2024-03-22 07:15:00
Yesterday, 05:25
The Ukrainian capital Kiev was attacked with rockets in several waves on Thursday night. In the morning hours, explosions from anti-aircraft missiles could be heard in the city center, as a reporter from the German Press Agency reported. According to the Ukrainian army, the Russian military’s strategic air force was deployed again from the Caspian Sea after a break of several weeks. Russian aircraft had previously dropped guided glide bombs on the Sumy area in the northeast.
After the night siren alarm in Kiev, Mayor Vitaly Klitschko reported that rocket parts had fallen in several parts of the city. Several cars and a transformer house caught fire. There were at least eight slightly injured people. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia also used difficult-to-intercept hypersonic “Kinshal” (Dagger) missiles.
Meanwhile, on the Russian-Ukrainian border between the cities of Belgorod and Kharkiv, the situation is getting worse due to ongoing mutual shelling. A Russian missile attack killed at least five people in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, on Wednesday. President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his dismay in his evening video address: “For more than two years, Kharkiv and the region have been subjected to terrible Russian attacks,” he said. But Wednesday’s deadly attack will only cause Ukraine to react even more forcefully.
On the Russian side, two men were killed by shelling from Ukraine in the Belgorod region in the district town of Graivoron near the border, as Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov announced. He announced crisis measures for his area, which has been under fire from pro-Ukrainian militias for days. Because supplies are deteriorating, food should be distributed. Checkpoints would be set up in seven districts near the border to regulate access to towns. In these districts and in the regional capital Belgorod, school holidays should also start early. In any case, around 9,000 children from the region are to be brought to safety, the first 1,200 of them on Friday.
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan (left) and Ukrainian Presidential Office Chief Andriy Yermak in Kiev. (March 20, 2024)
Keystone/Sergey Dolzhenko
In Kiev, Zelenskiy and his presidential office head Andriy Yermak met with US security advisor Jake Sullivan. He called for confidence in the continued support from the USA, even if new aid was currently being blocked in Parliament. Some other countries such as the Netherlands, Lithuania and Latvia announced arms aid for Ukraine. The 757th day of the war will be counted on Thursday.
Moscow threatens because of the attacks on Belgorod
In Moscow, Federation Council Chairwoman Valentina Matviyenko announced an “appropriate response” to the attacks on Belgorod and threatened retaliation. The attacks by the Ukrainian armed forces targeted civilian objects and cities, said Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin’s confidant – without providing any evidence. She accused the USA, Great Britain and NATO of coordinating the actions of the Ukrainian army. She did not provide any evidence for this either. Pro-Ukrainian paramilitaries have claimed responsibility for the attacks, but not Kiev’s regular armed forces. Putin had already said on Sunday evening that Russia could advance into Ukrainian territory in the border region in order to prevent attacks on Belgorod by creating a buffer zone.
US Security Advisor Sullivan in Kyiv
Zelenskiy spoke with US National Security Advisor Sullivan about arms cooperation, as he reported after the meeting. He thanked the US for its support. “Putin has to lose – and that is a question of life and death for the democratic world,” said the Ukrainian head of state. Sullivan, as security adviser to President Joe Biden, highlighted the many ongoing US aid programs for the country attacked by Russia. At the same time, he called on the US Congress to release new money for Ukraine. Support for Kiev has been stuck for months in a dispute between Republicans and Democrats in the US Parliament.
Zelenskiy is seeking Indian support
The Ukrainian president also spoke to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi about a planned summit on his peace formula, which is to take place in Switzerland. Zelensky’s plan calls for a withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine. But he is also concerned with compliance with international law, nuclear safety and the global food supply. With these issues, Ukraine is trying to get developing and emerging countries on its side.
According to the President’s Office, Zelensky emphasized the importance of India’s participation in the summit. India has traditionally had close ties with Russia and is one of the most important customers for Russian oil, which the West no longer buys. Delhi remains neutral on the war of aggression against Ukraine that has been going on for over two years, but has warned Moscow about the possible use of nuclear weapons.
Netherlands finances ammunition for fighter jets
The Dutch government wants to support Ukraine in the war against Russia with ammunition worth 150 million euros. This was announced by the Ministry of Defense in The Hague. It’s about bombs for the F-16 fighter jets that Ukraine is supposed to get. The Netherlands is part of the coalition of countries that provides Ukraine with US F-16 fighter jets. Ukrainian pilots are currently being trained on these machines in Romania. It is unclear when training will be completed and the F-16s can be deployed. The Netherlands wants to send a total of 24 F-16s to Ukraine. As the Ministry of Defense also announced, the Netherlands is providing around 200 million euros to purchase drones for Ukraine together with other countries.
The Baltic country of Lithuania said it was contributing 35 million euros to a Czech initiative to procure artillery ammunition for Ukraine. Prague wants to buy around 800,000 grenades outside the EU. Latvia will also take part in the initiative. However, a sum was not mentioned. Ukraine has been complaining about a shortage of artillery ammunition for months. Because of a lack of bullets, the army has increasingly found itself on the defensive.
That will be important on Thursday
The heads of state and government of the 27 EU states begin their two-day spring meeting in Brussels. It will also be about how military aid for Ukraine can be increased and the European defense industry can be strengthened. (DPA)
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