Updated on 08/03/2022 at 06:26
- Because of the Russian war of aggression, Ukraine is on the verge of bankruptcy and needs money.
- EU aid is not flowing, and Kyiv is suspicious of the brakes in Berlin.
- Meanwhile, Ukraine’s first grain delivery vessel, which has now entered the Bosphorus, is being checked.
After arriving in Istanbul, the first freighter loaded with Ukrainian grain since the start of Russia’s war of aggression is due to be inspected on Wednesday before continuing its journey to Lebanon. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hopes the first grain export will be followed by more: “Our aim is for there to be regularity.”
According to the Kiev military, Russian planes fired eight rockets into Ukraine over the Caspian Sea on Tuesday night. Seven of them were intercepted. However, there was an attack on a military installation on the border with Poland, a NATO country. Wednesday is the 161st day of Ukraine’s defense against Russian invasion.
Ukraine’s first grain export under review
The “Razoni”, loaded with some 26,000 tonnes of maize from Ukraine, entered the Bosphorus Strait, which runs through Istanbul, from the Black Sea late on Tuesday. The freighter docked there shortly after 9 pm local time. On Monday she was the first ship to leave the Ukrainian port of Odessa since the start of the war. According to the Turkish Defense Ministry, representatives from Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations will embark for the inspection on Wednesday morning.
War opponents Ukraine and Russia separately signed an agreement with Turkey on July 22, through UN mediation, to allow Ukraine to export grain from three ports. A coordination center in Istanbul is made up of representatives from the four parties. Among other things, inspections aim to ensure that ships do not have loaded weapons.
The destination of the “Razoni”, which sails under the flag of the West African state of Sierra Leone, is the Lebanese port of Tripoli. With deliveries from Ukraine, millions of tonnes of grain are expected to be available again for the world market. Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian agriculture needs to earn enough from exports to guarantee sowing next spring.
Zelenskyy: Battlegrounds in Donbass are “just hell”
The Ukrainian army needs more weapons to defeat Russian superiority in Donbass, Zelenskyy said in his video speech. He thanked the US for continuing to provide military aid. His army could inflict casualties on attackers with Himar’s multiple rocket launchers. Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov on Tuesday confirmed the arrival of four more US Himars units and the German Mars multiple rocket launcher.
“In fact, we still cannot completely break the advantage of the Russian army in terms of artillery and manpower,” Zelenskyy said. This was felt in the battles for Avdiivka, Pisky and elsewhere. “It’s just hell.”
In western Ukraine, on the border with Poland, a Russian missile hit a military installation in the Chervonohrad district on Tuesday night, according to the administration of the Lviv region (Lemberg). Explosions were also reported in the city of Mykolaiv in southern Ukraine.
Updated on 08/03/2022 09:53
In his speech on Tuesday night, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that the Ukrainian army was significantly inferior to the Russian armed forces in terms of numbers and equipment.
Russia: nuclear war cannot be won
In view of the war in Ukraine, Russia has re-emphasized that nuclear powers must “behave with caution and responsibility”. “The Russian Federation firmly believes that a nuclear war cannot be won. according to the speech text.
Ukraine accuses Germany of blocking financial aid
Because of the war that has lasted more than five months, Ukraine is dependent on foreign financial aid. The leadership in Kyiv accused Germany of blocking the payment of EU aid. “We expect eight billion euros. Unfortunately, some EU countries, including Germany, are blocking the examination of this issue,” Vice President Ihor Zhovka said, according to local media.
Zhovka explained that Kyiv has already received one billion euros of the nine billion euros in macro-financial assistance promised in May. According to information from the EU Commission, guarantees from member states may be required for the amount owed because a guarantee through the EU budget is not possible due to lack of funds. A spokesperson for the Federal Ministry of Finance rejected the statement: The federal government is not preventing any aid to Ukraine.
EU commissioner promises protection to Ukrainians whenever needed
EU Interior Commissioner Ylva Johansson has promised refugees who want to return from Ukraine that they can return to the EU at any time during the war. “You are always welcome back in the EU,” the Swede said Tuesday during a visit to Kyiv.
Shortly after the start of the war in Ukraine in early March, the 27 EU countries decided to offer protection to all Ukrainians quickly and without bureaucracy. They are allowed to move and work freely within the EU. According to the UN refugee agency, more than 3.7 million Ukrainians have already applied for this status. In total, more than six million people fled Ukraine to other European countries. But many have already returned to their homeland.
Read too: All current information about the war in Ukraine on the live ticker
Former Kremlin-linked gymnast Kabaeva on US sanctions list
Because of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the US government is imposing new sanctions on oligarchs close to the Kremlin. Former gymnast Alina Kabaeva was also placed on the criminal list. The 2004 Olympic champion now runs the big Russian media company NMG. The EU sees it “in close contact” with President Vladimir Putin. In the tabloids there is talk of a relationship between the two. Also on the list were three Ukrainians working for the Russian occupation.
This is going to be important today
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will travel to Myanmar, Southeast Asia, on Wednesday. Because of the war, Russia is isolated from most Western countries, but continues to seek contacts in the regions. © dpa
Updated on 08/02/2022 at 16:30
It is the first shipment of grain through a Ukrainian port on the Black Sea since the Russian attack on the country in late February.
Promotional image: © picture Alliance/dpa/AP/Emrah Gurel