the General Staff of the Armed Forces reported.
Russian troops are concentrating in the south in anticipation of a counteroffensive by the Ukrainian army. This was reported by the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain with reference to intelligence data.
"Long convoys of Russian military trucks, tanks, towed artillery and other weapons continue to move away from the Ukrainian Donbas and head to the southwest," the report says. According to intelligence data, equipment is also being moved from Russian-occupied Melitopol, Berdyansk, Mariupol and from the Russian mainland via the Kerch bridge to Crimea.
Around 3:30, Russian troops launched rocket attacks on Mykolaiv: two people were seriously injured, and residential buildings were damaged. Kharkiv also came under fire: previously, there were no wounded or dead. On the morning of August 6, the Russian army shelled the Sumy region with mortars, and the Russian Federation also attacked the Nikopol and Kryvorizky districts of the Dnipropetrovsk region. In the city of Nikopol, 20 hits from the Grad anti-aircraft missile system were recorded. Three people were injured.
Investigators of the Bellingcat project were able to identify the Russian citizen who tortured and killed a Ukrainian prisoner of war. He turned out to be a native of the Republic of Tuva named Ochur-Suge Mongush.
After yesterday's shelling of the Zaporizhzhia NPP by Russian troops with anti-aircraft missiles, as of August 6, the plant operates with the risk of violating radiation and fire safety standards. power lines were damaged, one of the power units of the station was disconnected from the power system and transferred to the reserve. Currently, the ZNPP operates with the risk of violating radiation and fire safety standards, Energoatom said.
On August 5, Vladimir Putin held talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Sochi, Russia. According to the results, the Russian side announced that during the negotiations they reached an agreement on payment by Ankara for Russian gas in rubles.
The United States is preparing a new defense aid package for Ukraine worth one billion dollars, which should include ammunition for HIMARS MLRS, NASAMS anti-aircraft defense systems, as well as armored medical vehicles. This was reported by Reuters with reference to its own sources. This package is likely to be announced on August 8.
Our news at 21:08
In Donetsk region, Russians tried to advance in the areas of Krasnohorivka, Avdiyivka, and Pisok (this is the Avdiyiv direction), but the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled them. Also, the Ukrainian military stopped the attacks of the Russian army in the Kramatorsk and Bakhmut directions — in the areas of Bakhmut, Zaytsevo, and Vershyn. In the Kharkiv region, Ukrainian troops liberated the village of Dmytrivka in the Izyum district, the General Staff reports.
Russians shelled the Zaporizhzhya NPP for the second time, three hits were recorded, the press service of "Energoatom" reports. "On the evening of August 5, Russian terrorists fired at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant for the second time with anti-aircraft missiles. Three "arrivals" were recorded right on the site of the plant, near one of the power units where the nuclear reactor is located. The terrorists seriously damaged the nitrogen-oxygen plant and the combined auxiliary building. There are risks leakage of hydrogen and sputtering of radioactive substances. There is a high fire hazard. There are currently no casualties," the message reads.
During the day, Russians shelled Mykolaiv with rockets. A 14-year-old boy was injured, he is in intensive care. At the time of the attack by the Russian troops, the boy was at the entrance to the church. Besides him, another 21 people were injured. There are also dead civilians, the exact number of which has not yet been announced by the regional military administration.
The Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces did not receive four Su-25 attack aircraft from North Macedonia, as previously reported by the media. This was stated by the spokesman of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Yuriy Ignat.
The spokeswoman of the Ukrainian office of Amnesty International, Kateryna Mityeva, resigned due to the report published the day before by the international office of Amnesty International. She reported that the Ukrainian office convinced Amnesty International not to publish the report, which specifically mentions that the armed forces are placing weapons in residential areas.
Half of the G20 countries do not support sanctions against the Russian Federation, writes Bloomberg. It is noted that US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is facing an "uncomfortable reality" during his tour of Southeast Asia and Africa: most of the world is not ready to follow the efforts of the US and Europe to isolate Russia. In particular, we are talking about China, India, Brazil, South Africa.
Canada will send more than 200 instructors to Great Britain to train the Ukrainian military as part of the renewed UNIFIER operation. This was announced by the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov.
Ukraine handed Turkey five appeals for legal assistance from the Prosecutor General's Office in order to resolve the issue of illegal export of Ukrainian grain by Russia through Turkey, Ukrainian Ambassador to Turkey Vasyl Bodnar said. Ukraine received consent to discuss this issue from Turkey. The dialogue will take place next week.
13 ships are waiting to be shipped from Ukrainian ports within the framework of the Initiative on safe transportation of grain and food products, Minister of Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov said.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 163. Online updates.
Russian troops attacked cities and villages of eight Ukrainian regions throughout the night and the morning. Regional centres of Mykolaiv, Kharkiv and the outskirts of Zaporizhzhia were shelled. Nikopol in the Dnipropetrovsk region was struck with Grads. Border territories of the Chernihiv region were shelled seven times in the past 24 hours. Fighting continues in Kherson Oblast.
The Russian military is conducting an offensive on the Bakhmut and Avdiivka directions in the Donetsk region. They are trying to create conditions to capture of Soledar and Bakhmut and expand the controlled area on the western outskirts of Donetsk, reports the General Staff. Eight civilians have been killed and nine were injured in the Donetsk Oblast in the past day.
Russia is attacking Ukrainian positions in the Luhansk region carrying out four air strikes on August 4, as well as three artillery attacks, rocket artillery and mortar fire, and two ground attacks supported by tanks. The situation in the area remains critical.
If Ukraine manages to press Izium in the Kharkiv region and maintain the transition to counter-offensive in Kherson, the Russian command will be forced to make a choice. They will need to either abandon their western positions around Izium in favour of defending the ground communications further north and east or allocate more troops and equipment to hold the current front line, states the Institute for the Study of War report.
The first caravan of transport ships left Ukraine. Three bulk carriers NAVI STAR, ROJEN and POLARNET carry 57,000 tons of Ukrainian corn heading to Turkey, the UK, and Ireland. According to Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Mustafa Nayyem, Ukraine aims to export 3+ million tons of agricultural products monthly from the ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk, and Pivdenny. These Ukrainian ports were blocked from the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The first vessel with the Ukrainian harvest left last week.
Ukraine received a grant of one million euros from Albania. The funds will be used to finance priority expenditures of the State Budget of Ukraine, reported the Ministry of Finance.
The Permanent Mission of Canada to the UN announced that the Canadian government allocated $1 million to IAEA to strengthen safety and security at Ukrainian nuclear facilities. Another $5 million will be handed over to the US Department of State to help Ukraine to detect and prevent illicit nuclear transport within its territory.
The EU Council has introduced new sanctions against fugitive Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and his son Oleksandr for threatening Ukraine's territorial integrity.
Latvia has suspended its economic cooperation agreement with Russia starting from August 1. This was reported by the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the official media Latvijas vēstnesis.
Our news at 22:20
In the Kharkiv region, the Ukrainian military liberated the village of Dibrivne, and the Russians are trying to break through the defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Husarivka (Izium district), fighting continues there. In the Donetsk region, the Ukrainian army repelled the attacks of the Russian army in the areas of Dolyna and Bohorodychne (this is the way to Slovyansk), also stated herein are battles in the Avdiivka near Pisky, the General Staff reports.
In Kyiv, the relatives of the "Azovstal" defenders held an action in honor of the fallen fighters as a result of the terrorist attack in Olenivka. Participants demanded security guarantees for soldiers from international organizations. According to information released by the Main Directorate of Intelligence, prisoners of war from "Azov" were tortured before execution in Olenivka.
At the same time, the Red Cross commented on the lack of guarantees for the safety of prisoners in Olenivka: the organization did not guarantee the safety of prisoners of war after they fell into the hands of the opposing side, as this was beyond the organization's capabilities and mandate.
Ukraine is open to investigating violations during the war by both the Russian military and the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This was announced by the Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Hanna Malyar, during the briefing, commenting on the report of Amnesty International, in which it is said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are placing weapons in residential areas. At the same time, the Ministry of Defense noted that the report does not take into account the context of the events of the Russian-Ukrainian war, does not take into account the conditions in which the Ukrainian Armed Forces operate, and does not analyze violations by the troops of the aggressor state.
During the last week, the Armed Forces destroyed about 15 Russian warehouses and logistics bases with the help of HIMARS and MLRS rocket launchers, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported.
North Macedonia has returned to Ukraine four Su-25 aircrafts, which were bought in Ukraine in 2001, MKD reported with reference to its own sources. The Ministry of Defense of the country neither denied nor confirmed this information. Also, the Japanese government announced a new package of aid to Ukraine — vans and drones.
Ukraine is not involved in the shelling of the center of Donetsk, where, next to the Drama Theater and the Donbass Palace hotel, a farewell ceremony was held for the commander of the occupiers, Olga Kachura. This was stated by the adviser to the head of the Office of the President Mykhailo Podolyak. Earlier, a powerful explosion rang out in occupied Donetsk.
The European Union has adopted a new anti-crisis measure of 16 million euros to support access to education and help victims of sexual violence in Ukraine. This is reported in the press service of the European Union.
Employees of the State Service of Ukraine from emergency situations saved more than one and a half thousand hectares of grain crops. The largest number of fires caused by Russian shelling occurred in the Donetsk, Mykolaiv, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
In the city of Lappeenranta, located near the Russian-Finnish border, starting from August 5, the Ukrainian flag will be raised and the national anthem of Ukraine will be played every day.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 162. Online updates.
Russian troops conducted a limited ground attack northwest of Sloviansk in Donbas on August 3, reported the Institute for Study of War. ISW noted that while there were no confirmed ground attacks near Siversk, Russian troops shelled the city and adjacent settlements on August 3. Russians also launched a series of ground strikes to the northeast, east and southeast of Bakhmut.
Russian troops shelled Nikopol, Dnipropetrovsk region, twice on the night of August 4. Residential quarters were hit with 60 Grad shells. Some buildings were damaged including a solar power plant. Two communities of the Kryvyi Rih district were shelled with Uragans. A woman, 44, was injured.
Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv regions were shelled as well. During the night, the Russian army fired an anti-ship Oniks rocket into Odesa from the direction of Crimea. It exploded in the air while approaching the coast, reported operational command South. At about 11 am on July 4, the Russian military shelled residential areas of Toretsk in Donetsk Oblast. Eight people were killed, and four were injured, including three children.
Russia is likely to use the Zaporizhzhia NPP in Enerhodar to play on the Western fears of a nuclear disaster in Ukraine in an attempt to weaken the will of Western countries to provide military support for the Ukrainian counter-offensive, believes the Institute for the Study of War.
Volunteers from Lithuania handed over high-tech equipment to the Armed Forces of Ukraine to counteract Russian drones, in particular, Sly Wiper UAVs, announced the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Ukraine is looking for opportunities to communicate directly with China as the latter has leverage over Russia that could stop the war in Ukraine, said President Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview with the South China Morning Post.
Ukraine is preparing to start the school year with an updated literature program. The foreign literature curriculum will only include Russian-speaking writers who were closely associated with Ukraine personally or through their work, announced the head of the Ministry of Education and Science department of general secondary and preschool education Yurii Kononenko. Mykola Gogol, Volodymyr Korolenko, Anatolii Kuznetsov, Ilf and Petrov, Mykhailo Bulgakov will remain in the program. European, American, and Asian creators will replace Russian writers in the curriculum.
Our news at 21:10
Russians are shelling almost the entire front line in Kharkiv and Donbas with artillery. In the Donetsk region, Ukrainian forces repelled Russian attacks in eight ways to Bakhmut, five in the Avdiivka, also in Pisky, Mariinka, and Bilogirka districts, reports the General Staff reports.
Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is out of control of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Nuclear safety of the plant is compromised, said IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi. NPP is located in the zone of active hostilities, equipment supplies are interrupted. The station is controlled by the Russian Federation, however, Ukrainian specialists continue to work there, which leads to "supposed violence".
The International Committee of the Red Cross formed a team to visit the penitentiary in Olenivka, Donetsk Oblast, where Ukrainian prisoners of war were killed on July 29. However, as of August 3, the Russian side has not responded to the legal access request, informed ICRC.
Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder said that Russian President Vladimir Putin is open to diplomacy with Ukraine. The President's Office replied that "ceasefire must come first".
Ukrainian Foundation Come Back Alive and Turkish UAV manufacturer Baykar Makina, which produces Bayraktar TB2, have announced their cooperation.
The UK plans to allocate £3 billion to strengthen the defence capacity and rebuild Ukraine. This decision was supported by British Finance Minister Nadhim Zahawi.
Switzerland has introduced additional sanctions and banned the purchase, import and transport of gold and gold products from Russia. Any services related to these goods are also prohibited.
Canada has allocated $40 million to help grain storage in Ukraine, reported the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine.
Since April 2022, Ukrainian telecom companies have received about 1,300 pieces of equipment to restore their service at a total cost of $500,000, according to the press service of the Ministry of Digital Transformation.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 161. Online updates.
Mandatory evacuation in the Donetsk region, which was announced earlier due to the large-scale destruction in the region and possible problems with heating and other utilities in the cold season, has started. The first train arrived in Kropyvnytskyi. To the government's estimates, more than 220,000 people need to be removed from the region.
Russian troops shelled Chernihiv Oblast last night and attacked Sumy and Kharkiv in the morning. Two communities of the Dnipropetrovsk region suffered artillery fire.
Active fights continue in Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts. In the past 24 hours, the Russian army carried out eight air strikes on the regions. In Luhansk Oblast, Russians conduct multiple simultaneous attacks from different sides. Nine Russian assault attempts were pushed back in the Luhansk region in the past day.
A Ukrainian collaborator and representative of the pro-Russian authorities in the occupied Kherson region claimed that locals are allowed to use the Ukrainian language. Russian officials are increasingly open about their intention to annex the occupied Ukrainian territories, according to the Institute for Study of War report. Military experts believe that the Kremlin is considering longer-term methods to subdue the population in the occupied territories.
Operational command South refuted Russia's claims about the sabotage of Ukrainian HIMARS MLRS and said that Ukraine has not lost any of those.
The ship with Ukrainian food that left Odesa port earlier has reached the Turkish coast. This is the first food shipment since the beginning of the full-scale war. Razoni vessel will now be inspected and will continue on its way to the port of Tripoli in Lebanon.
Ukraine received 1 billion euros of macro-financial support from the European Union. Another 8 billion are expected to be approved.
USAID allocates an additional $1.8 million for health care in Ukraine. This is reported by the press service of the Ukrainian bureau of the World Health Organisation.
Our Lady of Mariupol painting by the Ukrainian artist Maksym Palenko was sold at the Saint Javelin auction for $22,000. All the funds will be used to purchase drones for Ukraine. The auction Christian Borys announced on his Twitter account on August 3. The original price of the lot was $16,500. In addition to the painting, the winner will also receive a part of a destroyed Russian IFV.
Our news at 21:54
The Russian military tried to advance in the direction of Ternova-Bairak (northeast of Kharkiv), but without success. In the Donetsk region, Ukrainian Armed Forces pushed Russian reconnaissance groups away from Dovhenke and Dolyna (Sloviansk direction), repelled attacks near Novoluhansk and Ivano-Dariivka (Kramatorsk direction) and in the direction of Bakhmut. Also, Russian troops tried to attack near Avdiivka, but to no avail. At the same time, the Russian army has managed to partially secure its positions near Donetsk-Pisky. The Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated seven more settlements in Kherson Oblast.
Rocket fire. The Armed Forces shot down four Russian missiles over the Mykolaiv region, and two more over Vinnytsia Oblast. An explosion took place in the Chervonohrad district of Lviv Oblast which is close to the Polish border. Operational services left for the site. No details are reported at this time.
In the Kherson region, the Russian military shot down a bus. Two people were killed on the spot, one died on the way to the emergency room, and five more are in serious condition and have been hospitalised in Kryvyi Rih.
The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation recognised the Ukrainian Azov regiment as a terrorist organisation and banned its activities in Russia. Azov has responded that "after the public execution of prisoners of war in the Olenivka penitentiary, Russia is looking for new reasons and explanations for its war crimes." The regiment called on foreign states to recognise the Russian Federation as a terrorist state.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken authorised allocating $550 million worth of weapons from U.S. stock to Ukraine. "This includes more ammunition for HIMARS and 155 mm artillery systems, which Ukrainian troops use so effectively on the battlefield to defend their country," the statement said.
Spain decided not to supply Leopard tanks to Ukraine, because the equipment is currently unusable and dangerous for the military.
Istanbul is waiting for the arrival of the Razoni ship with Ukrainian grain late at night on August 3, reported the coordinator of the Joint Coordination Centre, Assistant Director General of the Turkish MoD Security Directorate Özgür Özcan Altunbulak.
Commission on Foreign Affairs of Latvian Sejm supported recognising Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. Members of the Commission call on the EU countries to immediately suspend issuing tourist and entry visas to citizens of Russia and Belarus.
Canada has expanded sanctions against the Russian Federation. Over 40 military officials and 17 organisations involved in Russia's war against Ukraine were added to the list. Also, the United States introduced new sanctions against Volodymyr Saldo and Kyrylo Stremousov, who head the so-called administrations in the temporarily occupied Kherson region, Russian gymnast Alina Kabaeva, several Russian oligarchs, and "mayor" of Mariupol Konstantin Ivashchenko, "appointed" to by the authorities of the so-called "DPR" after the city was occupied by Russian troops.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 160. Online updates.
Ukrainian Armed Forces repelled Russian attacks in the Kramatorsk, Bakhmut, and Avdiivka directions. Active fights go on near Bakhmut and Pisky, reports the General Staff. However, the situation in Donbas remains difficult. In the Luhansk region, the Russians concentrated their main forces in the Bakhmut direction. On August 1, the Russian army launched two powerful missile strikes, fired eight missiles, and made four air strikes on various settlements, according to Luhansk Oblast Administration.
Donetsk Oblast. Mykolaiv district suffered intense shelling during the night and in the morning. Significant destruction was reported. The number of casualties is currently unknown. Russians launched a missile attack on Toretsk. During the day, the Russians shelled many settlements of the region with artillery, mortars, Uragan and Grad MLRS.
Two districts of the city of Mykolaiv were also shelled during the night. According to preliminary information, one of the areas was shelled with four Smerch rockets, the other one with eight S-300 missiles. Sumy Oblast experienced mortar fire, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast was shelled with MLRS, and various settlements in Kharkiv oblast were attacked as well.
Russia continues removing troops from the northern part of Donetsk Oblast to support defensive positions in southern Ukraine. The campaign near Sloviansk may be suspended for the moment, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) analytics. The withdrawal will probably create an opportunity for the Ukrainian forces to launch a counter-offensive in the Izium direction.
ISW analysts also believe that the Russian troops are responsible for the attack on the Olenivka prison on July 28, which killed 53 Ukrainian prisoners of war. The evidence cited by the institute does not support the use of HIMARS as reported by the Russian party. The Prosecutor General of Ukraine Andrii Kostin reported that, according to preliminary conclusions of international experts, the explosion in the colony in Olenivka, where Ukrainian prisoners of war were held, could be caused by thermobaric weapons.
Russia uses Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant as a military base to shell Ukrainians, as it is aware that the Ukrainian Forces "cannot and will not shoot back" to avoid damaging NPP, told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
President Volodymyr Zelensky amended the rules of service in the Armed Forces for foreigners and stateless persons. From now on, they will be able to enter a contract for a period of up to 10 years.
Around five more vessels with the grain will be sent from Ukrainian ports in the next 2 weeks, said Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine Oleksandr Kubrakov in an interview with Financial Times.
Belgium has frozen 50.5 billion euros of Russian assets. De Morgen writes with reference to Francis Adins of the Public Finance Service, that this sum includes all types of financial assets such as money and shares in Belgium owned by 1,229 individuals and 110 organisations including Russian politicians, oligarchs, banks, and sanctioned companies.
Our news at 22:09
The Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled several assaults of Russian militaries, the General Staff reports. The assaults were repelled on the Slovyansk direction near Mazanivka, on the Bakhmut direction in the Yakovlivka area, and on the Avdiivka direction in the districts of Avdiivka and Pisky.
German MARS II multiple rocket launchers have already arrived in Ukraine. Germany announced their transfer at the beginning of June. Also, the Ukrainian Armed Forces received an additional 4 HIMARS multiple rocket launcher systems from the USA.
There are four places in Great Britain where the Ukrainian servicemen are trained. In total, ten thousand military personnel are being trained. The training will take 120 days, and in general, Ukraine plans to train ten thousand Ukrainian soldiers every 120 days, said the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Ukraine to the United Kingdom Vadym Prystaiko.
The European Union directed €1 billion of exceptional macro-financial aid to Ukraine. The first tranche of €500 million has already been credited to the NBU account. This was announced by the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal.
Vladimir Putin stated that the Russian Federation does not want a nuclear war, as there will be no winners in it. The President of Russia said this during a speech to the participants of the X Conference on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Earlier, US President Joe Biden said that Russia should demonstrate readiness to resume negotiations on nuclear weapons together with the US.
The national postal operator "Ukrposhta" stopped working on the territories temporarily occupied by Russia after February 24, said the company's general director Ihor Smilyanskyi. According to the official, until the end of July, the branches of "Ukrposhta" managed to perform their work to a large extent, but now the company cannot guarantee the safety of employees, due to the pressure of the occupiers.
The European Union congratulates the departure of the first commercial vessel from the Odesa port after the signing of the grain agreement on July 22. This is the first step towards mitigating the global food crisis, which was provoked by Russia's aggression and the blockade of Ukrainian ports, said the spokesman for the European Commission on Foreign and Security Policy Peter Stano.
A ban on the import of coal from Russia comes into effect in the European Union on August 1. This measure was included in the fifth package of sanctions approved on April 7, 2022.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Russia on the territory of Ukraine, 884 objects of health care facilities were damaged, 123 were completely destroyed, and 18 civilian medical workers died while performing their professional duties, and 56 more were seriously injured, the Minister of Health Viktor Liashko said.
The special services of the Russian Federation use gaming mobile applications to collect information about the location of military units and civil infrastructure facilities, reports the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine: "Through Russian applications, the enemy in the form of a game receives from users information about the location of military facilities, critical infrastructure, or induces citizens to unknowingly help the occupiers".
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 159. Online updates.
The first ship with Ukrainian food left the Odesa port, announced Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine Oleksandr Kubrakov. RAZONI vessel under the Sierra Leone flag is heading to the port of Tripoli in Lebanon. It is moving through the safe corridor guaranteed by the partners—the UN and Turkey. It carries 26,000 tons of Ukrainian maize. Ukraine is the 4th largest exporter of corn in the world.
During the night, the Russian military shelled several civilian objects in Mykolaiv. Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych confirmed that a new modern emergency room was among them. Russians hit a house in the Dnipropetrovsk region where six children were staying. They were not injured, the rescuers moved them to a safe place. The Regional State Emergency Service reported that on the night of August 1 the Russian troops fired a total of 60 Grad missiles at the region.
Russia is probably adjusting the offensive operations in Donbas after failing to make a decisive breakthrough according to the plan it has followed since April, reports the UK MoD intelligence. It also suggests that the Russian Federation will redeploy a significant number of its forces from northern Donbas to the south of Ukraine, as the Zaporizhzhia front is considered vulnerable.
Russian troops have resumed targeted ground attacks to the northwest and southwest of Izium in the Kharkiv region. This may indicate that the Russian army is creating conditions for an offensive toward Kharkiv, says Institute for the Study of War (ISW) analytics. At the same time, ISW believes that Russians will not be able to capture Kharkiv.
Ukraine will receive two mine countermeasures vessels from the UK, said Ukraine's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Vadym Prystaiko. He also confirmed that Britain will train ten thousand AFU fighters every 120 days. Volunteers most of whom do not have military education will receive basic training.
According to the NSDC Centre for Countering Disinformation, during the 5 months of the war, Russia attacked civilian objects almost 60 times more often than the military. 17,300 strikes targeted civilian objects and only 300 military ones.
Uzhhorod International Airport is not ready to restore air connections any time soon, said the head of Zakarpattia Regional Administration. Yesterday media suggested that this airport can resume operations despite the war in Ukraine, as it has a unique runway: aircraft take off and land through Slovakia's airspace. "The sky over Ukraine as well as all its airports is closed," said Viktor Mykyta. He stressed that the airport is not ready to accept or send civilian flights to the European Union.
Our news at 22:46
Along the entire front line in the regions of Kharkiv, Kherson and the Donbas, Russian troops are carrying out artillery fire. Also, Russians are moving forces from the Slovyansk direction to the Zaporizhzhia one, the General Staff reports. In the Kramatorsk direction near Serebrianka, the Armed Forces of Ukraine repulsed a reconnaissance group of Russian troops and repelled Russian attacks in the Vershyna, Soledar, Yakovlivka, and Pokrovske districts (this is the road to Bakhmut).
The Russian Federation does not respond to Ukraine's requests regarding the return of the bodies of Ukrainian prisoners of war who died as a result of the explosion in the Olenivka colony on July 29, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said. Russians also refused to let specialists of the International Committee of the Red Cross, who wanted to provide aid to the wounded, help evacuate the seriously wounded to hospitals and identify the bodies of the dead in Olenivka, the organization said in its statement.
The Russians attacked the Odesa region with two Iskander-type missiles launched from the temporarily occupied Crimea. The so-called "heat flares" flew over the territory of the Odesa district from the explosion of rockets in the air. Several of these caused dry grass to catch fire. Rescue services eliminate fires. Currently, there is no information about the injured.
The first caravan consisting of 16 ships with Ukrainian grain will soon leave the ports of Ukraine and head to Africa. The first stop will be Istanbul. It is expected that the first ship that will leave Ukrainian ports will be in the territorial waters of Turkey on August 3.
As a result of the shelling of Mykolaiv on the night of July 31, Oleksii Vadaturskyi, who is a Hero of Ukraine and the general director of the agricultural enterprise "Nibulon", which is engaged in the cultivation of agricultural crops and the development of breeding livestock, died. His wife also died. Vadaturskyi was 74 years old. In 2021, Forbes estimated the businessman's fortune at $430 million.
In the Bulgarian city of Karobat, a fire broke out in the territory of an ammunition warehouse belonging to businessman Emilian Gebrev, who previously confirmed the supply of weapons to Ukraine after 2014. According to the businessman, an alarm went off in the warehouse area in the morning and an explosion occurred a few minutes later. There were no casualties as a result of the fire and explosion.
Lebanon arrested the Syrian ship LAODICEA loaded with barley and wheat flour. The country is investigating whether the cargo could have been stolen from Ukraine by Russians. The embassy of Ukraine in Lebanon reports: "We received key documents and evidence from Ukraine that the flour and barley on board of the LAODICEA were stolen from Ukraine. Tomorrow we will submit a petition to the judge in Tripoli to extend the term of arrest."
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 158. Online updates.
On the night of July 31, Russians shelled Mykolaiv almost continuously for 5 hours. The mayor of the city, Oleksandr Sienkevych, called it "probably the heaviest shelling" during the entire war. According to preliminary information, one person died, two more were injured, infrastructure objects were damaged.
The Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions - Russia continues to attack these regions. And it is also trying to hit the Ukrainian army and civilians in the Donbas. The positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces have been shelled along the entire line of contact. In addition, the Russian Federation carried out an airstrike, "GRAD", "URAGAN" and artillery strikes were carried out in the Donetsk region in the past day. The cities and towns of the region were shelled. Houses, the market and the fields were ruined. During one day, three people were killed and 8 more were injured in the region.
Mandatory evacuation of the population will begin in the Donetsk region due to the fact that it is impossible to provide heating in the region: the Russian Federation destroyed all gas networks with shelling, the government said. President Zelensky urged people not to postpone the decision to leave.
The occupying authorities of Sevastopol announced an attack on the headquarters of the Russian fleet. The representative of the self-proclaimed "authority" of the annexed Crimea, the so-called "governor" of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhaev, said that the headquarters of the Russian fleet was attacked by a drone.
He blamed Ukraine for the attack. Serhii Bratchuk, the head of the Odesa regional military administration, called it a provocation.
Russia is smuggling gold out of Sudan to support President Vladimir Putin's war effort in Ukraine. This is stated in the CNN investigation.
It is noted that a few days after the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation in Ukraine, a Russian cargo plane carrying gold took off from Sudan, although according to the documents it was transporting cookies.
The actions and statements of the President of Belarus, Alexandr Lukashenko, who is not recognized by a number of countries, as well as the missile strikes that the Russian army inflicts on Ukraine from the territory of Belarus, testify to Lukashenko's almost complete dependence on Russia. This is reported by the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain with reference to intelligence.
Singer Sting supported Ukraine during a concert in Warsaw. On Saturday evening, Sting's concert took place at the National Stadium in Warsaw, where he addressed the audience. According to Sting, the war in Ukraine is an absurdity built on lies: "If we swallow this lie, it will eat us. But lies are terrified of the truth. The truth must be heard. And we cannot lose this battle."
Our news at 22:12
The United Nations is ready to send experts to Ukraine to help investigate the shelling of the Olenivka colony. Ukraine demands that the Russian Federation provide lists of dead and wounded Ukrainian soldiers in the colony, and has begun the procedure of returning the bodies of the dead. The "Azov" regiment establishes the names of the perpetrators and organizers of the execution of the colony.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled several attacks by Russian troops in Donbas, but the Russians managed to approach the village of Semihirya in the Bakhmut District and begin to establish themselves on its outskirts, the General Staff reports.
The armed forces of Ukraine struck the railway bridge over the Dnipro River in Kherson, depriving the Russian military of the opportunity to use it, in particular to deliver military equipment. The other day, the Armed Forces of Ukraine struck the Antoniv and Daryiv bridges, as well as on the road through the Kakhovskaya HPP dam — these are all logistical routes used by the Russians in the Kherson region.
Poland is ready to hand over another eight Polish-made Krab self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine. The first 18 self-propelled howitzers were delivered to Ukraine as part of military support back in May. In total, Ukraine ordered about 60 Krab self-propelled guns and other additional vehicles.
Norway handed over 14 Iveco LAV III armored vehicles to Ukraine. Armored vehicles have good mobility and protection. It was these vehicles that were used by the Norwegian military in Afghanistan. The Norwegian government said the armored vehicles are being delivered in addition to other military equipment, such as artillery, MANPADS and armored personnel carriers, which the country has previously transferred to Ukraine.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 157. Online updates.
Photo and video evidence of yesterday's strike on Olenivka supports the Ukrainian version rather than the Russian, however, the Institute for the Study of War cannot draw precise conclusions at the moment. Nonetheless, ISW analysts noted that the damage done to the building does not look as if it was caused by HIMARS. The General Staff of the Armed Forces stated that Russian troops shelled the correctional facility with Ukrainian prisoners of war in occupied Olenivka, Donetsk region, and accused Ukraine of committing war crimes.
The Embassy of the Russian Federation in the UK posted a controversial tweet about Ukrainian fighters of the Azov regiment on July 29, which caused a stormy reaction on the social network. Twitter marked it as violating the rules on hate speech yet did not remove it in the interests of the public.
Head of Mykolaiv regional administration Vitalii Kim reported that the Russian military attacked a residential district in Mykolaiv during the night. One person was killed and six wounded, according to the preliminary reports. Some residential buildings were severely damaged.
The aftermath of the night shelling of the Mykolaiv residential district on July 30
Kharkiv was attacked twice during the night: one of the rockets hit an educational institution. Fifteen houses were damaged by shelling in Nikopol, Dnipropetrovsk region, another one was destroyed. Chernihiv region suffered mortar fire. The Sloviansk bus station was also bombed, as well as Siversk, where a missile hit and damaged Social Services Office. The number of casualties is currently unknown.
Russia continues to storm the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Donbas. However, the size and actions of the Russian army remain unchanged, reports Ukrainian General Staff.
President Zelensky made a statement from Chornomorskyi port in Odesa that Ukraine is ready to resume food export starting "today or tomorrow". Congresswoman Victoria Spartz called UN Secretary-General to suspend the "grain deal" as it is not implemented properly, and Ukraine needs better security measures.
The U.S. Senate passed a resolution to call the Department of State to recognise Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism following its actions in Ukraine, Georgia, Syria, and Chechnya, which "have resulted in countless civilian deaths."
2.3 million Ukrainians have already received financial aid of 500 thousand USD from various UN agencies and other humanitarian partners, said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs representative Lizaveta Zhuk.
Our news at 21:18
Russian troops shelled the correctional facility in occupied Olenivka, Donetsk oblast, where Ukrainian prisoners of war who defended Mariupol and Azovstal were held, reported the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. About 40 people were killed, and 130 were injured according to the Prosecutor General's Office. The security service of Ukraine intercepted telephone conversations which confirm that the Russian troops are responsible for this tragedy. The adviser to the head of the President's Office, Mykhailo Podoliak, noted that there were no operational military targets for the Ukrainian army in Olenivka. Mr Podoliak added: "We know that some of the captured defenders were transferred to the barracks, which were hit, a few days before the crime. This is a classic, cynical, and very thought-out false flag operation". The General Staff of the Armed Forces reported that the attack was carried out by mercenaries of the Wagner PMC without coordination with the Russian military leadership. The Russian Defence Ministry claimed that Ukraine has shelled the facility with HIMARS MLRS during the night. Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross have submitted a request and will try to reach the shelled prison.
A video of two Russian soldiers torturing a prisoner of war in a Ukrainian uniform went viral on Russian Telegram channels. The soldiers castrate the captive with a stationery knife. The video also shows a car marked with the letter Z — the symbol of Russian equipment in the occupied territories. One of the torturers wears a cowboy hat. Dmytro Lubynets, the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, appealed to the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine to verify the fact and record the war crime and violation of the Geneva Convention.
Russian artillery troops are shelling almost the entire front line in Kharkiv and Donbas. The General Staff reported that the Armed Forces of Ukraine disbanded a Russian reconnaissance group in the Donetsk region. The group was operating in Shchurovka (Sloviansk direction) and in the areas of Soledar, Vershyna, and Semyhiria on the way to Bakhmut.
Macedonia handed over third-generation tanks from the 1970s and 1980s to Ukraine. Macedonian army owns 31 of those, however, the country's MoD has not specified how many were transferred to Ukraine.
Germany plans to send 16 Biber armoured bridgelayer tanks to Ukraine which are designed for operating in difficult areas on the ground and water reservoirs.
Ukraine will receive an additional 450 million CAD (351 million USD) from Canada. The funds will finance priority expenditures of the Ukrainian budget.
Verkhovna Rada passed the bill that mandates all the new houses built in Ukraine to have a bomb shelter or access to a nearby shelter.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 156. Online updates.
At 4 am Russia shelled Kharkiv city centre. A rescue operation is underway, no casualties have been reported yet.
Later in the morning, the Russian army shelled Mykolaiv and hit close to a public transport stop. Four people were killed, and seven more were injured, according to the head of the regional administration Vitalii Kim.
Nikopol and Kryvyi Rih districts of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast suffered artillery shelling during the night. No casualties were reported so far, however, several thousand people are left without electricity. Russians also carried out a missile strike on Kropyvnytskyi: five people were killed, and another 25 were injured.
On July 28, the Russian military shelled Bakhmut with Uragans MLRS four times. Six apartment buildings and six houses were damaged. At least three people were killed and three were wounded.
Ukrainian Armed Forces successfully repelled a Russian assault near Vershyna and Semyhiria in the Bakhmut direction. Russian troops are shelling the front line and are trying to advance near Novoluhansk and Soledar reports the General Staff.
The Russian army will probably focus on Bakhmut in Donbas while trying to create conditions for an offensive on Kharkiv, suggests the Institute for the Study of War analytics.
The UK ambassador to Ukraine, Melinda Simmons, announced that she and the other G7 ambassadors are currently in Odesa together with representatives of Turkey.
On July 28, platoon commander poet Hlib Babich was killed in a battle with the Russian invaders. Babich wrote more than 500 poems and in 2021 published the Poems and Songs book. He wrote the anthem for Kolomyia Ten. Babich also led the volunteer initiative "Res_Publica. Brothers in arms."
The President’s Office condemned the viral video, depicting Russian servicemen torturing a Ukrainian prisoner. "Russian propagandists have admiringly shown how Russian inhumans tortured a Ukrainian prisoner. The world needs to understand that Russia is a country of cannibals who enjoy tortures and killings," said the adviser to the head of the President's Office, Mykhailo Podoliak.
UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, the contender for the Prime Minister post, said she would be Ukraine's “biggest friend” if she becomes the PM, according to Reuters. She promises to continue Boris Johnson's policy after he was forced to resign in early July at the request of his fellow party members due to several scandals.
The US State Department has announced an award of up to $10 million for information about interference in American elections by Russian businessman and "Putin's cook" Yevgeniy Prigozhin, his Internet Research Agency ("troll factory") as well as related people and organisations.
Our news at 21:08
The General Staff reports on massive artillery shelling by the Russian army along the entire front line in the Donbas and Kharkiv region. In Donetsk region, the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled Russian attacks on Avdiivka and Pisky and in the areas of Berestovo, Nagirny, Yakovlivka, and Semihirya (this is the direction to Bakhmut). However, Russian troops managed to partially advance in the areas of Soledar and Vershina.
Both parties in the US Congress support sending Ukraine long-range missiles, known as ATACMS, which can hit at a distance of more than 280 kilometers. Elissa Slotkin, a representative of the Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives Committee on Armed Forces Affairs, said this.
The US Senate passed a resolution calling on the State Department to recognize Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism due to events in Ukraine, Chechnya, Georgia and Syria that have led to "the deaths of countless people."
In order to quickly seize the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, Russia began sending undercover agents to Ukraine long before the full-scale invasion. They were supposed to establish contact with the officials responsible for the security of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and ensure the absence of armed resistance after the arrival of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. This is stated in the investigation of the Reuters agency.
The Prosecutor General of Ukraine, Andriy Kostin, confirmed Oleksandr Klymenko as the winner of the competition for the head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office. EU Ambassador to Ukraine Matti Maasikas and US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink welcomed this decision: Ukraine fulfilled one of the recommendations of the European Commission accompanying the status of a candidate for EU membership.
During his visit to the Verkhovna Rada, the President of Lithuania Gitanas Nauseda presented Volodymyr Zelenskyi with the highest award of the Republic of Lithuania — the Order of Vytautas the Great with a gold chain. He also announced a new aid package for Ukraine. It will include ammunition, 10 armored vehicles and anti-drone systems.
The creative director of the Spanish fashion house Balenciaga Demna Gvasalia became the ambassador of the Ukrainian state fundraising platform UNITED24, Volodymyr Zelenskyi reported. In support of the Balenciaga platform, a special sweatshirt was created. 100% of the profit from the sale of such sweatshirts will be transferred to the reconstruction of Ukraine.
