The night of the war at a glance
Von der Leyen travels to Kyiv – Australia delivers armored cars
04/08/2022 06:43 am
While EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is on her way to Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks of further atrocities by Russian soldiers in the city Borodyanka. Meanwhile, Australia is delivering 20 armored cars to Ukraine.
Von der Leyen meets Selenskyj
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is on her way to Kyiv. She wants to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy there. The CDU politician will be accompanied, among other things, by EU foreign policy representative Josep Borrell. The former German Defense Minister is the first Western top politician to visit Ukraine since the war atrocities in the Kiev suburb of Bucha became known.
Ukraine demands more guns
As a reaction to the massacre in Bucha, the EU member states yesterday decided on further sanctions against Russia. These include an import ban on coal from Russia as well as new restrictions on trade and an extensive ban on Russian ships entering EU ports.
Zelenskyi welcomed the sanctions but said they were not enough to stop Russia and end the war. “More sanctions are needed. Tougher sanctions are needed.” At the same time, Zelenskyj demanded weapons for his country “with which we can win on the battlefield”. That will be the strongest sanction against Russia, he said in a video message.
Zelenskyy: “More victims” in Borodyanka
In addition, Selenskyj spoke of further atrocities by Russian troops. In the small town of Borodjanka near Kyiv, where clean-up work was underway, it was “much more terrible” than in Bucha. There are “even more victims” of Russian units. Zelenskyy also asked what will happen when the world finds out what Russian units have done in the heavily contested port city of Mariupol. There is on “almost every street” what the world saw after the withdrawal of the Russian troops in Bucha and other places around Kyiv.
caused rocket attack Damage in Odessa region
According to Ukrainian sources, a rocket attack by Russian forces hit infrastructure facilities in the Odessa region in the south of the country. The rocket attack was launched from the sea, the Internet newspaper Ukrajinska Pravda reported, citing the Odessa City Council. The information could not be independently verified.
Ukraine: More than 4,500 people brought to safety
According to Ukrainian sources, more than 4,500 people from embattled areas were brought to safety over the past day. Around 1,200 came from the port city of Mariupol, which was besieged by Russian troops, and another 2,000 from several cities in the Zaporizhia region, said Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Wereshchuk. Around 1,400 people were also evacuated from the Luhansk region in the east of the country from the cities of Lisichansk, Sievjerodonetsk, Rubischne and Kreminna.
Separatists install administration in Mariupol
While fighting is still going on around Mariupol, pro-Russian separatists have installed an administration in the port city. The “new mayor” Konstantin Ivashchenko told the state news agency TASS that “60 to 70 percent” of all apartments in the city had been destroyed or damaged. He also estimated that 250,000 people had left the city, but at least as many, if not as many as 300,000, were still in the city. Ukraine, on the other hand, announced that there are still 100,000 people in the city, where the humanitarian situation is catastrophic.
Australia supplies armored cars to Ukraine
Australia flies Bushmaster armored vehicles requested by Ukraine to Ukraine. The 20 versatile troop carriers that Australia had deployed in Afghanistan, among other places, are designed to protect their ten occupants from landmines and other explosive devices. In a speech to the Australian Parliament last week, Zelensky specifically asked for a supply of Bushmasters.
Japan also wants to reduce coal imports
Japan, in line with the West, wants to impose further sanctions on Russia. The country wants to “gradually reduce” imports of Russian coal and ultimately aim to avoid coal imports from Russia altogether, said Koichi Hagiuda, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida had previously spoken of war crimes for the first time, citing reports of Russian atrocities.
That’s going to be important today
- Ursula von der Leyen’s solidarity visit to Kyiv is likely to get the most attention.
- Meanwhile, Chancellor Olaf Scholz is traveling to London. During his inaugural visit to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the war in Ukraine is likely to be the focus.
- Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier meets President Sauli Niinistö and Prime Minister Sanna Marin in Finland.
You can read all further developments in our live ticker on the Ukraine war.