Ukraine latest updates: UN hopes grain shipments begin soon
Ukraine news from July 28: ‘Crucial’ details for the safe passage of vessels still being worked out, UN aid chief says.
- The UN has said it hopes the first shipment of grain from Ukraine could take place as early as Friday, but “crucial” details for the safe passage of vessels are still being worked out.
- Five people have been killed and 25 wounded in a Russian missile attack on a flight school in the central Ukrainian city of Kropyvnytskyi, the regional governor said.
- The UN has said it hopes the first shipment of grain from Ukraine could take place as early as Friday, but “crucial” details for the safe passage of vessels are still being worked out.
- Five people have been killed and 25 wounded in a Russian missile attack on a flight school in the central Ukrainian city of Kropyvnytskyi, the regional governor said.
- Kharkiv mayor says Ukraine’s second-biggest city has been hit by a barrage of shelling, leaving residents no place for shelter.
- A senior Ukraine military official has said Moscow’s forces have struck a military base north of the capital, Kyiv, and the northern region of Chernihiv.
- Negotiations between Moscow and Washington on exchanging prisoners have not led to concrete results ‘yet’, Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman has said.
This live blog is now closed, thank you for joining us. These were the updates on the Ukraine war on Thursday, July 28:
Hanover turns off hot water taps in public facilities to manage energy crisis
The German city of Hanover has banned hot water in public buildings and has introduced measures to reduce heating amid the gas crisis, according to the mayor’s office.
“Every kilowatt-hour saved saves the gas storage tanks,” said the mayor’s office in a news release.
Hanover is the first city in Germany to make hot water unavailable for hand-washing and other uses in government facilities, gyms, and swimming pools.
The city will also reduce heating in public buildings, as well as switch off façade lighting and fountains.
As Russia has further reduced gas supplies, EU member states like Germany have been scrambling to save gas and store it for the winter.
UN: first grain shipment from Ukraine could take place as early as Friday
UN aid chief Martin Griffiths has said he is hopeful that the first shipment of grain from a Ukrainian Black Sea port could take place as early as Friday, but “crucial” details for the safe passage of vessels are still being worked out.
Griffiths said Turkish, Russian and Ukrainian military officials were working with a UN team at a joint coordination centre in Istanbul to hammer out standard operating procedures for the deal agreed by the four parties on July 22.
He acknowledged that “the devil was in the details,” but said so far no major issues had emerged, Reuters reported. Griffiths said one aspect being negotiated is the exact coordinates of the safe shipping channels.
“We are hopeful … for the first ship movements to take place within days – hopefully tomorrow – out of those ports,” Griffiths said.
Kremlin: US numbers on Russian dead and injured are ‘fake’
Figures cited by the US on Russian dead and injured amid Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine are “fake”, says the Kremlin.
“After all, these are not data from the US administration, but publications in newspapers,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.
“In our time, not even the most solid newspapers are afraid to spread all kinds of fakes. Unfortunately, this is a practice we are seeing more and more often.”
He was responding to a New York Times report on Russia’s high casualty figure in the war, according to Interfax news agency.
CNN had also reported that more than 75,000 Russians have either been killed or injured, quoting Democratic lawmaker Elissa Slotkin, who had earlier attended a classified US government briefing.
US-sanctioned Syrian ship with ‘stolen grains’ docks in Tripoli: Ukrainian embassy
A US-sanctioned Syrian ship has docked in the northern Lebanese port of Tripoli carrying barley and wheat that the Ukrainian embassy in Beirut said had been stolen by Russia.
Reuters reported that the Laodicea docked in Tripoli on Wednesday, according to shipping data website MarineTraffic.
The Laodicea is one of a trio of ships owned by the Syrian port authority that Ukraine says have been transporting wheat plundered from stores in Ukrainian territory recently overtaken by Russia.
All three ships have been sanctioned by the United States since 2015.
“The ship has travelled from a Crimean port that is closed to international shipping, carrying 5,000 tonnes of barley and 5,000 tonnes of flour that we suspect was taken from Ukrainian stores,” the embassy told Reuters.
“This is the first time a shipment of stolen grains and flour reaches Lebanon,” the statement said.
Russia has previously denied the allegations that it has stolen Ukrainian grain.
Ukrainian ambassador Ihor Ostash met with Lebanese President Michel Aoun on Thursday to discuss the shipment, telling him that purchasing stolen Ukrainian goods would “harm bilateral ties” between Kyiv and Beirut, the embassy told Reuters.