UEFA opened disciplinary proceedings against the Turkish club "Fenerbahçe" due to the behavior of fans during the Champions League match with Kyiv "Dynamo". The Ukrainian club won with a score of 2:1. However, the match itself was marred by scandal: Turkish fans chanted the name and surname of Vladimir Putin after the incident with Dynamo Kyiv scored a goal. "Fenerbahce" reacted to the behavior of its fans: chanting of fans does not correspond to the values promoted by the club.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 155. Online updates.
Russian troops launched missile strikes on the Kharkiv and Kyiv regions, fired 9 missiles on the Chernihiv region, constantly attacked peaceful settlements and the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions. The Dnipropetrovsk region was hit by "Hurricanes" and artillery. Mykolaiv suffered a massive rocket attack in the morning again.
According to the operational command "South" today between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m., Belarusian sources received information about the launch of more than 20 missiles from the territory of Belarus.
According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the main efforts of the Russian army are focused on taking full control over the territories of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions. And also Russians are focused on the retention of captured districts of the Kherson and parts of Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Mykolaiv regions. Russian militaries are also blocking Ukraine's marine communications in the Black Sea.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's counteroffensive in the Kherson region, which is temporarily occupied by Russians, is gaining momentum. According to the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain with reference to the data of British intelligence, the Armed Forces have created a bridgehead for the offensive. They used the new long-range artillery to damage at least three bridges over the Dnipro River, which are important for the supply of Russian forces.
One of the key bridges, Antonivsky, was seriously damaged after an attack on the night of July 27. President Zelensky said that Ukraine will restore the Antoniv bridge after the deoccupation of the Kherson region.
To the Day of Ukrainian Statehood, which is celebrated on July 28, "Ukrposhta" issued the fourth postage stamp during the period of martial law, which is called "Good evening, we are from Ukraine". This is a Ukrainian catchphrase that gained popularity during the war as a greeting and a sign of national unity and identity. Ukrainians chose the theme and stamp design by voting.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) allocated almost $74 million in additional humanitarian aid to support Ukrainians affected by the war unleashed by Russia. Thus, the total amount of humanitarian aid that USAID has provided to Ukrainians already reaches more than $1 billion, and the total contribution of the US government is more than $1.5 billion.
Poland will be provided with Bayraktar for Ukraine for free. This was announced by the initiator of the fund-raising campaign, a well-known public figure, political scientist and journalist Slavomir Sierakovskii.
The Poles collected about 4.7 million dollars for the attack drone. According to the journalist, this money will be spent on humanitarian aid to Ukrainians.
US Secretary of State Blinken plans to hold talks with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov for the first time since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. He plans to discuss the release of two US citizens illegally detained in Russia — Paul Whelan and basketball player Britney Greiner, CNN reports.
The President of Lithuania Gitanas Nauseda visited Kyiv on the Day of Ukrainian Statehood. He has a scheduled speech in the Council and a meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky.
Our news at 21:07
The German federal government has approved the sale of a hundred Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine, worth more than €1 billion, the German publication Der Spiegel reports with reference to its own sources. The production of all howitzers will probably last several years, so it is primarily about the long-term strengthening of the Ukrainian army.
Ukraine is now receiving what was needed back in the spring from international partners, said Oleksii Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council. But he added that the intensification of arms supplies "is quite powerful" during last month.
In the Donetsk region, the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled attempts of Russian troops to attack in the Slovyansk, Donetsk, Kramatorsk, and Bakhmut directions, the General Staff reports.
A Joint Coordination Centre was opened in Istanbul, which should ensure the sea transportation of grain from Ukraine. This was reported by Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar. The centre consists of 5 representatives of Russia, Ukraine and the UN, as well as Turkey. The document signed by the parties will be valid for 120 days and will continue unless terminated by the parties.
The district prosecutor's office of the city of Poznań has started an investigation into a Polish company that failed to fulfill agreements with a Ukrainian volunteer organization in the amount of €40,000. It is about the purchase of fuel for the Armed Forces of Ukraine and humanitarian organizations.
The G7 countries intend to introduce a price cap mechanism for Russian oil exports by December 5, Reuters reports citing its own sources among officials close to the discussion. As the publication explains, it is on December 5 that the sanctions prohibiting the sea import of Russian oil will enter into force. At the same time, the G7 wants the price of Russian oil to be higher than production costs to provide an incentive for continued production, but much lower than current market prices.
Iran and Russia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, which will intensify cooperation in the field of air transportation. This agreement will apply to civilian aircraft, not military ones, explained Alireza Kazemi, the second secretary of the Iranian Embassy in Ukraine.
A couple of new national polls. The results of the survey by the sociological group "Rating": 86% of Ukrainians said that the economic condition of Ukraine has worsened over the past six months, among those who worked before the war, 59% are currently working, 90% of respondents do not want to go abroad for permanent residence. The results of the survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology: 84% of surveyed Ukrainians believe that no territorial concessions are acceptable, 10% say that in order to achieve peace and preserve independence, it is possible to give up some territories.
The Verkhovna Rada approved a draft law that temporarily prohibits banks, non-bank institutions and collectors from collecting overdue debts from the servicemen. The document was supported by 302 deputies.
Since February 24, Russia has destroyed at least 183 religious buildings in 14 regions in Ukraine. In particular, churches, mosques, synagogues, educational and administrative buildings of religious communities. This is evidenced by the monitoring results of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 154. Online updates.
On the night of July 27, the Armed Forces of Ukraine attacked the Antonivskyi Bridge in Kherson according to Nataliia Humeniuk, the head of the joint press centre of the Southern Defence Forces. The bridge has suffered significant damage, its restoration will take a lot of time and resources which will complicate the supply of weapons to the Russian occupation troops in the Kherson region.
The Department of Strategic Communications of the Armed Forces showed the aftermath of the strike on the Antonivskyi Bridge:
Donbas. The UK MoD intelligence suggests that Russian PMC Wagner likely managed to carry out a tactical offensive in Donbas near the Vuhlehirska power plant and the nearby village of Novoluhanske. The Ukrainian military had to withdraw from the area.
Russian occupiers launched a rocket attack on Avdiivka and Toretsk in Donetsk Oblast on the morning of July 27. The invaders shelled a hotel in Bakhmut, and some casualties have been reported.
On the night of July 27, Russian troops struck two districts of the Dnipropetrovsk region: one person was injured, and some buildings are destroyed. Kharkiv city and the whole region suffered shelling as well: some administrative buildings and an educational institution were damaged.
Russia's total combat losses since the beginning of the full-scale invasion till July 27 are about 40,070 people. Ukrainian forces liquidated 200 Russian military personnel in the past 24 hours, informed the General Staff.
Following the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Tehran, Iran and the Russian Federation signed a Memorandum of Understanding to cooperate in air transportation, reports Mehr News Agency. In particular, Iran will provide the Russian Federation with spare parts and repair Russian aircraft.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson may become the next NATO Secretary General next September when Jens Stoltenberg leaves his post, writes The Telegraph. According to the media, Johnson has long been considered for the position of NATO Secretary General due to the lack of trust from the US to EU leaders heading the Alliance. The Baltic states also trust the UK and Mr Johnson himself has received international recognition for helping Ukraine in the war against Russia.
Russian gas monopolist Gazprom will reduce gas supply by Nord Stream-1 pipeline to no more than 20% of its capacity according to RIA Novosti. No more than 33 million cubic meters will be delivered per day while the expected volume is 167 million.
Our news at 22:48
In the Donetsk region, Russian militaries tried to advance on Slovyansk near Bohorodychne (unsuccessfully), in the Kramatorsk direction, the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled Russian attacks near Ivano-Daryivka, the General Staff reports. Also, the Ukrainian army repelled Russian assaults in the Berestove, Soledar and Semihirya districts — this is in the direction of Bakhmut, and now they are fighting near Pokrovske.
Russian armed formations based on the territory of Chechnya, next to the signs of belonging to a certain unit, began to place patches with the inscription "To Kyiv" on their military uniforms. In particular, such patches were seen in the capital of Chechnya, Grozny, on the uniforms of security forces from the special purpose police regiment named after Akhmat Kadyrov. Chevrons also appeared on the uniforms of the police, riot police units and other law enforcement agencies.
German MARS II multiple rocket launchers have already arrived in Ukraine. They were provided by Germany as part of the agreements. This system on a tracked chassis is an analogue of the American M270 MLRS. The maximum range of hitting targets is 45,000 — 70,000 metres, depending on the type of ammunition.
From August 30 to September 5, 2022, Russia will conduct strategic drill "East-2022" with the troops of the Eastern Military District, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reports. Part of the forces of airborne troops, long-range and military transport aviation, as well as military contingents of other countries will be involved in the drill.
Russia has begun an active phase of preparing a pseudo-referendum on the illegal annexation of the temporarily occupied territories of eastern Ukraine. To carry out the so-called "expression of will", the Russian Federation plans to use the pro-Russian organization "Donetsk Republic", the Security Service of Ukraine claims. According to the agency, more than 1,000 "activists" are already active in the "Donetsk Republic" and hold daily meetings with the population of the temporarily occupied territories.
On the last day of the grace period, July 26, National joint-stock company "Naftogaz of Ukraine" did not pay bond debts to the owners of Eurobonds. This means the default of the company.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Vladimir Putin has expressed interest in purchasing the products of the Baykar Makina company, which is a manufacturer of UAVs, in particular the Bayraktar TB2.
On July 26, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy received the Winston Churchill Leadership Award.
The European Union extended the sanctions against Russia for six months. Therefore, all packages of restrictions introduced since 2014 will remain in effect until at least January 31, 2023.
The member states of the European Union officially agreed on July 26 to voluntarily reduce the demand for natural gas by 15% compared to their average consumption over the past five years. The demand cut will be in place for a year, and the European Commission will review the decision in May 2023.
Ex-chancellor of Germany Gerhard Schroeder came to Moscow for a few days. According to him, he came to the city "for rest". At the same time, Schroeder's wife, Soyon Schroeder-Kim, confirmed to Spiegel that her husband is not on vacation, but is "negotiating energy policy in Moscow." Other sources of the publication reported that Schroeder arrived in Moscow via Baku for the purpose of negotiations, "the topic of which will be the supply of gas through the Northern Stream-1 gas pipeline." It was not specified who exactly the official will talk to.
Polish diplomats will not take part in meetings attended by representatives of Russia or Belarus, said the country's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Pavel Jablonskyi.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 153. Online updates.
On the morning of July 26, the Russian military launched massive rocket attacks on Odesa Oblast from the air as well as a rocket strike on Mykolaiv. They also shelled the civilian infrastructure of Kharkiv and attacked the Dnipropetrovsk region. Constant shelling continues in Donbas, and battles carry on in the Beryslav and Kakhovka districts of Kherson Oblast. In the past 24 hours, the Russian Federation has also attacked the border territories of Ukraine in Chernihiv and Sumy Oblasts more than fifty times.
Russian troops are strengthening their positions in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions preparing for a Ukrainian counterattack, states the Institute for the Study of War. Ukrainian troops continue to strike Russian strongholds in the south.
Ukraine managed to retrieve the bodies of 25 soldiers killed in battles with Russian troops. Ministry of Reintegration reported that another operation to transfer servicemen's bodies took place on July 26.
5,237 civilians were killed and 7,035 injured in five months of the full-scale war in Ukraine. At least 348 children were killed and 560 injured. This is the official data of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights from February 24 to midnight July 24.
Russia is trying to recruit mercenaries from Central Asia—prisoners and locals from remote regions—reports the Main Intelligence Department of the Ukrainian MoD. The intelligence notes that the campaign is actively promoted in Russia under the slogan "a battalion from each subject of the federation". The Kremlin obliged each of the 85 Russian regions, including Crimea and Sevastopol, to form a battalion.
On Monday, July 25, the Russian gas monopolist Gazprom announced that another Siemens turbine will be stopped for repair at the Portovaya compression station, which ensures gas pumping by Nord Stream-1. The turbine shutdown will lead to reducing gas supply to 33 million cubic meters per day. The world community condemned these actions and called them political decisions. At the same time, Russian Federation dramatically increased the gas pressure in the Ukrainian gas pipeline near the border with Russia, which could cause an accident.
Our news at 20:49
In the Donetsk region, the Armed Forces of Ukraine stopped the Russian offensive in the direction of Pokrovsky (this is the Bakhmut district), in the Kramatorsk direction, they again repelled the Russian troops in the Spirnyi and Ivano-Daryivka areas, but the Russian army partially managed to gain a foothold in the Vuglegirsk TPP area. In the Kharkiv region, the Russians suffered significant losses after the battles in the Tsupivka — Dementiivka direction (this is north of Kharkiv, closer to the border with Russia).
Volodymyr Zelenskyi fired the commander of the Special Operations Forces Hryhoriy Galahan. By another decree, the president appointed a new commander — Viktor Horenko. Also, Volodymyr Zelenskyi dismissed Ruslan Demchenko from the post of First Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. Later, the presidential spokesman Serhiy Nikiforov explained that the dismissal was related to Demchenko's health.
In Donetsk region, the occupiers plan to hold a "referendum" with 70% of votes in favor of joining the Russian Federation. This was reported by the journalists of Radio Svoboda, who had access to the "Strategy for the Preparation and Holding of the Referendum on the Entry of the DPR into the Russian Federation". The date of the "referendum" is not specified in the document. According to the publication's source, one of the options that Russia is allegedly considering is September 11.
Ukraine has signed the first contracts worth 260.5 million hryvnias for the purchase of drones for the "Drone Army", Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov said. These are 78 Matrice multicopters equipped with artificial intelligence technology, two ground systems for 20 Warmate kamikaze attack drones and 20 Fly Eye reconnaissance drones.
The European Investment Bank allocated EUR 1.59 billion in financial aid from the European Union to Ukraine. At the same time, EUR 1.05 billion of the total amount will be provided immediately.
The grain agreement and the opening of Ukrainian ports for export will affect the world price of grain. After signing the agreement, the price of grain on the exchange immediately changed — it fell by 3-4 dollars, explained Minister of Agrarian Policy Mykola Solskyi. But he added that the capacities of three Ukrainian ports allow for the export of approximately three million tons of grain per month. This will make it possible to receive approximately 1 billion dollars of foreign currency revenue per month. At the same time, final preparations for the opening of the coordination center in compliance with the "grain agreements" are underway in Istanbul. This was announced by the Minister of Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov.
4.5 million Ukrainians registered as internally displaced persons (IDPs). This is the largest amount of displacement since the Second World War, said Deputy Minister of Reintegration, Commissioner for IDPs Pavlo Kozyrev.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 152. Online updates.
Once again, Russian army command faces a dilemma whether to escalate the offensive in the east or strengthen the defence in the west, while ongoing battles in Donbas and Kherson region bring no avail, reports the UK MoD intelligence.
Russian occupying forces attacked Chuhuiv on the night of July 25. The rockets hit a school and a cultural centre with civilians inside, reported the head of Kharkiv Oblast Administration Oleh Syniehubov. People are trapped under the rubble. A rescue operation is in progress.
Russian forces continued shelling Mykolaiv Oblast on July 24 and attacked Dnipropetrovsk Oblast all night long.
Russian military continues the offensive on the Bakhmut and Kramatorsk directions in Donbas. During the night, Russians shelled the outskirts of Kramatorsk with MLRS.
The Department of Strategic Communications of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that the Ukrainian military hit a Russian command post located in a hotel in Khrustalnyi.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) notes that Russian information space becomes increasingly anxious over the slowdown of Russian operations amid successful attacks of highly mobile HIMARS artillery missile systems on key Russian logistical and command and control nodes.
The cost of the equipment for Ukrainian army soldiers who get ready at their expenses can be roughly estimated at a quarter of a million UAH (about 68,000 USD), a serviceman told Suspilne. Volunteers provide significant help, but they can't reach all the Armed Forces, so the fighters try to buy the equipment themselves.
Poland has collected 22.5 million PLN (about 5 million USD) for a Bayraktar for Ukraine earlier than expected. In addition, the Polish government handed over PT-91 Twardy tanks which have already arrived in Ukraine. According to Krzysztof Płatek, spokesman for the Polish Armament Agency, the country plans to replace them with equipment from South Korea.
The UN disproved the comment made by an unnamed source to The New York Times regarding the shelling of the Odesa port. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine asked the UN leadership for clarifications and was assured that the unofficial comment of an "unnamed source" to The New York Times does not reflect the position of the UN. Only Secretary-General António Guterres's statements can express the official organisation's position.
Meanwhile, the Administration of Seaports of Ukraine is preparing to restore operations in Ukrainian ports Odesa, Chornomorsk, and Pivdenny. The ships will be proceeding as a caravan led by an escort ship.
Our news at 21:26
In Donetsk region, the Ukrainian military repelled Russian attacks in the directions of Volodymyrivka — Bakhmutske and Dolomytne — Novoluhanske (this is how Russian troops are advancing towards Bakhmut), again stopped the offensive in the Bogorodichno region (this is the road to Slovyansk), and again repelled the offensive of Russian troops in Vugleghirsk TPP In the Kramatorsk direction, the Ukrainian military repelled attacks in the Verkhnokamyansk district. In the Kherson region, the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed a Russian S-300 anti-aircraft battery in the Zelenotropynsky — this is the Skadovsky district, from where the Russians shelled Mykolaiv.
Civilian pilots and aviation personnel of Russian state airlines are involved in the war against Ukraine, reports the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine. The department notes that the crews of the An-124-100 and Il-76 MD planes have repeatedly transported military personnel, weapons and equipment to participate in the war.
As The Telegraph writes with reference to an interlocutor in the British government, Boris Johnson is planning a last trip to Ukraine to meet with Volodymyr Zelenskyi before leaving the Downing Street office. "He can't just leave like that," said the interlocutor of the publication.
The Administration of Sea Ports of Ukraine, after signing the agreement on the export of Ukrainian grain on July 22, begins to form caravans for the departure and arrival of ships to the ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk and Pivdenny.
In Poland, money was collected for Bayraktar for Ukraine. We are talking about the amount of 22.5 million zlotys (about 5 million US dollars), which was collected on one of the online platforms. More than 200,000 Poles transferred money.
Russian contractors who refuse to fight with Ukraine are detained in the occupied territory of the Luhansk region. The father of one of the soldiers told the Russian opposition publication The Insider about this on condition of anonymity. Human rights defenders confirmed the identity of the soldier to journalists.
US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink reported that the US is considering declaring Russia a state sponsor of terrorism. But that definition, Brink said, needs careful analysis under American law.
Pope Francis said he wants to visit Ukraine and try to put an end to the five-month war, which he has repeatedly condemned.
During a press conference in Cairo, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lavrov, said that the Russian Federation is ready for negotiations with Ukraine on a "broader range of issues", but "the Ukrainian authorities constantly state that there will be no negotiations until Ukraine defeats Russia on the battlefield." And in this, Lavrov added, Western allies support Ukraine.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 151. Online updates.
On Sunday morning Ukrainian air defense shot down three Kalibr cruise missiles over Khmelnytskyi region launched from the Black Sea, the Air Force Command reported. On the morning of July 24, around 04:00, Mykolaiv came under fire again. It is known beforehand that the warehouse was hit.
During the past day, July 23, Russian troops shelled the border of the Chernihiv region. In total, about 30 explosions were recorded. In the evening of July 23, the Russian army shelled the Kryviy Rih district in the Dnipropetrovsk region. According to the head of the regional administration, there were no casualties or damage.
Russia confirmed the attack on the Odesa port, saying that the Kalibr missiles allegedly destroyed the object of the military infrastructure of the Odesa port. And the UN said that Russia, with its missile attack on the port of Odesa, may not have technically violated the agreement signed in Istanbul on unblocking the export of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea. According to a high-ranking UN official cited by The New York Times, Russia did not promise not to fire at those parts of Ukrainian ports that are not directly involved in the export of grain.
Statements by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lavrov, that Russia has expanded the scope of its so-called "special military operation" beyond the borders of the self-proclaimed "LPR" and "DPR" are not true. The British Ministry of Defense, citing British intelligence, reported that Lavrov made his comments to pave the way for referendums in the occupied territories outside of Luhansk and Donetsk.
In turn, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) writes that Ukrainian troops are probably preparing to launch or have already launched a counteroffensive in the Kherson region.
The Russian army continues its attempts to advance on Donbas in the direction of Bakhmut, trying to capture the Vuglegirska TPP. Shelling continues in all directions. Ukrainian rocket-artillery and aviation units continue to hit strongholds, concentration points and warehouses of the Russian army. This is reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces.
The European Union added amendments to the sanctions against Russia. According to the changes in the sanctions policy, the Russian state companies Rosneft and Gazprom will supply oil to third countries.
Meanwhile, the EU plans to replace gas from Russia with additional supplies from Nigeria as the bloc prepares for a potential cut in supplies from Russia, said Matthew Baldwin, director general of the European Commission's energy department, Reuters writes. The European Commission announced on Wednesday, July 20, that EU member states must reduce gas consumption by 15% from August to March.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 150. Online updates.
On the morning of July 23, the Russian military fired 13 missiles at the Kropyvnytskyi district in the Kirovohrad region. The military airfield and one of the facilities of Ukrzaliznytsia were targeted, the head of the regional administration said. As a result of the rocket attack, three people died, including a serviceman. Nine more servicemen were injured. Russian military also attacked Mykolaiv with six rockets, destroyed a 9-story residential building in Kharkiv, shelled Dnipropetrovsk region.
A passerby in the center of Kyiv. Photo: UNIAN
The Russian military went on an assault in the Pokrovsky district of Donetsk region and the territory of the Vuglehirska TPP. They suffered losses and withdrew, the General Staff reports. The Russians shelled populated areas in the region with artillery, mortars, and anti-aircraft guns, and fired “NURS” missiles and “S-300” air defense systems.
The Russian army mines the roads and banks of the Ingulets River - a tributary of the Dnipro - in the southern areas bordering Snigurivka in Mykolaiv Oblast and Zelenodolsk in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. This indicates that they may be preparing for a possible counteroffensive by Ukrainian forces in the area, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports.
The southern defense forces struck 34 points and ammunition depots of the Russian military within 10 days. This was reported by the spokesman of the Operational Command "South" Vladyslav Nazarov.
The USA announced a new package of military aid to Ukraine in the amount of 270 million dollars. It includes: +4 HIMARS and their missiles; 36,000 shells for artillery; anti-tank weapons; 580 Phoenix Ghost drones.
It is much cheaper for Western partners to transfer air defense equipment to Ukraine than to support its economy with a budget deficit of $5 billion per month. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated this in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.
According to him, the Himars received from the USA, although they are of great importance, are not enough for Ukraine to turn the situation around. Most of all, Ukraine currently needs air defense systems to protect peaceful cities from Russian missiles.
The USA does not plan to provide Ukraine with tactical missiles with a range of 300 kilometers, because this could be the beginning of the path to the third world war. "Voice of America" writes about this with reference to Jacob Sullivan, the US President's national security adviser. At the same time, the United States is considering the possibility of providing Ukraine with American-made fighter jets
First Lady of Lithuania Diana Nauseda arrived in Kyiv for the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen. This was announced by the President of Lithuania Gitanas Nauseda.
Our news at 22:56
In the Donetsk region, Russian militaries tried to advance to Verkhnokamyanske, Ivano-Daryivka and Pokrovske in the Bakhmut district, but the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled their attacks. Also, the Ukrainian army stopped Russian offensive near Andriivka and Bilohorivka in the South Buh direction. However, Russians made another unsuccessful attempt to seize the Vuhlehirska TPP, the General Staff reports.
On July 22, Ukraine, Turkey and the UN signed an agreement in Istanbul that concerns the unblocking of ports and the export of Ukrainian grain. Russia also signed the same agreement with Turkey and the UN. The deal is expected to run for 120 days. At the same time, it can be extended in the future, if the war does not end by then. Ukraine will not have to deal with the demining of Ukrainian ports — it is expected that ships will be able to pass through safe corridors. Ukraine is ready to start exporting grain in a few days, Minister of Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov said.
Gennadii Korban, the former leader of the UKROP party and l the head of Dnipro Territorial Defense Centre since February 2022, had his foreign passport confiscated upon entering Ukraine at the checkpoint. At the request of Suspilne, the Office of the President noted that they cannot comment on whether Korban has been deprived of Ukrainian citizenship.
Russia stole $600 million worth of steel from factories and ports located in the temporarily occupied territories, said Yuriy Ryzhenkov, general director of Metinvest.
The Council of the European Union approved the fifth package of military aid to Ukraine in the amount of €500 million.
A fragment of a missile from the Russian anti-aircraft missile complex "Pantsir-S1" washed up on the coast of Bulgaria between the cities of Pomorie and Aheloy. According to experts, this is the engine part of the rocket, which separates after launch and it is no longer explosive.
The self-proclaimed Transnistrian Moldavian Republic will strive for "independence" with subsequent inclusion in the Russian Federation. This was stated by the "head of the Foreign Ministry" of the unrecognized Transnistria Vitaly Ignatyev.
The government of Estonia allocated 5.1 million euros to educational institutions to support the education of Ukrainian children, the press service of the Ministry of Education of Ukraine reported. Estonia has received more than 13 thousand Ukrainians under the age of 19, and more than 4.8 thousand Ukrainian children and youth are registered in the country's education system at all educational levels.
Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation for IT Development Oleksandr Borniakov said that TikTok removed Ukraine from the "region" associated with Russia. Now, in his opinion, TikTok will ban Ukrainian content less.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 149. Online updates.
Negotiations on resuming Ukrainian grain exports are scheduled for today in Turkey, Ukraine expects that the ports will be unblocked. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesman Oleh Nikolenko suggested the negotiations could result in all the parties signing an agreement and committing to the safety of export routes in the Black Sea.
The largest amount of rockets Russia fired at Ukraine targeted Izium in the Kharkiv region according to National Security Council Secretary Mr Danilov. He stated that the city suffered a total of 476 missile strikes. Mariupol is the second most targeted city followed by Mykolaiv.
Russia attacked three districts in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast during the night. The regional administration has published photos of the destruction.
On July 21, Russians carried out two rocket and two air strikes in Luhansk Oblast as well as multiple artillery and mortar fires. Head of regional military administration Serhii Haidai reported that the Ukrainian military repelled two Russian assaults.
The current pace of the Russian offensive is not significantly different from the "operational pause", states to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) report.
Russia is using air defence missiles for ground attacks more often due to a critical shortage of offence missiles, suggests UK MoD. The UK intelligence is almost certain that Russian Federation has deployed strategic S-300 and S-400 air defence systems, designed to shoot down aircraft and missiles over long distances, near Ukraine.
The IRIS-T ASW systems, promised to Ukraine by Germany, are still in production. Germany Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock stated in an interview with Deutsche Welle that they will be ready by the end of the summer.
NATO is conducting military exercises in the Black Sea for the first time since the beginning of the war in Ukraine. According to News.bg, 24 combat and auxiliary ships, 5 planes, 4 helicopters, and 1,390 marines from 11 countries take part in the Breeze exercise in Bulgarian national waters.
Russia's ability to spy in Europe has been halved after 400 intelligence officers were deported from Europe and several secret spies were arrested, announced MI6 (UK Secret Intelligence Service) chief Richard Moore.
The Russian Federal Air Transport Agency extended the flight ban in the central and southern regions of Russia until July 30.
Military action movie Sniper. The White Raven will be released before Independence Day. The first war movie to be released in Ukraine after the full-scale invasion tells the story of a sniper nicknamed Raven and reveals the role of Ukrainian snipers in the Russian-Ukrainian war of 2014-2022. The film was shot in 2020.
Our news at 22:38
The European Union approved the seventh package of sanctions against Russia. In particular, it will include an embargo on the import of Russian gold and the extension of the ban on goods that can be used in the defense and security spheres. At the same time, the measures envisage relaxation in some industries, in particular aviation.
The governments of the creditor countries of Ukraine agreed to postpone the payment of the principal amount of the debt and interest from August 1 till the end of 2023, with the possibility of extending the postponement for another year until 2024. This will save $5 billion.
Russia plans to hold "referendums" on the annexation of the captured territories of Ukraine in September, Bloomberg reports.
Great Britain will soon send hundreds of unmanned aerial vehicles, anti-tank weapons and artillery to Ukraine. In particular, the aid includes more than 20 M109 self-propelled howitzers, 36 L119 artillery guns, more than 50,000 ammunition for Soviet-era artillery and more than 1,600 anti-tank systems.
Europol has information about alleged cases of firearms smuggling from Ukraine and their trade on the black market. This was stated by the press secretary of Europol, Jan Op Gen Oort.
On Friday, July 22, the agreement on unblocking the export of grain from Ukrainian ports should be concluded in Istanbul, Turkey, the Turkish newspaper Yeni Şafak reported with reference to the representation of the Turkish president. The ceremony of its signing will apparently take place in the Dolmabahçe office at 4:30 p.m.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 148. Online updates.
The Russian army is attempting small assaults along the Donbas front line and is likely approaching Vuhlehirska power station, 50 km northeast of Donetsk. Seizing critical infrastructure, such as power plants, remains a priority for Russia, reports the UK Defence Ministry intelligence.
Russian offensive in Donbas is likely to reach a climax in the coming weeks before capturing Sloviansk or Bakhmut, according to Institute for the Study of War (ISW) analytics.
Head of Donetsk regional administration Pavlo Kyrylenko reported that the Russian army destroyed two schools in Kramatorsk and Kostiantynivka on July 21. Two large machine-building enterprises in the industrial part of Kramatorsk were also shelled during the night. Russians attacked Bakhmut city centre as well.
Kharkiv residential quarters were shelled in the morning. Two people were killed, and 17 were wounded including a patrol officer. Head of Mykolaiv regional military administration Vitaly Kim reported that the Russian army has hit a warehouse with humanitarian aid with two missiles during the night. Thousands of tons of groceries burned down.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine attacked Russian positions in the temporarily occupied Enerhodar and destroyed a lot of military personnel and equipment, informed the Presidential Office advisor Oleksii Arestovych.
The United States estimates Russian losses in Ukraine at approximately 15,000 dead and possibly 45,000 wounded, writes Reuters citing CIA Director William Burns. Mr Burns has added that Ukraine also suffered significant losses. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine estimates Russian losses at about 38,750 servicemen as of the morning of July 20. Russia classifies its military losses as a state secret, the last info published on March 25 reported 1,351 killed.
CIA Director William Burns said that there is no information that Russian President Vladimir Putin's health is unstable or poor. Mr Burns, who worked as an ambassador in Moscow, added that he has been observing and communicating with the Russian leader for more than two decades.
Russia has resumed gas supply between Russia and Germany through Nord Stream-1 after a 10-day pause, the operator reported according to Reuters. Thus, the fear of the maintenance period extension has not come true.
The international group of Ukraine's creditors agreed to postpone the debt and interest instalments until the end of 2023, possibly extending for another year.
The National Bank of Ukraine raised the official exchange rate of USD by 25% to 36.5686 UAH. The rate will remain fixed.
In Donetsk region, Russian troops are conducting an assault in the Bakhmut district on the approaches to the Vuglegir thermal power station, and their attacks in this area near the villages of Novomykhailivka and Mykilske were repelled by the Ukrainian military, the General Staff reports. In the Slovyansk direction, the Armed Forces of Ukraine once again repulsed the Russian offensive in the Bogorodichny district. In the Kramatorsk direction, the Ukrainian army stopped the advance of the Russian army near Hryhorivka and Spirny.
If Ukraine receives new weapons from the West, the "geographic tasks" of the Russian troops will change and they will advance deep into Ukraine, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to the head of the President's Office, replied that the Armed Forces of Ukraine and long-range artillery will teach Lavrov geography.
EU ambassadors have approved the seventh package of sanctions against Russia, Radio Svoboda correspondent Rikard Jozvyak reported. The decision was made in Brussels during a meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives. "Gold, including gold jewelry, was brought in. It should be published in the official journal of the EU tomorrow," Jozvyak wrote.
The US will provide Ukraine with four more HIMARS multiple-launch missile systems, which will be included in the new package of military aid, Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin announced at the Ramstein-4 defense ministers' meeting. But he added that the hostilities in Ukraine are at a decisive stage, and the West will continue to look for new ways to provide long-term military assistance to Kyiv. In total, the United States and its allies provide Ukraine with more than 20 HIMARS multiple-launch rocket systems. 12 of them have already been handed over to the country.
Lithuania will also provide additional military aid to Ukraine in the near future. These are M113 and M577 armored personnel carriers, as well as ammunition.
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic to Ukraine, Etienne de Ponsin, handed over a mobile DNA laboratory for the identification of war victims to the Prosecutor General's Office.
The Lebanese authorities have banned the unloading of the Russian vessels "Matros Koshka" and "Matros Pozhynich" with stolen Ukrainian agricultural products. They were transporting grain with a total weight of 54,000 tons and planned to go to the Lebanese port of Beirut on July 13.
The Security Service of Ukraine has identified more than 800 collaborators since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. Among the suspects are high-ranking officials of state institutions who are in the temporarily occupied territories of the south and east of Ukraine.
More than 30% of Ukrainians have lost their jobs since the beginning of the war, said Tymofiy Mylovanov, adviser to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine. But in order to improve the situation, he recommended that companies focus on the needs of the military. At the same time, the Government instructed the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine to agree with creditors on the postponement of payments for Eurobonds for two years, and for GDP warrants — for one year.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 147. Online updates.
In the morning of July 20, the Russian Federation shelled Kharkiv. A public transport stop was hit. At least three people died, including a 13-year-boy. Her 15-year-old sister is injured. At dawn, the Russian army shelled the Nikopol district in the Dnipropetrovsk region with GRADs. More than 30 rockets were fired at the residential quarter.
Previously, two people died, nine others were injured, including four children. At night, the Russian army launched a missile attack on Odesa from Su-35 aircraft. One of the missiles was destroyed by anti-aircraft defense forces, the second hit an abandoned warehouse building.
The United States plans to provide Ukraine with additional HIMARS rocket launchers.
As part of the investigation, HUR workers took samples of Russian weapons and equipment, including fire spotting and control systems, Orlan-10 unmanned aerial vehicle, MANPADS systems, grenade launchers, etc. The HUR also received personal documents of the Russian military, electronic media and combat logs.
On July 19, the Armed Forces of Ukraine hit the command post and a location of Russian troops near the Antonivsky bridge in the Kherson region, said Serhiy Khlan, deputy of the Kherson regional council. He noted, that the bridge was also damaged.
The Ministry of Digital Transformation announced the launch of digital media UNITED24 in English. It should show Ukraine to the world. "The world should know at what price Ukraine is fighting for independence and how hard it is to win its land from the enemy, where grain is grown. The grain which is used for baking croissants in France, bread in African countries or making pasta in Italy," - writes the press service of the department.
Foreign partners provide Ukraine with strong weapons, but too little, literally "a teaspoon at a time." According to the Lend-Lease program, Ukraine has not yet received anything, said the retired captain of the first rank of the US Navy Harry Tabah. He added that the reasons for which deliveries may be delayed are the statements of individual politicians that there is huge corruption in Ukraine, and weapons are being sold. He is convinced that it is impossible to steal, sell or "lose" weapons that the US transfers to another country.
The administration of US President Joe Biden will invest $100 million in a new program of financial support and provision of vital goods to Ukrainian farmers. This is done in order to preserve future harvests and mitigate the global food security crisis, which has been exacerbated by Russia's war against Ukraine, writes CNN.
In the USA, the wife of the President of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, received the Dissident Human Rights Award addressed to the entire Ukrainian people. It happened at the Memorial to the Victims of Communism in Washington on July 19.
Russia will not prevent the export of Ukrainian grain if sanctions related to the supply of Russian grain are lifted, Kremlin leader Putin said following his visit to Iran, Russian media outlet "RIA Novosti" reports. Also, according to Putin, the Russian army "withdrew from Kyiv" in order to create "conditions for negotiations" with the Ukrainian authorities.
Our news at 22:21
In the Kharkiv region, the Armed Forces of Ukraine stopped the offensive of Russians on the villages of Udy and Husarivka (the Izium district), reports the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In the Donetsk region, the Russian army is trying to advance on Siversk and Bakhmut — there, the Ukrainian army repelled attacks, including one near the Vuhlehirska TPP. However, Russians had partial success during the offensive in the direction of Pokrovske, located in the Donetsk region, and strengthened their positions on the southern outskirts of the settlement.
Russian troops launched air missiles on the centre of Kramatorsk in the Donetsk region. Ten people were injured, five of them were hospitalized.
The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary, Levente Magyar, said that his country is ready to allow aid to Ukraine, including weapons sent by other states, to pass through Hungarian territory. According to him, Hungary is also ready to accept civilian and military personnel from Ukraine for treatment and place Ukrainian children in Hungarian sanatoriums.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine sent to the Parliament a draft law on the ratification of the agreement between Ukraine and Turkey on cooperation in a number of spheres. If the agreement is signed, it will pave the way for the creation of the Turkish drone factory Bayraktar on the territory of Ukraine.
Ukraine and the European Union concluded a memorandum on the first tranche of macro-financial assistance in the amount of €1 billion, the executive vice-president of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis said.
More than 2 and a half thousand objects were damaged by Russian militaries in Bucha, the Kyiv region. In total, the losses of the city amount to more than 5 billion hryvnias, according to the analytical report of the "RebuildUA" project.
The White House added the Russian Federation to the list of countries where US citizens can be taken hostage.
Flows of Russian gas to the EU via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline should be resumed after planned repairs are completed on Thursday, July 21, but volumes are likely to drop, Reuters reported, citing two sources familiar with the export plans. Citing the words of the European Commissioner for Budget Affairs, Johannes Hahn, the Bloomberg publication reports that the European Commission does not expect gas supply through the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline to resume after planned repairs.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in an interview with CCTV that the USA is to blame for fomenting the crisis around Ukraine, which led to the military conflict, and China does not join sanctions against Russia because it is "opposed to unilateral illegal sanctions."
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 146. Online updates.
The armed forces of Ukraine repelled the assault of the Russian army in all directions of the Donbas, in particular in the direction of the Vuhlehirska TPP.
At night, Russian militaries launched seven Kalibr-type cruise missiles on the Odesa region, injuring six people, including a child, the operational command "South" reported.
Also, at night, up to 40 rockets were fired at Nikopol in the Dnipropetrovsk region, two industrial enterprises were destroyed, the head of the regional administration Reznichenko said. In the Kharkiv region, 5 people were injured by the shelling of the Russian Federation, one man was killed, reported the head of the regional military administration Sinehubov.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated 1,028 settlements, President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said in an evening speech. However, another 2,621 settlements in Ukraine temporarily remain under the control of the occupying forces.
All settlements of the Kyiv region, which were under the occupation of the Russian army, were checked for explosive objects. Pyrotechnicians inspected 270 settlements and destroyed a total of 52,862 ammunitions, said the head of the Kyiv Regional Military Administration Oleksii Kuleba.
At the current stage of the war, Russia will not try to capture Slovyansk, but will focus on capturing Siversk and Bakhmut, according to a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
First Lady Olena Zelenska started her visit to the USA at the invitation of First Lady Jill Biden. She already managed to meet with State Secretary Anthony Blinken.
