Fabian Albrecht
Burnham wants to continue supporting Ukraine despite Russian threats
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has pledged his country's continued full support to Ukraine, despite Russian threats. "Britain is doing what it has long said it will do, namely supporting Ukraine 100 percent against this illegal war waged by Vladimir Putin," said the Labor politician.
There had previously been reports that Ukraine had used British drones in attacks on Russian territory. The Russian government then warned the British government not to continue supporting Ukraine.
Lino Wimmer
Carsten Schneider promises Ukraine support for repairing the Chernobyl shell
Germany should help Ukraine repair the damaged protective shell around the former nuclear power plant in Chernobyl. Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider assured the Ukrainian government of this during his visit to Kyiv. According to experts, after a Russian drone attack, the steel structure no longer offers sufficient protection against radioactive radiation.
The protective cover was placed over the original concrete sarcophagus ten years ago. According to the power plant management, repairing the damage could cost half a billion euros.
Schneider also promised financial help. The repair was highly complex, he said, according to the ministry. “It will require a joint international effort to make this possible in a timely manner.” The G7 countries have already agreed on this.
On his trip to Ukraine, the Federal Environment Minister will be accompanied by entrepreneurs who want to invest in Ukraine, particularly in the expansion of green technologies. In the coming days, Schneider also wants to visit the restricted area around the damaged nuclear power plant.
Tom-Luca friend
Ten dead in Russian rocket attack in Kharkiv region
Ten people have been killed in a Russian missile attack on a village in the northeastern Ukrainian region of Kharkiv, according to local authorities. Eight other people were injured, the region's governor, Oleh Synjehubov, said on Telegram. Ten houses and at least seven cars were also damaged in the attack on the town of Pechenihy.
Petrina Engelke
Russia reports attacks on Moscow
According to Russian information, there was a drone attack in the capital region during the night. 620 drones were discovered in the area around Moscow between Monday evening and 5 a.m. (local time, 4 a.m. CEST), said its mayor Sergei Sobyanin. According to this, the Russian army is said to have shot down 180 drones. According to the state news agency Tass, it was the most violent such attack in two years.
According to regional governor Andrei Vorobyov, a warehouse belonging to the Russian online retailer Wildberries was hit, among other things. Residential houses and a power plant were also damaged, Vorobyov wrote on Telegram. At least three people were injured. The information could not initially be independently verified.
David Rec
Russia threatens Britain
After a report on the use of British drones in Ukrainian attacks in Russia, the Russian government has warned Great Britain of "consequences." The United Kingdom will have to “take responsibility” for military cooperation with Ukraine and pay a “price,” the Russian embassy in London said.
This was preceded by a report in the British Sunday Times that the Ukrainian army had used British drones to carry out attacks deep in Russian territory.
Britain remains "determined to provide the equipment that Ukraine needs to defend itself against (Vladimir) Putin's invasion, which violates international law," said a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense. "Russia should have no doubt about this government's determination to stand up to Russian aggression." Yesterday, the federal government had already rejected threats from Russia against supporters of Ukraine.
Annika Benzing
Federal government reacts to Lavrov's threat: "We will not allow ourselves to be intimidated"
The federal government has rejected threats from Russia against Ukraine supporters. "The threats and statements towards EU or NATO partners are nothing new," said a spokeswoman for the Foreign Office in Berlin. But we take note of this, they said. “We won’t allow ourselves to be intimidated by them – and we won’t allow ourselves to be intimidated in our support for Ukraine either.”
The spokeswoman referred to a statement by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday. He had said: "We will sharpen our methods to destroy everything that feeds Kyiv's war machine from the West. And we’re already doing this.”
The SPD MP Siemtje Möller told the Handelsblatt: “We should neither be provoked nor intimidated by these repeated martial threats.”
“Lavrov’s threats are an expression of the Russian regime’s increasing desperation in view of the lack of success on the front and the many drone hits by Ukraine in the Russian hinterland, which are severely affecting the Russian economy.”
The chairwoman of the Defense Committee in the European Parliament, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP), called for a tougher approach towards Russia in response to Lavrov's threats. Germany must "strengthen itself so that Lavrov's threats come to nothing," Strack-Zimmermann also told the Handelsblatt. In addition, Ukraine must continue to be supported “with everything we have.”