Estonia to block Russians from obtaining student visas
Estonia has said it would block Russian nationals from obtaining temporary residence permits or visas to study in Estonia.
“The continuation of sanctions against Russia is essential to ensuring relentless pressure on the country,” foreign minister Urmas Reinsalu said in a statement.
“If the sanctions help in stopping Russian aggression, a positive effect on our own security will ensue,” he said.
Estonia also said short-term employment of Russian and Belarusian citizens with a legal residence permit issued by another EU member state would no longer be allowed, AFP reported.
Reinsalu said this additional measure was aimed at ensuring that Russian and Belarusian citizens cannot bypass sanctions by obtaining a short-term visa for another country.
Kremlin ally Belarus has facilitated Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by allowing Russian troops to attack from its territory.
Kremlin confirms talks with the US on possible prisoner swap
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has confirmed that it is in talks with the US on a possible prisoner swap, but he said at a news briefing on Thursday that “there are no agreements in this area yet.”
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington had made a “substantial proposal” to Moscow to free basketball star Brittney Griner and former Marine Paul Whelan, but declined to confirm reports that the US is offering to trade them for notorious Russian arms deal Victor Bout.
In a significant development, Blinken said on Thursday that he will speak to his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov “in the coming days” – in what would be the pair’s first telephone call since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February.
US says more than 75,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or injured
More than 75,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or injured since the Kremlin launched an invasion of Ukraine on February 24, according to US intelligence estimates.
A congresswoman who recently visited Ukraine confirmed that the estimate had emerged in a briefing from the Department of State, Department of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Speaking to CNN, Michigan Rep. Elissa Slotkin said: “We were briefed that over 75,000 Russians have either been killed or wounded [in Ukraine], which is huge…over 80% of their land forces are bogged down, and they’re tired,” she said.
“We were briefed that over 75,000 Russians have either been killed or wounded [in Ukraine], which is huge…over 80% of their land forces are bogged down, and they're tired,” @RepSlotkin told @MZanona re: classified briefing House members just got from Biden admin officials.
— Natasha Bertrand (@NatashaBertrand) July 27, 2022
Ukraine celebrates its first-ever ‘Day of Statehood’
Ukraine is celebrating the “Day of Ukrainian Statehood” today – for the first time ever.
In a speech published on the presidential site on Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the country will “celebrate at the time of such a brutal war — in the sixth month of it. After eight years of war in Donbas. But we will celebrate, despite all, because Ukrainians cannot be broken.”
Unlike the country’s independence day, which falls on August 24, the symbolic Day of Ukrainian Statehood will connect Ukrainians through their experiences, culture and an identity that Zelenskyy described as dating back more than a millennium.
On Thursday, Zelenskyy addressed citizens saying that the history of Ukraine’s statehood can be described in one sentence: “We existed, exist and will exist!”
Steelmaker ArcelorMittal says profits fell in second quarter due to war in Ukraine
ArcelorMittal, the world’s number-two steel maker, has said its profits fell in the second quarter, weighed down by inflation and Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The group said in a statement that its performance was “overshadowed by the outbreak of war in Ukraine, where we have steel and mining operations”.
In the second quarter, net profit eased by 2 percent to $3.9bn, AFP reported.
ArcelorMittal said steel output fell by 18 percent to 14.6 million tonnes in the period from April to June.
Second-quarter sales, on the other hand, grew by 14.5 percent to just more than $22.3bn, driven by an increase of some 30 percent in steel prices.
Belarus opposition leader condemns attacks on Ukraine launched from her country
The Belarusian opposition leader, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, has condemned the latest escalation in the war in Ukraine launched from Belarus.
“Horrified to see how Russia continues to use Belarus to attack Ukraine,” she tweeted. “At least 25 missiles were launched from Belarus targeting Kyiv, Chernihiv and other cities this morning. Lukashenka can’t fool anyone. He is guilty of crimes against Belarusians and Ukrainians and must be held accountable.”
Horrified to see how 🇷🇺 continues to use Belarus to attack 🇺🇦. At least 25 missiles were launched from Belarus targeting Kyiv, Chernihiv & other cities this morning. Lukashenka can't fool anyone. He is guilty of crimes against Belarusians & Ukrainians & must be held accountable. pic.twitter.com/UAdq7XVDD2
— Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (@Tsihanouskaya) July 28, 2022
German government under pressure for stance on Russia sanctions
The German government’s hard line on Russia over the Ukraine war is coming under pressure at home amid growing worries about soaring energy prices and possible gas shortages in Europe’s largest economy come winter.