Ukrainians raised over UAH 510 million for drones for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov said. For part of this amount, they agreed to buy 60 Matrice multicopters: they record video, have built-in artificial intelligence, clearly focus on targets and identify potential dangers at a distance.
The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs has declared a wanted journalist Dmytro Gordon, who is already included in the Russian "register of terrorists and extremists", RBC reported. The investigation began after Gordon on television called for an "aggressive war with the use of nuclear weapons" against Russia. He is accused of publicly calling for a war, inciting hatred based on nationality, and spreading fakes about the Russian Armed Forces.
The commission announced the results of the competition for the position of the head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office. The competition was won by the detective of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau Oleksandr Klymenko, who scored the most points during the selection in December 2021.
His candidacy must now be approved by the Prosecutor General
Our news at 21:25
In the Donetsk region, the Ukrainian army repelled the assault of Russian troops in the direction of the Vuhlehirska TPP and near Kamyanka — the Avdiivka direction, the General Staff reports. In the Kharkiv region, near Izium, the Armed Forces of Ukraine repulsed the Russian army in the districts of Brazhivka and Dmytrivka (Russians are trying to advance on Slovyansk through these villages). Explosions were heard in the temporarily occupied Kherson region, probably in the area of the Kakhovska HPP. The Kherson Regional Military Administration has not yet commented on the incident, and advises to wait for official information from the Ukrainian General Staff.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the Russian army has used more than three thousand cruise missiles against Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi said.
The North Atlantic Alliance appealed to Switzerland to provide treatment for Ukrainian soldiers wounded in battles with Russian armed forces, but the country's federal government rejected it. The Foreign Ministry of Switzerland stated that they do not want to violate the neutral status of the state in accordance with international law.
In Kyiv, three Belarusian locomotives of the State Enterprise "Belarusian Railways", which were transporting units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, were arrested. The estimated value of the blocked property is more than 70 million hryvnias.
The commanders of the Russian armed forces during the invasion of the territory of Ukraine in early 2022 used topographic maps made in the middle of the 20th century, the SBU says. "Part of the Russian commanders who invaded our territory in February were guided by topographical maps of Ukraine from 1969", – the Security Service said in a statement.
The EU Council approved the fifth tranche of military aid to Ukraine in the amount of €500 millions.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary, Petera Szijarto, said that the EU agreed on a new package of sanctions against Russia. He said that the document suggests to introduce an embargo on Russian gold, introduce additional restrictions on state purchases and acceptance of deposits, and expand the sanctions list. However, one of Russia's largest banks, Gazprombank, was not included in the package. It also has no restrictions on Russian energy resources.
On July 17, Volodymyr Zelensky dissmissed Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova and the head of the Security Service Ivan Bakanov from their duties. The president explained this by the fact that during the war, numerous cases of treason were discovered in law enforcement agencies. Iryna Venediktova stated that she could not argue with the president's decision. Ivan Bakanov has not yet commented on the event. Today, July 18, Volodymyr Zelenskyy submitted a draft resolution to the Verkhovna Rada on the dismissal of Ivan Bakanov from the position of head of the SBU.
Ukraine completed the process of ratifying the Istanbul Convention and submitted the document to the Council of Europe.
The Polish government plans to simplify the procedure for obtaining a Pole Card for Ukrainian citizens in the nearest future.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 145. Online updates.
Mykolaiv underwent massive rocket fire on the night of July 18. Preliminary reports indicate that a car dealership and an agricultural machinery dealership were hit. Also, about 10 explosions were heard on the outskirts of the city.
The situation on the front line in Luhansk Oblast remains unchanged. Ukrainian forces repelled Russian offensives in the direction of Verkhniokamianka and near Bilohorivka. Five airstrikes and 13 artillery shellings took place overnight. Invaders' media published news about a HIMARS missile strike, however, are hiding that it targeted a military object, states the summary report of regional military administrations.
Fighting and shelling continue in Donetsk Oblast. Two people we killed, and 10 injured across the region in the past 24 hours. The Russian army fired more than 60 shells at residential areas and urban infrastructure in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Kharkiv and Sumy regions experienced artillery shelling as well.
As of the morning of July 18, at least 1,019 Ukrainian children were affected by Russian armed aggression according to the Prosecutor General's Office. The number of fatalities remains at 353. The number of injured has increased to at least 666.
The invaders' authorities are increasingly terrorising the Kherson population and are threatening to deport locals from the region for disobeying their "orders", said the first deputy head of the regional council Yurii Sobolevsky.
Russia finances anti-Ukrainian rallies in Israel. Similar protests took place in Haifa, Netanya, and Tel Aviv, reported Ukraine's Ambassador to Israel Yevhen Korniychuk. The anti-Ukrainian rally in Haifa was organised by the "Anti-Nazi Israel Front" and was attended by about 200 people. At the same time, a rally in support of Ukraine took place about 50 meters from the pro-Russian demonstration.
PMC Wagner probably played a key part in the recent fighting in Ukraine, including the capture of Popasna and Lysychansk, according to the UK MoD intelligence. However, due to severe losses, the PMC lowers its standards by hiring convicts and limits the training of recruits, which would likely affect future operational effectiveness.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine will introduce a unified female military uniform, reports BBC News Ukraine with reference to the Ministry of Defence. The first batch of clothes will be handed over to the defenders this week to test and make sure that the uniform is functional and comfortable.
H&M is finally leaving Russia, according to the company's statement published today. All stores will hold a final sale, similar to IKEA's, and will document losses which are now estimated at $190 million.
Oil tankers in Europe are shipping as much Russian oil as possible before the energy sanctions against the Russian Federation come into effect in December. In May and June, Greek shipowners, who control almost a third of the world's oil fleet, transported about half of the Russian crude oil, writes The World Street Journal with reference to broker data.
The EU knew from the beginning that sanctions against Russia would persist for a long time and they would not be lifted if the war in Ukraine ended on the terms imposed by the Russian Federation, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz wrote in his Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung column. He stressed that if we do not stop Putin's aggression in Ukraine now, it will continue. He also noted that NATO no longer excludes the possibility of a Russia attacking the alliance's territory.
Our news at 20:59
In the direction of Donetsk, Russian army is trying to capture the city of Siversk and advance in the direction of the city of Bakhmut, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine says. And the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain reports that Russia is strengthening its defense positions in the occupied territories of southern Ukraine. It is about the movement of manpower, equipment and defense supplies between Mariupol, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. Russian forces in Melitopol are also stepping up security measures.
Ukrainian military personnel are learning how to operate "Gepard" self-propelled anti-aircraft guns on German training grounds, Lübecker Nachrichten reports. At least 100 servicemen of the Ukrainian army are currently undergoing training.
BBC journalists were able to identify a British citizen who was held captive by the so-called "DPR". In a video released by Russian propagandists, a British man appeals to the UK's Prime Minister Boris Johnson for help and says he faces the death penalty. As the publication notes, he turned out to be John Harding from the city of Sunderland. It is known that he was captured in May, when the Ukrainian units with which he fought at the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol were forced to surrender.
In Ukraine, more than 780 settlements remain without power due to damage caused by hostilities. Over the past 24 hours, electricity has been restored to 9,250 consumers in the Donetsk, Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia regions, the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine reports.
As a result of Russia's armed invasion of Ukraine, only 22% of businesses were able to maintain pre-war volumes of their work, Oksana Prodan, adviser to the head of the Association of Cities of Ukraine, reported.
Sanctions against Russia, introduced by Western countries in connection with its invasion of Ukraine, harm both sides, so in the coming months it will become clear who will win the economic war, writes The Wall Street Journal. Analysts’ summary: Russia suffers more as its economy shrinks sharply this year and the cost of living rises sharply, but the US and Europe also bear heavy costs, mainly due to higher energy prices that are likely to rise this winter.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 144. Online updates.
The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that the Russian "operational pause" ended on July 16. This is stated in the analytical report of the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW). The end of the "operational pause" is unlikely to lead to a massive increase in ground attacks across Ukraine, ISW noted. Most likely, there will be a continuation of limited ground assaults, focused on the Slovyansk-Siversk-Bakhmut direction.
The Russian army struck a residential area of Pokrovsk, in the Donetsk region. Russians hit civilians twice with an "Iskander-M" ballistic missile. At least 27 residential buildings were damaged. Russians also shelled other communities in the Donetsk region. Three civilians were killed and 12 wounded in the region during the day.
The Luhansk region: Russian militaries carried out two airstrikes, hitting settlements with four rockets. Three massive artillery and mortar attacks were also recorded. Russians tried to advance in the direction of Verkhnokamyanka in the Luhansk region, but the offensive was repulsed by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
On the night of July 17, Mykolaiv came under massive rocket attack again. In the Dnipropetrovsk region, the Russian army shelled a community in the Kryvyi Rih district. The Sumy region was shelled with mortars. Kharkiv was hit by a rocket at night. One person was injured. During the night, the occupiers also attacked Derhachi in the Kharkiv district. According to preliminary information, there were no casualties.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine are destroying the warehouses and headquarters of the Russian army in the the Kherson region. Because of this, Russians began to deploy. Yurii Sobolevsky, the first deputy chairman of the Kherson Regional Council, wrote about this. Russians leave a part of the captured buildings in an unusable condition and move to places with the largest concentration of civilians. According to him, approximately half a million hostages remain in the Kherson region.
The German prosecutor's office is investigating the alleged leak of secret information about mass murders of Ukrainian citizens committed by the Russian armed forces in Bucha, the Kyiv region. As reported by Bild, it is about data that was made public at a closed briefing of the Federal Intelligence Service of Germany. After the liberation of Bucha in the Kyiv region from the Russian armed forces, journalists and the Ukrainian army entered the city, where they discovered facts of mass murders. Some bodies were found just on the street, some of their hands were tied behind their backs. Ukraine officially called on the world to join the investigation of the killings of civilians in Bucha.
The US Department of Defense stated that they have no doubts about the proper use of the weapons provided to Ukraine. A representative of the US Ministry of Defense said that the US side does not track weapons. Earlier, Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said in an interview with the Financial Times that the Ukrainian authorities have no intention of smuggling weapons, as the country that needs them to survive in the war with Russia.
The Vulnerable. How Those Who Cannot Escape from the War Are Living
"As a result of shelling, the electricity and gas networks were again seriously damaged. Electricity and gas supply was suspended on most of the territory of Derhachi". "A shell hit a private yard". "This morning the enemy carried out a missile strike against Derhachi". Now such news is common to the small city in Kharkiv region, that is under constant shelling from the Russian army.
In the middle of this news and shelling Liuba is maneuvering on a bicycle.
"If you have already started doing something, you have to do it," she says.
On her shoulders there is a backpack with food products, the steering wheel is hung with packages of rations. Liuba is spinning the pedals. There, where she is going, she is being waited for.
Volodymyr Prokopovych is 93 years old. He survived the Second World War. And there is the war again. His wife died 18 years ago. He has two sons, but both of them are also pensioners and ill, thus they cannot take care of their father. Volodymyr Prokopovych cannot see. Liuba cooks for him. She searches for and brings medicine, food products, water, passes his pension, helps around the house. She does everything just not to leave him alone.
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine approximately 7 million people have been forced to move within the country to save themselves of the war. More than 5 million have left the country. The Russian army is shelling and bombing Ukrainian cities and villages, completely destroying them. The infrastructure is damaged, schools, hospitals, kindergartens, museums, churches, thousands of residential buildings and shopping centers are ruined. What is happening to those people who cannot evacuate and save themselves of the war? How are they living under shelling, occupation and why do they not leave? In cooperation with "War. Stories from Ukraine" we are telling their stories.
- How Social Workers Are Saving Those Who Are Left Alone
- Why People Do Not Run Away from the War
- Why Not All Social Institutions Were Evacuated and How Workers and Their Wards Are Living under Shelling
We are telling new stories about war in Ukraine.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 143. Online updates.
Last night Russians shelled Dnipro, three people were killed, and another 15 were wounded. Russian militaries launched X-101 missiles on the city from the Caspian Sea. Four of them were shot down by air defense forces.
In the morning of July 16, Russians shelled Nikopol from GRADs. 53 rockets were launched. 12 high-rise buildings and educational institutions were damaged. One person was injured and it's known about 2 killed people. Dismantling of the debris is ongoing.
In the morning, the Russian army shelled Mykolaiv again. They also hit the Odesa region with rockets. A fire broke out, rescuers are working.
In the Kyiv region on the evening of July 15, a rocket was shot down, the shells fell into the field. The Kharkiv region: there were no missile strikes in Kharkiv at night, but the Russian Federation launched a missile attack on Chuhuiv from its territory. Two people died there.
The search for four people who could have been at the site of the July 14 rocket attack continues in Vinnytsia. Already 24 people have died from this shelling, including 3 children.
The Ukrainian army stopped the Russian army's attempt to seize the highway between Lysychansk and Bakhmut, the head of the Luhansk regional military administration Serhii Haidai said.
Russian forces are likely to come out of an operational pause and launch ground offensives in the direction of Slovyansk, Siversk and Bakhmut, according to a report of the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Despite this, the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain, citing British intelligence data, writes that Russian offensive operations remain reduced in scope and scale. They noted that Russia had previously made premature and false claims of success aimed at demonstrating success to its domestic audience.
Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Sergey Shoigu ordered the armed forces of the Russian Federation to increase operations in all directions of Ukraine. RIA Novosti writes about this with reference to the press service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
From July 16, violation of the language legislation in Ukraine will be punished with a warning or a fine, said language ombudsman Taras Kremin.
The law on ensuring the functioning of the Ukrainian language as a state language entered into force two years ago. Today, the norm on the mandatory use of the Ukrainian language in user interfaces, on the pages of various institutions, etc., came into force. "This issue is not about money, it is about reputation and moral losses," said the Commissioner.
Our news at 21:45
The European Commission suggested a new package of sanctions against the Russian Federation. It will include, in particular, an embargo on gold exports. The European Commission also proposed to extend all current anti-Russian sanctions until the end of January 2023.
The Russian militaries are trying to reach the administrative border of the Donetsk region, the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled the offensive of the occupying forces in the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions, the General Staff reports.
Russian militaries deliberately launch missiles on peaceful targets: only 30% of all strikes hit military targets, the remaining 70% hit civilian infrastructure, said the spokesman of the Ministry of Defense Oleksandr Motuzianyk.
British Paul Urie, who fought on the side of the Armed Forces and was captured by the so-called "DPR", died in captivity. Daria Morozova, the so-called "ombudsman" of "DPR", reported that the British man died "from illness and stress." The British Foreign Ministry summoned the Russian ambassador over the death of Paul Ury.
During the hostilities against the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Russian army lost more personnel than during the years of the Second Chechen War in 1999-2002, according to the investigation of the Russian mass media "Mediazona". And in the period from February 24 to July 15, at least 4,760 servicemen of the Russian Federation were killed in Ukraine, while from October 1999 to December 2002, the total losses of the federal forces in Chechnya amounted to 4,572 people killed.
The Government of Hungary intends to protect ethnic Hungarians living in the territory of Ukrainian Transcarpathia in the event that the armed aggression of the Russian Federation reaches this region, said the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary, Peter Sijarto.
The French government provided Ukraine with a mobile laboratory for express DNA analysis and examination for the investigation of Russian war crimes.
During the first three months of the Russian invasion, the World Congress of Ukrainians raised more than $25 million to support the Ukrainian army, Congress President Pavlo Grod said. Thermal imaging devices, helmets, bulletproof vests, first-aid kits, communication systems, and drones were purchased with these money.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 142. Online updates.
The aftermath of the rocket attack on Vinnytsia city centre. 183 people sought medical help as of 6:00 a.m., and 73 of them were hospitalised, including 3 children. 23 fatalities have been confirmed as of 8 a.m., 3 of them children. 18 people remain missing. Rescue services continue working on the site. 36 residential buildings were damaged, and 17 of them are quite seriously destroyed. A Mourn Day was declared in Vinnytsia to honour the victims of the missile attack.
Russian forces and their allies in the unrecognised republics in the occupied territories will most likely choose Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast as their next major target, reports the UK MoD with reference to British intelligence.
In the morning, the Russian Federation attacked the two largest universities of Mykolaiv with at least 10 rockets, reported the head of the regional military administration Vitalii Kim. Two people have been injured so far. Kharkiv suffered rocket fire during the night: two missiles fell near a school. Another school has been hit by a missile while Russian troops shelled three districts of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
19 settlements of Donetsk oblast were shelled on July 14 with aviation, artillery, S-300 surface-to-air missiles, Grad and Uragan MLRS. The Donetsk police press service reported casualties and fatalities among the civilian population.
Russian troops continue to launch artillery and rocket attacks and try to storm Ukrainian positions along the front line in Luhansk Oblast. On the morning of July 15, Russian invaders shelled a residential neighbourhood in Kostiantynivka. At least one person was injured. Two people were killed by shelling in the Donetsk region in the past 24 hours.
The estimated amount of damage the Russian armed aggression caused to Ukrainian nature reaches 202 billion UAH, said the Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Ruslan Strilets to Radio Svoboda.
The House of Representatives approved the draft 2023 U.S. defence budget for almost $840 billion, $1 billion of which is allocated for supporting Ukraine. This sum exceeds the 2022 budget for $700 million. Congress has also passed the amendment to allocate $100 million for the training program for Ukrainian pilots, according to the Ukrainian ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova.
Moody's international rating agency website called Belarusian external debt payments in local currency a default. On 28 June the Council of Ministers and the National Bank of Belarus decided to pay the country's debts in Belarusian rubles.
The Foreign Ministry of Canada website announced that the Canadian government is expanding industrial sanctions against the Russian Federation, introduced after the invasion of Ukraine. The new sanctions prohibit Canadian citizens and companies from providing services to Russia's oil and gas production as well as chemical and manufacturing industries.
A study published by European Centre for Disinformation in The Washington Post on July 14 shows that Russian propaganda social media posts and accounts are likely to remain active on Twitter and YouTube despite numerous complaints. The study has found that Facebook removed 98% of anti-Ukrainian posts, but 70% of posts on YouTube and Twitter remain available, although labelled as anti-Ukrainian hate speech.
Our news at 21:44
Russian militaries hit Vinnytsia with rockets. Two of them were shot down by air defense forces over the region, and another two hit the city centre. They hit an office building. At this time, it is known about 117 wounded and 23 dead, among them three children.
Ukraine's losses in the war are a state secret, so the authorities do not name the number of dead, because "the enemy should not know these numbers and use them for their own capabilities," said Deputy Minister of Defense Hanna Malyar.
After the expulsion of the Russian army from Kyiv in the spring, the capital's defenses were further strengthened, and a sharp transfer of hostilities to the territories near the capital is impossible, said the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhny.
The European Union will not recognize the passports that Russia issues to Ukrainians in the occupied territories. This was announced by the EU's high representative for foreign policy and security policy, Josep Borrell.
The General Staff reminded that from October 1, 2022, women who have specialties related to military accounting will be registered. However, only with their consent and after the completion of a special period in the state.
Businessman Rinat Akhmetov no longer match the two "criteria of an oligarch" after leaving the media business, and his business partner Vadym Novinsky filled out a parliamentary mandate, the Ministry of Justice reported. On July 11, Rinat Akhmetov said that "Media Group Ukraine" is giving up all licenses of its channels and print media in Ukraine in favor of the state. According to the businessman, this decision was dictated by the law on oligarchs.
More than 22,000 war crimes have been documented by the prosecutor's office in Ukraine, said Yurii Bilousov, the head of the war department of the Prosecutor General's office.
There is no shortage of medicines in Ukraine. Compared to the situation before February 24, approximately 78% of pharmacies in Ukraine are working, the Ministry of Health reported.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 141. Online updates.
Russia fired three missiles into an office building in Vinnytsia. Neighbouring houses were also affected by the blow. 90 people were injured, and 20 fatalities were reported so far including 3 children.
"Every day, Russia destroys the civilian population, kills Ukrainian children, and directs missiles at civilian objects. Those are not military targets. What is this but an open act of terrorism?" said President Zelensky. He posted a video from the scene of the shelling.
On the morning of July 14, Mykolaiv suffered a massive rocket fire. Russians fired 9 missiles from the S-300 anti-aircraft missile system at the city. Two educational institutions, a transport infrastructure facility and a hotel were damaged. One person was injured.
Rescue services have finished clearing up the rubble of the house in Chasovy Yar, Donetsk region, destroyed by the Russian rocket attack on July 9. 48 bodies, including a 9-year-old boy, were retrieved from the debris.
The UK intelligence suggests that negotiations regarding ending the war in Ukraine are unlikely to resume. The report also states that Russian troops continue to carry out artillery strikes along the entire front line in Donbas. In some areas, Russia is carrying out test attacks with small units ranging in size from company to platoon. However, they have not achieved any significant territorial success over the past 72 hours and are in danger of losing the advantage they gained after capturing Lysychansk.
The Kremlin ordered Russian regions to form volunteer battalions to participate in the Russian invasion of Ukraine instead of announcing partial or full mobilisation in Russia, reports the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) analytics.
The EU will not recognise passports issued by Russia to Ukrainians in the captured territories, said the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the forced deportation of Ukrainians to the Russian Federation a war crime.
Representatives from Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, and the UN agreed on the key parameters of Ukrainian grain export through the Black Sea during the talks in Istanbul on July 13, writes The Wall Street Journal with reference to unnamed sources in Turkey and the UN. The grain is planned to be exported from three Ukrainian ports on Ukrainian ships. For this purpose, Ukraine partially demines the Black Sea. A ceasefire will take effect. The Turkish party will inspect vessels in Ukrainian ports to make sure they are not transporting Western weapons to Ukraine. The UN will set up a centre in Istanbul to monitor the level of threat to the ships.
The Russians began to guard the Crimean bridge very carefully, said Secretary of the National Security Council Oleksii Danilov and called the number of ASW guarding it "insane". He believes this indicates that the Russians are seriously concerned about the weapons that Ukrainian troops have received.
The United States prioritises security aid, that would not require reimbursements from Ukraine, namely USAI (Ukraine Security Initiative) and the presidential program, said a White House official to the Voice of America. The lend-lease program requires a refund for the transferred equipment.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 140. Online updates.
In the morning, Russian troops struck Kramatorsk twice according to Mayor Oleksandr Honcharenko. An industrial zone and a forest have been hit; no casualties have been reported so far. Two Russian drones were shot down during the night over the Nikopol district, Dnipropetrovsk region. Few missiles were intercepted in Kharkiv, with no casualties. However, the region and the city itself were shelled as well; one person was killed and another ten injured.
Shelling continues in Donetsk Oblast; four people were killed on July 12. According to UK intelligence, Russians will focus on taking small towns like Siversk and Dolyna. The recent report states that Sloviansk and Kramatorsk districts are likely to remain the main targets at this stage.
Russia continues trying to undermine the legitimacy of the Ukrainian state and strengthen administrative control over the occupied parts of Ukraine.
There's a threat of missile and air strikes on Ukraine from the territory of Belarus reports the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Some personnel and equipment of Belarusian army units guarding the Belarusian-Ukrainian border were rotated.
At the southern front, the Armed Forces destroyed 30 Russian military personnel, 122 mm howitzer, one Uragan MLRS, 4 armoured vehicles, and 2 ammunition depots, according to the Operational Command South.
Russian troops are taking a “pause at the front”, according to the Institute for Study of War (ISW) report. They continue regrouping, resting, and recovering, while bombarding critical areas to create the conditions for future offensives.
The World Congress of Ukrainians filed a lawsuit in Canada in connection with the government's decision to transfer the Nord Stream Siemens turbine to Germany, despite the sanctions. The plaintiffs demand to revoke the permit. Earlier, Ottawa announced that it was ready to return the Russian gas turbine to Germany for further transfer to the Russian Federation. Moscow calls this turbine critical for gas flow into Europe.
The National Bank received almost 1.7 billion UAH from Sweden for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This is the second transfer from the Swedish government to this special bank account.
Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak brought Krab self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his video address.
The German government has published a list of lethal and non-lethal aid to Ukraine. It contains thousands of weapons, ammunition, equipment, fuel, medical supplies, gear, tents, and hospital beds.
Germany does not yet see a chance for negotiations with Russia, said German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. “It is impossible to negotiate with someone who is not even willing to negotiate with the Red Cross,” she stressed.
Russian airlines refuse to return the planes they leased from foreign companies, writes The Washington Post. More than 400 aircraft and some aircraft parts rented from Western companies are held in Russia, while leasing companies file insurance claims for 10 billion dollars.
Our news at 21:25
In the Kharkiv region, Russian militaries tried to dislodge the Ukrainian troops near Dementiivka, but the Ukrainian Armed Forces repelled them. In the Slovyansk direction, the Ukrainian army stopped the attacks of the Russians in the areas of Krasnopillia, Dovhenke, Mazanivka, Ivanivka, and Dolyna. In the Bakhmut direction the Ukrainian army repelled Russian attack in the area of Spirne and Ivano-Daryivka direction — reports the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Ukraine received more than 400 bodies of servicemen as part of exchanges with Russia. Most of them are those who died at the "Azovstal" in Mariupol. Most of the bodies have already been identified. It's about a series of exchanges after the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation in Ukraine.
Spain is ready for negotiations on the transfer of up to 10 Leopard 2A4 tanks and 20 M113 armored personnel carriers to Ukraine, reports Infodefense. After they become the property of Ukraine, the Ukrainian government must finance their renewal and modernization on the territory of Spain using the funds of the European Peace Fund.
The Lithuanians bought 110 Orcrist anti-drone guns and 80 Wingman radars for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The total cost of the equipment is €1,095,000.
USAID will provide Ukraine with an additional 1.7 billion dollars to finance the budget. These funds, in particular, will be used to pay medical workers. The EU Council approved the allocation of a loan of €1 billion to Ukraine within the scope of a new macro-financial aid. And the Lithuanian government approved an aid package in the amount of 10 million euros to help Ukraine in urgent reconstruction works.
The European Union has frozen the assets of Russian oligarchs in the amount of €13.8 billion.
More than 1,800 messages about collaborators were received through "YeVoroh" ("It'sEnemy") chatbot during 4 months of its work, Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov said.
The Lego company and the British Lush cosmetics chain are leaving Russian market.
The Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine are preparing draft laws on the introduction of a comprehensive exam for acquiring Ukrainian citizenship. "Citizenship of Ukraine is a privilege. And everyone who applies for it must know and understand the fundamental principles of our country", – said Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 139. Online updates.
The Russian army continues chaotic shelling of Ukrainian settlements, in particular in the Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions. As a result of the attacks on the city of Chasiv Yar in the Donetsk region, 35 people died, including a child, and 9 people were injured. Dismantling of the ruins continues.
On the morning of July 12, the armed forces of the Russian Federation bombarded Mykolaiv with rockets. According to preliminary information, it is known that two medical institutions and residential buildings were hit. According to the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration, at 9:50 a.m., 12 people were injured.
Donbas. The Russian Federation continues shelling the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Luhansk region. In the Donetsk region, on the morning of July 12, Russian troops launched three rockets on Toretsk, one of the rockets hit a kindergarten. At night, Slovyansk was shelled - a private residential building was hit. Currently, there is information about 1 injured person. There are 9 dead and 2 wounded in the Donetsk region.
Forests and fields are burning every day in the Kherson region as a result of shelling. Only since the beginning of July, emergency workers recorded 75 fires on almost 300,000 hectares.
First 8 foreign ships that will take agricultural products intended for export across the Danube have arrived in Ukraine. The militaries noted that this became possible thanks to the liberation of Zmiiny Island from the Russian army.
The shortage of personnel in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation may force the Ministry of Defense of Russia to switch to non-traditional staffing. This includes recruiting personnel from Russian prisons for Wagner's private military company, according to a daily intelligence report from Britain's Ministry of Defence.
The training of the first 150 operators of the Drone Army has started in Ukraine, Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said. Military personnel practice real flight tasks, camouflage skills, development of tactics and drone controlling.
Russia has asked Iran to provide it with hundreds of combat drones for use in the war against Ukraine, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said. It is not yet clear whether Iran has already provided any drones to Russia. At the same time, Sullivan emphasized that the Russian army has already failed Putin's strategic plans.
150 Buryat soldiers who refused to fight returned to the Russian Federation.
"These are servicemen who terminated the contract with the Ministry of Defense," the head of the "Free Buryatia" Foundation Oleksandra Harmazhapova said.
Our news at 21:32
Russian troops fired seven missiles at Odesa. Four X-31 missiles were fired from a Su-30 aircraft, one of which hit a residential house in a coastal village, and another one — a port infrastructure facility. Another three X-31 rockets were aimed at the agricultural lands of the region. No casualties have been reported.
The Russian military is focusing its main efforts on establishing final control over the Luhansk region and attempts to encircle Ukrainian Forces in Donetsk Oblast, reports the General Staff. The Ukrainian military repelled a Russian assault near Krasnopillia (the path to Sloviansk) and another attack on Mariinka, all in the Donetsk region.
According to Forbes, the Russian army dominates in artillery by approximately five to one, however, with MLRS and HIMARS, the Armed Forces of Ukraine can destroy ammunition warehouses and Russian artillery supplies in the rear.
In the statement published by Rinat Akhmetov's Media Group Ukraine, the Ukrainian businessman announced that he is handing over all the TV channel licenses and print media licenses he holds in Ukraine to the government. The decision is stemming from the "oligarchs' decree" adopted on September 23, 2021. According to this bill, a person who meets at least three out of four criteria can be considered an oligarch: participation in political life, significant influence on media, owning a monopoly, or possessing assets exceeding one million minimum wages. The President's Office called Akhmetov's statement "a worthy decision".
Volodymyr Zelensky has submitted a draft bill to the Verkhovna Rada to grant special status to Poles in Ukraine. If the bill is passed, Polish citizens will be able to stay in Ukraine for 18 months visa-free and will be eligible for the same social benefits, tax residency, employment, and education as Ukrainians.
International Criminal Court will hold a conference in the Netherlands next week to review Russian crimes against Ukrainian citizens.
More than 7,000 Ukrainian military personnel are considered missing, reported Oleh Kotenko, the Commissioner for people missing under special circumstances.
The Verkhovna Rada received a draft law proposing to introduce penalties for businesses staying open during air raid alerts. The first violation would result in a fine of 17,000-51,000 UAH or penal labour, while the second violation would lead to 3 to 8 years in prison.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 138. Online updates.
The Russian Federation is preparing for intensified battles in the Donetsk region: in directions of Kramatorsk and Bakhmut, the General Staff reports.
British intelligence believes that the Russian army is morally and physically exhausted by continuous fighting. The British Ministry of Defense also reported that there has been no noticeable advance of Russian troops in Donbas over the past day, despite intense artillery fire.
The number of people killed as a result of the attack on Chasiv Yar in the Donetsk region has increased to 18 people. Six people were rescued, another 22 people, including a child, may be under the rubble.
On the night of July 11, the Russian army fired missiles at Kharkiv and the region. One rocket hit the 6th floor residential building. The rescuers found a 74-year-old woman under the rubble. In the morning of July 11, Russians once again hit the city with the Smerch MLRS. It is previously known about 28 wounded and 3 dead people.
A woman who was rescued from the rubble.
The Russian army launched a missile attack on Odesa region: four missiles were fired from aircrafts. One of the rockets hit the building, the deputy head of the Office of the President Tymoshenko said. Information on injured and damage is being clarified.
President Zelensky ordered to de-occupy southern Ukraine, Defense Minister Reznikov said. The highest military leadership develops plans and prepares everything necessary to execute the order. Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Vereshchuk called on the residents of the occupied regions in the south to evacuate urgently in order not to be exposed to danger and to facilitate the work of the Ukrainian army. She asked to leave by any available means, including through the occupied Crimea.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated the village of Ivanivka in the Kherson region from the Russian army, reports the 60th separate infantry brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Human rights defender and founder of "Hromadske Radio" Maksym Butkevich was captured by Russia. His mother learned about it from a video released by Russian propaganda media. Butkevich joined the Ukrainian Armed Forces in March.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) noted the fact that Russian militaries in the south of Ukraine use C-300 anti-aircraft missile systems, designed for air defense, to strike targets on the land. Analysts note that the use of air defense systems in this way is ineffective and suggest that Russia is running out of surface-to-surface missiles or parts necessary for air-to-air missile guidance systems.
The Lithuanian authorities have expanded the list of prohibited goods for transition as part of the EU sanctions package from April 8. Sanctions include a phased ban on transit. For example, from June 10, the transit of Russian cement, alcohol, and wood are prohibited, from June 17, the transit of Russian steel and ferrous metals through the territory of the EU are prohibited, from August 10, a ban on the transit of coal and other solid minerals will come into force, and from December 5 Russian oil and oil products won't be able to be transited.
"I’ve said goodbye to my bakery many times." How small businesses in Ukraine survive the war
For over 4 months, Ukraine has been fighting for its survival against a neighboring state. Russia launches dozens of missiles at Ukraine every day, bombs peaceful cities, ruins infrastructure and destroys everything on its path. Over 20% of Ukraine is now under occupation, thousands of people have died, and millions have been forced to leave their homes, loved ones, and sometimes their life’s work.
There is no reliable data on how many businesses have ceased operations due to the war. According to the findings of a survey by the Ukrainian Ministry of Digital Policy, as of June, 46.8% of enterprises are still on pause or barely working due to the full-scale Russian invasion. And according to a study by Keep Going, 40% of small businesses are currently in the warzone, and only 16% of the respondents have moved to other regions. Most business owners have to start everything from scratch and set up the processes anew. And they have to believe that their business won’t be destroyed by Russia again if it launches more missiles.
In cooperation with "War. Stories from Ukraine" we tell three stories of small Ukrainian businesses from the Kyiv Region, Mariupol, and Berdyansk. The latter two cities are currently occupied by Russia. One of the businesses has survived the occupation and kept afloat. Another one has been destroyed by the Russians and launched from scratch in another city. The third one is suspended completely, awaiting deoccupation.
Our news at 20:34
Russia uses aircrafts, tanks and artillery on the front line, the General Staff reports. Ukrainian troops repelled the attack of Russians near Mazanivka (the Donetsk region, this way leads to Slovyansk, where Russian troops are trying to assault the city) and Novoselivka Druha. Also, the Armed Forces of Ukraine struck the Russian Guard base in occupied Kherson, hitting it for several times.
At least three dozen people are under the rubble of a 5-story building in Chasiv Yar, the Donetsk region, which was attacked by Russians with Uragan missiles. This was reported by the head of the Donets RMA Kyrylenko. As of 13:00, the number of dead has increased to 15 people.
Germany can supply Ukraine with Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft systems thanks to the fact that it has found a contractor for the production of the 35 mm projectiles it needs, Der Spiegel reports. And Corriere della Sera reports that Germany is blocking the aid package to Ukraine from the European Union for 9 billion euros, which was agreed at the end of June. According to the publication, German Finance Minister Christian Linder is against the allocation of funds. So far, he has approved the first tranche of 1 billion euros. These funds must be paid to Ukraine by the end of July.
US President Joseph Biden next week, during a visit to the Middle East, will try to negotiate with the countries of the region on the supply of Soviet-made weapons to Ukraine to meet its needs in the confrontation with Russia, reports The New York Times.
The Office of the President of Ukraine reported that they had not received any letters or appeals from US Congresswoman Victoria Spartz, who previously published a list of claims against the head of the Office of the President Andrii Yermak. And she also addressed a letter to US President Joe Biden about the need to check whether Yermak has so-called "Russian connections".
Russia's blockage of grain exports from Ukrainian ports could have worsened the economic situation in Sri Lanka and ultimately provoked protests that led to the resignation of the current government, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said.
Russian war crimes in Ukraine are reminiscent of the genocide in Srebrenica, which was committed by the Serbian military against Bosnian Muslims in 1995 — a joint statement by EU High Representative Josep Borrell and European Commissioner Oliver Vargheli, dedicated to the anniversary of the tragedy in Srebrenica.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 137. Online updates.
The Russian army will try to seize the road connecting Donetsk with Kharkiv as it tries to advance through the Donetsk region, according to the daily intelligence report of the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain.
The Luhansk region: attempts of the Russian army to advance from Lysychansk to Siversk have been unsuccessful. Russians are withdrawing troops near Bilohorivka and shelling the surrounding settlements.
The Donetsk region: five rocket were launched on Kostiantynivka, 18 people were injured and one was killed. Other settlements were also attacked. In the evening of July 9, Russian troops shelled two five-story buildings in Chasiv Yar in the Bakhmut district. The buildings were destroyed, 34 people may be under the rubble. As of the morning of July 10, rescuers freed 5 people and found 6 dead.
Russians also shelled the border areas of the Chernihiv region with mortars, and Kharkiv were shelled with rocket systems. At night, the north of the Sumy region was attacked with mortars and barrel artillery. The Dnipropetrovsk region and Mykolaiv region were also shelled.
Russia has committed more than 22,500 war crimes on the territory of Ukraine since the beginning of the invasion, the Office of the Prosecutor General reported this data as of the morning of July 10.
Member of the US Congress, Victoria Spartz, published a series of accusations against the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Yermak. Among them are "his alleged ties to Russia", the leak of information about a special operation to capture militants of the private military company "Wagner", delays in urgent purchases of military equipment and failed peace talks with Russia before the full-scale invasion. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry called it "an attempt to return the classic narratives of Russian propaganda to American politics". Suspilne contacted the Office of the President for comment, but has not yet received a response.
Ottawa has given in to German pressure and will give a Russian gas turbine back to Berlin, that Moscow has recognized as critical for natural gas supplies to Europe. This decision was announced by Canadian Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson. At the same time, Canada intends to introduce additional sanctions against Russia's oil, gas, chemical and industrial sectors.
Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov announced three possible scenarios for the end of the war. In one of them, Russia will collapse. The minister noted that this is the longest scenario, but "we will definitely see it during our lifetime."
The frontman of the Måneskin group, Damiano David, told the Russian dictator Putin "what he should do" from the stage while singing the Gasoline song during a performance in Rome on Saturday at the Circus Maximus arena.
"We keep saying it, even if it bothers someone. Fuck Putin! Fuck war! Fuck the dictators!", - the musician shouted.
Our news at 21:12
In the Kharkiv region, the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled the Russian assault in the direction of Kochubeivka — Dementiivka, and near Izyum, in the directions of Dovgenke — Krasnopillya, Pasika — Dolyna (this is how the Russian army is trying to advance on Slovyansk, Donetsk region). In Donetsk region, Russian troops tried to storm the Maryinka area, but without success.
Six civilians were injured as a result of an Iskander-type missile attack on Kharkiv in the morning. This was reported to the regional prosecutor's office. Among the wounded are five women and a minor child. The Russians also fired six rockets at Mykolaiv. Previously, there were no casualties or injuries.
Minister of Youth and Sports Vadym Gutzait said that since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the Russians have already killed 100 Ukrainian athletes. Four were wounded and 22 were captured. More than three thousand athletes with weapons defend Ukraine.
