Russian invasion
War in Ukraine: That’s the situation
Firefighters extinguish a fire in Mykolaiv after Russian shelling. Photo: George Ivanchenko/AP/dpa
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Ukraine loses Sieverodonets suburb in fighting, transit restriction angers Russia The EU chief diplomat meanwhile believes in an end to the grain blockade. Developments in the Ukraine War.
The Ukrainian authorities have acknowledged the loss of the village of Metyolkine, south-east of the administrative center of Sieverodonetsk in the east of the country.
“Control of Metyolkine near Sieverodonetsk has been lost,” said the military governor of the Luhansk region, Serhiy Hayday. Russia had already reported the conquest of the town adjacent to Sievjerodonetsk on Sunday.
Crimean boss: Kyiv attacks gas production platforms in the Black Sea
According to pro-Russian sources, the Ukrainian coastal defense system has launched missile attacks on floating gas production platforms in the Black Sea. So far, 21 people have been rescued, said Crimea boss Sergei Aksjonov on Russian state television. A total of 109 people were last on the platforms. There were injuries in one out of three attacks. The Ukrainian military initially did not comment on the incident. Meanwhile, in the western Russian region of Bryansk, a man was injured by artillery fire, according to the governor there.
Kremlin calls Lithuania’s transit restrictions to Kaliningrad ‘illegal’
The Kremlin has criticized Lithuania’s rail transit restrictions between Russia’s Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad and mainland Russia as “illegal”. “This decision is really unprecedented and is a violation of everything,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to the Interfax agency. Lithuania has banned the rail transit of goods on western sanctions lists via its territory to Kaliningrad since Saturday. This affects 40 to 50 percent of all goods in transit, such as building materials and metals. Peskow spoke of “elements of a blockade”.
Ukrainian foreign minister emphasizes will to fight
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba stressed his people’s will to fight. Even in the event of an end to Western arms supplies, Ukraine would continue to fight against Russia. “If we don’t get weapons, okay, then we will fight with shovels, but we will defend ourselves, because this war is a war for our existence,” said Kuleba in English on the ARD talk show “Anne Will” on Sunday evening.
«So the sooner we get weapons, the sooner they are sent, the greater the help for us. If weapons are sent later, we will still say “thank you”, but then a lot will be lost, many people will have died.”
London: Weaknesses of Russian Air Force
According to British intelligence experts, Russia’s difficulties with its advance in Ukraine are also due to the weaknesses of its air force. It is very likely that these are one of the most important factors behind the very limited Russian successes, said a British Ministry of Defense update on Monday. So far, the air forces have tended to avoid risks in their maneuvers and have not been able to achieve air supremacy. This has increased the pressure on the Russian ground forces, which are now increasingly exhausted.
According to British estimates, the Russians have combat-capable aircraft, but are not properly trained for modern air force operations. For years, Russian air force training was said to have focused more on impressing high-ranking military officials than on training dynamic deployment scenarios for different troops.
EU chief diplomat expects deal on grain exports from Ukraine
According to EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, the blockade of the Ukrainian Black Sea ports by the Russian Navy could be resolved. “We are making progress and (…) I am sure that the United Nations will reach an agreement in the end,” he said. At the time of a possible settlement, Borrell said he couldn’t imagine it taking much longer. If so, Russia will be responsible. The blockade of grain exports is a “genuine war crime”.