live blog
Chancellor Scholz wants to address Beijing’s support for Russia during his visit to China. Four people were killed by Russian missiles in eastern Ukraine. All developments in the live blog.
At least four people were killed by Russian rocket fire in the eastern Ukrainian city of Siversk. According to authorities, they are men between the ages of 36 and 86. They called on the remaining residents to flee the area near the front. The front line between Russian and Ukrainian troops runs about ten kilometers east of the small town.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz has warned China about its support for Russia. “We will talk about the fact that no one is allowed to help,” said Scholz in Shanghai, referring to the increased Chinese exports to Russia since the attack on Ukraine. There are certainly dual-use products that can be used for civilian purposes, but can also “in reality” be used for military purposes.
Scholz will speak to the Chinese leadership in Beijing on Tuesday. Western countries accuse China of not supplying weapons, but of supplying products that Russia uses in the war against Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj is calling for punitive measures against Russia to be consistently enforced. In his daily video message, he said that aid to Ukraine was unfortunately still limited. Russia still has access to key components needed to produce missiles and drones.
Zelenskyj also calls for further support in the fight against Russian air and missile attacks and referred to the largely successful defense against Iranian attacks on Israel on Sunday night. “The whole world sees what real defense is and sees that it is possible,” he said.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov describes the situation on the Eastern Front as tense. He wrote on Facebook that Russian troops were trying to advance in the areas west of Bakhmut. “Despite the enemy’s numerical superiority, we successfully thwarted these plans – thanks to the courage, training and professionalism of the defenders.”
In view of increased Russian attacks on Ukraine, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called on the US Congress to release the aid package for Kiev that has been “slowed down” for months. The House of Representatives needs to get a move on, von der Leyen told the Germany editorial network.
Continuing to block the aid package put forward by the ruling Democrats “would not only harm Ukraine, but also the Atlantic alliance as a whole.
The Republican leader of the US House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, has sent corresponding signals. He told Fox News that after Iran’s attack on Israel, he would campaign for the release of further funds for Israel – and in this context would also explore his party’s approval for further aid to Ukraine.
Ukraine has intercepted ten Russian drones, according to its air force. The death toll in the Ukrainian attack in Tokmak has risen to 16, according to Russian information. Sunday’s developments to read.