The US will provide nearly $368 million to support Ukrainian refugees and people inside the country. This was reported by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. Ukraine will receive another $1.7 billion from the Trust Fund of International Organizations, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said. This money will go to cover the costs of the state budget for the payment of medical services under the medical guarantee program.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed the ambassadors in nine countries of the world, in particular in Germany, Norway and Hungary. In a comment to Suspilne, the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Oleg Nikolenko assured that this is a standard rotation. As of the evening of July 9, the Office of the President has not yet issued decrees on the appointment of new ambassadors.
The petition on the legalization of same-sex marriages in Ukraine received 25,000 votes. Now it should be considered by the President of Ukraine. As of July 9, 25,126 citizens supported the petition.
The British rock band Coldplay performed the song "Obiymy" by the Ukrainian band "Okean Elsy" during a performance at the stadium in Warsaw.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 136. Online updates.
Russia is moving reserve forces from across the country and massing them near Ukraine for future offensive operations. Most of the new infantry units will probably use MT-LB armored vehicles taken from long-term storage. This was announced by the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain with reference to the data of British intelligence.
These vehicles were developed in the 1950s as an artillery tractor, have very limited armor and only a machine gun for protection, the intelligence explained.
Four civilians were injured, three more - including a child - were hospitalized as a result of a rocket attack on the center of Kharkiv in the morning of July 9, the head of the Kharkiv regional administration Oleh Synehubov said. In the morning, Russians shelled Kryvyi Rih using Grad rocket launchers, one person was wounded, two were killed. Mykolaiv was also shelled in the morning. In addition, during the day, the Russian military carried out 18 shellings of Sumy Oblast with various types of weapons.
Luhansk region: at night — 8 artillery fires, 3 — mortar fires, and 9 missile strikes on Ukrainian positions in the Bakhmut direction. As a result, Russians achieved minor successes and continue their offensive west of Lysychansk.
Donetsk region: Russians continue shelling. During the day, 5 civilians were killed and 7 wounded. The leadership of the region urges people to evacuate.
Russian troops tried to establish control over the territory of the Vuhlehirska TES — they were pushed back to their previous positions, the General Staff reports.
The Russians fail in the scope of "passporting" and collection of personal data of the residents of the occupied Kherson region, therefore they resort to expanding the scale of bribery of the population, reports the Center of National Resistance. The tactics of the Russian occupiers are very simple: create a social crisis and then issue one-time payments of 10,000 rubles in exchange for a passport.
Due to worsening weather and storms in the Black Sea, the Russians reduced the number of ships: 2 surface and one underwater missile carrier and 3 large amphibious ships remained on duty. 20 Kalibr cruise missiles are on standby, reports the operational command “Pivden”.
Since the beginning of the full-scale war in Ukraine, 347 children have died, and more than 647 have been injured, the Prosecutor General's Office reported.
US President Joseph Biden signed the 15th package of aid to Ukraine for more than 400 million dollars. In addition to HIMARS anti-aircraft missiles, Stinger anti-aircraft systems, Javelin anti-tank systems, two dozen MI-17 helicopters, drones, advanced NASAMS anti-aircraft missile defense systems, unmanned coastal defense ships and coastal and river patrol boats will be transferred to Ukraine.
Russia's total combat losses since the start of the full-scale offensive on Ukraine on February 24 have exceeded 37,000. These are the data of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on July 9. During the day, the Russian army lost about 300 servicemen.
More HIMARS, Mariupol without water, the euro has almost equaled the dollar. War. The main news for July 8
The Armed Forces repel attacks along the entire front line, there is no water supply in Mariupol, the euro has almost equaled the dollar for the first time in 20 years, the moratorium on the death penalty was canceled in the so-called "DNR", in Japan the former was killed Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Suspilne gathered the main news of the 135th day of full-scale war.
Joe Biden signed a new military aid package for Ukraine worth $400 million, Reuters reports. It will include high-precision, long-range weapons. In particular, it is about four American HIMARS MLRS, as well as 1,000 shells for artillery.
The Ukrainian military repelled the attacks of the Russian army near Dementiivka in Kharkiv Oblast, near the village of Velyke Artakove in Mykolaiv Oblast, and in Donbas: in the areas of Spirny and Ivano-Daryivka (Bakhmutskyi direction) and near Verkhnyokamyanskyi, this is the Kramatorskyi direction. The offensive of the Russian army in the Bogorodichny area (Slavyansky direction) was also unsuccessful.
British Intelligence Analysis: The Russians are gathering equipment on the front line in the direction of Siversk, about 8 km west of the current positions in Luhansk region, while the ZSU continues to advance in a south-westerly direction in the Kherson area.
The Russians have stopped the water supply in Mariupol and will not be able to start the heating season, because almost all boiler houses in the city are damaged, and some have been destroyed, the Mariupol City Council reported.
Russian media reports that the moratorium on the death penalty has been lifted in the so-called "DNR". Earlier, on June 9, the "DNR" sentenced to death three foreigners who served in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and defended Mariupol.
Several journalists and public figures, citing their own sources, stated that on February 24, the leadership of the State Bureau of Investigation ordered the criminal proceedings regarding the Kharkiv agreements, mass embezzlement in the army, the Maidan dispersal, the Medvedchuk case, etc. to be taken to Khmelnytskyi and destroyed. The State Bureau of Investigation denies this.
For the first time in 20 years, the euro fell to the level of $1.01 per euro. Analysts assume that this happened due to fears in Europe that it is threatened with a shortage of gas.
Sanctions. Canada banned several more Russian propaganda media and the import of gold from the Russian Federation, and introduced personal sanctions against Patriarch Kirill. Assets of companies owned by Gazprom, Rosneft and Rosatom were seized in Ukraine.
Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe died in intensive care after suffering a gunshot wound. It happened on July 8 during his campaign speech in Nara, in the west of the country. The police arrested the alleged killer. Later, explosives were found at his home.
The Ministry of Defense ordered clothes for the military worth almost UAH 18 billion. We are talking about summer and winter-autumn uniforms, Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov said.
Because of Russia's aggression, 12-13 million Ukrainians became refugees or internally displaced persons. Data — UN.
During the seven days of the visa regime from the Russian Federation, not a single Russian submitted documents for obtaining a Ukrainian visa, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, said.
Inflation in Ukraine in June accelerated to 21.5% in annual terms against 18% a month earlier. Prices for food and soft drinks increased by 3.2%. Eggs rose in price the most (by 17.2%). At the same time, the price of beef and fruit fell by 1.1%.
The Verkhovna Rada postponed the transition to European gas payment rules, i.e. to accounting for gas in energy units. It was moved from May 1, 2022, to May 1, which follows the date when martial law ends or is lifted.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 135. Online updates.
Russian President Vladimir Putin resorted to threats and stated that the Russian Federation has not yet taken any serious actions during the "special operation" in Ukraine. The Institute for the Study of War says that the Russian militaries have taken an "operational pause" and are preparing for new massive attacks in Donbas, while Putin is preparing for a protracted war.
Russia carried out an airstrike on Kramatorsk in the Donetsk region, there are casualties. The Russian Federation is conducting an offensive in the Kramatorsk direction, in the Donetsk region, the General Staff reports. Also, the Institute for the Study of War suggests that Russian militaries "can create conditions for a possible assault on Kramatorsk, which will be proceeded simultaneously to the offensive on Slavyansk";
There are also casualties after another shelling of Kharkiv. The Russian Federation also attacked the regions of Dnipropetrovsk and Mykolaiv.
On the territory of the Chernivtsi region, in the Dniester reservoir at a depth of 20 meters, divers found a Russian missile, the regional military administration reported.
Ukraine received 9 HIMARS artillery missile systems from the West, and Russians are "very concerned" about this fact, because these systems hit "Russian objects outside the front line, which were previously inaccessible to Ukrainian weapons, the Secretary of the NSDC of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov said.
The ministers of foreign affairs of the G20 countries (the G20 summit in Indonesia) did not take a traditional joint photo due to the refusal of a number of diplomats to be photographed together with the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry Sergey Lavrov. This was reported by the Kyodo publication.
According to the media, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov was not present at the speech of the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba.
The European Union's executive authority is blocking a €1.5 billion loan to Ukraine, as officials say caution outweighs the country's urgent needs. As Bloomberg writes, the budget department of the European Commission blocked the loan due to concerns about its financial reliability.
The Parliament of Finland passed a law on the construction of a reinforced barrier on the 1,300 km border with Russia.
NASA condemned the anti-Ukrainian propaganda of Russian astronauts in space. This was written by The Verge with reference to NASA spokeswoman Jackie McGuinness. She commented on the unfurling of the so-called "L/DPR" flags by Russian cosmonauts on the International Space Station. Earlier, Russian cosmonauts on the ISS unfurled the flags of the so-called "L/DPR" after Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu reported to Putin about the capture of the Luhansk region.
Johnson's resignation will not affect Britain's policy towards Ukraine, said the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba: "During this war, Boris Johnson showed himself to be a brave person, and a person who is not afraid to take risks. But, I am convinced that whoever was the Prime Minister of Great Britain, Britain's policy and support for Ukraine will remain unchanged."
Boris Johnson resigned, Belarus threatens Poland, HIMARS destroy the Russian hinterland. The war. The main news of July 7
The Ukrainian Armed Forces repel Russian attacks in Donbas, Boris Johnson has resigned, Belarus threatens to attack Poland, Russian militaries take an operational pause, changing driver licenses for Ukrainian refugees in the EU is not necessary. Suspilne gathered the main news of the 134th day of the full-scale war.
Russian troops launched a missile attack on Kramatorsk in the Donetsk region. According to preliminary information, there are victims. The Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled attempts of the Russians to advance in the direction of Sosnivka in the Kharkiv region, and in the Donetsk region the assault on Bohorodychne (Slovyansk direction), Hryhorivka and Verkhniokamyanske (Kramatorsk direction) was stopped, and the attacks of the Russian army in the districts of Berestove and Vershyna were also repelled in the Bakhmut direction. During the week, the National Guardsmen eliminated 21 helicopters of the Russian army.
The Institute for the Study of War says that the Russian army has taken an "operational pause" and it is preparing for new massive attacks in Donbas, and Putin is preparing for a protracted war.
Belarus will strike Poland in case of "provocations from the West", said Major General of the Belarusian General Staff Ruslan Kosygin. According to him, the USA "plans to unleash another bloody conflict" against Russia on the territory of Poland and the Baltic states. Kosygin did not explain how this can be possible if the Russian Federation doesn't attack these countries.
Journalists of the "Skhemy" project published satellite images of Planet Labs, which show that the mass graves in the Russian-occupied village of Stary Krym near Mariupol have doubled. According to the Mariupol City Council, more than 15,000 citizens may be buried there in total.
Since February 24, Russian troops have carried out 6,443 sorties of operational-tactical aircrafts and made 626 strikes with Iskander and Kalibr cruise missiles. But more than 70% of these strikes do not reach the target, the General Staff says.
As of July 7, Ukraine received 9 HIMARS artillery missile systems from Western countries, and Russians are "very worried" about this, because these systems hit "Russian objects outside the front line, which were previously inaccessible to Ukrainian weapons", Secretary of the National Security Council of Ukraine Oleksii Danilov said.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that he is resigning as leader of the Conservative Party and as Prime Minister. This happened against the background of mass resignations of ministers of the country's government. Johnson will remain in office until a new leader is elected.
A couple of news from the European Parliament. First, it supported the proposal of the European Commission to provide Ukraine with €1 billion for budgetary needs. Secondly, it allowed Ukrainian refugees not to change their driver's licenses in the EU.
As of the morning of July 7, more than 993 children suffered in Ukraine as a result of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation. 347 children died and at least 646 were injured. Data — Office of the Prosecutor General.
The National Police of Ukraine is investigating almost 22,000 cases of war crimes committed by Russian militaries. Most of the cases, more than 15,000, concern violations of the laws and customs of war.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine appointed Pavlo Kozyrev as Deputy Minister for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories and Commissioner for Internally Displaced Persons. He used to be the deputy minister for the reintegration of temporarily occupied territories and he is the chairman of the Association of Small Cities of Ukraine.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 134. Online updates.
Russian units involved in hostilities last week are likely being restored, the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain reports with reference to British intelligence. On July 6, heavy shelling continued along the contact line in Donetsk region, but there were few offensives by the Russian Federation, the scouts noted.
On July 6, seven people were killed and two more were injured in Donetsk region due to shelling by the Russian army.
Luhansk region: in the Bakhmut direction (positions to which the Ukrainian military retreated), the Russian army is trying to improve its tactical position and establish full control over the Bakhmut-Lysychansk road.
In captured Severodonetsk, the Russians introduced the third "people's mayor". Men in the occupied territories are allegedly invited to work, where they are served with summonses and sent to defend the "new homeland", reports the summary of regional administrations.
In Kharkiv, Russian shells hit a specialized institution where children with visual impairments study. The school was shelled on July 7 around 01:00. Both shells hit the school yard, reports the correspondent of Suspilne. The school building survived. 260 children study at the institution, the director of the school told Suspilne. No one was injured as a result of the shelling. The children are on vacation now.
Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, and Odesa regions were also shelled today.
Russia is turning the captured Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant into a military base, The Wall Street Journal writes. Tanks and armored personnel carriers, as well as rocket launchers, have already been withdrawn to its territory. In total, there are about 500 Russian troops on the territory of the nuclear power plant, who have deployed heavy artillery batteries and laid anti-personnel mines along the banks of the reservoir, the water from which cools the six reactors.
On June 30, the state flag was raised on Zmiiny Island, which was captured by the Russian Federation on the first day of the war and later liberated by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It was from this island that the Ukrainian defenders told the Russian sailors that offered to surrender: "Russian warship, go … yourself!”
On July 7, a two-day meeting of foreign ministers of the G20 countries begins on the island of Bali in Indonesia. Russia will also take part in the meeting, but some world leaders are going to ignore the Russian representative, Reuters reports.
On Thursday, July 7, Boris Johnson will resign from the post of leader of the Conservative Party, the BBC reports with reference to a spokesman. At the same time, he will remain prime minister until autumn.
Repelled Russian attacks in Donbas, Medvedchuk's plane in the army, and the UK trains Ukrainian Forces. The war. Key news on July 6
The Ukrainian army repels Russian attacks in the Donbas and Kharkiv regions. People liable for military service are no longer required to obtain permits to move around the country. The Ukrainian military is training in the UK. Viktor Medvedchuk's private helicopter and plane were transferred to the Armed Forces. Suspilne gathered the main news of day 133 of the full-scale war.
In the morning, Ukrainian Forces repelled Russian assaults on Sloviansk and Bakhmut and stopped the Russian army in Verkhniokamiansk, Bilohorivka, and Hryhorivka (Kramatorsk direction). During the day, the Ukrainian military stopped Russian troops in the directions of Kozacha Lopan — Sosnivka (Kharkiv region), Dovhenke — Mazanivka, Myronivka. — Luhansk, and Holmivsky — Novoluhanske (all in Donbas).
The battle for Sloviansk may become the next key milestone in the fight for the Donbas, according to British intelligence. Russian troops from the Eastern and Western groups are now probably located about 16 km north of Sloviansk. The city is also threatened by the Central and Southern groups of troops.
Volodymyr Zelensky stated that yesterday's decision by General Staff that requires people liable for military service to obtain permits from local enlistment offices for domestic travel, should be revoked. He assured however that there are no misunderstandings between the President and the General Staff. The General Staff recalled the rule and sent the proposal for “additional work".
The Armed Forces of Ukraine received a helicopter and an aircraft used by the family of Viktor Medvedchuk who is suspected of national treason.
The first batch of the Ukrainian military recently arrived in the UK to receive combat training, announced UK Defence Minister Ben Wallace. Ukrainians will take courses based on the UK's basic military training including weapons training, first aid on the battlefield, and patrolling tactics. Each course will last several weeks.
The largest German opposition parties — Christian Democratic Union, Christian Social Union, and the Greens — demand that the Bundestag approves transferring 200 Fuchs armoured personnel carriers to Ukraine as soon as possible. Inspector General of the Bundeswehr Eberhard Zorn stated that this is a complicated matter as Germany has around 825 such AMCs, however, they have different modifications that the country itself needs.
Since the beginning of the full-scale war, Russian troops have killed 14 doctors, and destroyed 122 medical institutions, 43 pharmacies and 85 ambulances, announced Health Minister Viktor Liashko.
As of the morning of July 6, more than 991 Ukrainian children became victims of the Russian armed aggression. 346 children were killed and at least 645 injured, according to the Prosecutor General's Office.
Prime Minister of Ireland Micheál Martin has arrived in Kyiv. He met with Volodymyr Zelensky, visited liberated Borodianka, Bucha, and Irpin, and called Russia's attack on Ukraine "inhuman".
The Verkhovna Rada has registered a draft bill proposing to amend the state budget for 2022 and increase expenditures by UAH 80.976 billion to raise subsidies, loans, financial aid for internally displaced persons, and pensions.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 133. Online updates.
During the night, the Russian Federation shelled Kharkiv with rocket fire and destroyed a building of the National Pedagogical University. A security guard who was on duty during the attack was killed.
On the evening of July 5, the Russian military fired four rockets at Khmelnytskyi Oblast. One missile was shot down by air defence, and three others hit a residential community. One person was injured in the explosions. No fatalities have been reported.
Heavy battles continue on the outskirts of Luhansk Oblast around Lysychansk. The Russian army has engaged many forces and equipment, according to the head of the Luhansk regional administration Serhii Haidai. He stated, however, that Russians have suffered many casualties, and hospitals in the occupied territories are overcrowded.
Five people were killed by Russian shelling in Donetsk Oblast on July 5, and another twenty-one were injured, according to the head of Donetsk Oblast Military Administration Pavlo Kyrylenko.
On July 6, air defence troops in the Odesa region destroyed two Russian Kalibr cruise missiles, reported the Air Command South. The missiles were fired from a Russian submarine in the Black Sea and were aimed at the Mykolaiv region.
Russia's goals during its invasion of Ukraine remain unchanged despite Russia's military failures and following rhetoric suggesting that the goals might have somewhat diminished. Russia still aims to change the government in Kyiv and destroy Ukrainian sovereignty, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) analytics.
The Russian military tried to attack Serpentine Island in Odesa but gave up fearing Ukrainian weapons, stated the Operational Command South Spokeswoman Natalia Humeniuk.
Prime Minister of Ireland Micheál Martin has arrived in Kyiv on his first official visit to Ukraine.
The UK government is providing £2.3 billion in military aid to Ukraine in response to Russia's illegal invasion. This includes an innovative training program for 10,000 Ukrainian recruits in the United Kingdom, said UK Secretary of Defence Ben Wallace.
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Instagram that American actor, director, screenwriter, and producer Liev Schreiber became an ambassador of the UNITED24 medical fundraising platform for Ukraine.
Domestic travel restrictions for people liable for military service, the Lugano Declaration, and new sanctions. The war. Key news on July 5
New domestic travel rules for people liable for military service. Russians are trying to take control of the Bakhmut-Lysychansk highway. Rosatom personnel heading to Zaporizhzhia NPP. Norway, Switzerland, and the Netherlands will provide Ukraine with more than a billion euros. Suspilne gathered the main news of day 132 of the full-scale war.
The Ukrainian military repelled a Russian assault near Sosnivka, Kharkiv region, and in the Sloviansk direction, Donetsk region. Russians are focused on taking control of the Bakhmut-Lysychansk and Bilohorivka roads, the General Staff reports. Seven Russian missiles were fired at Dnipropetrovsk Oblast today, six of which were shot down by Ukrainian forces. The remaining one has hit a residential quarter in Pokrov and destroyed several houses.
The International Committee of the Red Cross is in contact with prisoners of war from the Mariupol's Azovstal, said a spokesman of the ICRC in Ukraine Oleksandr Vlasenko. According to him, the Red Cross controls the prison conditions and their state, but this information cannot be disclosed to the media. The wives of the Ukrainian defenders stressed one of the conditions of their surrender was that Red Cross representatives would visit the prisoners twice a week, but the Russian side does not comply with these requirements.
The Ministry of Defence announced that all the people liable for military service must obtain permission from local recruitment and social support centres before leaving their oblast during martial law. However, they can move freely within the region where they are registered.
Russia is relocating Rosatom personnel to work at the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant as Ukrainian specialists refused to cooperate, reports the Center for National Resistance.
Aid from the partners. Norway, Switzerland, and the Netherlands will provide Ukraine with more than a billion euros in total. The aid will be transferred within two years. The UK will provide an additional £100 million in security assistance. The participants of the Lugano conference adopted the declaration for the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine. The declaration mentions reforms, an independent justice system, fighting corruption, and control of finances, which the EU will allocate for reconstruction.
Sanctions. Finland has seized 800 Russian freight cars according to the EU sanctions. New Zealand will ban imports of Russian gold from July 25. Japan has also imposed new sanctions against the Russian Federation including a freeze of assets of six companies, export restrictions and an embargo on Russian gold.
The leader of the informal youth movement "Honor" Serhii Filimonov was injured at the frontline. Serhii is the former head of the Azov Civil Corps Kyiv branch and the National Corps party in Kyiv. He also starred in a leading role in Oleh Sentsov's Rhino movie.
Russians turn off radars on the ships transporting Ukrainian grain from Crimea to Turkish ports, however, this is captured by satellite images, according to the Schemes journalists' investigation. Meanwhile, the ambassador of Ukraine to Turkey Vasyl Bodnar stated that negotiations on the unblocking of Ukrainian ports are ongoing between Ukraine and Turkey. The negotiations will move to the next phase of the four-party talks including Russia after Ukraine agrees with its "red line" partners.
Professor of Mathematics, Maryna Viazovska from Kyiv became the second woman in history to receive a prestigious Fields Medal in mathematics which is often referred to as the equivalent of the Nobel Prize.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 132. Online updates.
At dawn, the Russian Federation shelled Dnipropetrovsk region: out of 7 missiles, 6 were shot down by the Armed Forces. One hit the city of Pokrov, several houses were destroyed, and there were no civilian casualties. More than 60 shots were recorded in Sumy region: rocket attacks, mortar shots, self-propelled guns, the head of the regional administration reported. Kharkiv: an attack was made at night in one of the districts of the city, there were no casualties.
Shelling of populated areas continues in Donetsk region. Within a day, two people were killed and six were injured.
Luhansk region: the Armed Forces of Ukraine are holding the defense of a small part of the region so that the main forces have time to build defenses. The occupiers are trying to resume administrative activities. A commandant's office was created in Severodonetsk, which should replace the local authorities.
After the retreat of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation from Lysychansk, the Russian Federation controls almost the entire territory of the Luhansk region, which allows the Russians to declare "significant progress" in achieving their political goal - the "liberation" of Donbas, according to the intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain.
The department believes that the Russians will continue their tactics of destruction in the next attack on the territory of Donetsk region.
More than 30 Kalibr missiles, located on five carriers, were aimed at Ukraine from the Black Sea, the operational command "Pivden" reported. They are currently at sea three surface and two underwater missile carriers.
Russia exports stolen Ukrainian grain from Crimea to Turkey. This is stated in the investigation of the journalists of the "Scheme" publication. In the accompanying documents for grain, which Turkey imports in large batches, the origin of the goods is indicated as "Crimea, Russia". The publication notes that satellite images show ships in the port of "Avlita" (Sevastopol) on which grain is loaded, where it is taken from the temporarily occupied territories, in particular, Kherson and Zaporizhya regions.
Norway, Switzerland and the Netherlands will provide financial assistance to Ukraine totaling more than one billion euros. The money should arrive within two years. Ukraine will receive about 89 million euros from Switzerland, one billion from Norway, and 200 million euros from the Netherlands. This was announced by the leaders of the countries in Lugano (Switzerland), where the conference is ongoing, at which the Ukrainian authorities presented a plan for the post-war restoration of the state. In total, the recovery plan is estimated at 750 billion dollars.
The Russian state regulator Rosaviatsia extended the ban on flights from 11 airports near the borders of Ukraine until July 12.
Japan has approved a new package of sanctions against Russia and Belarus in response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The message on the website of the Ministry of Finance of Japan refers to new restrictions on 90 organizations and citizens of these countries. In total, about 800 citizens of Russia, Belarus, residents of the illegal self-proclaimed republics "LNR" and "DNR", as well as about 300 Russian companies have already been sanctioned by Japan.
For the first time, the Ukrainian column took part in the parade on the Independence Day of the USA on July 4, 2022.
Conference in Lugano, Ukrainian flag on Zmiinyi Island, resistance movement in the Kherson region. War. The main news for July 4
A conference on the restoration of Ukraine began in Swiss Lugano, Russian troops forced Siverskyi Donets, a Ukrainian flag was installed on Zmiinyi Island, Ukraine spends 130 billion hryvnias on the army every month. Suspilne gathered the main news of the 131st day of full-scale war.
In the south of Switzerland, in Lugano, a two-day international conference on the restoration of Ukraine began. Representatives of 40 countries and several dozen organizations are to take part in it. The Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal told the conference that the reconstruction plan of Ukraine contains 24 volumes, and the reconstruction will cost 750 billion dollars.
Russian troops forced Siverskyi Donets to entrench themselves in the area of Lysychansk and Bilogorivka (this is the Kramatorsk direction), but the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled them from there, the General Staff reports. The Russians moved 17 wagons with ammunition from the temporarily occupied Crimea to the "Kalanchak" railway station in Myrne, Kherson region. The military operation on Zmiinyi Island has been completed — Ukrainian flag was installed there.
In the Donetsk region, a fire broke out at the Vuhlehirʹka Tes in Svitlodarsk due to shelling.
Belarus Ukrainian border guards say that there are no significant changes in the situation on the border with Belarus, as well as with Moldova, and they do not see an offensive being prepared by Belarus and Transnistria. Great Britain introduced new sanctions against Belarus. It is about the ban on the export of oil refining products, advanced technological components and luxury items, and the import of Belarusian iron and steel.
"There will be no referendum. There will be a court and there will be The Hague" — with this slogan, the action of the "Yellow Ribbon" resistance movement against the occupation began in the Kherson region. In their message, among other things, it is said that they are preparing "many pleasant surprises for the occupiers".
Ukraine's monthly expenses for the army reach about 130 billion hryvnias, despite the fact that before the war, the army's annual budget was 156 billion hryvnias, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
As of the morning of July 4, at least 989 children were injured in Ukraine as a result of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation. 345 children died and at least 644 were injured. Data — Office of the Prosecutor General.
As of July 4, the police opened 20 criminal proceedings on sexual crimes committed by Russian soldiers on the territory of Ukraine.
Pope Francis said he hopes to visit Moscow and Kyiv, and is currently in talks with the Russian Foreign Ministry about that visit.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 131. Online updates.
The Russian army managed to gain a foothold in Lysychansk and cross the Siverskyi Donets river. Russians captured two more settlements nearby - Bilohorivka and Zolotarivka, the head of the Luhansk RMA SerhiI Haidai said on the morning of July 4.
Ukrainian forces withdrew from Lysychansk, probably retreating to prepared defensive positions. Military analysts believe that now Russia's attention will almost certainly switch to capturing the Donetsk region, a large part of which remains under the control of Ukrainian forces, according to British intelligence.
In the Donetsk region, Russian troops have carried out 18 strikes over the past 24 hours, shelled 11 settlements, and there are casualties, including children, the regional police reports.
In the Kharkiv region, three people were killed and six wounded during the day as a result of the aggression of the Russian Federation. In the morning, the enemy launched rockets on the city again, the head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration Oleh Synehubov said.
A school in one of Kharkiv's districts was destroyed by a rocket attack at 4 am.
In addition, the Russian Armed Forces shelled two communities in the Dnipropetrovsk region at night. In the Zaporizhzhia direction, the Russian militaries carried out 50 shellings on positions of Ukrainian defenders along the line over the past 24 hours. In addition, Russians shelled the Sumy region with mortars: they hit a psychiatric boarding school, where a fire broke out. At least three people were injured, they are in hospital.
The representation of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea calls on citizens in Crimea to sabotage the mobilization that the Russian Federation is preparing for in the temporarily occupied territory. There days, a decree was published on the resources of the occupation administration of the Russian Federation in the temporarily occupied Crimea, which created the so-called "conscription commission for the mobilization of citizens."
An adviser to the head of the President's Office Mykhailo Podolyak, responded to the Kremlin's statements about the resumption of negotiations, providing a list of conditions under which Ukraine is ready to sit down again at the negotiating table: "Immediate ceasefire. Withdrawal of z-troops from Ukraine. Return of kidnapped citizens. Extradition of war criminals. Mechanism of reparations. Recognition of the sovereign rights of Ukraine".
The head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov believes that Ukrainians will see the first victories of Ukraine in the war against Russia in August, and the war will end next year with Ukraine's coming back to its internationally recognized borders.
"At the end of the year, active hostilities will decrease. But this will not be the end," he said.
Since February 24, during Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, Germany has accepted more than 85,000 Ukrainian refugees, said the Minister of the Interior of Germany Nancy Feser, Deutsche Welle reports.
On July 4, Ukraine will present a plan for post-war reconstruction at a conference in the city of Lugano (Switzerland). More than 40 countries and more than 20 international organizations are invited to participate in the conference.
The spokeswoman of the Bulgarian government Lena Borislavova said that Russia pays public figures, journalists and politicians about two thousand euros a month for spreading Russian propaganda in the country, Euractiv reports.
After heavy battles for Lysychansk, the Defense Forces of Ukraine were forced to withdraw from their positions and lines, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on the evening of July 3. In this way, Russians captured the Luhansk region.
"In the conditions of the multiple superiority of Russian occupying forces in artillery, aviation, multiple rocket launchers, ammunition and personnel, the continuation of the defense of the city would lead to fatal consequences. In order to save the lives of the Ukrainian defenders, a decision was made to withdraw", — the General Staff reported.
They emphasized that Ukraine needs weapons.
"Iron will and patriotism are not enough for success, so material and technical resources are needed", — added the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 130. Online updates.
In Sumy Oblast, 30 mortar shelling along the border was recorded. In the Dnipropetrovsk region, the Zelenodol community was again shelled. At 4 a.m., the occupiers struck one of Kharkiv's critical infrastructure facilities.
In Donetsk region, the Russians are increasing the intensity and power of shelling. As a result of the strikes on Dobropyl in Donetsk region, at least two people were killed, and three others, including two children, were injured. In the Luhansk region, the Russian army is trying to gain a foothold in the Lysychansk region, the city is on fire.
Russian troops are likely to establish control over the territory of the Luhansk region in the coming days. This is stated in the analytical report of the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) on July 2. It is likely that the Russian army will then focus on the Ukrainian positions in Siversk before returning to Slovyansk and Bakhmut.
At night, the Armed Forces of Ukraine disabled one of the 4 military bases of the Russian army in the temporarily occupied Melitopol. More than 30 strikes were carried out exclusively on the Russian military base, the mayor of the city, Ivan Fedorov, said.
During the day, the aviation of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine worked in virtually all directions of hostilities. According to the General Staff, the Ukrainian aviation made almost one and a half dozen group sorties per day. About twenty units of Russian equipment and two field warehouses of ammunition were destroyed.
The governor of the Belgorod region of the Russian Federation announced about "loud noises" in the city at night: according to him, the anti-aircraft defense probably went off, and there are injured and dead people.
The Open Technology Fund (OTF), which is backed by the US government, will pay US companies that provide VPN software to Russians for free. Deutsche Welle writes about it. This will be done in order for citizens of the Russian Federation to be able to bypass censorship and gain access to independent media.
More than 986 children were impacted by war in Ukraine as a result of the full-scale armed aggression of the Russian Federation. As of the morning of July 3, the official number of dead children has not changed - 344. The number of wounded has increased - at least 642. This was reported in the Office of the Prosecutor General.
Hollywood actor Sean Penn, who is shooting a new film about the war in Ukraine, came to the Dnipro
Photo: Telegram channel of the head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Council.
Our news at 21:12
The Russian army carried out air strikes near Verkhniy Saltiv and Prudianka in the Kharkiv region, the General Staff reports. In the Donetsk region, the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled Russian attacks near Berestove and Kodem (the Bakhmut direction) and near Bohorodychne (the Kramatorsk district, west of Sviatohirsk, almost on the banks of the Siverskyi Donets). In the Luhansk region, there are battles for Lysychansk, the Russians are entrenched in Verkhniokamyanka (southwest of Lysychansk). In the Kherson region, the Ukrainian Armed Forces liberated another village — Ivanivka. Also, Russian troops fired missiles at the city of Pavlohrad in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
The Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia Valery Gerasimov inspected the groups of Russian troops participating in the war with Ukraine. This was reported by the Russian Ministry of Defense, but did not specify where exactly this inspection took place.
The HIMARS rocket launcher systems allow the Armed Forces of Ukraine to increase the range and accuracy of strikes on objects in the occupied territory. This was reported by The Wall Street Journal with reference to Ukrainian officers who spoke to Suspilne journalists.
The Italian Naples police did not miss three of the five tractors transporting Panzerhaubitze 2000 artillery units. The howitzers were supposed to be delivered to Ukraine through Germany. The reason for the denial was that the private contractor-carrier did not have a registration certificate for the tractor. In addition, one of the drivers did not have the right to drive special equipment. These three tractors will now return to the Persano di Salerno military base and await re-transportation.
The European Commission plans to allow Russia to import sanctioned goods to Kaliningrad through the territory of Lithuania, but only in volumes commensurate with the supply before its invasion of Ukraine, Der Spiegel reports with reference to sources in the European Commission.
Romania is ready to provide assistance to Ukrainians who suffered as a result of a missile strike by Russian troops on the night of July 1 against a nine-story building and recreation centers in the resort town of Serhiivka in the Odesa region.
Hollywood actor Sean Penn came to Dnipro. The visit, in particular, is connected with the shooting of a new film — Sean Penn is shooting a documentary about the Russian-Ukrainian war.
Deputies of the Kyiv City Council plan to establish a moratorium in the city on the lease and privatization of land plots for citizens of the Russian Federation and Belarus, as well as for legal entities associated with these countries.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 129. Online updates.
The offensive of the Russian army in the Lysychansk direction was not successful, reports the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Meanwhile, the Luhansk region was under shelling all day: Russians opened fire with all available types of weapons. In the Donetsk region, the Russian Federation used small arms, artillery, aviation, Grad, Smerch, and Uragan multiple rocket launchers along the entire front line.
Russian militaries also shelled residential buildings, schools, infrastructure in Bakhmut, Avdiyivka, Slovyansk and a number of other settlements. During the day, 3 civilians were killed and 11 were wounded, including an 11-year-old child.
Chernihiv region: at night and in the morning, the Russian army conducted mortar and artillery fire. Around 4 a.m., the Russian army struck Kharkiv and shelled populated areas of the region during the day. Three civilians were injured. On the morning of July 2, Russians shelled the Sumy region.
Russia is attacking Ukraine with missiles in order to force negotiations, according to Mykhailo Podoliak, adviser to the head of the President's Office. "They want to create large-scale panic in Ukraine, intimidate people and force them to put pressure on the government so that we make certain concessions to Russia", — he said in an interview with Channel 24.
The Kremlin is likely creating conditions to mobilize its economy in preparation for a protracted war in Ukraine, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports. There, attention was drawn to the amendment in the laws, which will oblige Russian enterprises to support "special military" operations.
In Belarus, the terms of mobilization training were extended till July 9, and doctors were prohibited from leaving the country, the Ukrainian General Staff informs. Also, commissariats of the Gomel region continue spreading summons.
In Ukraine, 42 railway cars owned by Russian companies and located in the the Sumy region were arrested. The total value of the seized goods is more than 30 million hryvnias. The wagons entered the territory of Ukraine before the start of the full-scale invasion.
The American Universal Pictures is completely leaving Russia. The company is closing its Russian office, all operations will be suspended within a few months. Studios Universal, Warner Bros., Disney, Sony and Paramount announced the temporary suspension of movie rentals in Russia in March.
The Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation Valery Gerasimov inspected the grouping of Russian troops in Ukraine, the press service of the Ministry of Defense of Russia reported. In the published photos, as journalists noticed, Gerasimov was in the command post, which was visited last week by the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Serhiy Shoigu.
In Poland, in Gdańsk, on July 1, a square named after the Heroic Mariupol was opened near the Consulate General of the Russian Federation, the Consulate of Ukraine in Gdańsk reported.
Shelling of Odesa and Mykolaiv, visa regime with the Russian Federation, "eRobota", borscht under the protection of UNESCO. War. The main news for July 1
The Russians fired missiles at Odesa and Mykolaiv, seven Belarusian battalions on the border with Ukraine, France will provide six more Caesar howitzers to the Armed Forces, visa regime between Ukraine and Russia is starting today, the EU is working on the seventh package of anti-Russian sanctions. Suspilne gathered the main news of the 128th day of full-scale war.
Rocket attacks. In the morning, Russian troops fired 12 missiles at the port infrastructure and private enterprises of Mykolaiv. Among them are the production of perfumes and lime. Also, Russia fired rockets at a residential building and two recreation centers in Odesa. According to preliminary data, 21 people died.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled the Russian troops from the Lysychan gelatin plant, the Russians are defending themselves in the Slovyansk direction, along the entire front line in Donbas, Russia is shelling Ukrainian positions and populated areas with artillery, the General Staff reports.
News of Belarus. Military exercises continued there until July 9 at 13 training grounds, seven battalions of the country's Armed Forces are stationed on the border with Ukraine, Putin said that the West's economic pressure on the Russian Federation and Belarus forces the countries to "accelerate unification processes" because it is easier to minimize losses.
Help from allies. In 2022-2023, Norway will provide Ukraine with 1 billion euros for reconstruction, the budget of Ukraine received 1 billion euros of grant funds from Germany, the Pentagon chooses innovative weapons projects for Ukraine from 1,300 proposals (there is everything from air defense equipment to communication systems), and Emmanuel Macron said that France would provide Ukraine with six more Caesar howitzers and a "significant amount" of armored vehicles.
Europe is working on the seventh package of sanctions against Russia, Bloomberg reports. In one form or another, it will contain restrictions on oil trade and the transit of already sanctioned goods. Separately, they will talk about the transit between the Kaliningrad region of the Russian Federation and the rest of Russia — this transit passes through Lithuania. But the main point is the ban on trading in gold.
From July 1, the visa regime from the Russian Federation began to operate in Ukraine.
As of the morning of July 1, more than 978 children were affected by war in Ukraine as a result of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation. At least 343 children died and 635 were injured. Data — Office of the Prosecutor General.
Fresh sociology. 97% of Ukrainians trust the Armed Forces, 85% trust the president, 68% of the country's residents have experienced financial difficulties due to the war, 78% of respondents said they donated money to support the army, and 89% of respondents support the return of the territories of Ukraine including Crimea and Donbas. The data are from a national survey of the National Democratic Institute.
In Ukraine, a new economic strategy of the government "eRobota" was launched. From July 1, you can apply for a grant for your own business or for training on the Diya portal. Business amounts range from 250,000 hryvnias to several million.
