Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 173
As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its 173rd day, we take a look at the main developments.
Here are the key events from Monday, August 15.
Fighting
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Ukrainian forces reported heavy Russian shelling and attempts to advance on several towns in the eastern region of Donetsk that has become a key focus of the near six-month war. However, they said they had repelled many of the attacks.
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“Every Russian soldier who either shoots at the [Zaporizhzhia nuclear] plant, or shoots using the plant as cover, must understand that he becomes a special target for our intelligence agents, for our special services, for our army,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an address.
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The exiled mayor of Enerhodar, where the Zaporizhzhia plant is located, said on Telegram on Sunday the city had been shelled from the suburbs, causing civilian casualties. Local Russian-installed official Vladimir Rogov wrote on Telegram on Saturday that Ukrainian forces were shelling the plant.
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Russia, in a daily briefing, said it had taken control of Udy, a village in the eastern Kharkiv region.
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Particularly heavy fighting has focused on the village of Pisky, near Donetsk airport, the British Ministry of Defence said in its daily intelligence bulletin on Twitter.
Diplomacy
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North Korean state media said Russian President Vladimir Putin told leader Kim Jong Un the two countries would expand “comprehensive and constructive” ties.
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Any possible seizure of Russian assets by the United States will destroy Moscow’s bilateral relations with Washington, TASS quoted the head of the North American department at the Russian foreign ministry as saying on Saturday.
Economy
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The UN-chartered ship Brave Commander will depart Ukraine for Ethiopia in the coming days after it finishes loading more than 23,000 metric tonnes of wheat in Pivdennyi, a UN official said. It will be the first humanitarian food aid cargo bound for Africa under the UN-brokered grains access deal.
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The first ship to leave Ukraine under the deal two weeks ago was approaching the Syrian port of Tartous on Sunday, two shipping sources said, after the vessel had been sailing with its transponder off.
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The first ship carrying Ukrainian wheat to be exported under the deal arrived in Istanbul on Sunday, the Joint Coordination Centre based in the Turkish city said.