Until now, all mainstream parties have backed the tough Western sanctions imposed on Russia after it invaded its neighbour.
In recent weeks though, some conservatives have voiced scepticism about the West’s strategy. And while opinion polls show that more than two-thirds of Germans still back sanctions, about half think these are hurting Germany more than Russia.
Approximately half of German households rely on gas for their heating while gas also accounts for a third of industry’s energy. In recent years, half of that gas has come from Russia.
Germany recorded its first monthly trade deficit since 1991 in May, partly due to inflation running at approximately 8 percent.
“Our entire economic system is in danger of collapsing. If we are not careful, Germany could become de-industrialised,” Michael Kretschmer, conservative leader of the eastern Saxony region, told Die Zeit newspaper in an interview printed on Thursday.
‘Without changing [NATO’s] strategy, there is not going to be peace’ in Ukraine: Orban
Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said Ukraine cannot defeat Russia under NATO’s current strategy of support.
“This war in this form cannot be won,” Orban said, speaking to journalists alongside Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer in Vienna.
Orban said that NATO countries’ strategy of supporting Ukraine with weapons and training “has shown until now that it will not lead to success.”
“Without changing the strategy, there is not going to be peace,” he said, warning that, without peace in Ukraine, all of the European Union will “be pushed into a war situation”.
Russian court fines journalist for anti-Ukraine war posts
A Russian court fined former state TV journalist Marina Ovsyannikova $822 for “discrediting Russia’s armed forces” in social media posts in which she publicly opposed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine-born Ovsyannikova rose to prominence in March after holding up an anti-war placard on the Vremya nightly news programme, where she worked as an editor, Reuters reported.
Ukraine appoints anti-corruption prosecutor, answering EU request
Ukraine has appointed experienced investigator Oleksandr Klymenko as the head of its Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, responding to a European Union request as the embattled nation seeks EU membership.
“The fight against corruption is a priority for our state, as our investment attractiveness and business freedom depend on its success,” Andriy Yermak, the head of the presidential office, wrote on Telegram.
The EU granted Ukraine candidate status earlier this month, putting it on the long road to membership, but said important work remained to be done, including in fighting corruption.
Mayor says nowhere in Kharkiv is ‘safe’
Ukraine’s second-biggest city has been hit by a barrage of Russian shelling, leaving residents little hope for a return to normalcy.
“We have nine districts in the city and they are all being bombed with varying intensity and at different times. So you can’t say anywhere in Kharkiv is safe,” Igor Terekhov told AFP.
Kharkiv, Ukraine’s one-time Soviet capital, was besieged from the first days of the full-scale conflict and has been a key focus of the Russian invasion.
Last week, raids killed three people including a 13-year-old boy, adding to a toll that Terekhov says is in the “many hundreds.”
Russian anti-war protester defies court, says charge ‘absurd’
A former state TV journalist charged with discrediting Russia’s armed forces by protesting against Moscow’s actions in Ukraine has told a court that the charge against her was absurd.
“What’s going on here is absurd,” Marina Ovsyannikova told the court. “War is horror, blood and shame.”
Ovsyannikova is facing up to 15 years in jail over social media posts in which she wrote that those responsible for Russia’s actions in Ukraine would find themselves in the dock before an international tribunal.
In March, she had gained international attention after bursting into a studio of Russian state TV, her then employer, to denounce the Ukraine war during a live news bulletin. She was fined for flouting protest laws.
Russia’s media regulator asks for Novaya Gazeta’s registration to be revoked
Russia’s media regulator Roskomnadzor has filed a lawsuit to revoke the registration of the independent Novaya Gazeta newspaper, according to documents published on a court website.
Novaya Gazeta, edited by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dmitry Muratov, suspended operations in the country in March after being forced to remove material from its website on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
If stripped of its registration, Novaya Gazeta journalists would lose the right to work should the paper resume operations in Russia. Muratov has remained in the country despite his vocal opposition to the conflict in Ukraine.
Russian strikes hit military base outside Kyiv: Ukraine army
A senior Ukraine military official has said Moscow’s forces have struck a military base north of the capital, Kyiv, in a rare admission of a successful Russian attack on Ukrainian military infrastructure.
Oleksiy Gromov told reporters that Russian forces had fired “six Kalibr cruise missiles on a military base in Lyutizh” at around 02:00 GMT from the Crimea peninsula. One building was destroyed and two were damaged in the attack on the town some 30 kilometres (19 miles) north of the capital.
