As the war enters its nearly 800th day, we take a look at the latest ongoings in and around the war being waged by Russia on the edge of Europe.
At least six people were injured after Russia launched a missile attack on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, this week. Officials said the S-300 missiles caused damage to residential buildings, offices, a gas pipeline through the city center and dozens of cars. Russia claimed to have struck a military dormitory.
Ukrainian intelligence sources told the Reuters news agency its drones had struck two Rosneft-owned oil depots in Russia’s Smolensk region, west of Moscow, as well as a major steel factory in the southern Lipetsk region. Russian regional officials said fires had broken out at the oil facilities following the attack, while a drone had come down in an industrial zone in the Lipetsk region. They did not say whether there was any damage.
Congress passes $61bn aid package for Ukraine
The United States Congress passed a long-delayed $61bn aid package for Ukraine that was quickly signed into law by President Joe Biden. The overall package, which also includes aid for Israel and Taiwan, is worth $95 billion, and is a lifeline for Ukraine, whose forces have been running short on artillery units and ammunition on parts of the front line.
Kyiv has been pleading for more air defense systems and long-range missiles for months. Biden said the first tranche of military equipment would be sent to Ukraine within “the next few hours.” He described the US aid as an investment not only in Ukraine and Europe’s security but also US security.
“America stands with our friends; we stand up against dictators. We bow to no one, to no one! Certainly not [Russian President] Vladimir Putin,” Biden said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the approval and said Ukraine would do its best to “make up” for the past six months, as it has struggled to fend off better-equipped Russian forces.
Zelensky said he was working closely with US officials to work out an incoming $1bn military package containing “exactly the weapons that our soldiers need”. He specifically mentioned Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), artillery, antitank weapons, high mobility artillery rocket system (HIMARS) and air defense.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan confirmed that the US had sent a “significant number” of long-range ATACMS to Ukraine and would “send more”. Sullivan was responding to reports in the US media that the missiles had been sent, and used twice. The long-range ATACMS has a range of 300km.
16 abducted Ukrainian children reunited with their families
16 Ukrainian children previously “deported to Russia” had been reunited with their families after mediation talks organized by Qatar. Kyiv has accused Russia of the forcible deportation of thousands of children from Ukrainian territories it has occupied.
Italy, UNESCO to help rebuild Odesa
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Italy will sign an agreement next month with Ukraine and the United Nations’ cultural agency UNESCO to rebuild the city of Odesa and its cathedral, which was badly damaged by a Russian attack last July.
Compiled by Ana Dumbadze
