It is the 133rd day of war in Ukraine. Russian-backed separatists seized two foreign-flagged ships in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, claiming they are now “state-owned”. The Kyiv Independent reports, citing international media. This is the first such act against commercial shipping since the war began. The self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic has informed two shipping companies that their vessels have been subject to “forced appropriation of movable property with forced conversion into state ownership” without any compensation for the owners.
Yesterday at the summit between Draghi and Erdogan in Ankara a common front on condemning the war in Ukraine and for the search for solutions, starting with the wheat crisis. Concerned by its Russian neighbor, Latvia is reinstating compulsory military service. Canada is the first country to ratify Finland and Sweden’s request for membership of NATO.
The background – Ideological war, Putin will not stop
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Updates hour after hour
8 – Gb: “The Russians at 16km, Sloviansk next key battle”
Russian troops are now 16km from the city of Sloviansk, Donetsk, and the battle for control of the city will likely be “the next key challenge” in the battle for Donbass. This is the prediction of British military intelligence in its latest update regarding the war in Ukraine. “There is a real possibility that the battle for Sloviansk will be the next key challenge in the fight for Donbass,” the Twitter statement read.
7.40 – Kiev: counter-offensive in Kramatorsk, the Russians withdrew
The Ukrainian army has inflicted significant losses on Russian troops in the direction of Kramatorsk, an eastern city in Donetsk: this was stated by the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Fb, quoted by UNIAN. “In the direction of Kramatorsk, the Russians fired on civilian infrastructure in the Siversk and Gryhorivka areas. Ukrainian units inflicted significant casualties on the enemy during its offensive attempt in the areas of the Verkhnokamianske, Belogorivka and Gryhorivka settlements. The occupants have withdrawn », writes the General Staff.
7.25 – Born, Canada is the first to ratify the request of Sweden and Finland
Canada became the first NATO country to formally approve Sweden and Finland’s application for membership, following the Russian aggression of Ukraine. This was announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, inviting the other allies to do the same quickly.
7.16 – Zelensky: anti-missile defenses throughout the country by the end of the year
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last night signaled his intention to deploy “basic” equipment against missile attacks throughout the territory of his country and asked for the “understanding” of Western allies to equip the country with the material. modern necessary for the purpose. «It is a primary task for our state – he says – to give basic security to the Ukrainians, a basic protection against missile attacks already this year. But accomplishing this task does not just depend on us, it also depends on our allies understanding our basic needs, ”Zelensky said in his daily message to the Ukrainian population.
7 – Russian forces seize 2 foreign ships
The pro-Russian separatists of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic forcibly seized the Panamanian-flagged Blue Star I and the Liberian-flagged Smarta Shipping without compensation, making them “state property”. The Kyiv Independent reports it, reporting on international media. This is the first time that commercial ships have been seized, at the moment there are over 80 foreign ships blocked in Ukrainian ports due to the Russian offensive.