The Verkhovna Rada has appointed a new human rights commissioner, People's Deputy Dmytro Lubinets. He was elected to the parliament in 2019 as a self-nominated candidate for the 60th district (Donetsk region). Before that, Lubinets headed the Committee on Human Rights, Deoccupation and Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories in Donetsk, Luhansk Oblasts and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the City of Sevastopol, National Minorities and International Relations.
The Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage has included Ukrainian borscht in the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage in need of immediate protection.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 128. Online updates.
From today, the visa regime with the Russian Federation began to operate in Ukraine. The Cabinet of Ministers made the decision on June 17 due to the full-scale invasion of Russian troops and the seizure of Ukrainian territories in a number of regions.
Night attack on Odesa region. The Russian army launched a missile strike with Tu-22 strategic aircraft - three X-22 missiles hit a nine-story residential building and two recreation centres. At least 19 people have been confirmed dead so far. There are two children among them. 38 people were hospitalized, including six children and a pregnant woman.
Also, during this period, the Russian army did not stop shelling the regions of Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Mykolaiv.
In the Luhansk region Russian troops are trying to surround the Ukrainian militaries, attacking Lysychansk from the south and west. Evacuation from the city is impossible, people are urged not to leave their shelters due to constant shelling. In the Donetsk region, the Russian Federation shelled 40 objects, including residential buildings, industrial objects and critical infrastructure objects. 4 civilians were killed and 18 were injured.
Russia withdrew from Zmiyiny island because of the garrison's isolation and vulnerability to Ukrainian strikes, not because of a "gesture of goodwill," as it claimed, according to British intelligence. This Russian defeat will reduce pressure on the Ukrainian coast, but the retreat itself will not end the naval blockade, according to a report by the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Yesterday, the Ukrainian Armed Forces announced that they had forced the Russians to release an island in the Black Sea near the Odesa region, which had been occupied since the beginning of the full-scale war.
More than 800 private companies in the USA are ready to produce the latest weapons for Ukraine.As CNN writes with reference to a representative of the defense department, the Pentagon is currently considering proposals for the production of weapons for anti-aircraft, anti-tank, anti-personnel, coastal defense, drones, and secure communication systems. The order fulfillment period is from 90 to 180 days.
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former secretary general of NATO, came to Ukraine to announce the start of the work of the advisory group on security guarantees. During his visit to Irpin in the Kyiv region, he stated that Ukraine should receive strong security guarantees from NATO and its allies.
France will provide 6 Caesar self-propelled artillery units and a "significant amount" of armored vehicles to Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron said.
Australia imposed sanctions against Putin's relatives: cousin of the Russian president and businessman Igor Putin, nephews - Mikhail Putin (deputy chairman of the board of SOGAZ) and Roman Putin (chairman of the board of directors of the MPT group of companies). Restrictions were imposed on Alina Kabaeva, a former gymnast and chairman of the board of Russia's largest private media company "National Media Group".
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Vladimir Putin had been preparing for war against Ukraine for at least a year before unleashing it, and made an assumption that Putin was likely to be able to sustain a protracted offensive "for a long time." He said this in an interview with CBS News at the NATO summit in Madrid.
Hollywood celebrity George Clooney supported Ukraine and expressed his admiration for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. And in Poland, at the Opener festival, the leader of the Imagine Dragons band made a speech against the aggression of the Russian Federation and in support of Ukraine.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine released Zmiinyi Island, a fence between Poland and Belarus, a register of oligarchs. The war. Key news on June 30
The Ukrainian military forced the Russian garrison out of Zmiinyi Island. Battles around two industrial plants are ongoing in Lysychansk. Belarus summons conscripts to the army. Britain will provide Ukraine with another 1 billion pounds and Sweden will send anti-tank weapons and machine guns. Zelensky signed a decree on a register of oligarchs. Suspilne gathered the main news of day 127 of the full-scale war.
The Ukrainian military liberated Zmiinyi Island from the Russians. Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhny reported that the occupiers did not withstand the "fire of Ukrainian artillery", while Russian MoD called the retreat a "gesture of goodwill".
The Russian military is defending against the Ukrainian counter-offensive in the Kharkiv region, reports the General Staff. Ukrainian forces repelled Russian attacks around Dovhenke-Mazanivka and Bohorodychne (Sloviansk direction) and in the Bakhmut direction of Donetsk Oblast. In Luhansk Oblast, the Russian army is storming the Lysychansk refinery and maintaining its north-western and south-eastern parts. Ukrainian forces pushed back the attack on Lysychansk Gelatin Plant.
Belarus. Conscripts are summoned to the army and sent to training manoeuvres at least in the Gomel region which borders Ukraine, according to the Belarusian media Zerkalo. A 186.25 km fence on the border between Belarus and Poland is almost complete. Poland spent five months and 49,000 tons of steel to build it.
Support from allies. The UK will allocate an additional £1 billion (about $1.2 billion) to Ukraine for arming the counterattack. Joe Biden announced a new $800 million aid package from the United States which includes more HIMARS. Japan will provide Ukraine with $100 million for medical equipment and temporary housing for internally displaced people. Sweden will send Ukraine anti-tank weapons and machine guns.
Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree to start a register of oligarchs with their personal data and the reason to be recognised as an oligarch. National Security and Defence Council and other state employees will have access to it.
Ukraine has severed diplomatic relations with Syria today following the recognition of "LPR" and "DPR" by the latter on June 29. Ukraine has also reminded Syria that the Ukrainian embassy in Damascus was closed back in 2016 due to the crimes of the Bashar al-Assad regime against the Syrian people, and the Syrian embassy in Kyiv was ordered to be closed in 2018.
President of Indonesia Joko Widodo visited Irpin yesterday and spoke with Volodymyr Zelensky, then met with Vladimir Putin in Moscow today and said that he "passed the message from the President of Ukraine". He did not specify what the message was.
At least 341 children were killed and 631 have been injured as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine according to the Prosecutor General's Office.
Ukrainian borscht may be recognised by UNESCO as a part of intangible cultural heritage on July 1, announced the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Emine Dzhaparova.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 127. Online updates.
According to the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW), the Russian military command plans to capture not only Donbas, because the Russian Federation is also advancing north of Kharkiv. Meanwhile, the President of the Russian Federation Putin stated that the ultimate goal of the so-called "special operation" in Ukraine is the "liberation of Donbas and the security guarantee for the Russian Federation": "And the work is going smoothly, rhythmically. Well, as you can see, the troops are moving and reaching the boundaries that are set as a task at a certain stage of this combat work. Everything is going according to plan," - Russian "Interfax" quoted him.
Ukrainian troops continue holding their positions in the city of Lysychansk after the withdrawal of the troops from Severodonetsk, reports the Ministry of Defense of the Great Britain with reference to intelligence data.
In the summary of regional military administrations, it is reported that Russian troops have carried out several air raids on Lysychansk, causing a lot of destructions. Saboteurs regularly try to break into the city. Fighting is also active along the entire front line in the Donetsk region. Private residential buildings and high-rise buildings in cities and villages were affected by shelling. The region remains without gas and partly without water supply and electricity.
The Russian Federation shelled the Kharkiv region: one person was killed, six were wounded, including an 11-year-old girl. On the morning of June 30, Russian troops shelled the Kryvyi Rih district in the Dnipropetrovsk region, destroying a warehouse with 40 tons of grain. According to preliminary data, there are no victims.
In the Kherson region, Ukrainian troops managed to repulse a helicopter attack in recently liberated settlements, and also carried out seven airstrikes at Russian positions, the operational command "South" reported.
The second news from them: the Ukrainian army launched missile and artillery strikes on Zmiyiny island at night. The Ukrainian command notes that the Russians evacuated the remnants of the garrison with two speedboats and presumably left the island. Currently, there are fires and explosions on the island. The militaries are clarifying the final results of the operation.
Russian fighter jets deliberately dropped two 500-kilogram bombs on the theater in Mariupol at the same time, these are the conclusions of the human rights organization Amnesty International, based on the testimony of 53 witnesses to the bombing of the Drama Theater. Amnesty International also analyzed satellite images and radar data.
Japan will provide Ukraine with an additional $100 million in humanitarian aid for the purchase of medical equipment and the construction of temporary housing for internally displaced people.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Ukraine will break relations with Syria due to its recognition of the separatist "DPR" and "LPR" pseudo-republics .
Britain is preparing a new $1.2 billion military aid package for Ukraine, Bloomberg reports. That would bring the total aid to $2.8bn (£2.3bn), which is more than any other country except the US, according to the government. Funding will be spent on the purchase of air defense systems, drones, electronic warfare equipment and other equipment for Ukrainian soldiers.
95 Azovstal defenders have returned from captivity, Russia is a NATO threat, and Syria has recognized the L/DNR. War. The main news for June 29
Ukraine returns 144 servicemen, including 95 Azovstal defenders, NATO identifies Russia as a direct threat to Allies at NATO summit, Britain plans to hand over MLRS M270 missile systems to Ukraine, Belarus wants to execute three "rail guerrillas", Syria recognizes "L/DNR". Suspilne gathered the main news of the 126th day of the full-scale war.
The largest exchange of prisoners since the beginning of the war took place. 144 defenders returned to Ukraine. From them — 95 defenders of "Azovstal". Among them there are 43 servicemen of the Azov Regiment.
In the Luhansk region, Russian troops are fighting for Lysychansk and trying to take control of the route from the city to Bakhmut, according to the General Staff. In the Donetsk region, the Russian army is advancing in the direction of the Copper Ore — Klynovyi (this is the Bakhmut direction), and was able to gain a foothold in the area of Vuglegirska TPP. In the morning the troops of the Russian Federation once again fired at Mykolaiv. The rocket hit a high-rise building. Five dead and five injured.
The NATO summit has started in Madrid. Among the main statements concerning our country — NATO must be ready for a long war between Ukraine and Russia, the war will end at the negotiating table, NATO's doors are still open for Ukraine, the Alliance is preparing a new package of assistance for the Armed Forces (bulletproof vests, chemical and biological threats and hundreds of drone control systems).
NATO countries have also adopted a Strategic Concept. It says that Russia is the "most significant and direct threat" to the Alliance's security, that the country has deliberately exacerbated the economic and energy crisis, and that all criminals from Russia must be punished. Moreover, NATO has officially invited Finland and Sweden to join the Alliance.
Britain is about to hand over MLRS M270 missile systems to Ukraine when it receives Norwegian-like systems to replace them. MLRS M270 has two separate launch containers, each of which can load up to 6 missiles, and this system can fire at a distance of up to 300 km — it depends on the type of missile.
Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukraine is negotiating with Russia on the release of foreign servicemen. At the same time, the British Sean Pinner, who was sentenced to death as a mercenary in the so-called "DPR", appealed the court's decision.
In Belarus, three residents of the Gomel region face the death penalty for setting fire to a relay cabinet on the railway. These are "rail guerrillas" who destroyed the railway infrastructure of Belarus, which was used by Russia to transfer equipment, missiles and military to the war with Ukraine.
Syria has recognized the "independence" of the "L/DNR". Now the country plans to negotiate with the "leadership" of the pseudo-republics to strengthen relations, and to establish "diplomatic relations" with them.
As a result of the war, at least 341 children have already died and another 627 have been injured. Data — Office of the Prosecutor General.
The UN has recorded executions by Russian military civilians in more than 30 settlements in Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Sumy regions, the organization said in a report.
Ukraine and the European Union have signed an agreement on "visa-free travel" — the liberalization of transit and bilateral international traffic.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 126. Online updates.
Emergency workers dismantle debris in a shopping center that burned down after a rocket attack in Kremenchug, June 28, 2022,
Russia's losses in the war are five times greater than those of the Ukrainian side, yet Russia retains a numerical advantage in both soldiers and equipment, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with NBC.
In the morning the Russian Federation hit Mykolaiv, having struck in a house. According to the head of the regional administration Vitaliy Kim, at least five people died.
Also the day before, Russia hit Dnipro with missiles: seven people were injured, including a 6-year-old boy, said the head of the regional administration Valentin Reznichenko.
Russian Federation continues to attack the settlements of the Kharkiv region and Kharkiv from rocket-propelled grenade launchers and aircraft, explosions are heard in the city every day and evening. Meanwhile, on the Kharkiv front, Ukrainian military forced Russian occupiers to retreat in the areas of three villages, said the head of the Kharkiv regional military administration Oleh Sinegubov.
Russia lacks both more modern high-precision percussion weapons and professional planners, according to the British Ministry of Defense. British intelligence believes that this will lead to new casualties among the civilian population. It is likely that a rocket attack on a shopping center in Kremenchuk on June 27 was intended to hit a neighboring infrastructure facility.
The UN Security Council condemned the Russian army's attack on a shopping center in the city of Kremenchuk, Poltava region, which killed more than two dozen people. The statement was supported by six member states of the Security Council - Great Britain, the United States, France, Albania, Ireland and Norway.
Canada has announced additional financial assistance to Ukraine, which includes, in particular, a loan of $ 200 million.
In Kherson, the Russian military abducted Mayor Igor Kolikhaev. The regional police have opened a criminal case, Tetiana Skuba, a spokeswoman for the National Police in the Kherson region told Suspilne.
Britain's Shaun Pinner, who was sentenced to death as a mercenary in the so-called "DPR", appealed the court's decision. On June 23, another British convict, Aiden Aslin, was able to speak to his family, say he was awaiting execution, and said that, according to the occupiers, British officials were not trying to negotiate his release.
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, thousands of servicemen, including both Ukrainians and foreigners, have been taken prisoner by Russia. Ukraine is currently negotiating their release.
Poland has announced a fundraiser to purchase the Bayraktar strike drone for Ukraine, said Polish journalist Slawomir Serakowski. Fundraising will take 30 days. At least PLN 319,000 has already been raised out of the required PLN 4.5 million (over USD 1 million).
Indonesian President Joko Vidodo arrived in Kyiv in the morning to meet with Zelensky. He also plans to visit Irpin.
Exchange of bodies, shelling in Mykolaiv and Dnipro, protests in Mariupol. The war. Key news on June 28
Russian rocket attack on Mykolaiv, Ochakiv, and Dnipro. Russian attacks were repelled in Kharkiv and Donetsk Oblasts. Russia deploying new anti-aircraft missile systems to Belarus. Residents protested against the demolition of houses in Mariupol. France to hand over more Caesar units to Ukraine. Suspilne gathered the main news of day 125 of the full-scale war.
Another exchange of servicemen' bodies took place in Zaporizhzhia. 46 bodies were returned to Ukraine.
Missile strikes. Russia fired 11 rockets at Mykolaiv in the morning, some of which were shot down by air defence. One of the missiles hit a stadium. Also, Russians shelled Ochakiv, where fatalities were reported, including a child. In the evening, Russian troops launched a missile attack on the city of Dnipro. Some industrial and transport enterprises were destroyed.
The Ukrainian military repelled a Russian attack around Dementiivka, Dovhalivka, and Zalyman (the last two in the Izium direction) in Kharkiv Oblast, reports the General Staff. Assault on Dolyna and Mazanivka villages in Donetsk Oblast, through which Russians are trying to approach Sloviansk, was repelled as well. In Luhansk Oblast, Russians are shelling Lysychansk and Vovchoyarivka and trying to take control of the Bakhmut-Lysychansk highway.
What's happening in Belarus. Six battalions of the Belarusian army are located near the Ukrainian border around Volyn and Polissia, according to MoD. However, they haven't assembled an offensive formation yet. A Russian military convoy with S-400 SAM and KAMAZ trucks carrying missiles was also spotted in Belarusian Mozyr.
Residents of the temporarily occupied Mariupol went out to protest the demolition of houses. Russians used weapons to disperse the protesters, reported Petro Andriushchenko, mayor of Mariupol. Russian military kidnapped the mayor of temporarily occupied Kherson, Ihor Kolykhayev after he refused to cooperate with the occupation authorities.
France will send a "significant number" of armoured vehicles to Ukraine, as well as six Caesar self-propelled howitzers in addition to the twelve that have already been handed over to Ukraine, said French Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu.
Russian MoD admitted yesterday's missile attack on Kremenchuk however claimed that the target wasn't the shopping mall but a warehouse with weapons and ammunition. G7 leaders condemned the attack on a civilian object, and writer Stephen King called it a "terrorist attack". Here is our photo report about firefighters and rescuers working in the shopping centre.
The US Treasury Department has announced sanctions on Russian gold imports, which is Moscow's largest export outside the energy sector. As a part of the embargo, the United States has also stopped a fuel tanker heading from Russia to Louisiana today.
Russian MoD is paying salaries and "combat surcharges" to its military in Ukraine through Russian "Gazprombank", which has not been sanctioned as Europe pays Russia for gas and oil through it, reveals the "Schemes" journalists' investigation.
The G7 countries have established a Global Alliance for Food Security and will provide an additional $4.5 billion to protect the most vulnerable from hunger and malnutrition. This will increase the total joint commitment of the seven states to global food security this year to more than $14 billion.
As of the morning of June 28, more than 963 children were affected in Ukraine as a result of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation. 341 children were killed and at least 622 injured, according to the Prosecutor General's Office.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 125. Online updates.
June 28, 2022 in Poltava region a Day of Mourning was declared after yesterday's shelling of a shopping centre in Kremenchuk. In the afternoon of June 27, the Russian army launched missile strikes on the city. Russian missiles hit the Amstor mall. According to the Minister of Internal Affairs, the attack was carried out from a TU-22 bomber with an X-22 missile from the territory of the Kursk region of the Russian Federation. Approximately 900 kilograms of explosives were dropped on the building. As a result of the missiles, a fire broke out, and eventually the mall burned down completely.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said that more than a thousand people could be in the mall, but many people managed to leave the building. According to the head of the regional administration, the rocket hit the shopping center 14 minutes after the announcement of the air alarm. There is no shelter in the mall, but there is one in front of the shopping centre. "All the doors were open, most people were able to leave this mall, but a number of people remained," Dmitry Lunin told Suspilne.
According to the latest, but not final data, 20 people died, 40 people are missing. More than 50 people sought medical help. The search and analysis of the ruins continues. More than a thousand people worked on it all night.
Intense shelling took place yesterday afternoon in Kharkiv. 30 people were injured, 5 died. At night, the Russian Federation attacked Kharkiv again: they hit an educational institution, there are no civilian victims. Also last day there were shellings of the Sumy, Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Mykolayiv regions.
In the Luhansk region, the Russian army opened fire from multiple rocket launchers at a group of local residents of Lysychansk who came out to replenish drinking water supplies.
Eight people died on the spot, including one child. Another 21 people were injured.
The Russians are assaulting Lysychansk, trying to block the city and seize transport links with Donetsk. There are 11 dead and 22 wounded civilians in total.
In the Donetsk region, shelling continues across the front. Russia hit the Avdiyivka Coke Plant, residential buildings, the Petrochemical Plant and the bus station in Bakhmut, railway lines, and so on. Two civilians were killed and six were injured.
Ukrainian troops continue to strengthen their positions at a height in Lysychansk after retreating from Severodonetsk and damage Russian command centres with successful strikes in the rear of Russian troops, according to the British Ministry of Defense, citing military intelligence.
The agency notes that on June 24-26, Russia struck extremely intense strikes on Ukraine using long-range missiles with Soviet AS-4 KITCHEN missiles and more modern AS-23a KODIAK missiles. These weapons are designed for strategically important purposes.
US President Joe Biden condemned the Russian attack on a mall in Kremenchuk, Poltava region, and announced the West's intention to continue putting pressure on Russia. And French President Emmanuel Macron called the shelling a "horror."
G7 leaders called the attack on a shopping center in Kremenchug a heinous war crime. "Russian President Putin and those involved will be held accountable," the G7 leaders said in a statement.
President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated Ukrainians on Constitution Day.
Constitution Day is celebrated in Ukraine on June 28. This is the only public holiday enshrined in the document itself. Ukraine was the last of the former Soviet republics to adopt a Constitution. It happened on June 28, 1996 - almost 5 years after the declaration of independence. Since then, the document has changed 8 times.
The shelling of the shopping mall in Kremenchuk, the default of the Russian Federation, howitzers Panzerhaubitze 2000 at the front. War. The main news for June 27
Russia has fired missiles at a shopping mall in Kremenchuk, the Armed Forces have stopped attempts to storm the Russians in the Izium direction, German howitzers Panzerhaubitze 2000 are already at the front, the US is preparing a new aid package to Ukraine, hundreds of Ukrainian children are being held in a Russian camp near Taganrog. Zelensky. Suspilne gathered the main news of the 124th day of the full-scale war.
Russia fired rockets at a shopping and entertainment center in Kremenchuk, Poltava region. Ten dead and 58 wounded are currently known. Rescuers put out the fire.
The Russian army fired Smerch cluster munitions at the Nemyshlyansky and Saltovsky districts of Kharkiv. The shells hit playgrounds and yards. According to preliminary data, five people were killed and 20 were injured.
Regular missile launches are expected from the territory of Belarus in the near future, the General Staff reports. The Ukrainian military repulsed the Russian attack on the Kharkiv region in the areas of Dementievka, Dovgalivka, Zalyman and Dovhenky (the last three are the Izium direction). In the Luhansk region, Russian troops are trying to blockade Lysychansk from the south and southwest. In the Donetsk region, the Armed Forces stopped the attack of the Russian army in the areas of Berestovo and in the direction of Medna Ruda — Klinove (all — Bakhmut district). Also in the Donetsk region, Ukrainian troops stopped the Russian offensive in the direction of Petrovske — Shevchenko (Volnovakha district).
The Ukrainian military received Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled howitzers from Germany and they are already at the front. Ukraine already has all the howitzers that were planned to be handed over to Germany and the Netherlands. However, Germany plans to supply six more.
In Russia, for the first time since 1918, there was a default on foreign debt. This was reported by Bloomberg. He adds that this can be considered largely a symbolic development, given that Russia is already "an economic, financial and political outcast for most countries".
The United States is finalizing a new aid package for Ukraine. In particular, there should be medium-range and long-range air defense systems, writes The New York Times. It is not known which air defense system is in question, but the publication suggests that it may be the NASAMS missile defense system. They can hit targets at a distance of 160 km.
NATO plans to increase its combat teams on the Alliance's eastern border to 300,000, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said ahead of the Alliance's summit in Madrid. But he clarified that the expansion to the level of brigades will not be in all 8 countries where there are combat groups, but only in some, because "different countries have different needs."
The interim results of the G7 summit in Germany include a reduction in Russia's revenues, new sanctions, including against Russia's defense sector, and indefinite support for Ukraine. The G7 countries have already provided more than $ 2.8 billion in humanitarian aid to Ukraine in 2022, and are ready to provide up to $29.5 billion more to help the country close its funding gap.
Vladimir Putin has accepted an invitation from Indonesian President Joko Vidodo to join the G20 summit on Bali on November 15-16. Volodymyr Zelensky will also take part in the summit. When the President of Ukraine agreed to visit the summit, he stated that he hoped that Putin would not be there.
The United Kingdom will allocate up to 10 million pounds to Ukraine for railway repairs to unblock grain exports, the government said. The British government is also initiating testing of grain sold to Russia. To determine whether it was exported from Ukraine.
Hundreds of Ukrainian children forcibly deported to Russia are being held in the Romashka camp near Taganrog. About it writes the Russian edition "Verstka". We are talking about 414 children from four Ukrainian boarding schools.
More than 953 children were injured in Ukraine as a result of armed aggression by the Russian Federation. As of the morning of June 27, the official number of dead children has not changed — 339. The number of injured has increased — at least 614. Data — the Prosecutor General's Office.
The tenth racket in the world — the Pole Hubert Hurkacz, stated that he would donate 100 euros to Ukraine for each of his aces at the tennis tournament in Wimbledon.
Rinat Akhmetov is demanding billions in compensation from Russia and has filed a lawsuit against the European Court of Human Rights, System Capital Managemen, the company's founder and shareholder, said Akhmetov. Among its assets destroyed or seized by the Russians are, for example, the Azovstal plant in Mariupol.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 124. Online updates.
During the night of June 27, Russia carried out an air strike with Tu-22M strategic aviation on a settlement in the Odesa region. Several residential buildings, as well as some farm facilities, have been damaged. Eight people were injured, including one child, reported the regional administration. The invaders also shelled Kharkiv, Sumy, Mykolaiv, and Kherson Oblasts at night. Lysychansk and Vovchoyarivka in Luhansk Oblast suffered air strikes and fighting continues in those areas. Lysychansk was heavily damaged: at least 5 apartment buildings are destroyed. No casualties have been reported so far. The information is being clarified.
Sloviansk, Avdiivka, Mariinka, Rayhorodka, and Rai-Oleksandrivka in the Donetsk region were attacked with artillery during the night. Missile strikes took place in Mykolaivka and Kostiantynivka. One person was killed and eight were injured in the past day.
The rocket attack on Kyiv on June 26 is probably linked to the G7 Leaders' Summit held in Germany, according to the Institute for Study of War (ISW). ISW has also suggested that Russian Colonel-General Gennady Zhidko had likely taken over as a commander of operations in Ukraine.
As of the morning of June 27, four victims of the rocket attack on an apartment building in Kyiv's Shevchenkivsky district remain in the hospital. Rescuers continue to clear the rubble. The aftermath of the June 26 shelling. Photo credit: State Emergency Services.
More than 100 bodies were found in a house in the Left Bank District of Mariupol during a building inspection. The house was previously hit by an air strike, reported Mariupol Mayor Petro Andriushchenko.
The owner of Azovstal, Ukrainian oligarch Rinat Akhmetov, demands compensation from the Russian Federation and filed a lawsuit with the European Court of Human Rights. The press service of SCM, the company founded by Akhmetov, stated: "Although the exact amount of compensation cannot yet be determined due to the ongoing war, it is assumed that Russia should pay Akhmetov billions of dollars for violations of his human rights."
Total Russian combat losses since the beginning of the full-scale war on February 24 reached about 35,000 servicemen, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The UK will allocate up to £10 million for railway repairs in Ukraine, announced the UK government. The UK will also test the grain sold by the Russian Federation to determine whether it has been exported from Ukraine.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced additional sanctions against Russia which include an embargo on Russian gold and restrictions on 70 individuals and organisations.
Putin will leave Russia for the first time since the beginning of the full-scale war in Ukraine. According to Reuters, Vladimir Putin will visit Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
Russian Federation has defaulted on foreign debt for the first time since 1918, according to Bloomberg. The default became the culmination of increasingly tough Western sanctions that cut off payment routes to overseas creditors. The grace period for interest payments of $100 million expired on June 26. This is considered a default.
Latvia deployed a NASAMS surface-to-air missile defence system provided by Spain at the Lielvārde military airbase, according to the Latvian Armed Forces Twitter.
The shelling of Kyiv, last hours before Russia's default, Joe Biden plans to ban Russian gold. The war. Key news on June 26
Support for Ukraine is discussed at the G7 summit. Russian airstrike on Kyiv residential buildings. Ukrainian Armed Forces repelled several assaults in Donbas and are conducting an operation on the Serpentine Island. Russian State Duma wants to send schoolchildren to the war. Russia's default is only hours away. Suspilne gathered the main news of day 123 of the full-scale war.
The G7 Summit has begun in Germany. World leaders will discuss global challenges, caused in particular by the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Several statements before the summit: US President Joe Biden announced an embargo on Russian gold import, European Council President Charles Michel said that the G7 target is "to block oxygen to the Russian war machine", and Boris Johnson announced another $525 million in aid to Ukraine from the UK.
Russian troops performed an air strike on one of Kyiv’s districts. A fire broke out in a nine-storey residential building, three upper floors were destroyed. One person was killed, and six were injured. Rescuers pulled a child out of the rubble.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled Russian attacks around Dolyna, Kurulka, and Mazanivka (Sloviansk direction). In Luhansk Oblast, the Russian army blocks Lysychansk from the south and shells the city. The Ukrainian military repelled assaults on Pavlivka (Vuhledar district of Donetsk Oblast) and Potiomkine (Kherson region).
Ukraine is conducting a military operation on the Zmiinyi Island, according to the operational command South. The operation involves various forces and weapons, but no further information is available yet.
Russians plan to deploy more operational and tactical aviation in Belarus, allegedly for joint air space patrolling, states the Ukrainian MoD General Directorate of Intelligence. Ten aircraft will be moved to the Belarusian airfield in Baranovichi. Russian MoD announced a change in the leadership of the central and southern groups fighting with Ukraine.
Russia is only hours away from default, according to Bloomberg. The grace period for missed Russian payments on bonds worth about $100 million, which were blocked due to the sanctions, expires on the evening of June 26. If Russia misses the payments, this will de-facto mean a default.
An amendment to the military service law was registered in the State Duma of Russia. If passed, the bill would enable the signing of contracts with the army for recruits of legal age immediately after graduating high school and skipping fixed-term army service.
The European Commission is preparing a document allowing the transportation of sanctioned Russian cargoes to Kaliningrad, "from Russia to Russia", but through EU territory. However, Lithuania can veto such a decision and it is likely to do so.
More than 952 children suffered in Ukraine as a result of the Russian armed aggression. The number of fatalities remains at 339 as of the morning of June 26. The number of injured children has increased to at least 613, according to the Prosecutor General's Office.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 123. Online updates.
Women are riding a scooter across the Maidan, past sandbags with the inscription "Help" and flags from around the world.
Russian militaries shelled Kyiv in the morning from Tu-95 and Tu-160 planes with X101 missiles, which can fly at a distance of up to 5.5 thousand km, said a spokesman for the Air Force Command Ihnat. Missiles were launched over the Caspian Sea.
The missiles hit a 9-storey residential building. According to Mayor Klitschko, four people were hospitalized. Among them is a 7-year-old girl and her mother. One person died. This is preliminary data.
Rescuers posted a video of the child's rescue. They continue to look for people under the ruins.
A nearby kindergarten also came under fire.
Subsequently, there were two explosions in the Cherkasy region, the details are being clarified, said the head of the regional administration Taburets.
Since the evening of June 25, the Russian Federation also shelled other regions of Ukraine. In the Rivne region, Russian missiles hit a service station with a car wash and car service. 4 people were killed, 7 were injured, the mayor Serpeninov reported.
There was a rocket attack in Kharkiv at night. None of the missiles hit a military target or infrastructure. Residential areas and a hospital were hit. The danger of missile strikes by the Russian Federation on Kharkiv remains.
One of the rockets that exploded on the night of June 26 in Kharkiv damaged at least five houses.
In the Luhansk region, air strikes took place in Lysychansk, as well as in the district of Bila Hora. The TV tower was destroyed, the road bridge was seriously damaged, the shells hit residential and administrative buildings, in particular, the SBU building. Within a day, one person was killed and one was injured.
In the Donetsk region, the Russian army uses almost all types of available weapons - artillery, mortars, tanks, cruise missiles, multiple rocket launchers. Both the positions of Ukrainian defenders and settlements are being attacked. The Avdiyivka Coke Plant, the area of the railway station, the school, etc. were fired upon. Three people were killed and two civilians were injured.
One of the missiles launched across Ukraine in the morning flew critically low over the South Ukrainian nuclear power plant. Enerhoatom has stated the threat of nuclear terrorism.
According to the operational command "South", during the day the Russian military increased the density of shelling by almost 1.5 times.
Russia's Defense Ministry has announced a change in the leadership of the central and southern groups at war with Ukraine. This confirms the preliminary assessment of the American Institute for Studies of War (ISW) that the Russian Supreme Command is restructuring the leadership of operations in Ukraine.
The missile strike on a peaceful house in Kyiv in the morning is a signal for a G7 meeting, according to former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt.
The meeting of the leaders of the G7 countries - the United States, Great Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan - will take place today in the Bavarian Alps. This will be followed by a NATO summit in Madrid.
The G7 must respond with greater sanctions against Russia and heavier weapons for Ukraine, according to Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. In this way he commented on the missile strike on Kiev in the morning of June 26.
"This 7-year-old Ukrainian child slept peacefully in Kyiv until a Russian cruise missile blew up her house. Russia's sick imperialism must be defeated, "Kuleba wrote.
Before the G7 summit in Germany, US President Joe Biden announced a ban on Russian gold imports.
Ukrainian citizens deported by Russia will be admitted to Ukraine without documents, said Deputy Prime Minister Vereshchuk. According to her, routes with free buses for Ukrainians without money and passports are currently being developed: in particular, it is a question of creating a transport corridor from Latvia and Estonia.
48 missiles were fired at Ukraine, Ukrainian forces have withdrawn from Sievierodonetsk, the Russian Federation threatened Moldova. The war. Key news on June 25
Russia fired 48 missiles at Ukraine. The Armed Forces of Ukraine withdrew from Sievierodonetsk. The first Russian airstrike from the territory of Belarus. Suspended Russian generals. Poland to ask for increasing NATO presence in the country. Zaluzhny demonstrated HIMARS in action. Suspilne gathered the main news of day 122 of the full-scale war.
During the night, Russia fired 48 cruise missiles at Ukraine. Presidential advisor Mykhailo Podoliak stated that all the targets appeared to be civilian objects. Russians shelled Lviv, Zhytomyr, Chernihiv, and Khmelnytsky Oblasts. Some missiles were shot down by Ukrainian air defence. The majority hit infrastructure facilities. Also, the operational command South warns that Russia may fire 16 Kalibr missiles from the sea.
On the night of June 25, for the first time, Russia launched air strikes on Ukraine from Belarusian territory. The bombers took off from the Shaikovka airport of the Russian Kaluga region, entered Belarus' airspace and returned to Russian after launching missiles. The General Staff attributes this to the Kremlin's attempts to drag Belarus into the war in Ukraine.
Ukrainian troops left Sievierodonetsk according to the General Staff. Pentagon comments that the controlled withdrawal allows Ukrainian units to take positions with better defence options. The Russian army is advancing in the Sloviansk direction. However, the Institute for the Study of War believes that before resuming the full offensive on Sloviansk, Russians would try encircling Ukrainian troops in Lysychansk and blocking the ground supply lines to the northwest of the city.
The Pentagon announced that the next batch of HIMARS will be delivered to Ukraine by mid-July. The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhny showed already arrived HIMARS in action.
Since the beginning of June, the Russian High Command has most likely removed several generals from key operational command positions in the war in Ukraine, according to the UK intelligence report. In particular, the Air Forces commander, Colonel-General Andrey Serdyukov, and the commander of the Southern Military District, Army General Aleksandr Dvornikov. Dvornikov probably served as a general operational commander for some time, intelligence said.
Poland will call to increase NATO presence in the country during the Alliance summit in Madrid on June 29-30 because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, said Polish Defence Minister Mateusz Błaszczak.
President of Parliament of the Republic of Moldova Igor Grosu stated that Chisinau would support the sanctions against Russia discussed at the EU summit on June 23. He stressed that the status of a candidate to the EU calls for solidarity with European countries. Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council Dmitry Medvedev threatened Moldova with an energy blockade.
As of the morning of June 25, more than 950 Ukrainian children became victims of Russian aggression. 339 children were killed and at least 611 injured according to the Prosecutor General's Office.
Ukraine will receive a grant of 1 billion euros from Germany. The funds will be used to finance urgent social and humanitarian causes during martial law.
Kyivpride holds the March for Peace and Freedom Against Russian Aggression in Warsaw. The organisers expect about 80,000 participants. LGBTQ+ community and organisations around the world are invited to join the parade.
As of June 25, the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy has documented 396 Russian war crimes against the Ukrainian cultural heritage.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 122. Online updates.
A man examines a crater left by a Russian missile in Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast,
On the night of June 25, for the first time, an air strike on Ukraine was launched directly from Belarusian territory. According to the MoD General Directorate of Intelligence, six Tu-22M3 aircraft took off from Shaikovka airport in the Russian Kaluga region, entered Belarus' airspace through Smolensk, and launched twelve X-22 cruise missiles on Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Sumy Oblasts.
Another 24 Russian missiles attacked military targets around Zhytomyr from Belarus in the morning, reported Mayor Sukhomlyn.
Two missiles were shot down over Khmelnytsky Oblast in the morning. A military facility in the Lviv region was attacked with six missiles during the night. Two rockets were shot down by Ukrainian defenders. Also in the morning, the Russian army shelled Mykolaiv. Nine people were wounded, and one person died during shelling in the Kharkiv region in the past day.
On June 24, Russian invaders shelled 13 settlements in the Donetsk region with aviation, Grads, Uragans, artillery, tanks, and S-300 anti-aircraft missiles. Five people were killed and four were injured, according to the press service of the Donetsk police.
In Luhansk Oblast, Russians attacked Sievierodonetsk's industrial zone and tried to enter Lysychansk from the south and siege the city. Lysychansk suffered an air strike that left two people killed and three injured, including two kids. Sievierodonetsk was shelled with artillery.
The Mariupol City Council published a photo of the destroyed mosque surrounded by a makeshift graveyard. The mosque was shelled in March when women and children were hiding there.
Several generals of the Russian army were suspended from command in Ukraine, reports the UK MoD intelligence. It's also suggested that Colonel-General Surovikin, known for his brutality and corruption, will likely take over the command of the southern forces.
Pentagon announced that the United States will provide Ukraine with 18 coastal and river patrol boats to protect Odesa and other coastal positions. The $450 million aid package includes 18 warships and boats.
As of the morning of June 25, more than 950 Ukrainian children were affected by Russian armed aggression. According to the juvenile prosecution, 339 children were killed and at least 611 were injured.
New aid from the EU, battles for Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk, Russian Baltic Fleet training manoeuvres. The pre-trial investigation of the illegal seizure of power by Yanukovych is completed. Metropolitan Epiphanius asks to give one of Lavra's temples to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Suspilne gathered the main news of day 212 of the full-scale war.
The European Union has agreed to allocate EUR 9 billion in new financial aid to Ukraine. The money will be used to support the work of the Ukrainian government.
The U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations supported the resolution to include Russia in the list of countries supporting terrorism. Currently, this list includes Cuba, North Korea, Iran, and Syria.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov compared the European Council's decision to grant Ukraine and Moldova the status of candidates for EU membership with Nazi Germany gathering "a significant part, if not most, European countries" under its flag for the war against the USSR.
The pre-trial investigation on the illegal seizure of power by the former President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych has been completed. The case will be now transferred to the court, reported the Prosecutor General's Office.
The European Council endorsed the idea proposed by France to create a 'European Political Community' for countries that have not yet joined the EU, said the EC President Charles Michel. According to him, this idea serves security and stability in Europe, as joining the EU is a long process and some things require immediate consideration. The first meeting of the new community can take place soon in Prague.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 121. Online updates.
The Ukrainian militaries has been ordered to withdraw from Severodonetsk to more strengthened positions, said Serhii Haidai, the head of the Luhansk Regional Military Administration. "Holding broken positions makes no sense. The number of dead in unfortified territories can only increase," he said.
Russian occupiers have been shelling Severodonetsk for several months. The city's infrastructure is destroyed, all 80% of residential buildings will have to be demolished.
Haidai also has said that the occupiers are currently advancing towards Lysychansk. Transportation of six "Tochka-U" rocket launchers from the occupied Starobilsk towards Lysychansk is detected.
