2023-06-21 12:29:00
Day 483 since the beginning of the war: An explosion in a Russian gunpowder factory kills several people. The death toll after the dam rupture is increasing. All information in the news blog.
The most important things at a glance
Zelenskyi: Ukraine’s reconstruction “ideological victory”
12:25 p.m.: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sees a return to normal living conditions in Ukraine as an “ideological victory” over Russia. Selenskyj said on Wednesday at a reconstruction conference for his country in London. The eyes of the world are on whether Ukraine, with the help of its allies, can achieve this. Freedom must win, said Selenskyj, who was connected via video link.
Earlier in their speeches, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken praised the country’s reform efforts and pledged continued support from the EU and the US.
The foundations for the country’s reconstruction are to be laid at the Ukraine Recovery Conference on Wednesday and Thursday in the British capital. The focus is on how private-sector companies can be encouraged to invest in the country, which has been hit by the Russian war of aggression.
Ukrainian reports torture: “They enjoyed it”
12:22 p.m.: Strangulation, electrocution and forced labor – a Ukrainian woman has reported how she was tortured by Russians. She nevertheless returned to her occupied hometown. Here you can read more about it.
Russian fighter (archive photo): A Ukrainian woman reported torture by Russian soldiers. (Source: Konstantin Mihalchevskiy/imago images)
US increases aid to Ukraine by more than $1.3 billion
11:35 a.m.: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announces at an international donor conference in London that his country will provide more than 1.3 billion dollars for the reconstruction of Ukraine. 520 million dollars would be invested in modernizing the energy network. Not least because of the destruction of the Kakhovka dam, Ukraine is dependent on significantly more aid to repair the damage caused by the war.
Power outages in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev
10:58 am: There have been major power outages in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev. According to the military administration of the city of three million, around 100,000 households were affected by shutdowns on Wednesday. Pictures also showed stationary trams. A “system failure in the power grid” was named as the cause of the power failure in five districts. According to the electricity supplier DTEK, the Kiev area is also affected.
The day before, there had already been brief power outages in several parts of the capital. This was preceded by an attack by Russian drones. According to authorities, however, all enemy targets were intercepted.
Russia reports shooting down three drones in Moscow region
9.46 a.m.: Russia says it shot down three drones in the Moscow region, at least two of them near a military base. The Russian Defense Ministry blamed Ukraine for the attacks on Wednesday. The Russian military managed to thwart an attempted “terrorist attack by the regime in Kiev on locations in the Moscow region.” All drones were “neutralized” with “electronic” defense systems, and no one was injured.
The governor of the capital region, Andrei Vorobyov, had previously reported on two foiled drone attacks in the early morning on a military base around 50 kilometers southwest of Moscow. They were shot down as they approached the base’s depots, Vorobyov reported in the Telegram online service. It was initially unclear whether the third drone was also targeting a military base. This information cannot be independently verified.
London: Russia strengthens defenses in Crimea
8.25 a.m.: According to British intelligence, Russia has further expanded its defenses in the occupied territories of Ukraine. The Ministry of Defense in London announced on Wednesday that considerable efforts had been made, especially in the vicinity of the Crimean peninsula, which had been annexed in violation of international law in 2014. “This includes an extensive defense zone 9 kilometers long, 3.5 km north of the city of Armyansk, on the narrow land bridge connecting Crimea and Kherson Oblast,” the agency said.
According to London, the sophisticated defense positions underscore the Russian assessment that Ukrainian forces are capable of attacking Crimea directly. “For Russia, maintaining control of the peninsula remains a top political priority,” it said. Fierce fighting continued on several front sections in southern Ukraine.
#war #Experts #Russia #expanding #defenses #Crimea