live blog
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy visited the regions of Donetsk and Zaporizhia, which are close to the front. The World Swimming Federation again allows Russian athletes to compete. All developments in the live blog.
In 2022, 1,172 people will be killed or injured by cluster munitions worldwide. This is the highest number of victims that the annual cluster bomb monitor has recorded since it was first published in 2010, said the Munich-based aid organization Handicap International. The high number is mainly due to the use of cluster munitions in Ukraine, it said. There were the most casualties (890) due to the extensive use of cluster munitions by Russia.
However, the Ukrainian armed forces also used cluster munitions, according to the report. The US government’s decision in July 2023 to supply cluster munitions to Ukraine sets a “dangerous precedent,” Handicap International said. Cluster munitions are among the most dangerous weapons for civilians, as they can continue to cause casualties long after the conflict is over, it said.
According to British government experts, the elections scheduled by Russia in the occupied territories of Ukraine are neither free nor fair. That comes from the daily intelligence report of the British Ministry of Defense on the war in Ukraine. Elections are to take place from September 8th to 10th, coinciding with elections in the Russian Federation. Elections are already underway in some areas.
According to the British statement, the absence of independent candidates who are not members of parties accepted by the Kremlin indicates that the elections are neither free nor fair. According to a Ukrainian organization, the number of registered voters was also significantly exaggerated. It is likely that the dominant Russian party, United Russia, will get the majority of seats. The attempt to increase control and influence over the occupied territories was behind this, the statement continued.
Cuban citizens have been forced to fight for Russia in the war in Ukraine, according to the Cuban Foreign Ministry. The human trafficking ring operates both in the Caribbean island state and in Russia to recruit Cubans living there and on the island for the armed forces, the ministry said. The Cuban authorities are working to break up the network, and criminal proceedings have been initiated against those involved.
The Kremlin initially did not comment on the allegations. In late May, a Russian newspaper from the city of Ryazan reported that several Cubans had been sent to Ukraine in exchange for Russian citizenship. It was initially unclear whether the statement by the Cuban Foreign Ministry was related to the report from Ryazan.
Russian air defense systems shot down Ukrainian drones said to have been aimed at the capital Moscow over the city of Istra and in the Kaluga region. This was announced by the Russian Ministry of Defense and the Mayor of Moscow. Such information cannot be verified independently.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the Donetsk and Zaporizhia regions in the midst of the ongoing counter-offensive close to the front. He praised the soldiers’ struggle to liberate the country as “heroic”. He spent the whole day with soldiers, Zelenskyj said in a video message recorded on the train late Monday evening. He attended various units. “Each one is strong. I’m proud of them all.” He did not provide any information about the exact locations.
Accordingly, Selenskyj wanted to get an overview of the condition of the units and the situation at the front. He’s heard problems. The insufficient staffing of some combat units and a lack of certain types of ammunition were also discussed. The talks also discussed the need for drones and weapons to counter enemy drones, as well as logistical aspects.
The swimming world association World Aquatics opens the door for Russian and Belarusian athletes. After extensive deliberations, the federation has decided on a set of criteria that will allow water sports enthusiasts to return from Russia and Belarus as neutral athletes, World Aquatics announced on Monday.
The “strict criteria” that were worked out by a task force installed by the Presidium included: no active support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine, no playing of the anthems, no presentation of the national flags and certain anti-doping measures. In addition, only one athlete from Russia and Belarus is allowed to start in a competition.
The world governing body also reported a survey of elite, junior and masters athletes, according to which 67 percent would support the participation of Russians and Belarusians as neutral athletes while complying with strict criteria.
According to the US, North Korea’s ruler Kim Jong Un wants to meet with Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin in Russia to negotiate arms deliveries to Moscow. “As we have publicly warned, negotiations over arms sales between Russia and North Korea are progressing,” US National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said in Washington.
Kim said he would like “these talks to continue and include high-level diplomatic exchanges in Russia.” According to information from the “New York Times”, Kim, who rarely travels abroad, apparently wants to meet Putin in Vladivostok in September.