In the Donetsk region, Russia is shelling the outskirts of Slovyansk. Also at night they fired a missile at Kostiantynivka. At least one person was killed. Raihorodok came under fire, two people were killed and one more was injured.
In the Sumy region, Russian armed forces used incendiary shells with phosphorus. A child who is now in hospital was injured. The Dnipropetrovsk region was also attacked by the Russian Federation, said the head of the regional administration Valentyn Reznichenko. People were not injured.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian aircrafts have launched five air strikes at Russian positions in the south of the country, said the press secretary of the Odesa RMA Serhii Bratchuk.
British intelligence believes that Russia is using mercenary pilots from "Wagner" private military company, because it does not have enough of its own properly trained pilots in the Russian army.
Ukrainian sappers have already defused more than 145,000 explosive devices - it's more than 600 kilograms of explosives, including nearly 2,000 aircraft bombs. Pyrotechnicians also surveyed an area of 62,060 hectares. Most often, pyrotechnic units worked in the Kharkiv region.
Russians commit about 200-300 war crimes in Ukraine every day, said Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova. As of June 23, law enforcement officers had registered 18,871 war crimes. In one of the main cases - the aggression against Ukraine - law enforcement officers already have 623 suspects. Among these Russians is the top leadership of the Russian Federation. However, the list does not include Vladimir Putin, Sergei Lavrov and Mikhail Mishustin, because they have "functional immunity."
Ukraine has received the status of a candidate for the EU, and therefore will be able to join the work of certain facilities and new programs of the European Union, access to which is limited to third countries. "Today we got rid of this humiliating definition. Ukraine has never been like that in essence, but the official terminology called us that. We got rid of it. We are not a third country. Not the tenth, not the hundredth, we are the future member of the EU," - said President Zelensky.
Senior adviser to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán believes that the European Union should stop imposing sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine and seek a ceasefire and talks instead.
The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee has backed a resolution to include Russia in the list of countries supporting terrorism. This was reported by the Voice of America. The final decision to recognize Russia as a sponsor of terrorism against the background of the invasion of Ukraine must be approved by the administration of President Joe Biden.
Ukraine is a EU candidate, HIMARS at the battlefront, the Ukrainian Armed Forces repulsed the attack on Lysychansk. The war. The main news of June 23
Ukraine has received the status of a candidate for the EU, American HIMARS are already in the country, the Ukrainian Armed Forces repel Russian attacks in the Luhansk region, Ukraine is creating a river fleet, monkeypox is now a pandemic. The public gathered the main news of the 120th day of the full-scale war.
At the summit in Brussels on June 23, the European Council granted Ukraine the status of a candidate for the European Union.
HIMARS MLRS have already arrived in Ukraine from the United States, Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said, promising "hot summer" for the Russian army.
In the Luhansk region, the Ukrainian militaries repulsed the Russian offensive on Lysychansk, according to the General Staff. There are also the battle for Severodonetsk, shelling of Sirotyne, Voronove and Myrna Dolyna by the Russian army, and an attempt to assault Hirske in the region. In the Donetsk region, Russian troops are shelling the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Bakhmut direction, captured Mykolayivka (the Kramatorsk district) and launched an air strikes at the Vuhledar, Pavlivka and Shevchenko districts. Russia has also sent five ships carrying 40 cruise missiles to the Black Sea.
Russian troops will soon try to capture Severodonetsk and Lysychansk, and then Kramatorsk and Slovyansk, said Deputy Defense Minister Anna Malyar, but the Ukrainian Armed Forces are ready. These plans are confirmed by the Institute for the Study of War. Their new report says the Russian army continues to conquer south of Lysychansk and is likely to reach the city in the coming days, although it is unlikely to capture it as quickly as neighboring Severodonetsk.
Belarus can hand over its weapons and military equipment to Russia for the war in Ukraine in the Donetsk or Kherson direction, said Deputy Chief of the Main Operations Department of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksii Gromov.
The Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are creating a river flotilla on the Dnipro. The first division has already been formed in the north of Ukraine, said Navy Commander Vice Admiral Oleksii Neyizhpapa.
The US Army will hand over to Ukraine a Spot robot made by Boston Dynamics for demining areas around Kyiv.
The British Sean Pinner and Aiden Eslin and the Moroccan Sadun Brahim, who were sentenced to death in the so-called "DPR" for fighting on the side of the Armed Forces, are preparing an appeal, and if it is rejected, mercy will be requested.
Since the beginning of the war, Russian hackers have attacked 128 organizations in 42 countries. Most of them were aimed at the United States and other NATO countries, according to a Microsoft report. Attacks were successful in 29% of cases.
During the day, Ukrainians raised 366 million hryvnias, which will be enough to buy two Bayraktars for the Armed Forces. This was announced by TV presenter and volunteer Serhii Prytula, who announced the fundraiser.
A few more sanctions against Russia. The United Kingdom has restricted exports of goods and technology from the oil and aviation industries, as well as the use of British currency and EU banknotes in Russia. And the Czech Republic stopped issuing visas and residence permits to citizens of Russia and Belarus until the end of March 2023.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Ankara was investigating Russia's export of Ukrainian grain, and assured that Turkey would not allow stolen grain to be delivered to the country.
As a result of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation in Ukraine more than 917 children suffered. Over the past 24 hours, the number of injured has increased to 593. 324 children died. Data — the Prosecutor General's Office.
The European Television and Radio Broadcasting Union has confirmed its decision not to host Eurovision 2023 in Ukraine due to the war.
McDonald’s fast food chain, which has been closed since the first day of the Russian invasion, is preparing to resume operations in Ukraine, said the company's CEO in Ukraine Yuliia Badritdinova.
The World Health Network says monkeypox outbreak is a pandemic.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 120. Online updates.
The EU summit is being held in Brussels to consider granting Ukraine candidate status.
European Council President Charles Michel has said at the beginning of the EU summit that Moldova and Ukraine have a "good chance" of getting the EU membership. This was reported by the correspondent of Suspilne. "This is a geopolitical choice. I am confident that we will grant candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova," Michel said.
Russian militaries continue to attack Slovyansk and made little progress. Russians are also on the verge of Lysychansk, but according to British intelligence, their efforts to capture the western part of the Donetsk region remain unsuccessful. Intelligence notes that some Ukrainian military units were forced to withdraw in order to avoid surrounding. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) suggests that the Russian army may capture the city of Lysychansk in the Luhansk region in the coming days. During this day, three civilians were wounded in the shelling in the city, one person was killed.
In Severodonetsk, shelling also continues, in particular in the industrial zone.
Russian troops struck the Kryvyi Rih district of the Dnipropetrovsk region for 6 times. At night and in the morning the Russian Federation shelled the Kharkiv region: 7 people, including 2 children, were wounded. Twice in the past day, Russians attacked the Odesa region. Both missiles were destroyed over the sea by air defense units.
Mobilization training of the Belarusian armed forces continues in the Gomel region. During it, the Belarusian militaries are trained by military instructors of the Russian Federation, in particular to conduct sabotage and reconnaissance activities.
The Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are creating a river flotilla on the Dnieper, said Navy Commander Vice Admiral Oleksii Neyizhpapa. The first division of the future river flotilla has already been formed in the north of Ukraine.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces hit the second Russian anti-aircraft missile system "Pantsir-C1" on the Zmiyiny island, as reported by the Operational Command "South", a military operation is underway to defeat enemy forces and their equipment on Zmiyiny Island.
Since the beginning of the war, Russia has carried out cyber attacks on 128 organizations in 42 countries. In 29% of cases, the attacks were successful, according to a Microsoft report. The main target was the United States. And the exception, without a single attack, was Estonia.
The US Army will hand over a Spot robot from Boston Dynamics to Ukraine for demining the areas around Kyiv, Foreign Policy reports. During last year's tests, Spot showed itself well in working with ammunition similar to those available in Ukraine today.
During the day, Ukrainians raised 366 million hryvnias, which will be enough to buy two Bayraktars for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This was announced by the organizers of the meeting, TV presenter and volunteer Serhiy Prytula and blogger Ihor Lachenkov. On June 22, a collection of UAH 500 million was announced. for three strike drones for the Ukrainian military.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 119. Online updates.
Girls dancing near a building destroyed in the Russian invasion, Borodianka, Kyiv region.
The Ukrainian military keeps hold of Sievierodonetsk's industrial zone, and fighting continues in the city, while Russian troops approach Lysychansk and strengthen their positions in the nearby settlements, reported the head of the Luhansk Regional Administration Haidai.
7-8 thousand people remain in Sievierodonetsk, others have already been deported to the previously occupied territory of Luhansk Oblast as Oleksandr Striuk, Head of Sievierodonetsk City Administration, said to the Freedom TV channel. He added that the Ukrainian military delivered food and medicines to the people hiding in the bomb shelters of the Azot plant. More than half a thousand people remain there, but it is difficult to convince them to evacuate.
The Russian military carries out systematic shelling in the Sloviansk direction hoping to resume the offensive on Sloviansk, reported the General Staff. Six children were injured in the Russian shelling of Chasovy Yar on June 21, reported the head of the Donetsk Regional Administration Pavlo Kyrylenko.
Fights carry on along the entire front line in Donetsk Oblast. The Russian army is attacking with small arms, tanks, artillery, mortars, S-300 anti-aircraft missiles, and Grad missiles.
During the night, Russians shelled the Kryvyi Rih district of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. The Sumy region was under mortar fire yet again, and a border control unit in Chernihiv Oblast was attacked too.
Russia is constantly shelling the Kharkiv region and city itself using various ammunition including guided missiles. Four adults and a child were killed and 16 people were wounded in shelling on June 21, reported the head of Kharkiv Oblast Administration Oleh Syniehubov.
In the southern regions, Russia employs the tactics of simultaneous missile strikes in combination with multiple fire systems or artillery, reports the operational command South. Thus, on the morning of June 21, the Russians attacked Mykolaiv and Ochakiv at the same time with cruise missiles, hit the port infrastructure, destroyed some trucks, and damaged enterprise buildings and power networks. Concurrently, Mykolaiv residential quarters were assaulted with Uragan MLRS. Prohibited cluster munitions were used and one of the cassettes exploded in a private house courtyard. One person was killed, and another one was seriously injured.
Ukrainian military hit a Russian Pantsir S-1 missile system, a radar station, and military vehicles on the Serpentine Island in Odesa Oblast, according to the operational command South. The satellite images of Planet and Maxar show traces of destruction on the Russian positions.
"DPR" leaders published the losses of their so-called "army", reports the UK MoD with reference to military intelligence. As of June 16, "DPR" admitted that 2,128 "servicemen" were killed and 8,897 have been injured since the beginning of 2022. "DPR" loss rate is equivalent to approximately 55% of its original strength.
Russian military executed journalist Maks Levin and serviceman Oleksii Chernyshov, who accompanied him, "in cold blood". Reporters Without Borders investigators discovered a canister of gasoline near the place where Chernyshov's burnt body was found and a bullet in the ground near the photographer's body. This suggests that he was probably killed by one or two bullets fired at close range, "when he was already on the ground," said human rights activists. The tragedy occurred in March when fighting was raging in the Kyiv region. Human rights activists discovered 14 bullet holes in the victims' burnt car.
Russia simulates rocket attacks on Estonia, Permanent Secretary of the Estonian MoD Kusti Salm told Finnish media Iltalehti. According to sources in NATO, in addition to missile strikes simulations, armed Russian helicopters violated the borders of the Baltic States. For instance, according to the Lithuanian MoD, NATO jet fighters escorted Russian military aircraft over the Baltic Sea five times in the past week, in particular near the Kaliningrad region.
US President Joe Biden is not worried about the potential split of the Western alliance due to Russia's war in Ukraine, reports CNN. President warned of a protracted conflict and said he would discuss the way forward with the allies. On Saturday, June 25, Biden will head to G7 Summit in Germany and then attend a NATO meeting in Spain.
Unemployed involved in reconstruction, Panzerhaubitze 2000 on the front line, KyivPride vs Arestovych. The war. Key news of June 21
Zelensky signed the bill ratifying the Istanbul Convention. Russian troops captured Toshkivka in Luhansk Oblast. German Panzerhaubitze 2000 is already at the front line. KyivPride demands Oleksiy Arestovych's dismissal. The unemployed will be involved in the reconstruction of Ukraine. Suspilne gathered the main news of day 118 of the full-scale war.
Another exchange of bodies took place in the Zaporizhzhia region. Ukraine returned the bodies of 35 defenders.
According to the General Staff, Russian troops temporarily occupied Pidlisne, Myrna Dolyna, and Toshkivka in Luhansk Oblast. Head of the Luhansk Administration Serhii Haidai revealed that the Russian army deployed more than one and a half battalions of heavy equipment to capture Toshkivka. Street fights are taking place in Sievierodonetsk. Russians are strengthening positions in Ustynivka and proceeding towards Bila Hora and Oleksandropillia-Komyshuvakha direction.
Belarus has moved up to 4,000 troops to the Ukrainian border. Russian servicemen are also present in the border zone, but so far there are no signs of preparation for an offensive, says Ukrainian MoD spokesman Oleksandr Motuzianyk.
The German government has published a list of weapons intended to be transferred to Ukraine. 30 Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, 7 Panzerhaubitze 2000 howitzers, IRIS-T ASW system, 40 reconnaissance drones, 13 M113 armoured personnel carriers, and 3 MARS multiple launch rocket systems are among them.
Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov said that Ukraine has already received the first Panzerhaubitze 2000 artillery units.
Luxembourg allocated 15% of its defence budget to help Ukrainian Armed Forces, said Volodymyr Zelensky.
KyivPride, a Ukrainian organisation defending the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, calls for Oleksiy Arestovych's dismissal from his position of adviser to the head of the Presidential Office after his statement that "LGBT are people with deviations".
Volodymyr Zelensky signed the bill ratifying the Istanbul Convention in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian government is reforming the employment sector. For example, people who have registered as unemployed and couldn't find a job within 30 days, could be engaged in clearing rubble or construction jobs. The state will pay each person involved in socially useful work a minimum wage of UAH 6,500.
Ukraine may need up to 1 trillion euros of external aid to rebuild after the war, writes Bloomberg with reference to the head of the European Investment Bank Werner Hoyer.
87% of Ukrainians would support joining the EU in case of a referendum, 76% would support NATO membership, and 93% were confident that Ukraine would be able to repel Russia's attack. These are the results of the thirteenth nationwide survey during the war, conducted by the Rating Sociological Group on June 18-19, 2022.
All 27 member states of the European Union intend to approve EU membership candidate status for Ukraine, states Bloomberg with reference to its sources.
Polish President Andrzej Duda announced that Ukraine became a participating partner of the Three Seas Initiative (Trimarium). Three Seas is an international economic and infrastructure forum bringing together twelve Central European states in the European Union.
More than 910 Ukrainian children suffered because of the Russian armed aggression. The official count of fatalities has not changed and remains 323 as of the morning of June 21. The number of injured kids increased to 587, according to the Prosecutor General's Office.
Mobile courts will appear in Ukraine, travelling around the country and collaborating with regional prosecutors, announced the U.S. Ambassador for Global Criminal Justice Beth Van Schaack. The interdisciplinary teams will consist of Ukrainian and international experts. Some of them will specialise and focus on specific topics: sexual violence, using starvation as a weapon, or attacks on cultural heritage.
Ukraine has a shortage of fuel due to the war and constant attacks on its infrastructure. The oil refining sector is not functioning, said the Chairman of the Board at the National joint-stock company Naftogaz, Yurii Vitrenko.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 118. Online updates.
The coming week will be crucial for Russian troops to complete the capture of Severodonetsk, according to the American Institute for War Studies (ISW). Russian troops control the whole Severodonetsk, except the "Azot" industrial zone.
The Luhansk region. Severodonetsk and Lysychansk are under fire, Russia used aircraft. More than ten high-rise buildings, private houses and a police station building were destroyed.
Russians hit the building of the "Azot" plant again. At least one civilian was killed.
People who are in the bomb shelters of the Azot plant in Severodonetsk refuse to evacuate. Currently, 530 adults and 38 children are being hiding there, said Serhii Haidai, the head of the Luhansk RMA. People have food, water and basic medicines.
The Donetsk region. Front line - continuous shelling. One civilian was killed and 10 were injured.
At night, the occupiers fired at the Avdiyivka with the Grad MLRS system with a magnesium charge. A school was burned, which is the third burned one in the city. A total of 21 buildings were damaged during the day, including 6 high-rise buildings and 6 private houses.
Russia launched a massive missile strike from the air and from the temporarily occupied Crimea, the South Operational Command said. 4 X-31A were launched from a Russian fighter and 10 Onyx missiles were launched. In Odessa, a logistics grocery store was hit, a civilian was killed.
In the Kharkiv region, three people were killed and seven were injured during the day in shelling by the Russian Federation. Residents of the region are urged not to be on the streets unnecessarily.
Shells were heard also in the Mykolaiv region. The Russian army shelled two communities in the region. There were explosions near the border in the Chernihiv region at night, probably the mortars were used. The Russian Federation also shelled the Dnipropetrovsk region: at night Russians hit two villages. There were no casualties.
Active hostilities continue in the Kherson region. Occupying forces use a variety of weapons, including prohibited by international convention. The situation in the region remains extremely difficult.
The Ukrainian authorities urged the residents of the Kherson region to leave in any way, including the opportunities provided by the occupiers. This will make the counteroffensive of the Ukrainian army easier to deoccupy the region. This was stated by Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk during her briefing. This is especially important for children, she said.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces prevented Russia from establishing full control over the Black Sea and thwarted a plan to create a military threat to Odessa, according to the British Ministry of Defense. The British side confirmed the destruction of the Russian tugboat "Vasily Bekh", which was delivering weapons to Zmiyiny Island. Ukraine hit the tugboat with Harpoon missiles on June 17, and this was the first successful use of these anti-ship missiles provided by Western partners.
In occupied Mariupol, diabetics are threatened with death due to lack of insulin and medical care. The adviser to the mayor of Mariupol Petro Andriushchenko reported about it. According to him, more than a thousand people with diabetes remain in the city. Every day, surgeons perform three to five limb amputation surgeries for this category of patients.
Ukraine has received the status of a partner in the Three Seas Initiative - the Three Seas(Trimarium). This was announced by Polish President Andrzej Duda. According to him, a new type of partnership was established at the Three Seas Initiative summit on Monday, June 20. Leaders of the Three Seas (12 Central European countries that are members of the EU) who supported the idea of involving Ukraine.
Russian journalist Muratov's Nobel Peace Prize was sold at auction for more than $103.5 million. The money will be donated to UNICEF to help Ukrainian refugee children, according to The Guardian. The molten 175 grams of 23-carat gold contained in the medal would cost about $10,000. Muratov was awarded a gold medal in October 2021. He was the editor-in-chief of Russia's independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, which closed in March due to censorship in Russia amid a the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The Istanbul Convention, the Ukrainian Armed Forces hit the "Boyko's oil rig", and Russia shelled southern Ukraine. The war. The main news of June 20
The Verkhovna Rada ratified the Istanbul Convention, the Ukrainian Armed Forces hit drilling rigs in the Black Sea and repulsed the Russian offensive in several directions, Russia fired 14 missiles in the south, Chernovetsky is suspected of calling for a change in Ukraine's borders. Suspilne gathered the main news of the 117th day of the full-scale war.
The Verkhovna Rada has ratified the "Council of Europe Convention on Preventing violence against women and domestic violence", known as the Istanbul Convention. 259 people's deputies voted for it.
Only 165 from the nearly 350 humanitarian corridors in Ukraine were managed to open as of June 20 due to violations by the Russian Federation, said Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces struck drilling rigs in the Black Sea that Russia seized after the 2014 occupation of Crimea. These are the so-called "Boyko oil rigs", for which Ukraine overpaid $ 400 million in 2011. The leader of the OPZZh party, Yurii Boyko, who was the Minister of Fuel and Energy then, took part in the corruption deal. On June 20, his political party was banned.
Russians fired 14 rockets at southern Ukraine. They hit Ochakiv, at the mouth of the Danube, in the Belhorod-Dnistrovsky district of the Odesa region and Odesa. There are wounded. Agricultural suburbs were damaged in the suburbs of Ochakiv, and a logistics food warehouse burned down in Odesa.
The General Staff reports: In the Donetsk region, the Ukrainian military repulsed the offensive of a sabotage and reconnaissance group in the area of the settlement of Mykolayivka, which is in the Bakhmut direction, and in the area of Bohorodychne (the Slovyansk direction). In the Luhansk region - battles in the industrial zone of the plant "Azot" in Severodonetsk, air strikes by Russians in the areas of Lysychansk and Ustynivka, and a failed assault on the Myrna Dolyna and Bila Hora. Serhii Haidai, the head of the Luhansk RMA, says the Russians are advancing along the Lysychansk-Bakhmut route.
Defendants of Azovstal who were captured are alive. It is unknown under what conditions they are being held, said Andrii Yermak, the head of the President's Office.
Former Kyiv Mayor Leonid Chernovetsky is suspected of calling for a change in Ukraine's borders. The day after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the ex-mayor's posted on Facebook that the borders of the so-called "DPR" and "LPR" should be recognized, according to the Prosecutor General's Office.
Lithuania has banned the transit of sanctioned goods between the Kaliningrad region of Russia and the rest of Russia. The Russian Foreign Ministry has declared "openly hostile" actions of Lithuania and demands the lifting of the ban on the transit of goods. Otherwise, Moscow reserves the right to retaliate "to protect its national interests".
EU foreign ministers at a meeting in Luxembourg discuss ways to release Ukrainian grain stuck in Ukraine due to Russia's blockade of Black Sea ports. This is a war crime, said EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell.
The influx of Ukrainian refugees into the European Union could gradually reduce labor shortages in the eurozone, as some of those fleeing the war are likely to settle in the EU forever, according to the European Central Bank. Volodymyr Zelensky stated that more than five million Ukrainians had gone abroad because of the war and that he would do his best to get them back.
More than 909 children got hurt in Ukraine as a result of armed aggression by the Russian Federation. As of the morning of June 20, the official number of dead children has not changed — 323. The number of injured has increased — 586. Data — the Prosecutor General's Office.
Ukraine will launch a National Program of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, which will help Ukrainians cope with the psychological trauma of war. According to the Ministry of Health, at least 60% of Ukrainians now need psychological help.
The EU Council extended sanctions against Russia for its occupation of Crimea until June 23, 2023.
The World Council of Churches condemned Russia's war against Ukraine and called for peace.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 117. Online updates.
A house shelled by Russian troops in Chernihiv, June 19, 2022.
Ukrainian forces lost control over Metiolkine near Sievierodonetsk reported head of Luhansk Regional Military Administration Serhii Haidai. The shelling of Sievierodonetsk intensified. "The industrial zone of the city is a living hell because of the shelling," said Haidai. According to the head of the military and civil administration of Sievierodonetsk Oleksandr Striuk, Russians control most of the city's residential areas and use prohibited ammunition.
Fighting persists in many villages around Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk. Russian army constantly attacks from the air, already destroyed some bridges, and bombards settlements from barrel and jet artillery.
Shelling constantly intensifies along the entire front line in the Donetsk region as well. There Russians used an S-300 missile system, there are casualties, reported the press service of the Donetsk police. During the day, the Russian invaders shelled 10 settlements of the Donetsk region with rocket systems, artillery, and tanks, as well as with air-to-surface missiles and an S-300 missile system. Two people were killed, and twelve were injured.
On June 20, the Russian military attacked Odesa with Oniks missiles. Two rockets were launched from the temporarily occupied Crimea and were shot down by Ukrainian air defence. This is the fourth missile attack on the region in the past week. Also, Russia continues attacking the border of Sumy and Chernihiv Oblasts, reported the State Border Guard Service.
Dnipropetrovsk region has also suffered artillery shelling. A residential building was damaged however no one got injured, according to the head of the Regional Administration Valentyn Reznichenko.
Shelling has intensified in Kharkiv, however, no casualties have been reported yet. Shelling persists around Izium where the fights carry on, five casualties have been recorded.
The Russian Air Force showed poor results in the war and is unable to constantly provide air support. This is one of the factors of Russia's failures, as well as the reason that the ground troops are strained and exhausted, according to the UK MoD Intelligence daily report.
Russia lost 33,800 soldiers in the war with Ukraine, stated the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The greatest losses took place in the Bakhmut and Zaporizhzhia directions.
The Russian Federation has brought new ships into the Black Sea, reported the operational command “South”. Now there are three surface and three underwater cruise missile carriers with a total arsenal of 36 rockets. Three more large landing ships are drifting in the sea.
The captured defenders of Azovstal are alive. However, the conditions of their captivity remain unknown, said head of the President's Office Andrii Yermak in an interview with LB.ua.
More than 3,000 war crimes committed by the Russian army have been documented in the Kyiv region. Legal proceedings have started against more than 15 Russian servicemen, said the chief of police of the Kyiv region Andrii Niebytov.
President Volodymyr Zelensky affirmed that this week will become historic for Ukraine as the EU summit is expected to grant the country EU membership candidate status. This will likely cause more aggression from Russia: "We should expect an increase in hostile activities from Russia. Demonstrative ones. And not only against Ukraine, but also against other European countries. We're getting ready for this. We are ready. We want to warn our partners as well," said the Ukrainian leader.
The EU has frozen the assets of Russian oligarchs for EUR 12.5 billion. According to Die Welt, this is the total amount that has been blocked by the sanctions from Brussels. Russian oligarchs have lost luxury yachts, helicopters, paintings, real estate, and other property.
Exhibitions of Russian military equipment destroyed by the Armed Forces of Ukraine will take place in Europe, said the Minister of Defence of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov in an interview with Polsatnews. Warsaw will first hold the exhibition, followed by Berlin, Paris, Madrid, and Lisbon.
Russia is not a NATO partner, the "Freedom of Russia" Legion, the ban on Russian music. War. The main news for June 19
The Armed Forces of Ukraine have been exempted from military service, NATO countries will declare at the Madrid summit that Russia poses a threat to security and peace, the Russian army has stopped in almost all directions, Poland supports keeping an Eurovision in Ukraine, and the Verkhovna Rada has banned Russian music. Suspilne gathered the main news of the 116th day of the full-scale war.
The Verkhovna Rada exempted soldiers of the Armed Forces from paying military service.
At the Madrid summit, NATO countries will adopt the concept of a new strategy and declare that Russia is no longer a partner of the Alliance, but a threat to security and peace, said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
On June 18, Russian troops made little progress on the outskirts of Sieverodonetsk, but mostly focused on other areas of advance. This is stated in the analytical report of the American Institute for War Studies. The Russians are also trying to oust Ukrainian troops from the artillery range of the railroad tracks around Kharkiv, which were used to support Russia's offensive in Slovyansk.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed the ammunition depot of the Russian troops in the Bilozirskyi community in the Kherson region.
Ukrainian deputies previously supported the draft law on the deployment of a network of bomb shelters in Ukraine, including in new buildings. The document stipulates that the town-planning documentation must include information on the planned engineering and technical measures of civil protection, because otherwise it will not be approved.
Russia has stopped shipping Kazakh oil. In the port of Novorossiysk, the waters of the Caspian oil pipeline, which transported Kazakh oil to Western markets, were closed to ships. On June 18, Kazakh President Kasim-Jomart Tokayev stated that he did not recognize the "L/DNR". The official reason for stopping the shipment of oil is that 50 explosive devices were allegedly found in the water area.
The influx of Russian volunteers to the Freedom of Russia Legion, which is fighting on the side of the Armed Forces, has sharply increased in recent days, said Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to the head of the President's Office. It's about 250 people in the last few days.
Poland does not agree with the decision of the European Language Union to deprive Ukraine of the right to host Eurovision-2023. This is stated in a joint statement of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of Poland and the Board of the Polish national television channel TVP. They support Kyiv's position on the need for negotiations with Ukraine.
The European Union needs to modernize its decision-making structures and processes to facilitate the admission of new members, said German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. According to him, not only the candidate countries but also the EU itself should prepare for the enlargement of the Union, and Scholz believes that Ukraine will soon receive the status of a candidate country. The German Chancellor also said that his country needs to change the priority of arms supplies — Ukraine should be first on the list.
The Verkhovna Rada has passed a bill banning Russian music in the Ukrainian media and public space. The deputies also appealed to the UN with a resolution on the violation by the Russian Federation of international agreements on the forced removal of children from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.
The Foreign Ministry is trying to return McDonald’s to Ukraine, said Dmytro Kuleba, the head of the department.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 116. Online updates.
Pillars of smoke rise above Sieverodonetsk, view from the street in Lysychansk.
In the Luhansk region in Sieverodonetsk, areas near bridges were again heavily shelled. Twice they hit the Sieverodonetsk "Azot". In the Donetsk region, the Russians are increasing the number of shellings along the entire front line. During the past 24hrs, 28 settlements were shelled. 58 objects were damaged: high-rise buildings, private houses, industrial facilities, medical facilities, schools, etc. One civilian was killed and 11 were injured.
According to the Institute for War Studies (ISW), on June 18, Russian troops made little progress on the outskirts of Sieverodonetsk, but focused on other areas.
In the morning, the Russians fired on Sumy region from their territory, and residential neighborhoods came under mortar fire.
In the Dnipropetrovsk region the night before, 3 Russian missiles destroyed an oil depot in the Novomoskovsk district. Two people died and at least 10 were injured, Valentyn Reznichenko said, head of the regional administration. Kharkiv was also shelled in the evening.
Mykolayiv region: On June 18, Mykolayiv was attacked twice by missiles. In the middle of the day, the missiles hit the industrial infrastructure twice. In the evening, the second strike - with five missiles from the Kherson region.
At night, the Odesa region was again attacked by two Onyx missiles fired from a coastal missile complex in the temporarily occupied Crimea. They were shot down by Ukrainian air defense forces. Also, the air defense shot down a missile in the morning in the Kyiv region.
The first video with a volunteer paramedic Yulia Payevska with the call sign Tyra, who was released from Russian captivity the day before.
"Everyone who is on the other side now knows that everything will work out and we will all be at home, as I am at home now," Payevska said.
A Ukrainian volunteer and paramedic was detained by Russians on March 15 during an evacuation at a checkpoint in the village of Mangush, 15 kilometers from Mariupol. Later, propagandists made several videos about the woman on Russian TV.
On June 19, American actor and UN Goodwill Ambassador Ben Stiller was spotted in the center of Lviv. Earlier, he came with a humanitarian mission to Poland, where he met with Ukrainian refugees. The actor's visit to Poland was announced on the Twitter page of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Details of the Ukrainian part of the visit are not yet public.
Poland does not agree with the decision of the European Language Union (EBU) to deprive Ukraine of the right to host Eurovision-2023. This is stated in a joint statement of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of Poland and the Board of the Polish national TV channel TVP. They support Kyiv's position on the need for negotiations with Ukraine.
Negotiations with Russia in late August, the Istanbul Convention, the shelling of the Dnipropetrovsk region. The war. The news of June 18
Ukraine can resume talks with Russia in late August, the Ukrainian Armed Forces repulsed a Russian assault in Severodonetsk, the Russian army fired rockets at Kremenchuk and the Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine returned five more prisoners, and Zelensky submitted to Verkhovna Rada a bill to ratify the Istanbul ratification. Suspilne gathered the main news of the 115th day of the full-scale war.
Ukraine will be able to resume peace negotiations with Russia when Ukraine strengthens its position. This could happen in late August, said the leader of the "Sluha Narodu" fraction David Arakhamia. He added that in order to resume negotiations, Russian troops must return to the positions they held before February 24.
The Russian army fires artillery at almost the entire front line — from Kharkiv to the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Zaporizhzhia region. Ukrainian troops once again repulsed the assault on the Russians in Severodonetsk, according to the General Staff. However, Russian militaries partially strengthened their positions in the village of Metiolkine. Ukrainian troops are conducting a counteroffensive northwest of Izium to deter Russians from offensive operations in the direction of Slovyansk and disrupt their supply routes, according to the Institute for the Study of War.
Russia is ready to launch 20 Caliber missiles from Black Sea ship group, according to Joint Command South. At night, Russians fired six rockets at the non-functioning Kremenchug Oil Refinery and two at a thermoelectric power station. No one was killed or injured. In the evening, Russian troops fired missiles at the Novomoskovsk district of the Dnipropetrovsk region. An oil depot was destroyed. Three people were injured.
Ukraine has returned five more prisoners. All released people were civilians illegally detained by the occupying forces. Four of them were taken prisoner during the combats in the Kyiv region.
Journalists from the Russian publisher Mediazone have established the data of at least 3,798 Russian servicemen who died during the full-scale war between Russia and Ukraine.
Volodymyr Zelenskyi submitted to the Verkhovna Rada a bill on the ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Violence against Women, known as the Istanbul Convention.
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel does not rule out that she could become a mediator in the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. She said this in an interview with RND. However, she added that her mediation "is not on the agenda yet."
As of the morning of June 18, at least 906 children had been injured in Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine. 323 children were killed and at least 583 injured. Data — the Prosecutor General's Office.
Last year, a record 36.5 million children were forced to flee their homes due to conflict, violence and other crises. This is the largest number since World War II, according to UNICEF.
If the war in Ukraine does not end or Ukrainian ports are not unblocked so that grain can be exported, the world will face "hell on the Earth", said David Beasley, director of the UN World Food Program. And Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that foreign leaders, including those from Africa, Asia and the Middle East, had suggested Ukraine to stop resisting Russia in order to unblock grain in Ukrainian ports.
Combats and rocket fire have destroyed $104 billion in infrastructure in Ukraine, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
Russian Gazprom has announced that from June 21 to 28, 2022, it will stop transporting gas through both branches of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline. The company says that it was "agreed by all stakeholders in advance", and the reason for the stop is the planned preventive works.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 115. Online updates.
Smoke rises over Sievierodonetsk, Luhansk region, after shelling on June 17, 2022.
"We will face hell on earth if we do not respond immediately", stated the UN World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director David Beasley, writes The Guardian. A "frightening" deficit could destabilise countries dependent on wheat exports from Ukraine and Russia. Ukraine grows enough food to feed 400 million people every year. Somalia depends on Ukraine and Russia for all wheat imports, while Egypt receives 80% of its grain from these two countries. Beasley urged Putin to unblock Ukrainian ports.
In Luhansk Oblast, Russians have launched air strikes on Syrotyne and Borivske near Sievierodonetsk, fighting continues in the city itself. Another strike has hit the Azot chemical plant. Residential quarters in Lysychansk were shelled twice.
Shelling goes on in twelve settlements along the entire front line in the Donetsk region. One civilian was killed and four injured.
Over the past 48 hours, Russia has likely resumed efforts to advance south of Izium to proceed deeper into the Donetsk region and encircle Sievierodonetsk from the north, states the UK MoD Intelligence daily report.
Residents of a village a few kilometres away from Lysychansk extinguish a fire in a house destroyed by another shelling. Photo credit: Taras Ibrahimov/Suspilne.
During the night, Russian forces fired two Oniks cruise missiles into Odesa from the temporarily occupied Crimea. Both were effectively intercepted by Ukrainian air defence. The night in the Dnipropetrovsk region was full of alarms and shelling in Kryvyi Rih. Kharkiv Oblast was shelled as well. Six fires broke throughout the region after the Russian attacks during the past day.
In the morning Russians once again shelled infrastructure facilities in Poltava Oblast. Six missiles targeted the non-functioning Kremenchuk refinery and another two rockets—the district heating plant. No casualties have been reported. Refineries and CHP plants suffered the most attacks and biggest destruction among the entire infrastructure of the Poltava region during the full-scale war, said the head of the Regional Administration Dmytro Lunin.
A well-known civic activist and scout of the 93rd Mechanised Brigade Kholodny Yar, Roman Ratushny was killed on June 9. He was only 24 years old.
323 children were killed in Ukraine since the beginning of the war and at least 583 were injured, according to juvenile prosecutors. Children in Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Kyiv Oblasts were affected the most.
The U.S. lend-lease has not come into effect yet, said the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov in an interview with LIGA.net. According to him, the lend-lease aid will commence in July-September.
US President Joe Biden blamed the country's seven largest oil refineries for excess profits amid the war in Ukraine as Americans pay record fuel prices. He announced that the US Secretary of Energy will call an emergency meeting with company executives to explain the reduction in refining capacity since 2020.
EU candidate status, Boris Johnson visits Kyiv again, Vasily Bekh has sunk. The war. Key news of June 17
The European Commission recommended granting Ukraine the status of a candidate for EU membership. Boris Johnson arrived in Ukraine once again. Russian Black Sea Fleet tugboat Vasily Bekh, previously hit by Ukrainian forces, has sunk. A Book of Executioners of Ukrainian People has been launched. Visa regime for Russian citizens from July 1. Suspilne gathered the main news of day 114 of the full-scale war.
The European Commission recommended granting Ukraine the status of a candidate for EU membership. According to President Ursula von der Leyen, Ukraine meets almost 70% of the criteria for joining the European Union. But the European Commission will neither set specific deadlines for Ukraine to implement the necessary reforms to join the EU, nor postponements despite the war. French President Emmanuel Macron said that if it wasn't for the war, Ukraine would not be recommended to be granted candidate status.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited Kyiv again. He met with the Presidential Office and the Ukrainian government and discussed weapons supply, strengthening sanctions against Russia, and supporting the Ukrainian economy.
The leaders of France, Germany and Italy during their visit to Kyiv did not try to convince Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to resume negotiations with Russia, stated the President's Office. Earlier, the German media Die Welt reported that EU leaders attempted that.
The Ukrainian military released Dmytrivka (Izium district in Kharkiv Oblast) from occupation, reports the General Staff. Also in the same region, Russians shelled the Tsyrkuny, Verkhnii Saltiv, Pischane, Ruska Lozova, and Krynychne. In the Donetsk region, the Russian army is trying to attack Sloviansk. Battles for Sievierodonetsk continue in the Luhansk region, Ukrainian forces have repelled attacks around Syrotyne and Metiolkine.
Russian Black Sea Fleet tug Vasily Bekh which was hit by the Ukrainian military near the Serpentine Island, has sunk.
Since February 24, 1,023 Ukrainian settlements were liberated from Russian invaders, stated Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Kyrylo Tymoshenko.
Vladimir Putin said that the decision to start the war against Ukraine was "necessary" and supposedly aims to protect the residents of the Donbas territories occupied by Russia from genocide.
15,000 millionaires are trying to leave Russia, according to British intelligence. Their motives include both opposing the invasion of Ukraine and avoiding the financial impact of sanctions against Russia.
Starting July 1, Ukraine will introduce a visa regime for citizens of the Russian Federation. The corresponding bill was passed by the Cabinet of Ministers.
The Security Service of Ukraine has taken down a large network of Russian agents, coordinated by the adviser to the former self-proclaimed head of the "council of ministers" of the occupied Crimea Serhii Aksionov. Nineteen Russian agents were detained in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, and Vinnytsia Oblasts during the operation.
