05/24/2023
Ukraine war in the live ticker
+++ 01:16 Ukraine: Russians looted the “Chersones” museum in Crimea +++
Ukraine accuses Russia of looting the Chersonese of Tauria, an ancient open-air museum in Crimea. The occupiers brought the Byzantine gold and other artefacts to Veliky Novgorod, allegedly for an exhibition, the Ukrainian president’s office in Crimea said. The ancient temple city of Chersonese was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2013. After the annexation of Crimea, Russian President Vladimir Putin described Chersonese as Russia’s “holiest spiritual symbol” and in 2017 announced that he would build a “Russian Mecca” there.
+++ 00:44 Governor – Another drone attack on Belgorod +++
The governor of the Russian region of Belgorod, Vyacheslav Gladkov, reports on his Telekram channel about an explosive device dropped by a drone. There were no injuries, he writes with a picture of a damaged car. A drone was later shot down by anti-aircraft fire.
+++ 23:19 Selenskyj wants to expand the marines +++
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wants to expand the country’s marine infantry. With the formation of a Marian infantry corps, new brigades are to be added to existing units, says Zelenskyj in his evening video address. “And we will equip them with modern weapons and equipment,” he adds. Zelenskyj had previously visited Ukrainian marines at the front.
+++ 22:13 Russia: Two US bombers intercepted over the Baltic Sea +++
Russia says it has intercepted two US Air Force bombers over the Baltic Sea. The two B-1B machines were “approaching the Russian border,” the Ministry of Defense in Moscow said via Telegram. “After the withdrawal of the foreign warplanes from the Russian border, the Russian warplane has returned to its base,” it said. Meanwhile, the Pentagon is talking about a long-planned exercise in Europe. The interaction with the crew of the Russian plane was “safe and professional,” says a spokesman for the US Department of Defense in Washington.
+++ 21:30 Kremlin: Military aid from the West does not change anything on the front +++
According to the Kremlin, further pledges by Western countries for military aid to Ukraine would not change the situation at the front. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says in his daily conference call with reporters that Ukraine’s delivery of modern F-16 fighter jets comes with “obvious risks.”
+++ 21:00 France wants to give security guarantees to Ukraine +++
France says it is “ready to enter into agreements with Ukraine to provide security guarantees,” according to a statement by the French Foreign Ministry. It comes in response to a Washington Post article suggesting that NATO countries are considering an Israeli-style security deal for Ukraine while the country’s membership of the military alliance is years away. “France, in consultation with its partners, continues to reflect on the best way to support Ukraine in the long term and in all areas,” the Foreign Ministry said.
+++ 20:27 Ukraine: 33-year-old injured in Russian shelling of Kharkiv +++
Ukrainian state broadcaster Suspilne reports that a 33-year-old resident of Vovchansk in Kharkiv was injured by Russian Federation shelling and is in hospital.
You can read all previous developments here.