war in Ukraine
Updated on 08/15/2023 23:34
A woman mourns at her son’s grave. According to the UN, around 10,000 civilians have been killed since the war began.
© dpa / Jae C. Hong / AP / dpa
Another air raid alarm over the whole of Ukraine, more rockets far in the west of the country – and more dead and injured. According to the UN, 10,000 civilians have been killed since the war began. The day at a glance.
Russian airstrikes on western Ukraine have killed at least three people and injured many more, officials said. The attacks hit the cities of Lutsk and Lviv near the Polish border on Tuesday night, according to Ukrainian authorities.
Since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022, UN experts have documented a total of 26,384 civilian casualties in Ukraine, including 9,444 dead and 16,940 injured. However, the balance sheet cannot be complete due to a lack of information, said the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva.
On the night of Tuesday there was an air alert over the entire Ukraine. The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed rocket attacks. These applied primarily to “key companies in the armaments industry” in Ukraine. All specified targets had been destroyed, it was said without further evidence.
Dozens of cruise missiles
The Ukrainian Air Force said 24 cruise missiles of various types were fired by Russian fighter-bombers over the Caspian Sea. In addition, a Russian frigate fired four Kalibr cruise missiles in the Black Sea. The Ukrainian air defense intercepted 16 of these missiles.
In the western Ukrainian city of Lutsk, the regional administration reported at least three deaths. Several injured were taken to hospitals. 15 people were injured in attacks on Lviv, said regional governor Maxym Kosytskyi. 40 buildings were damaged. The affected areas of western Ukraine border on Poland and thus on NATO and the European Union.
Russian missile strikes were also reported from the major cities of Dnipro and Zaporizhia, as well as from Kramatorsk, closer to the front in eastern and southern Ukraine. The military information is usually not independently verifiable. According to the prosecutor’s office, at least one man died in Kramatorsk.
Counter-offensive sluggish
Ukraine has been trying to recapture occupied territories since early summer. However, the counter-offensive is making slow progress. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the front north of the Russian-held town of Bakhmut in Donetsk region on Monday and presented awards to soldiers. According to official information, Ukrainian units south of Bakhmut have recaptured three square kilometers of land in the past week.
Lindner wants a quick decision about Taurus
Germany and other NATO countries supply Ukraine with weapons and ammunition, but from Ukraine’s point of view, a lot is missing. The US announced further military aid for 200 million US dollars (183 million euros). The new package includes ammunition for the Patriot air defense system, Himars multiple rocket launchers, Javelin anti-tank missiles and spare parts. In addition, artillery ammunition and mine clearance equipment from US military stocks will be supplied. According to government figures, the US has provided or pledged a total of $43 billion in military aid since February 2022.
The Ukrainian government recently demanded that Germany supply Taurus cruise missiles. Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) reacted cautiously. Federal Minister of Finance
According to London, Chechen ruler Ramzan Kadyrov wants to emphasize the role played by his fighters in Ukraine in order to demonstrate his loyalty to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Putin launches new verbal attacks on the West
of Russia
One of the things that is currently under pressure in Russia is the currency. The Russian central bank reacted to the strong devaluation of the ruble by raising the key interest rate from 8.5 to 12.0 percent. The aim is to limit the risks to price stability, the central bank said. After the rate hike, the ruble recovered slightly. In the morning there was just under 98 rubles for one dollar. The day before it was 102 rubles.
Russian fighter jet crashed in southern Krasnodar Territory
According to official information, a fighter jet crashed on landing approach in the southern Russian region of Krasnodar for unknown reasons. One inmate died, the Interfax agency reported, citing the Ministry of Defense in Moscow. Russian warplanes repeatedly launch their attacks on Ukraine from Krasnodar.
Poland celebrates “Army Day”
Against the background of the Ukraine war, Poland celebrated this year’s “Army Day” with a large military parade in Warsaw with 2,000 soldiers and 200 units of military technology. Almost a hundred planes and helicopters flew over the city in an air show. The EU and NATO country Poland supports Ukraine intensively, but is also massively arming itself against a feared threat from Russia. (dpa/cgo)