The President's Office has launched A Book of Executioners of the Ukrainian People, an information system to collect verified data about Russians committing war crimes in Ukraine.
As of the morning of June 17, more than 900 Ukrainian children became victims of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation. 322 children were killed and at least 581 injured, according to the Prosecutor General's Office. The UN reports that as of June 15, 4,481 civilians were killed and 5,565 injured in Ukraine.
116,000 residential buildings inhabited by 3.5 million people were destroyed or damaged in Ukraine during the war.
Ukraine will not be able to host Eurovision 2023, and the event could be transferred to the UK, stated the organisers. The reason is that Eurovision is one of the most difficult television productions in the world and takes 12 months to prepare, while Ukraine is still in a state of war. The Minister of Culture and Information Policy Oleksandr Tkachenko responded that Ukraine does not agree with this decision.
Binance Crypto Exchange has allocated $1.2 million to help internally displaced people in Ukraine.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 114. Online updates.
The European Commission recommended granting Ukraine and Moldova candidate status. At the same time, Georgia did not receive such a recommendation. According to the President of the European Commission Ursula von Der Leyen, Ukraine was recommended to be granted candidate status, but only if a number of important reforms are carried out in the country. According to her, Ukraine has already implemented about 70% of European rules, norms and standards. At the same time, the President of the European Commission added that the country "still has important work to do on the rule of law, oligarchs, the fight against corruption and fundamental rights."
The Ukrainian militaries hit the tugboat of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation "Vasily Bekh" near the Zmiyiny Island in the Odesa region with a Harpoon missile, the press service of the Navy reported. The ship was carrying ammunition, weapons and Russian servicemen. The TOR anti-aircraft missile system was located on it.
During June 16, Russian occupation forces shelled 11 settlements in the Donetsk region. Two people were injured. This was reported by the press service of the Police in the Donetsk region. The occupiers opened fire from tanks, artillery, mortars, MLRS "Grad" and "Uragan" also X-22 and X-59MK missiles were launched.
Russians continue to destroy the infrastructure of the Luhansk region. Thus, the shelling of the buildings of the Severodonetsk Plant of Chemical Non-Standardized Equipment was recorded, and the building of the Azot plant and first checkpoint of it were damaged. In general, almost no administrative buildings left on the territory of the chemical giant. This was announced by the head of the Luhansk RMA Serhii Haidai.
The shelling of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk does not stop in Luhansk region. A rocket attack on the House of Culture, where residents of Lysychansk were hiding, killed three people and wounded seven people. An air strike destroyed another building, which probably also sheltered people.
Other regions of Ukraine are also restless. In the Sumy region, at about 5 am on June 17, Russian militaries began firing mortars at the Khotyn community. In the Kharkiv region on June 16, two people were injured in shelling. In the morning, there were some rocket strikes across Mykolaiv. Residential high-rise buildings and infrastructure were damaged. According to preliminary information, one person died. The Coagulant chemical plant was under fire in the Zaporizhzhia region, and the fire was extinguished. There is no threat to civilians.
At least 4,481 civilians were killed and 5,565 wounded in the full-scale war. This is news from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Among the 4,481 killed were 119 girls and 125 boys, as well as 40 children and 1,299 adults whose gender is still not identified. Among the injured - 462 children. Most people were hit by heavy artillery and MLRS, as well as rocket and air strikes.
Meanwhile, according to Ukrainian prosecutors, 322 children were killed and 581 wounded during the war.
In occupied Mariupol, 10-15 people go to hospitals with symptoms of cholera and dysentery. Due to the lack of reagents, it is impossible to establish an accurate diagnosis. The adviser to the mayor of Mariupol Petro Andriushchenko reported about it.
The Russian occupiers have set up at least 20 filtration camps and prisons in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. This was announced by the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to international organizations in Vienna Yevhen Tsymbalyuk at a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council.
Fifteen thousand Russian millionaires have applied for migration and are probably trying to leave the country, according to the British Ministry of Defense. Intelligence suggests that the motives of the businessmen are both personal opposition to the invasion of Ukraine and the intention to avoid the financial impact of sanctions imposed on Russia.
American chips have been found in Russian military equipment on the territory of Ukraine: radars, drones, tanks and ground equipment, according to The Washington Post. The US Department of Commerce, together with agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, are investigating possible leaks of American computer chips found in Russian military equipment. Apparently, many of those components were produced many years ago, before the United States tightened export restrictions due to Russia's 2014 occupation of Crimea.
The shelling of Lysychansk, Macron, Scholz and Draghi in Irpin, the ban of the Sharii party. The war. The main news of June 16
Leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Romania arrived in Kyiv, Russians fired at frontline areas with aircrafts and multiple rocket launchers, Ukrainians completed training on American MLRS, a court banned the Sharii party, and Ukrainian intelligence released Crimean Bridge documents. Suspilne gathered the main news of the 113th day of the full-scale war.
The President of France Emmanuel Macron, the Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz, the Prime Minister of Italy Mario Draghi and the President of Romania Klaus Johannis arrived in Ukraine. In Kyiv, they met with Volodymyr Zelensky and visited Irpin. Following the meeting, European leaders stated that they support Ukraine's European integration and will continue to provide military support.
At night, Russians launched a missile strike on the Sumy region, killing four people. Also, Russian troops are shelling the Luhansk region from jet systems, according to the General Staff. The Russians shelled Lysychansk from aircraft. At least three people were killed and seven were injured in one of the buildings. In the Donetsk region, the Ukrainian military repulsed attacks by the Russian army near the villages of Dolyna and Berestove.
The training of the first Ukrainian team on using American long-range missile systems has been completed, and they are to arrive at the front line next week, writes The Washington Post.
US weapons will help Ukraine regain Russian-occupied territories, including Crimea and Donbas, said Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov. According to him, Crimea is a strategic goal because it is Ukrainian territory.
Russia has recruited about 330,000 troops into the military invasion of Ukraine. The number of ground forces among them is up to 150 thousand people, said Deputy Chief of the Main Operations Department of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksii Hromov.
The Central Intelligence Agency of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has released the technical documentation of the Crimean Bridge across the Kerch strait. The agency said it was difficult to take seriously the claims about the complete safety of the bridge from people who are unable to preserve the technical documentation of the strategic facility. This was a hint at Russia's repeated statements that the Crimean bridge was guaranteed to be safe.
The Government of Canada will provide Ukraine with CAD$9 million as military aid, which will include M777 howitzer barrels.
During May, Russia could illegally export more than 180,000 tons of Ukrainian grain worth more than 2 billion hryvnias from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, according to an investigation by Skhemy journalists.
As of the morning of June 16, almost 900 children got hurt in Ukraine as a result of armed aggression by the Russian Federation. 318 children were killed and at least 581 children were injured. Data — the Prosecutor General's Office.
In Protasiv Yar people paid respect to the head of the public organization "Let's Protect Protasiv Yar" Roman Ratushny, a reconnaissance officer of the 93rd Separate Mechanised Brigade "Kholodny Yar", who died during the battles near Izium.
The United Kingdom has updated the sanctions list. 12 new positions were added. In particular, Patriarch of the ROC Kirill came under sanctions.
13 European companies pay for Russian gas in rubles despite sanctions and the rejection of such a payment scheme at the legislative level of the European Union, according to the Centre for Global Studies "Strategy-21".
The Lithuanian Seimas has recognized the taking Ukrainians out from Ukraine to Russia as a deportation and called on the international community to seek responsibility for these crimes.
The Lviv court banned the activities of the Sharii party because it worked on "undermining sovereignty", the Ministry of Justice said. Property, funds and other assets of the party and its structural entities are transferred to state ownership.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 113. Online updates.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi arrived in Kiev. The trip was not announced in advance for safety reasons. "Zelensky will receive a message of European unity and support, addressed to all Ukrainians," said the President of France to French journalists after arriving at the station in Kyiv.
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis also arrived in Kyiv. He tweeted: "This illegal Russian aggression must be stopped."
Active fighting continues in Donbas. In Luhansk Oblast, Russian troops are trying to attack Ukrainian positions in nine directions at once, said Commander-in-Chief Zaluzhny. He also called Sievierodonetsk a vital point of the region's defence. The Russians keep storming the city, and the fighting in Sievierodonetsk continues.
Active fights carry on along the entire front line in the Donetsk region. Rocket attacks on remote settlements continue. In the past 24 hours, one person was killed and 13 were wounded. During the night Russians fired a rocket attack on Sumy Oblast killing four people. Another rocket attack and hour-long mortar fire took place in the morning of June 16.
During the past day, 11 people suffered injuries because of the shelling of Mykolaiv Oblast, reported the head of the Mykolaiv regional council Hanna Zamazieieva.
Russian troops may be launching false flag attacks around Donetsk to restrain pro-Ukrainian sentiments. This is stated in the analytical report of the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW). The analysts mention that residents of Donetsk and Makiivka reported heavy shelling on infrastructure in both cities. These possible false flag attacks may be a response to Western officials’ statements on June 15 to increase military aid to Ukraine.
The Minister of Defence of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov summed up the results of the Contact Group on Defence of Ukraine meeting in the Rammstein conference, which took place on June 15. According to him, Ukraine will receive more weapons: 155 mm guns, HIMARS, Harpoons and others, helicopters from Slovakia, MLRS from Germany, artillery from Poland, the Netherlands and Canada.
According to Canadian Defence Minister Anita Anand, Ukraine will also receive 10 replacement barrels for M777 towed howitzers, previously provided to Ukrainian forces by Western partners to defend against Russian aggression. The cost of another military aid package is approximately 9 million CAD.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg stated that the alliance is ready to support Ukraine long-term. He said this before the NATO meeting: "After meeting the defence ministers of all NATO allies and partners, it is clear that we are ready for a long-term path, the NATO allies are ready to continue to provide substantial and unprecedented support to Ukraine."
More than 30 European countries have already blocked Russian propaganda, like Russian RT and Sputnik TV channels, however other Russian channels were not included in European sanctions until the beginning of June. Olha Herasymiuk, Head of the National Broadcasting Council, stated this in an interview with Ukrinform. "Latvia makes a fine example. 80 Russian channels are banned there since June 9," she said.
The White House urged Americans to avoid trips to Ukraine after two American citizens had been reportedly captured by Russian troops. According to Reuters, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby stated that if the reports are true, the United States will do its best to get them back. It was reported on June 15 that Russians captured Alexander Dryuke, 39, and Andy Hune, 27, during the battle for the village of Izbytske in Kharkiv Oblast on June 9. They became the first Americans known to be captured during a full-scale war.
New package of aid from the US, Rammstein-3, gas lease. War. The main news for June 15
The United States will provide another $ 1 billion in military aid to Ukraine, a meeting of the Ukrainian Defense Contact Group has begun in Brussels, Zelensky will be invited to the NATO summit, Kyiv is offering Washington a gas lease, and the bodies of 64 more Azovstal victims have arrived in Kyiv. Suspilne gathered the main news of the 112th day of the full-scale war.
US President Joseph Biden has announced the allocation of a new $ 1 billion military aid package to Ukraine.
The bodies of another 64 victims of Azovstal have arrived in Kyiv. This was reported by the patronage service of "Azov" "Angels of Azov".
A meeting of the Rammstein-3 Defense Contact Group of Ukraine at NATO Headquarters in Brussels has started. Defense ministers from more than 50 countries will discuss increasing arms supplies to Ukraine, as well as Sweden's and Finland's applications to join the transatlantic military alliance.
In the Kharkiv region, Russian troops tried to advance on Slovyansk from Izyum in the direction of Dovgenke — Krasnopillya, without success, according to the General Staff. In the Donetsk region, towards Bakhmut, the Russians attacked in the directions of Vasylivka — Yakovlivka and Vasylivka — Berestove. The Armed Forces repulsed the attacks. In the Luhansk region — battles for Severodonetsk are ongoing.
The war between Russia and Ukraine will soon reach a turning point, further events may develop in three main scenarios, writes CNN, citing sources in the intelligence of the United States and other Western countries. The scenarios are as follows: Russia will continue to gradually succeed in the Donbas, hostilities will come to a standstill and the war will last for years, Russia will reconsider its goals and declare victory. The latter option analysts consider as the least likely.
Ukrainian military liquidated Russian colonel, propagandist and Rosguard spokesman Sergei Postnov. In particular, he fought in the Russian army near Gostomel, in the Kharkiv region and on the territory of the so-called "LPR".
The governor of the Kursk region of Russia, Roman Starovoit, said that on the morning of June 15, Ukraine allegedly fired on the Krupets checkpoint in the Rylsk district of the Russian Federation, but "there are no casualties or damage."
68% of Germans, 65% of French and 65% of Dutch support Ukraine's accession to the EU — the results of a poll commissioned by "New Europe" New Europe.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki called on NATO countries to provide Ukraine with more heavy weapons to protect against Russian aggression, and stressed that the Alliance could be the only deterrent to further attacks on NATO's eastern flank in the European Union.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping spoke by phone with Vladimir Putin, noting that Beijing would continue to support Moscow on "sovereignty and security", refused to condemn Russia's actions in Ukraine or recognize them as an invasion, and "called for a negotiated solution."
President Volodymyr Zelensky will be invited to the NATO summit in Madrid on June 29-30. At the event, he will deliver a speech to Allied leaders, said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
Ukraine has offered the United States an agreement on the supply of liquefied natural gas for the upcoming heating season on a lease basis, according to Foreign Policy. It is planned that Ukraine will settle with the United States after increasing domestic gas production.
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar announced the establishment of a channel of communication between the Ministries of Defense of Ukraine, Turkey and Russia on the export of Ukrainian grain. At the same time, the European Commission has eliminated bureaucracy at Poland's borders for Ukrainian grain exports, and work is under way with the Romanian and Hungarian authorities, said Maya Bakran Marchic, deputy director general of the European Commission.
As of the morning of June 15, more than 892 children were injured in Ukraine as a result of armed aggression by the Russian Federation. 313 children were killed and at least 579 injured. Data — the Prosecutor General's Office.
The Prosecutor's Office of the Kharkiv Region has announced the suspicion of treason against the mayor of the temporarily occupied Vovchansk Anatoliy Stepanets. According to the investigation, on June 3, together with eight other people who were also suspected of treason, he took part in the creation of an illegal "temporary civil administration of the Kharkiv region."
About 2,000 imprisoned and convicted Ukrianians remain in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories, Justice Minister Denys Maliuska said.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 112. Online updates.
A woman passing by a building destroyed by Russians in Makarov, Kyiv region.
Russia continues to storm Sievierodonetsk and shell Lysychansk and other places in Luhansk Oblast. Eight civilians were wounded during the past day.
Shelling continues in the Donetsk region. Fights are ongoing along the entire front line. Russian troops attack settlements with small arms, tanks, artillery, mortars, and multiple rocket launchers. Two civilians were killed, and three were wounded.
After more than a month of heavy fighting, the Russian Federation controls most of Sievierodonetsk, informs the UK MoD with reference to British intelligence data. Russian artillery destroyed the city. Ukrainian units together with several hundred civilians are hiding in underground bunkers at the chemical plant "Azot" in the industrial zone of the city, according to the scouts.
Meanwhile, another 52 residents were evacuated from Lysychansk and Pryvillia on June 14. "People understand that they may end up in a Russian trap, as it happened in Sievierodonetsk. Thus they are ready to evacuate to safe regions of Ukraine," said the head of Luhansk Oblast Administration Serhii Haidai.
Russians once again shelled the Dnipropetrovsk region. And hit residential neighbourhoods. At least four people were killed and another one injured. Seven people were injured by Russian shelling in Kharkiv Oblast on June 14. While the invaders did not target the city itself, they attacked various settlements in the region and damaged 11 residential buildings.
In the morning, the Russians shelled the Sumy region with mortars and a grenade launcher, no victims have been reported. An explosion occurred in Chornobaivka, Kherson region, in the morning. There are casualties, however currently unknown how many.
People are still dying from the consequences of Russian shelling in Mariupol. On 14 June, three bodies were found in a house in the Left Bank District, according to the mayor's advisor Petro Andriushchenko.
Since May 2022, the Ministry of Finance of Russia has removed information about all federal budget expenditures and its deficit from public domains, writes The Bell, analysing the departmental reports. In April, budget statistics showed an increase in Russia's military expenses by almost 2.5 times and a decrease in non-oil and gas revenues.
The United States is ready to welcome regional initiatives, including a union of the UK, Poland, Ukraine, and the Baltic States if it enhances defence capabilities. The U.S. is interested in strengthening NATO's potential, stated U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO Julianne Smith.
Canada became the first country to transfer about $800 million in special aid to the Ukrainian account in IMF. Lithuania has agreed with the Turkish drone manufacturer Bayraktar to transfer additional ammunition for the drone bound for Ukraine.
Western intelligence and military officials believe that Russia's war in Ukraine is at a critical stage that will determine the long-term outcome of the conflict. CNN writes about this with reference to sources familiar with American and other Western intelligence.
President Volodymyr Zelensky instructed the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to launch an investigation into the army due to claims in social networks and media that fighters lack personal protective equipment. He stressed that everyone in combat zones must have everything necessary for their protection.
The West has the right to transfer nuclear warheads to Ukraine as Russia has already violated the Budapest Memorandum, but this decision will likely only be made if Russia uses nuclear weapons first. This was stated by a Member of the European Parliament and former Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski in an interview with Suspilne. According to Sikorski, the temporarily occupied Crimea peninsula may become the trigger, as Russia still considers it its territory. The Kremlin may decide to use nuclear weapons in accordance with the doctrine of protection of Russian territories, which allows a nuclear war
Shelling of the western regions, transport visa-free travel, grain export plan. War. The main news for June 14
Another exchange of dead bodies took place, Russians fired rockets at Lviv, Khmelnytsky and Ternopil regions, Russia refuses to open an evacuation corridor from Sieverodonetsk, Ukraine agrees to a "transport visa-free" agreement with Europe, Suspilne gathered the main news of the 111th day of full-scale war.
In the Zaporizhya region the next exchange of bodies of the killed servicemen took place. Ukraine returned 64 Azovstal defenders.
In the battle near Izium, the head of the public organization "Let's Protect Protasiv Yar" and a scout of the 93rd OMBR "Cold Yar" Roman Ratushny were killed. From the first day of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, the man took part in the battles near Kyiv, then liberated Trostyanets in the Sumy region, and fought in the Kharkiv region near Izyum.
In the Luhansk region, the Russian army fired on Lysychansk, Bila Gora, Ustynivka and Toshkivka and launched a helicopter strike near Metolkin. Fights in Sieverodonetsk. In the Bakhmut direction — shelling in the areas of Mykolaivka, Vrubivka, Pokrovsky and New York. In the area of the village of Berestov, the Armed Forces repulsed the assault on Russian troops. Also, during the day the Russians fired rockets at Lviv, Khmelnytsky and Ternopil regions. The air defense shot down all the missiles. In the Lviv region, debris fell over Zolochiv.
Russia refuses to open an evacuation corridor for civilians from the Azot plant in Sieverodonetsk in Ukraine-controlled Lysychansk because the Ukrainian Armed Forces allegedly blew up all bridges. Ukraine has repeatedly reported that it was the Russian military that purposefully destroyed bridges across the Sivirskiy Donets. According to the Ukrainian side, there are currently about 550 civilians on the territory of the plant.
Russia has started saving high-precision missiles and is producing obsolete Soviet models in Ukraine, said Yuri Ignat, a spokesman for the Air Force.
As of February 24, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have liberated 1,017 settlements from the Russian military, said Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Kyrylo Tymoshenko.
The United States is working with the European Union to plan to remove grain from Ukraine by rail with the establishment of grain storage facilities at the border, said US President Joe Biden.
For Ukraine, the main condition for ending the confrontation against Russia is the mandatory return of the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories, said Volodymyr Zelensky.
Howard Buffett, the son of American billionaire Warren Buffett, donated $2.7 million to Ukraine. The funds will be used for nine buses for territorial defense, as well as for the purchase of 375 new trauma kits for the Armed Forces.
The European Commission will recommend granting Ukraine official EU candidate status. This was reported by Politico, citing several officials familiar with the discussions that took place on June 13 during a debate between members of the commission.
Ukraine has agreed with a delegation from the European Commission on a special agreement on the liberalization of road transport, known as "visa-free travel". It must address the lack of permits for international transport.
Russia's gas monopoly Gazprom has said it is cutting natural gas supplies to Europe via the Nord Stream-1 pipeline by 40 percent, allegedly due to "untimely repairs" by Siemens.
The Verkhovna Rada has registered a bill that would write off loans for property that was destroyed or damaged as a result of Russia's armed aggression.
The Chinese company AliExpress will resume delivery to Ukraine via Ukrposhta on June 15.
Suspilne journalists Khrystyna Havryliuk and Taras Ibrahimov, along with their colleagues, came under fire in the Lysychansk city centre, Luhansk region. Ukrainian army evacuated them, nobody was insured. Lysychansk, where about 15,000 civilians still take shelter, is shelled almost every day. According to the Ukrainian military, the Russian army has significant advantages in artillery.
The Luhansk region remains under massive shelling today. The Russian Federation hit local enterprises, destroyed a bridge and buildings in various villages and cities. Two people were killed, and one was injured.
Russia has failed to proceed around Metiolkine (4 kilometres from Sievierodonetsk). Active fighting continues. The Armed Forces of Ukraine continue to defend Sievierodonetsk.
Despite the third bridge to the city being destroyed, it remains accessible although not without difficulties, reported the head of the Sievierodonetsk city administration Oleksandr Striuk. He also said that mass evacuation is not possible, but some people are saved between shellings. About 540-560 civilians remain in the Azot chemical plant.
Ukrainian military holds the front line in the Donetsk region. Russians are shelling army positions and settlements. During the day, the Russian army killed two civilians and wounded five others. Russian forces shelled the communities on the border of Sumy Oblast and attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Mykolaiv regions. Two Oniks rockets were fired from the temporarily occupied Crimea into Odesa region in the morning. Both were intercepted by the Ukrainian air defence. Intense shelling took place in Kharkiv during the night, however no casualties were reported. 2 adults and 3 children, a 3-months baby among them, were injured across the region.
The Ukrainian military is now 18 kilometres away from the temporarily occupied Kherson and is launching massive artillery attacks on Russian positions, said Presidential Advisor Oleksii Arestovych. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are gradually attacking the positions of the Russian army on the east bank of the Inhulets River and in the northwest of the Kherson region.
The occupation administration of Mariupol officially announced the drama theatre re-opening on September 10, said Mayor's Advisor Petro Andriushchenko.
The Russian Army destroyed the Drama Theatre building on March 16 while civilians were hiding there from the shelling. At least 600 people were killed according to the Associated Press investigation.
Ukraine has received 64 more bodies of Azovstal defenders, reported the Ministry for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories.
An explosion took place in Russian region of Bryansk (50 km from the Ukrainian border), reported the local governor Oleksandr Bohomaz. According to information from local Telegram channels, a Russian military helicopter Mi-28N "Night Hunter" was seen after the attack. According to unconfirmed data, the strike targeted a military base and damaged a residential complex.
The sixth package of EU sanctions against the Russian Federation come into effect on June 14. Russian Sberbank, "Rosselkhozbank, and Moscow Credit Bank will be disconnected from the SWIFT financial system. According to Bloomberg, the world's largest banks JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs have suspended services for the Russian debt obligations.
The U.S. has extended sanctions against Belarus for another year because of the actions and policies of the Belarusian regime, which continue to pose an "extreme threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States," stated the White House.
The US is ready to allocate 1.5 billion dollars of monthly aid to the Government of Ukraine, said Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Dereck Hogan. According to him, the government of Ukraine has already received $1 billion. In total, over the past three months, the United States has provided Ukraine with $53.6 billion, including military aid.
1000 howitzers for victory, shelling Pryluky. War. The main news for June 13
Podoliak named the number of weapons needed to defeat Russia, the Armed Forces liberated three villages in Donetsk region, Russians destroyed all bridges to Sieverodonetsk, the risk of using nuclear weapons peaked, 18,000 tons of Ukrainian corn . Suspilne gathered the main news of the 110th day of the full-scale war.
Adviser to the President's Office Mykhailo Podoliak named the number of weapons the Ukrainian army needs to win the war: 1,000 155 mm howitzers, 300 MLRS, 500 tanks, 2,000 armored vehicles, 1,000 drones.
The risk of using nuclear weapons has peaked, according to a study by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, as countries' nuclear arsenals grow in the next decade.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated three villages in the Donetsk region and moved the 15-kilometer section of the front in one direction, according to the Allied Forces. The Russians tried to attack Bohorodychne and the Bakhmut direction, but without success. In the Luhansk region — battles for Sieverodonetsk. There, Russian troops stormed Metolkin, but the Ukrainian Armed Forces repulsed them. All bridges leading to Sieverodonetsk have been destroyed, said Serhiy Haidai, head of the Luhansk Regional State Administration. Also, Russian troops fired rockets at Pryluky in the Chernihiv region. Evacuations have been announced in several villages in the region.
The Russians are using banned phosphorous bombs in the Donbas and shooting at civilian cars, the SBU said, citing new interceptions of Russian military calls.
Representatives of 55 countries are defending Ukraine in the International Legion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This was stated at a briefing by Legion spokesman Damien Magru. He added that they hope to exchange foreigners sentenced to death in the DNR.
The war in Ukraine could create a food crisis for 323 million people, the UN said.
As of the morning of June 13, more than 815 children were injured in Ukraine as a result of armed aggression by the Russian Federation. 288 children were killed and at least 527 injured. Data — the Prosecutor General's Office.
Lithuanian journalist Andrus Tapinas, who raised funds to buy a Turkish Bayraktar drone for the Armed Forces, will donate 110 EDM4S Sky Wipers anti-drone guns.
Ukrainian police are investigating criminal proceedings over the deaths of more than 12,000 Ukrainians. 1,200 bodies, including those found in mass graves, have not yet been identified. More than 1,500 civilians died in the Kyiv region .
The Finnish cargo ship Alppila with 18,000 tons of Ukrainian corn arrived in a port in northwestern Spain. The ship was on a new route across the Baltic Sea to avoid a blockade by the Russian fleet in the Black Sea.
Naftogaz of Ukraine has signed an agreement with Canadian energy developer Symbio Infrastructure to purchase liquefied natural gas and green liquid hydrogen. The projects are scheduled to start in 2027.
43 higher education institutions were damaged as a result of bombings by the Russian army. 5 of them were completely destroyed, said the Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Serhiy Shkarlet. According to him, the universities in Kharkiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhia, Chernihiv and Mykolaiv regions suffered the most.
The Cabinet of Ministers has banned the export of Ukrainian coal, fuel oil and gas.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 110. Online updates.
Consequences of the shelling by the Russians in Borodyanka.
Lysychansk in the Luhansk region suffered intensive shelling, three local residents were killed: a man, a woman, and a 6-year-old boy. A city mall has burned down, four buildings and local mine facilities were damaged. The shelling also damaged buildings in Vrubivka, Zolote, and Hirske.
Ukrainian soldiers repelled the assault in the directions of Viktorivka-Vrubivka and Komyshuvakha-Vrubivka. The Russian army is advancing again near Zolote.
70% of Sievierodonetsk is controlled by the Russian military, and the battle for the city continues, reports the head of the Luhansk regional administration Serhii Haidai. The Ukrainian Forces destroyed three Russian Grad MLRS, from which Russians shelled the city and positions of the Ukrainian army. However, mass evacuation or humanitarian aid delivery remains impossible. About 500 civilians remain in the bomb shelters of the Azot plant.
Active fights continue near Avdiivka, Mariinka, Krasnohorivka, Sviatohirsk, and Lyman in the Donetsk region. On the night of 13 June, Russian invaders shelled Bakhmut. Residential buildings and infrastructure have been damaged.
The UK DoD Intelligence suggests that crossing Siversky Donets River will become one of the most important factors to define the war in the coming months. Intelligence stressed that the key 90-kilometre central section of the Russian front line in Donbas lies to the west of the Siversky Donets River.
On June 12, Russian troops continued shelling Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, and Mykolaiv regions. Two people were killed and five were injured after shelling of the Dnipropetrovsk region.
Russian invaders looted more than 3 thousand tons of ore from Zaporizhzhia iron-ore plant, reported the Zaporizhzhia Defence Forces. 54 train freight cars were used to transport the ore.
On June 12, Russian representatives attempted to organise a Russia Day celebration in the temporarily occupied Enerhodar which coincides with the city day. About three dozen locals came to the concert. Others have massively ignored the invaders' holiday, said Mayor of Enerhodar Dmitrii Orlov.
The risk of nuclear escalation has peaked as indicate results of a Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) study. According to the Institute's findings, nuclear arsenals are expected to grow in the coming decade. Russia openly threatened to use nuclear weapons in the war against Ukraine. This, in turn, has exacerbated relations between nuclear states.
Belarusian writer Svitlana Aleksievich was awarded with the Book World Prague festival Jiří Theiner Prize and gave it to Ukrainian writers as a sign of support for Ukraine. The award ceremony was broadcasted on the Book World festival Facebook page. Svitlana Aleksievich won the 2015 Nobel Prize in Literature.
New Ambassador of Ukraine to Poland Vasyl Zvarych has started in Warsaw.
Grain exports, Finland will not join NATO without Sweden, Russia steals Scythian gold. The war. Key news on June 12
Ukraine received 220 bodies from Azovstal. The German Rheinmetall Concern is ready to transfer the Marder IFV to Kyiv. Russians are stealing Scythian gold. Kim Jong-un sent a telegram to Putin. A Russian passport was burned in front of the Russian Embassy in Ukraine. Finland will not join NATO without Sweden. Suspilne gathered the main news of day 109 of the full-scale war.
Two exchanges of the dead took place on 12 June. Ukraine received the bodies of 220 defenders from the territory of the Azovstal plant in Mariupol, approximately one-third of the dead according to Azov.
On the Sloviansk direction, the Ukrainian military repelled the Russian assault in Dovhenke-Mazanivka and Dovhenke-Dolyna, the General Staff reports. Battles continue in Sievierodonetsk, Russians shell the city with barrel and rocket artillery. The U.K. Ministry of Defence announced that Russia is preparing to move reserve units to Ukraine to capture Sievierodonetsk. Also in Luhansk Oblast, Ukrainian Forces repelled Russian attacks on Vrubivka (Bakhmut direction).
Former British soldier Jordan Gatley was killed in Sievierodonetsk while fighting on the Ukrainian side. He became the second Briton killed in the war in Ukraine. Previously, former U.K. soldier Scott Sibley was killed at the end of April.
The German Rheinmetall AG is modernising Marder infantry fighting vehicles previously servicing the Bundeswehr and is ready to transfer the first IFV to Ukraine, announced the company's CEO Armin Papperger. The German government must decide when this happens.
Ukraine has developed two routes through Poland and Romania to export grain, said Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Senik.
According to the international group of scientists and digital experts who track thefts, Russians smuggle valuable historical artefacts, in particular precious Scythian gold, from temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories to Russia.
On Russia Day, June 12, the Foreign Minister of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs wished the Russian Federation to fail in the war against Ukraine. The "Last Day of Russia" performance was held near the Russian Embassy in Kyiv. Russian citizen Artem Boryskin burned his Russian passport in protest against the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Kim Jong-un, sent a congratulatory telegram to Putin. He declared that supports everything that Russia does.
Finland will not join NATO if Sweden's issues with Turkey mean that Sweden's membership will be postponed, said Finnish President Sauli Niinistö.
As of the morning of June 12, more than 795 Ukrainian children became victims of Russian aggression. 287 children were killed and at least 508 injured according to the Prosecutor General's Office.
The Boris Nemtsov Foundation announced Volodymyr Zelensky the winner of the Boris Nemtsov Prize 2022 for his courage.
An officer of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine used a weapon in a residential district in Kyiv. An internal investigation was initiated by order of the Minister of Defence Oleksii Reznikov.
Canadian pensioner Marcel Lucier won over $70 million in the Lotto Max lottery and plans to use part of the money for the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 109. Online updates.
Russia is trying to resume the offensive on Slovyansk and storms Sieverodonetsk, where fighting continues, people are constantly hiding in shelters.
Russian occupation forces have destroyed another bridge between Lysychansk and Sieverodonetsk and are actively shelling the last, third bridge, said Luhansk Regional Military Administration Chairman Serhiy Haidai. According to him, in the next two days the Russian occupiers will throw all available reserves at Sieverodonetsk to capture the city. The second goal is to control the Lysychansk-Bakhmut highway.
Last night, the Russian Federation fired four missiles at the Ternopil region: they destroyed part of a military facility and hit a gas pipeline. As a result of the explosion in Chortkiv, 22 people were injured - residents of nearby houses, said the head of the Ternopil Regional Administration Trush.
In the morning of June 12, three explosions were heard in Zaporizhia in temporarily occupied Berdyansk. At night there were attacks of Kharkiv and Mykolaiv regions.
Japan will send 33 portable water treatment plants to Odesa in case of emergencies. The Ambassador of Ukraine to Japan called to share them with Mykolayiv.
Belarus is deploying additional means of electronic warfare in the border areas, the General Staff reports.
A Czech citizen was killed during the fighting against the Russian army in Donbas, Foreign Minister Jan Lipawski confirmed.
It is reported that a Czech citizen named Michal Janik was a native of the village of Trzebic. He died on June 10 in the Donetsk region from a mortar grenade. According to available information, the man is the first dead Czech volunteer to join the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
According to Czech Radio, in May more than 100 Czechs received permission from the country's president to join the Ukrainian Armed Forces, although it is unknown how many of them actually went to Ukraine.
Due to the war, Ukraine may not have enough warehouses for the harvest. It is about 15 million tons, said the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmygal.
On Day of Russia, Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics wished Russia defeat in the war against Ukraine. The diplomat wrote about this on Twitter.
On the occasion of Russia's Day, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un expressed "full support" for Putin's actions and added that he hoped for the development of relations between the two countries.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi has won the Borys Nemtsov Prize for Courage - 2022. This was reported by the Borys Nemtsov Foundation.
Sievierodonetsk under attack, IRIS-T air defence systems, Belarus is building up military equipment. The war. Key news of June 11
Cholera in Mariupol. Ukrainian troops repel Russian attacks near Popasna and Sievierodonetsk. German air defence systems IRIS-T will arrive in Ukraine by the end of the year (and howitzers by the end of June). The so-called "DPR" will put another foreigner on trial. Biden reproaches Zelensky for failing to prepare for the war. Suspilne gathered the main news of day 108 of the full-scale war.
In Mariupol, despite denying the cholera threat, Russians urgently prepare an infectious disease ward on the premises of A&E hospital. Four isolation rooms are almost ready according to the adviser to the mayor of Mariupol Petro Andriushchenko.
Belarus is putting more military units on alert and removing some weapons and equipment from storage, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports. Belarus has also extended airspace closure until July 8 and combat readiness checks until June 18.
In the Kharkiv region, the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled the Russian offensive on Brazhkivka, Virnopillia, and Dolyna (Sloviansk direction). Battles for Sievierodonetsk continue in Luhansk Oblast as well as Russian attacks around Toshkivka and Metiolkine (this attack was repelled). Also, the Ukrainian military stopped the Russian offensive around Popasna.
The German IRIS-T air defence system bound for Ukraine is already being manufactured. According to Chancellor Olaf Scholz, it will be delivered in 2022. IRIS-T is a state-of-the-art air defence system that can be compared to the American Patriot. Also, the Ambassador of Ukraine to Germany Andrii Melnyk reported that howitzers and anti-aircraft cannons Gepard will finally arrive from Germany around June 22.
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Kyiv. After a meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky, she announced that the negotiations in Kyiv will allow finalising the assessment of Ukraine's application to the EU by the end of next week.
U.S. President Joe Biden said that Volodymyr Zelensky did not respond to the warning that Russia would invade Ukraine, although the possibility of a large-scale invasion seemed far-fetched. Presidential advisor Mykhailo Podoliak responded that Ukraine understood that Russia was developing different expansion scenarios, and Volodymyr Zelensky "had all the appropriate analytics, based on high-quality intelligence, on the table". However, no one expected such a "scale of invasion" from the Russian Federation.
Since April, Russian bombers have launched approximately dozens of X-22 heavy anti-ship missiles against ground targets. These 5.5-ton missiles, made in the 1960s, are designed to destroy aircraft carriers with a nuclear warhead. When they are used for ground attacks with conventional warheads, they are very inaccurate and therefore can cause significant collateral damage and civilian casualties, according to British intelligence.
The so-called "DPR" announced that a South Korean citizen who fought on the Ukrainian side would face trial. Earlier, on June 9, three foreigners were sentenced to death in the "DPR": the UK citizens Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner and Moroccan Brahim Saadoun. All of them fought on the side of the Ukrainian forces.
There may not be enough warehouses in Ukraine to store the harvest this fall due to the war. 15 million tons are in danger, said Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal.
As of the morning of June 11, more than 779 Ukrainian children became victims of the Russian armed aggression. 287 children were killed and at least 492 were injured, according to the Prosecutor General's Office.
WhiteBIT, the largest European cryptocurrency exchange, transferred seven sets of special equipment to Ukraine to assist Ukrainians in emergencies abroad.
Ukrainian graduates who evacuated abroad can receive their high school diplomas in Ukrainian diplomatic missions, announced the Ministry of Education.
Our news at 13.00 on June 11
The Russian army continues to storm Severodonetsk and preparing an offensive on Slovyansk, according to the General Staff. However, the Russian army was unable to advance south of Severodonetsk.
The Russian military in the Luhansk region hit Vrubivka with the "Solntsepek" flamethrower system and entered Orikhove. During the next shelling, the railway depot of the Azot association was damaged. There are three dead and 8 wounded.
In the Donetsk region, Russia uses all types of weapons. Avdiyivka, Zalizny, Mykolayivka, Novomykolayivka village, Vysokoivanivka, Cherkasy town were shelled. 5 civilians were injured. There is no gas supply in the region, water and electricity are partially absent (334 settlements are without electricity).
As a result of the Russian shelling in the Chuhuiv district, a private house collapsed: four people died under the rubble. Three communities of the Mykolaiv district came under fire. Russian troops shelled two communities in the Dnipropetrovsk region. They were beaten by artillery and "Hurricanes": two people were injured, they are in hospital, said the head of OVA Reznichenko. Damaged houses, the mayor's office, the house of culture. The village of Velyka Kostromka has no electricity and gas.
In Mariupol, the occupiers, despite the public denial of the cholera threat, are urgently preparing to launch an infectious disease unit at the ambulance hospital. Almost 4 boxes for isolation of patients are ready.
Residential areas of Slovyansk, Kramatorsk and Bakhmut are under constant fire. These cities are almost on the front line. How people live there - a photo report of the Suspilne.
There are 40 Caliber cruise missiles on four surface ships and two submarines in the Black Sea, as well as two large landing ships, the OK South.
Military journalist Oleksii Chubashev died in the war. This was announced by the head of the President's Office Andrii Yermak. He was the author of the "Recruit UA" program, also known as the former head of the "Army FM" and the Military Television of Ukraine.