Gromov also reported attacks on Ukraine’s northern region of Chernihiv, with shells fired from neighbouring Belarus, an ally of Moscow. He added there were “losses” among Ukrainian troops.
HIMARS missiles making difference in Ukraine: Analyst
The high mobility artillery rocket systems (HIMARS) supplied to Ukraine by the US are making a difference in Ukraine, a Moscow-based defence and military analyst has said.
“These very accurate weapons give Ukraine the capability to knock out very important targets,” Pavel Felgenhauer told Al Jazeera, adding that what mattered was precision rather than long range.
Ukraine has used its new artillery to damage at least three bridges across the Dnieper River, which Russia relied upon to supply the areas under its control.
Felgenhauer said Ukrainian forces were attempting to gain momentum and launch a counteroffensive against Russian positions. The successful strikes on the bridges suggest Ukrainian missiles can evade Russian defence systems, the analyst added.
Russia says no deal ‘yet’ on prisoner swap with US
Negotiations between Moscow and Washington on exchanging prisoners are ongoing, Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman has said.
“A concrete result has not yet been achieved,” Maria Zakharova said in a statement.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday he would speak with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov by phone and press him to respond to an offer Washington has made to secure the release of American citizens detained by Moscow, including basketball player Brittney Griner.
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Ukraine envoy voices ‘sadness’ over ‘Vladimir Putin’ chant in Champions League match
Ukraine’s envoy to Turkey has expressed “sadness” over a chant of “Vladimir Putin” that rang out at a Champions League qualifying round football match in Istanbul on Wednesday.
Images on social media showed a section of Fenerbahce supporters singing the Russian president’s name in response to Dynamo Kyiv’s first goal against the Turkish team.
“It is very sad to hear the words of support from Fenerbahce’s fans for a Russian murderer and aggressor who bombed our country,” Ambassador Vasyl Bodnar tweeted.
“I am grateful to the friendly Turkish people for their support of Ukraine and for their consideration of the inappropriate actions of the fans.”
Moscow-installed officials say they detained 21 Ukraine army ‘accomplices’
Russian-installed officials in southern Ukraine say 21 “accomplices” of the Ukrainian army and security services have been detained in the Moscow-occupied region of Kherson and the partially controlled region of Zaporizhia.
Citing a member of Russian law enforcement, state news agency RIA Novosti described the detainees as a group of gunlayers headed by a female coordinator. Various weapons and ammunition including 53 hand grenades and more than 24kg of explosives have been seized, according to the report.
The Institute for the Study of War said in its latest assessment that Moscow is sending Russians to work in occupied territories due to a lack of Ukrainian collaborators.
Russia-EU gas flows via Nord Stream, Ukraine remain steady
Russian gas flows to Europe via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline and via Ukraine have remained steady, operator data showed.
Russia cut flows on the pipeline to just 20 percent of its capacity on July 27, citing maintenance work.
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Russia’s ethnic republic forming ‘volunteer’ units for deployment to Ukraine: ISW
The US-based Institute for the Study of War has said one of Russia’s ethnic republics is forming “volunteer” units for deployment to Ukraine.
The Mari El Republic, established for the Indigenous Mari people and situated north of Kazan, formed and deployed two volunteer battalions named “Iden” and “Poltysh” to training grounds on July 27 and is currently forming a third battalion named “Akpatr”, the ISW said in its latest assessment.
Yoshkar-Ola city administration announced the recruitment for the battalions for any man that has completed middle school. Local media outlets reported that recruits will receive more than 300,000 roubles (approximately $5,050) per month and that families may receive five million rubles (approximately $84,200) if the serviceman dies in combat.
#Russian Mobilization & Force Generation Update:
The Mari El Republic north of Kazan sent two volunteer battalions to train and is forming a third battalion to deploy to #Ukraine.https://t.co/tMQoby4R3c pic.twitter.com/H7UbCFgbNI
— ISW (@TheStudyofWar) July 28, 2022
Russian-backed separatists say four civilians killed in Ukraine shelling
Four people have been killed in east Ukraine’s Donetsk and 11 others wounded between 8am local time on Wednesday and 8am on Thursday, according to a message posted on Telegram by Russian-backed separatists.
Separatist authorities have accused Ukraine of shelling Donetsk city on multiple occasions, including at a bus stop earlier this month. Donetsk city has been controlled by Russian-backed separatists since 2014, while Ukrainian forces continue to hold positions on the city’s outskirts.