Annika Benzing
Zelensky announces personnel changes in the military
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj discussed the current war situation with his country's military leadership and initiated a number of decisions. First and foremost, personnel decisions were made, said Zelenskyj in his evening video speech. "It is very important that experienced commanders are given more freedom of action," he said. At the meeting, he approved some of the personnel decisions presented to him by Commander-in-Chief Mychajlo Drapatyj. Zelensky did not name names.
Zelensky and the military members also discussed the impact of Ukrainian drone strikes deep within Russian territory. “We are continuing our long-distance operations,” he said of the operations. "The priorities for precision strikes until September have already been determined." The Ukrainian military is increasingly attacking the Russian defense and oil industries. The aim is to weaken the offensive power of the Russian armed forces.
In this context, Zelensky complained that Russia continues to receive important components for its weapons from Western countries. "Even from countries that belong to the G7 and certainly have no interest in Putin prolonging the war and increasing the scale of the attacks," he said.
Annika Benzing
Drone crashed in Moldova
A suspected Russian drone entered Moldova's airspace and exploded in a field. The unknown aircraft crashed in the Stefan Voda area in the far southeast of the country and caused a small fire, the Moldovan police said on Telegram. No people were injured.
Experts examined the crash site. According to the Ukrainian media, a Russian “Banderol” drone veered off course while approaching the port of Odessa and flew over the border into Moldova.
Annika Benzing
Russia says it fired on two freighters
The Russian military says it attacked two cargo ships carrying military equipment in southern Ukraine. A freighter was hit in the port of Odessa and the second ship was attacked in Mykolaiv, the Defense Ministry in Moscow said, according to the state news agency Tass. Both ships were loaded with weapons and military equipment.
No information has yet been provided about the extent of the damage. The account could not be independently verified and the Ukrainian authorities did not comment.
Tom-Luca friend
Russian war opponent sentenced to eleven years in a prison camp
The Russian opposition politician Lev Schlosberg has been sentenced to eleven years and one month in prison in a controversial trial. He was found guilty, among other things, for allegedly denigrating the Russian armed forces: Schlosberg has repeatedly spoken out in favor of a ceasefire in the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. The 63-year-old politician will appeal the verdict, his party announced.
Schlosberg's party, Jabloko, was also recently the subject of legal proceedings. The appeal against the Supreme Court's ruling banning the anti-war party from the polls was dismissed today. The party is accused of, among other things, copyright violations.
Tom-Luca friend
Russia repeatedly attacks Ukrainian energy company
Russia has recently increasingly attacked the Ukrainian energy company Naftogaz. The state-owned company announced that 13 company locations were attacked last week. A facility was hit several times and drones and missiles caused serious damage. No employees were injured in the attacks. There have been around 300 attacks since the beginning of the year.
Tom-Luca friend
Drone shot down in Latvia apparently flown in from Belarus
According to government information, the drone shot down by NATO fighter jets over Latvia flew into the Baltic country's airspace from neighboring Belarus. The origin of the unmanned flying object is currently still unclear, said Defense Minister Raivis Melnis on Latvian television.
Italian Eurofighters crashed the drone last Friday in northeastern Latvia in the Balvi region, around 20 kilometers from the town of the same name. The Latvian military searched the crash site and blew up dangerous debris in a controlled manner. Other parts of the drone are still being examined by experts, Melnis said.
Theresa Walter
Russia reports capture of two more Ukrainian locations
According to its own statements, Russia has taken over two more towns in Ukraine. The Russian Defense Ministry said they were Novosolozhyne in the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region and Andriivska Hromada in the Donetsk region.
Theresa Walter
Ukraine reports Russian attack on civilian ship, leaving four injured
According to Ukrainian information, four crew members were injured in a Russian attack on a civilian ship in the southern Ukrainian region of Odessa. The ship is flying the flag of Togo, the region's military governor, Oleh Kiper, said on Telegram. Three of the injured were taken to a hospital.
The attack started fires, which have since been extinguished. Kiper did not provide any information about the exact location or type of weapon used. The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed attacks on targets in the region.
Theresa Walter
Russia reports one death after Ukrainian drone attack in Astrakhan region
According to authorities, a woman was killed in a Ukrainian drone attack in the southern Russian region of Astrakhan. The attack hit an industrial facility, the local governor said. He initially did not provide any further information.