As of the morning of June 11, the total combat losses of Russia since the beginning of a full-scale offensive against Ukraine on February 24 amounted to about 32,050 servicemen, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said. During the day, the Russians lost about 150 servicemen.
Since the beginning of the war, not a single unit of heavy equipment - artillery, howitzers, infantry fighting vehicles, tanks - has been delivered to Ukraine from Germany. I stated the Ambassador of Ukraine to Germany Andriy Melnyk in an interview with NV, that on June 22 Ukraine will receive 7 self-propelled howitzers. Another 30 self-propelled anti-aircraft systems, the so-called "Cheetahs", will be delivered in two batches by the end of July and the end of August.
In addition, the ambassador said that despite Russia's war against Ukraine, in January-April, Germany increased imports from Russia by 60% and transferred to Moscow almost 6 billion euros.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has arrived in Kyiv.
"With President Zelensky, I will summarize the joint work needed for reconstruction and the progress Ukraine has made on its European path," she wrote.
US President Joe Biden said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had ignored America's warning that Russia would invade Ukraine. "We had data to confirm that he was going to cross the border. There was no doubt. And Zelensky did not want to hear it, like many people," Biden said. However, he acknowledged that the possibility of a full-scale invasion seemed far-fetched. "I understand why they didn't want to hear it," Biden said.
The President's Office responded to this statement by saying that the Ukrainian authorities understood that Russia was developing various expansion scenarios. "The president has responded carefully to all the words and warnings of our partners. The only question has always been what the scale of the invasion will be? Undoubtedly, the scale of the invasion we saw on February 24 shocked many countries, including our partners," he said. Head of the President's Office Mykhailo Podoliak.
Russia's regulator Rosaviatsia has extended until June 18 a ban on flights to 11 Russian airports in cities in the south and on the border with
Ben Wallace in Kyiv, Ukraine loses the artillery war, 1,000 commanders in the Armed Forces. War. The main news for June 10
British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace arrives in Kyiv, Britain will not negotiate with Russia on release of convicted servicemen from "DNR", Russian army destroys Ice Palace in Severodonetsk, Germany increases imports from Russia, 37 thousand women serve in the Armed Forces. Suspilne gathered the main news of the 107th day of the full-scale war.
The Minister of Defense of the United Kingdom Ben Wallace arrived in Kyiv on an unannounced visit. In the capital, he met with President Volodymyr Zelensky and said he saw Ukraine's ability to oust the Russian occupiers from Donbas.
The Russian Foreign Ministry considers the foreigners sentenced to death in the "DNR" — British Aiden Eslin and Sean Pinner, and Moroccan Brahim Saadun — mercenaries, not combatants, said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. A spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Britain would not hold direct talks with Russia on the release of troops from the "DNR". The UN and the OSCE have expressed "concern" over the "DNR" court's ruling. Amnesty International called the court a farce in violation of the Geneva Convention.
In the Kharkiv region, Russian troops fired on Kharkiv, Dolyna, Chervona Polyana, Nova Dmytrivka, Hrushuvakh and Dibrivne, the General Staff reports. In the Luhansk region — the shelling of the Russians in the areas of Lysychansk, Ustynivka, Toshkivka, Zoloty and Gorsky and the battles for Severodonetsk — there the Russian army destroyed the Ice Palace and hit the ammonia production plant on "Azov". In the Donetsk region, there have been air and helicopter strikes in the Marinka, Krasnohorivka, Novobahmutivka and Oleksandropil districts. Also, Russian troops have made little progress north of Slovyansk. But it will probably be difficult for them to storm the city itself because of tactical problems related to crossing the Siverskyi Donets River, according to the Institute for the Study of War.
Ukraine is losing to Russia in the artillery war and now relies almost entirely on weapons from the West, said Vadym Skibitsky, deputy head of Ukraine's military intelligence. According to him, Ukraine has one artillery installation for 10-15 Russian ones, and the allies have given us 10% of what they have.
37,000 women serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. More than a thousand of them became commanders, said First Lady Olena Zelenska.
Since 2014 — since the beginning of Russia's war against Ukraine, Russia has violated about 400 international agreements, one of the parties to which is Ukraine. In particular, the Budapest Memorandum, the Charter of the United Nations, a number of UN conventions and the Helsinki Accords, said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
In recent months, despite the Russian war against Ukraine, Germany has increased imports from Russia by 60% and transferred almost 6 billion euros to Moscow, said Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Andriy Melnyk.
42.9% of Ukrainians plan the future of their children in Ukraine if the threat of war persists, more than 85% of Ukrainians do not want their children to go abroad if Ukraine joins NATO, and up to 15% of Ukrainians do not plan to return from abroad. Survey data of the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology.
More than 754 children were injured in Ukraine as a result of armed aggression by the Russian Federation. As of the morning of June 10, the official number of dead children has not changed — 263. The number of injured has increased — 491. Data — the Prosecutor General's Office.
Switzerland has joined the sixth package of EU anti-Russian sanctions.
Since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, Canada has blocked or frozen $328 million in assets and transactions in Russia's sanctioned accounts.
The Verkhovna Rada has registered a bill on medical cannabis. It was initiated by Prime Minister Denys Shmygal.
The first case of monkeypox infection has been officially confirmed in Poland.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 107. Online updates.
Ukraine is losing up to a hundred soldiers killed and up to 500 wounded every day, and Russia is "suffering huge losses" but still has the strength to advance, so Ukraine needs heavy weapons, and very quickly, said Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov.
In the Donetsk direction, the Russian army continues to cover Ukrainian units along the entire line of contact, launching missile and air strikes, including in populated areas.
In the Severodonetsk direction, the Russian Army is unsuccessfully trying to establish full control over Severodonetsk, fighting continues in the city. Fighting is also taking place in the settlements of Hirska and Popasnyanska communities, said the head of the Luhansk regional administration Gaidai. Over the past day, the Russian military destroyed more than 30 houses in the region.
According to British intelligence, Russia is again in control of the greater Severodonetsk, fighting is taking place in the suburbs.
In Severodonetsk, the Russian military destroyed the Ice Palace of Sports.
Photo: Telegram channel of Serhiy Gaidai
On the night of June 10 and in the morning, Russian troops fired on the Dnipropetrovsk region several times. This morning there were shellings on the border of Chernihiv region. From mortars the army of the Russian Federation fired in the direction of the settlement Gremyach, the spokeswoman of the Chernihiv frontier detachment Galina Shekhovtsova told. In the Sumy region, Russia opened mortar fire about 7 times at night. There are no casualties or damage. This was announced by the head of the regional administration.
Kharkiv: night - with shelling and constant alarms. Russia fired from multiple rocket launchers. There are no casualties in the city, two civilians were killed and 15 were injured in the region.
The Russian Federation aims to capture the Kherson region, and then go on the offensive in Mykolayiv and Odesa. This was announced during a briefing by Deputy Chief of the Main Operations Department of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksiy Gromov.
Azov published a video where combat medics save the lives of fighters who came under artillery fire while capturing enemy positions
The artillery war is underway, and Ukraine is losing to Russia at the forefront and now relies almost entirely on weapons from the West, said Vadym Skibitsky, deputy head of Ukraine's military intelligence, according to The Guardian. According to Skibitsky, there are 10-15 Russian artists per Ukrainian art installation. At the same time, the Armed Forces of Ukraine uses from 5,000 to 6,000 artillery shells per day.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces destroyed the Wagner air defense base in the occupied Luhansk region. This was announced by the head of the Luhansk Regional State Administration Serhiy Gaidai. He added that one Russian soldier survived.
Modular towns have been established in Bucha district, the Kyiv regional administration said. Photo: Ministry of Regional Development.
The political technologist and political commentator were informed in absentia about the suspicion of treason, the Office of the Prosecutor General said. It was established that he was connected with the special services of the Russian Federation, which operated in Ukraine under diplomatic cover. Police did not name the suspect. At the same time, you can recognize Mykhailo Pohrebynsky in the photo.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken condemned the decision of the fictitious court of the so-called "DPR" to execute three foreigners who fought on the side of the Armed Forces.
We are seriously concerned about reports of a fictitious "trial" and verdicts against legitimate combatants serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. We call on Russia and its proxies to respect international humanitarian law, including the rights and protections provided to prisoners of war, ”Blinken wrote.
Sentence to execution in "DPR", "People's Militia" of Belarus, the losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The war. The main news of June 9
The so-called "DPR" sentenced to death three foreign military volunteers, Ukraine loses up to hundred of fighters every day, Belarus forms a "people's militia", the United States has developed a training plan to work with HIMARS, Ukraine has imposed sanctions against Putin, and the Russian president compared himself to Peter I. Suspilne gathered the main news of the 106th day of the full-scale war.
The so-called "DPR" sentenced to death three foreign military volunteers — British citizens Aiden Eslin and Sean Pinner, as well as a citizen of the Kingdom of Morocco Brahim Saadun. All of them fought on the side of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and have a month to appeal the sentence. The British Foreign Office condemned the sentence and called it "fictitious."
Ukraine is losing up to a hundred soldiers killed and up to 500 wounded every day, and Russia is "suffering huge losses" but still has the strength to advance in some parts of the front, so Ukraine needs heavy weapons, and very quickly, said Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov.
The Belarusian leadership is forming a "people's militia", according to the General Staff. In the Luhansk region, Russian troops are trying to storm Severodonetsk, fighting around Komyshuvakha and Roty, and they will probably try to force the Siversky Donets again, because the water level in the river has decreased, says the head of the Luhansk RMA Serhii Haidai. In the Donetsk region, the Russians fired rockets at Kramatorsk. British intelligence also reports that the Russian army is trying to advance south of Izium towards the Donetsk region.
The Russian militaries have transferred 30 T-62 tanks to the Zaporizhzhia region and they are trying to take control of the route on the border of the Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions, according to the Institute for the Study of War. The border runs from Vasylivka to Orikhiv and Huliaipole.
In order to stop the Ukrainian army's counteroffensive in the Kherson region, Russian troops are mining the territory with Soviet mines made in the 1950s, according to the Central Intelligence Agency.
During 105 days of the full-scale war, Russia has launched about 2,600 missiles at Ukrainian cities, Volodymyr Zelensky said.
The US military has developed a plan to train Ukrainians to work with modern HIMARS multiple rocket launchers, which are provided to Ukraine by the USA.
As of the morning of June 9, at least 751 children have been suffered in Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine. The number of children killed did not change during the day — 263, and the number of injured increased to 488. Data — the Prosecutor General's Office.
Russian President Vladimir Putin compared himself to Peter I and said that modern Russia had the same fate as Russia under the emperor, who "returned and strengthened territories." Putin said this after visiting the multimedia exhibition "Peter I. The Birth of the Empire", dedicated to the 350th anniversary of the emperor's birth.
Ukraine has imposed sanctions on Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov and other Russian officials.
It may take months to clear Ukrainian ports of landmines, according to Bloomberg, citing the United Nations Agency for the Safety of Shipping.
The European Union has provided Ukraine with another 205 million euros in humanitarian aid. The money will particularly be spent for creation of temporary towns for those who have lost their homes and to provide humanitarian aid to people in the occupied territories.
Kyiv City Council has deprived Minsk of its sister city status in the Ukrainian capital. This was announced by Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 106. Online updates.
Russian troops are trying to attack Sievierodonetsk and advance in the Izium direction, reports the UK Ministry of Defence with reference to British intelligence. It is suggested that Russia seeks to restore pace on the Izium direction to put further pressure on Sievierodonetsk and allow its troops to advance deeper into the Donetsk region.
On June 8, Russian forces shelled Azot plant in Sievierodonetsk twice and hit an ammonia production facility. The bomb shelter of the plant is intact and there are no chemical emissions, reported the head of the Luhansk administration Serhii Haidai.
Residential areas in other settlements of Luhansk Oblast were also shelled. During the past day, four people have been killed and another five injured.
Active hostilities continue along the entire front line in the Donetsk region. Rocket shelling continues in Bakhmut, Kurakhove, Shchurove. Russians also shelled Avdiivka, Mariinka, Krasnohorivka from heavy artillery.
Dnipropetrovsk, Zhytomyr, and Sumy regions were shelled as well. Kharkiv was attacked during the night, at least two people were killed, and four were injured.
Russia is trying to take the highway on the border between Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions under control and has moved 30 tanks into Zaporizhzhia Oblast, according to the Institute for the Study of War.
In the Kharkiv region, a TV tower was damaged due to the shelling, as Suspilne was told by Broadcasting, Radiocommunications and Television Concern. No casualties have been reported.
The construction of five houses started in a village near Kyiv, designated for locals who lost their homes due to the war. It is planned to build 15 such houses in total. People will get this housing for free.
The Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation conducts training in the Black Sea. This was reported in the press service of the operational command South. Currently, three Russian missile ships and a submarine equipped with 28 Caliber missiles are ready for attacks.
The UN said that it may take months to clear Ukrainian ports from mines 'even if they will be opened tomorrow'.
In 105 days of full-scale war, Russia has used about 2.6 thousand different missiles against Ukrainian cities, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Most of these missiles were directed against civilian targets.
Ukraine has already received the first billion of the $40 billion approved by the U.S., according to the newly appointed Ambassador Bridget Brink.
Exchange of bodies of the dead, howitzers M109, ban of the "Opposition bloc". War. The main news for June 8
There is another exchange of bodies In the Zaporizhia region, Russia has stolen 600 thousand tons of Ukrainian grain, Ukraine and Turkey are discussing how to unblock ports, Norway handed over howitzers M109, the court banned the "Opposition Bloc", sowing has been ended in Ukraine. Suspilne gathered the main news of the 105th day of the full-scale war.
In the Zaporizhia region the bodies of the dead were exchanged between Ukraine and Russia according to the "50 to 50" formula. Out of our 50 defenders, 37 are Azovstal defenders.
In the Luhansk region, the Russians are shelling Privilege, Severodonetsk, Lysychansk, Voronovo, Toshkivka and Gorske, according to the General Staff. In the Donetsk region, the Ukrainian military does not allow the Russian army to attack Slovyansk, and in the Bakhmut direction, Russian troops fire on Komyshuvakha, Vrubivka, Mykolaivka, Semigorye and New York.
Russia stole about 600,000 tons from Ukrainian agricultural enterprises. The products were first exported to the occupied Crimea, and then to international ports, the All-Ukrainian Agrarian Council said.
Ukraine has begun discussing with Turkey mechanisms for unblocking ports and exporting grain, according to the OP. At the same time, the Turkish side is also negotiating with Russia on this issue. On June 8, during a press conference in Ankara, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that Ankara considers the "grain corridor" in the Black Sea. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia is ready to accompany ships leaving Ukrainian ports and going to the Bosphorus and Dardanelles.
Norway has donated 22 M109 self-propelled howitzers, ammunition, spare parts and other equipment to Ukraine.
The Eighth Administrative Court of Appeal banned the Opposition Bloc party. Property, funds and other assets of the party must become the property of the state. The party can appeal the court's decision to the Supreme Court.
Polish President Andrzej Duda has launched a series of visits to southern European countries to persuade them to support Ukraine's EU candidate status.
The World Bank has approved additional funding for Ukraine — $1.49 billion to pay salaries to government and social workers.
Despite the war, the sowing campaign in Ukraine was successful, said Prime Minister Denys Shmygal. According to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, 75% of last year's area was sown.
Ukraine has submitted proposals to the European Union on the seventh package of sanctions against Russia and insists on the adoption of new restrictions as soon as possible, said Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
As of the morning of June 8, at least 741 children had been injured in Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine. 263 children died. The number of injured children increased to 478. Data from the Prosecutor General's Office.
At least half a million Ukrainians have lost their homes due to the war, according to the Ministry of Finance.
As of the beginning of June, 90.3% of Ukrainians who took part in the all-Ukrainian online survey are confident of Ukraine's victory.
Canada has announced new sanctions against Russia's oil and gas sector: a ban on advertising and public relations agencies from working for Russian oil and gas companies.
British singer Robbie Williams has stated that he would like to perform at Eurovision 2023, which is to take place in Ukraine after the victory of the Kalush Orchestra in Turin. The musician would like to join the competition not as a participant, but to become a star guest of the show and perform during the break.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 105. Online updates.
Fighting continues in the Donbas. In the Luhansk region, Russian troops are assaulting Severodonetsk, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are successfully holding Russians, and street battles are underway in the city, the General Staff reports. Russians are also shelling Lysychansk.
In the Donetsk region, Russian troops are preparing to attack Slovyansk, fighting in the Bakhmut direction. As a result of the shelling, 35 buildings were damaged during the day.
Shelling of the Chernihiv, Mykolaiv and Kharkiv regions continues. New satellite images of the Luhansk and Kharkiv regions have been published by Maxar Technologies. Destroyed buildings in the city of Rubizhne and funnels from Russian shells cab be seen there.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces have achieved some success in the counterattack in the Kherson region, including restoring a bridgehead on the east bank of the Ingulets River, according to British intelligence. However, the general situation in the occupied Kherson region is critical: many houses and infrastructure have been damaged in the battles, and civilians have been killed and seriously injured, according to the Civil-Military Administration. At the same time, according to the head of the Kherson regional military administration Hennadii Lahuta, the occupiers and illegal collaboration authorities are going to prepare a referendum on the inclusion of the region in the Russian Federation by the autumn.
According to the latest data, Ukraine managed to get 210 dead bodies of servicemen from Mariupol, most of which defended Azovstal. These are the combatants of Azov Regiment, the 36th Marine Brigade, the Security Service, the State Border Guard Service, the National Police and others, according to the Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate.
Prime Minister Denys Schmyhal said that despite the war, the sowing campaign in Ukraine was successful. 75% of last year's area were sown, and now preparations for harvest have begun.
The World Bank has allocated an additional $1.5 billion to Ukraine to pay salaries to government and social workers.
The United States and its allies are working on delivering anti-ship missiles to Ukraine as soon as possible, according to Voice of America, citing a senior White House official.
Ukraine wants to buy the Iron Dome missile defense system from Israel to counter Russian missile strikes, Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel Korniychuk said.
The European Parliament will recommend the leaders of the European Union to give Ukraine the status of a candidate for EU membership at the summit on June 23-24, said the chairman of the EP Committee on Foreign Affairs McAllister.
New Zealand has imposed sanctions against Gazprom and more than 40 other companies in Russia and Belarus over a the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This was reported by The National Tribute. According to the country's Foreign Minister, New Zealanders are prohibited from dealing with these companies.
Medical cannabis, exchange of bodies of the dead, Belarus increases the number of military. War. The main news for June 7
Russia has handed over to Ukraine the first bodies of Ukrainian soldiers killed at Azovstal, Belarus plans to increase its armed forces, the Cabinet of Ministers supports the legalization of medical cannabis, Turkey and Russia are planning an agreement to export Ukrainian grain, and the Russian Orthodox Church has annexed the UOC-MP. Suspilne gathered the main news of the 104th day of the full-scale war.
The Russian side handed over to Ukraine the first bodies of Ukrainian servicemen who died at the Azovstal plant in Mariupol. It happened as part of a body exchange on June 4. On June 7, 162 bodies of dead servicemen arrived in Kyiv. These are fighters of the Azov Regiment, the 36th Marine Brigade, the Security Service of Ukraine, the State Border Guard Service, the National Police and others.
In the Donetsk region, Russian troops are preparing to attack Slovyansk and are fighting in the Bakhmut direction near Komyshuvakha. In the Luhansk region, Russian troops are shelling Lysychansk, Borivske and Metelkino, as well as the battles for Severodonetsk. Also, during the day, the Russians fired on settlements in the Chernihiv region and were defending in the Kharkiv region.
As part of the creation of the Southern Operational Command, Belarus plans to increase the number of armed forces to 80,000 troops, according to the Ukrainian General Staff. Also, according to the General Staff, along the Ukrainian border with Belarus there are Russian military with missile systems "Iskander-M" and "Pantsir-C1" and aircraft.
The Cabinet of Ministers supported the draft law on legalization of medical cannabis use. "We understand the negative effects of the war on mental health. We understand the number of people who will need medical treatment as a result of this impact. And we understand that there is no time to wait," said Health Minister Viktor Lyashko.
Turkey and Russia have reached an agreement to unblock Ukrainian ports for the transportation of Ukrainian grain, writes the Turkish newspaper Yeni Şafak, citing its own sources. Allegedly, the agreement on a safe corridor for Ukrainian grain will be signed on June 8-9 during the visit of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to Ankara. At the same time, Volodymyr Zelenskyi stated the day before that Kyiv had not been invited to the meeting.
Poland plans to sign a $630 million arms deal with Ukraine for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. It will be the largest contract in 30 years, according to the office of Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
India plans to double the purchase of Russian oil at a discount, Bloomberg reports, citing anonymous informed sources. According to them, Indian state refiners are working on concluding new six-month contracts for the supply of Russian oil.
As of the morning of June 7, more than 730 children were injured in Ukraine as a result of armed aggression by the Russian Federation. 263 children died and at least 467 were injured. Data — Office of the Attorney General.
The Russian Orthodox Church has stated that it accepts the Crimean dioceses of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate under the direct authority of Patriarch Kirill. That is, it means the annexation of the Crimean eparchy of the UOC-MP.
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson thanked the Conservative MPs for their vote of confidence. The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky stated that he was "very happy" that the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson had remained in office.
From September 1, the educational process in Ukraine will be resumed offline, said Deputy Minister of Education Andriy Vitrenko.
In Ukraine, the Council for Derusification, Decommunization and Decolonization has been established under the Ministry of Culture and the Institute of National Remembrance. It will coordinate the dismantling of Soviet monuments.
More than 200,000 Ukrainians who left the country after the Russian invasion were employed in Poland under a simplified procedure, the Polish Ministry of Family and Social Policy said.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, day 104. Online updates.
The bodies of the dead "Azovstal" defenders, obtained during the exchange between Ukraine and Russia "160 to 160" have already arrived in Kyiv, the Association of Families of the Azovstal Defenders reported.
According to the spokeswoman of the regiment Anna Holovko, these are all those who died in the Azovstal. At least 52 are the Azov regiment fighters. It is unknown when the burial will take place.
In the Luhansk region, the Ukrainian army continues fighting for Severodonetsk. The army of the Russian Federation continues assaulting the city. The Ukrainian Armed Forces also reflected the attacks of Russians in the direction of Novookhtyrka and Voronove.
In Lysychansk Russians shelled Mining College and a school where two people were injured. The massive shelling was in the city of Zolote - 13 houses were destroyed at once.
The shelling across the front line continues in the Donetsk region. The Russian Federation attacks from small arms, tanks, artillery, mortars and multiple rocket launchers. Kurakhove and Avdiyivka were hit by rockets, and Mykolayivka was attacked with cassette ammunition. Bakhmut, Krasnohorivka, Avdiyivka, Yar, New York and other settlements are under under the Russian fire. 26 objects were damaged. Three people were killed during a day, including a child. Six persons wounded, including two children.
Also during last day the Kharkiv region was shelled, two people were killed and seven more were injured. The Russian Federation also attacked the Dnipropetrovsk and Sumy regions.
In the morning, Mykolaiv was shelled again. At night, the Bashtanka community suffered from Russian shelling: two people were killed, one person was injured. Battles in Kherson region are ongoing. Russians continue shelling occupied villages from artillery and trying to return the liberated territories by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The invaders left almost all the checkpoints of the Melitopol district. According to the mayor of the city Ivan Fedorov, Russian troops departed from checkpoints in the regional centre.
He recalled that President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky came to the Zaporizhzhia region on June 5. According to Fedorov's opinion, the Ukrainian Armed Forces will be able to liberate Melitopol. However, the head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration Oleksandr Starukh does not exclude that it can be a rotation.
The buildings of four faculties of Karazin Kharkiv University need to be restored - they were damaged or destroyed as a result of the hit of the shells of Russian invaders and explosive waves. The spokesman of the university Maksym Folomeyev told Suspilne that the recovery will cost more than three billion hryvnias.
In Russia, the data on the dead servicemen in Ukraine were recognized as "state secret", and criminal liability is threatened for disclosure. The decision was made by the Svetlogorsk City Court of Kaliningrad Oblast.
In the temporarily occupied Kherson, the so-called administration is ready to pay for providing Russian citizenship and support of the referendum, but there are no supporters among the population, the National Resistance Centre reported.
The number of Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus will be increased to 80 thousand people in the scope of the creation of the Southern Operational Command. According to the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the threat of missile and aviation strikes from the territory of Belarus is remaining. Until June 11, Belarus continues to check the combat readiness of its army.
2.5 thousand soldiers in captivity, battles for Severodonetsk, MLRS M270 from Britain. War. The main news for June 6
More than 2,500 Ukrainian soldiers from the Azovstal plant are being held captive by Russia, Mariupol is being quarantined, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have repulsed the Russian Black Sea Fleet 100 kilometers away, the Ukrainian military has eliminated a Russian major general, and Britain will hand over M270 MLRS to Ukraine. Suspilne gathered the main news of the 103rd day of the full-scale war.
After the battles for Mariupol, more than 2,500 Ukrainian soldiers from the Azovstal plant found themselves in Russian captivity. Their release is being handled by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, Volodymyr Zelenskyi said.
Occupied Mariupol is being closed for quarantine, says Mariupol Mayor's Adviser Petro Andryushchenko. According to him, information began to arrive that there was cholera in the city.
Russia has focused its efforts on capturing Severodonetsk and is trying to block UAF units near Lysychansk, the General Staff said. However, as explained in the Ministry of Defense, despite the advantage of the Russian Federation in artillery, the Ukrainian military is gradually displacing the Russians from Severodonetsk.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine managed to repel the group of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation more than a hundred kilometers from the coast, according to the Ministry of Defense. However, Russia has changed tactics in an attempt to regain control of the northwestern Black Sea. In particular, the Russian military has deployed coastal missile systems "Bal" and "Bastion" in the Crimea and Kherson region, as well as sending additional forces to Zmiiny (Snake) Island.
Turkey is looking for a format of security guarantees to unblock Ukrainian ports and could become a mediator in this process, said Volodymyr Zelensky. A spokesman for Turkish President Ibrahim Kalin said that Turkey "in the coming days" is waiting for a decision on grain exports from Ukraine by sea, but even after the agreement will take about five weeks to begin the operation.
Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Defense Andriy Kartapolov said that Russia could strike at Ukraine's transport infrastructure and government agencies if the Armed Forces receives long-range multiple rocket launchers from the Allies.
The Verkhovna Rada wants to change the procedure for exchanging prisoners of war. The bill was registered on the parliament's website. In particular, it stipulates that a convict is released from serving a sentence if a decision is made to exchange him. However, if after that the convict comes to fight in Ukraine again and is detained again, he will spend the whole term in prison.
The Ermak-McFaul International Group presented a Roadmap for individual sanctions against Russia. The document outlines the objectives of sanctions, the principles of their application, identifies the categories of people against whom personal sanctions should be imposed, and proposes a strategy to increase the pressure of sanctions.
During the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, 32 journalists were killed and 16 others were injured. Data — the Prosecutor General's Office.
Our news at 11:51
Russians fired five rockets at Kyiv, lawyer Masi Nayem was wounded at the front, the Verkhovna Rada will introduce a bill to write off consumer loans for movable and immovable property, developed a plan for the European Union to abandon Russian gas, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry awaits I am the Speaker of the Hungarian Parliament Laszlo Kever. Suspilne gathered the main news of the 102nd day of the full-scale war.
In the morning, the Russians fired five X-22 cruise missiles from the Caspian Sea in Kyiv. One was destroyed by air defense units, the rest hit infrastructure facilities. Adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs Vadym Denysenko said that one of them was a military facility. The head of Ukrzaliznytsia Oleksandr Kamyshin said that four rockets hit the Darnytsia Car Repair Plant.
With a missile attack on Kyiv's railway infrastructure on the morning of June 5, the Russian Federation was probably trying to disrupt the supply of Western military equipment to Ukrainian units on the front line. This was reported by the British Ministry of Defense with reference to British intelligence.
Russian troops are defending themselves in the Kharkiv region and resumed the offensive on Slovyansk and Svyatogorsk in the Donetsk region, according to the General Staff. Street fights in Severodonetsk. The head of the Luhansk OVA Serhiy Haidai shared a video of the Ukrainian military destroying Russian equipment in the city.
Ukrainian fighters from the Azovstal plant, who are in Russian captivity, are in satisfactory conditions and waiting to be exchanged, but food and water need to be improved, said Kateryna Prokopenko, the wife of the commander of the Mariupol Azov Regiment, Denys Prokopenko.
Lawyer Massi Nayem, the brother of journalist and former MP Mustafa Nayem, was wounded in the fighting zone. "My brother has a severe head and eye injury. He was in a coma, sometimes comes to his senses; doctors say he is stable now," said Mustafa Nayem.
Putin said that if Kyiv received long-range missiles, Russia would use its means of destruction on those targets that have not yet been hit. The President of the Russian Federation did not specify which objects were in question.
In a Pentecostal Sunday address, Pope Francis called on pilgrims to St. Peter's Square in the Vatican to call for "real talks" on a ceasefire.
As of the morning of June 5, more than 729 children were injured in Ukraine as a result of armed aggression by the Russian Federation. 262 children were killed and at least 467 injured. Data — the Prosecutor General's Office.
The Verkhovna Rada will introduce a bill to write off consumer loans for movable and immovable property that was destroyed as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, said Danylo Getmantsev, chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Tax and Customs Policy. "Any person does not have to pay a debt for a non-existent object," he explained.
During the week, the Ministry of Health of Ukraine received 38 tons of drugs from donors and charities, as well as ambulances and an oxygen station, the Ministry of Health of Ukraine said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine expects the speaker of the Hungarian parliament Laszlo Kever to publish a certificate on the state of his mental health, says Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleh Nikolenko. Earlier, Laszlo Kever said that Volodymyr Zelensky had "mental problems" and sometimes asked his partners for support.
The European Union's plan to phase out Russian gas has already been developed and calls for increasing imports of liquefied natural gas from the United States and other countries, as well as expanding the use of renewable energy sources, said Office President Andriy Yermak. These include 50 billion cubic meters of liquefied natural gas imports from the United States or Qatar.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine have confirmed the death of Russian Major General Roman Kutuzov in the Luhansk region. Kutuzov commanded units of the 1st Army Corps of the DNR. Prior to that, he held the position of Chief of Staff of the 29th All-Military Army of the Eastern Military District of the Russian Federation.
The United Kingdom will provide Ukraine with M270 multiple rocket launchers, which can hit targets up to 80 km away. The decision was agreed with the United States in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
As of the morning of June 6, the total combat losses of Russia since the beginning of a full-scale offensive against Ukraine on February 24 amounted to about 31,250 servicemen, according to the General Staff. During the day, the Russians lost about 100 servicemen. In the Donbas, the occupiers continued to storm Severodonetsk and attack Slovyansk, but suffered losses in the Bakhmut direction. In the Kharkiv region, the Russians are actively defending themselves.
Our news at 12:04
Russia has fired several missiles at Kyiv. Previously, from Tu-95 aircraft from the Caspian Sea. Hitting the infrastructure in two districts of Kyiv. According to Mayor Vitali Klitschko, there are no casualties, one person was hospitalized.
As of the morning of June 4, Russia had already fired 2,503 missiles into Ukrainian territory, Volodymyr Zelensky said, adding that the Russian army had destroyed or damaged 113 Ukrainian churches during the war.
The Russian army is advancing in the Slavic direction, and controls the eastern part of Severodonetsk. but during the last 24 hours, Ukrainian troops counterattacked the city. This probably reduced the operational momentum of Russian forces in Severodonetsk, according to British intelligence.
Anti-aircraft missile units of the Air Force in the East destroyed a Russian plane, probably a Su-34, in the South — an UAV type "Forpost", and the total losses of Russia — about 31,150 troops, according to the General Staff.
Spain is ready to hand anti-aircraft missile systems and Leopard battle tanks over to Ukraine. This was reported by the Spanish newspaper El Pais, citing sources in the government.
Employees of the 5th Division of the FSB of Russia admit in their documents that the population of the Russian Federation still does not understand why the war was the only possible way to "solve the goals of the Russian Federation." This is evidenced by the propaganda methods of the Russian special services on the "correct coverage of the special operation" in Ukraine, to which the SBU received access.
The embroidered shirt worn by President Volodymyr Zelensky on Embroidery Day on May 19 was sold at a charity auction in Washington for $ 100,000.
Exchange of dead bodies, missile strike on the Odesa region, Vatican coin. The war. The main news of June 4
The dead bodies were exchanged between Ukraine and Russia, the EU is working on the seventh package of sanctions, and the war in Ukraine is launching a three-dimensional global crisis. Suspilne gathered the main news of the 101st day of the full-scale war.
On June 2, in the Zaporizhzhia region, on the front line between Ukraine and Russia, the bodies of the dead were exchanged according to the "160 for 160" formula.
Ukrainian intelligence maintains contact with the captured Azovstal fighters and thus learns about the conditions of their detention, food and the possibility of their release, said Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky.
In Mariupol, the Russian occupiers began to demolish houses without dismantling the ruins under which the dead bodies may still be. Everything is taken to the landfill. The adviser to the mayor of Mariupol Petro Andriushchenko reported about it.
During the day in the Donbas, the Ukrainian militaries repulsed 9 attacks of the Russian army. Street fights continue in Severodonetsk, the Luhansk region. In the Donetsk region — shelling throughout the region: Avdiyivka, Kramatorsk, Kostiantynivka, Soledar, New York, Vasylivka village and, the village of Mayaky. No hits were recorded in Kharkiv during the night. In the morning Russians launched a missile strike on the Odesa region, there are victims, and also Mykolaiv was shelled.
The European Union is working on the seventh package of sanctions against Russia. It could provide for the disconnection of all Russian banks from the SWIFT system, said Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Pavlo Jablonski.
French President Emmanuel Macron said he could come to Kyiv in the near future, and said that despite Putin's "fundamental mistake", Russia could not be "humiliated" because of the war in Ukraine. In response, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba wrote that such appeals "can only humiliate France."
More than 726 children got hurt in Ukraine as a result of armed aggression by the Russian Federation. As of the morning of June 4, the official number of children killed during the day has not changed — 261. The number of injured has increased — 465. Data — the Prosecutor General's Office.
The war in Ukraine is fueling a three-dimensional global crisis — food, energy and finance. The most vulnerable countries and economies suffer because of this. This is stated in a statement by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, dedicated to 100 days since the beginning of a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.
On the 100th day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Vatican Office of Philately and Numismatics issued a special silver coin. It costs 50 euros. All proceeds from the sale will be used to help Ukraine.
Our news at 13:20
Ukrainian intelligence maintains contact with the captured Azovstal fighters and thus learns about the conditions of their detention, food and the possibility of their release, said Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky.
In Mariupol, the Russian occupiers began to demolish houses without dismantling the rubble under which the bodies of the dead may be. Everything is taken to the landfill. The adviser to the mayor of Mariupol Petro Andryushchenko reported about it.
During the day in the Donbas, the Ukrainian military repulsed 9 attacks by the Russian army. Street fights continue in the Luhansk region of Severodonetsk. In the Donetsk region — shelling throughout the region: Avdiyivka, Kramatorsk, Kostiantynivka, Soledar, New York, village Vasylivka, village Mayaky. No blows were recorded in Kharkiv during the night. In the morning the Russians launched a missile strike on the Odesa region, there are victims, and also fired at Mykolaiv.
The combination of air and artillery strikes has been a key factor in Russia's recent tactical success in the Donbas, according to British intelligence, and with the shift of operational focus to the Donbas, Russia has been able to increase tactical use to support its advance.
The war in Ukraine is fueling a three-dimensional global crisis — food, energy and finance. The most vulnerable countries and economies suffer because of this. This is stated in a statement by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, dedicated to 100 days since the beginning of a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.
On the 100th day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Vatican Office of Philately and Numismatics issued a special silver coin. It costs 50 euros. All proceeds from the sale will be used to help Ukraine.
A foreign legion in Severodonetsk, 300 bridges destroyed, Moscow asking Beijing for money. War. The main news for June 3
Russian troops continue to fight for Severodonetsk and control 90% of Luhansk region, in 100 days of war the Ukrainian military liberated 1,017 settlements, Russia exports stolen grain from Ukraine to Syria and Turkey, Moscow asks Beijing for financial assistance. Suspilne gathered the main news of the 100th day of the full-scale war.
The Russian military is destroying civilian objects in Kharkiv and launched an air strike by Mi-8 helicopters on the positions of the Armed Forces in the region. In the Donbas, the Russian army is storming residential areas of Severodonetsk and firing artillery and MLRS at settlements in the region, according to the General Staff. Russian troops advanced in the directions of Bakhmut, Soledar and Lysychansk, but without success. The "Foreign Legion" entered the city in defense of Severodonetsk.
Russia controls more than 90% of the Luhansk region and is likely to fully control it in the next two weeks, according to British intelligence. However, Russia achieved these successes on the hundredth day of the war with considerable expenditure of resources, as well as by concentrating force and fire on one part of the overall campaign.
As of February 24, the Ukrainian military has liberated 1,017 settlements from the Russians, said Deputy Head of the President's Office Kyrylo Tymoshenko.
During the 100 days of the war in Ukraine, 24,000 km of roads and 300 bridges were destroyed, Ukravtodor reports. And the Minister of Culture and Information Policy Oleksandr Tkachenko said that during this period the Russian military destroyed 370 Ukrainian monuments of cultural heritage.
During the war, Russia exported to Syria 100,000 tons of grain stolen from Ukrainian storage facilities in the temporarily occupied territories, writes Reuters. The publication estimates that it costs more than $40 million. Ukraine's ambassador to Turkey, Vasyl Bodnar, said that the Russians were exporting stolen Ukrainian grain under their documents to Turkey.
The European Union has published new lists of the sixth package of anti-Russian sanctions and they have entered into force. The list includes 18 legal entities and 65 individuals, including Putin's "mistress" Alina Kabayeva, Dmytro Peskov's family, and Yandex founder Arkady Volozh. Also, in the sixth package — a ban on oil imports from Russia by sea, disconnection from the Swift system "Sberbank" and several other banks.
Moscow has pressured Beijing at least twice to offer new forms of economic support. This was reported by The Washington Post, citing Chinese officials. Interlocutors said that President Xi Jinping instructed his closest advisers to find ways to provide financial assistance to Russia, but without violating sanctions.
More than 724 children were injured in Ukraine as a result of armed aggression by the Russian Federation. As of the morning of June 3, the official number of children killed during the day has not changed — 261. The number of injured has increased — 463. Data — the Prosecutor General's Office.
Metallica raised $1 million for Ukraine in two months. The money will go to the World Central Kitchen and their #ChefsForUkraine initiative.
Defender of Mariupol and photographer of the Azov Regiment Dmytro Kozatsky with the call sign "Orest" received a special award from the Polish Grand Press Photo 2022. He shared photos from Azovstal on his social networks.
