Ukraine updates: Kyiv urges fast Taurus missiles delivery
Published 2 hours agoPublished 2 hours agolast updated 32 minutes agolast updated 32 minutes ago
Ukraine’s presidential adviser urged Germany to supply his country with Taurus missiles. Meanwhile, Kyiv said Russia has attacked a Ukrainian grain exporting port, hours ahead of Putin-Erdogan talks. Follow DW for more.
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This photograph released by the German Armed Forces shows a Tornado IDS ASSTA 3.0 fighter jet, equipped with the Taurus guided missile, flying over sea as part of the “Two Oceans” exercise.
Ukraine has been seeking the delivery of Taurus missilesImage: Andrea Bienert/Bundeswehr/dpa/picture alliance
Skip next section What you need to know
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Ukraine has urged Germany todeliver it Taurus cruise missiles, with several Ukrainian officials stressing the importance of the missiles in the fight against Russia.
Presidential adviser Mychailo Podolyak told Germany’s Bild newspaper that Berlin needed to make “decisions faster and more decisively.” He stressed there is “no other way to destroy Russian logistics and rearguard, so Taurus is needed.”
Podolyak reassured that Kyiv’s goal was not “to attack Russian territory,” but “to destroy the resources of the occupiers.”
German Free Democratic Party (FDP) politician Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann has blamed Chancellor Olaf Scholz for the delay. Writing on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter, she said Scholz “alone is blocking this decision within the coalition.”
Meanwhile, Kyiv accused Russian forces of attacking a major exporting port overnight, ahead of scheduled talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Russian resort town of Sochi on Monday.
Here are more headlines concerning Russia’s war in Ukraine on Monday, September 4:
Skip next section Moscow says 4 Ukrainian boats carrying troops destroyed
32 minutes ago32 minutes ago
Moscow says 4 Ukrainian boats carrying troops destroyed
Russia said on Monday it had destroyed four Ukrainian military vessels carrying troops through the Black Sea.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said the four US-made high-speed boats were “Willard Sea Force.”
They carried landing groups of the armed forces of Ukraine, traveling in the direction of Cape Tarkhankut on the Crimean coast, the ministry added on the Telegram messaging platform.
The boats were destroyed in the northwestern part of the Black Sea, the ministry said.
Tensions have heightened in the Black Sea since Russia pulled out in July of a UN-brokered deal which allowed Ukraine to export grains via the sea amid the war.
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Skip next section Zelenskyy announces agreement to train pilots in France
2 hours ago2 hours ago
Zelenskyy announces agreement to train pilots in France
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced a “very important agreement” which involves training Ukrainian pilots in France, a deal which was reached in conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday.
Speaking during his nightly video address, Zelenskyy did not give further details regarding the training, such as which jets would be used.
France does not have the F-16 fighter jets, which neighboring Denmark and the Netherlands have recently promised to provide. It does possess the French-made Rafale warplanes, as well as the previous-generation mirage 2000 jets.
“Our coalition of modern fighters is becoming stronger,” Zelenskyy said.
The two presidents also discussed potential French support to the Ukrainian city and region of Odesa, which is critical to the export of grains, Zelenskyy said.
https://p.dw.com/p/4VuHZ
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Skip next section Ukraine presses Germany for fast delivery of Taurus missiles
2 hours ago2 hours ago
Ukraine presses Germany for fast delivery of Taurus missiles
Ukraine has urged Berlin to supply it withTaurus missiles, with several Ukrainian officials stressing the importance of the missiles in the fight against Russia.
Presidential adviser Mychailo Podolyak told Germany’s Bild newspaper that Berlin needed to make “decisions faster and more decisively.” He stressed there is “no other way to destroy Russian logistics and rearguard, so Taurus is needed.”
Podolyak reassured that Kyiv’s goal was not “to attack Russian territory,” but “to destroy the resources of the occupiers.”
Meanwhile, German Free Democratic Party (FDP) politician Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann has blamed German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for the delay. Writing on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter, she said Scholz “alone is blocking this decision within the coalition.”
“This is irresponsible,” she wrote.
Both Kyiv and Germany’s Greens and FDP have been calling for the delivery of the cruise missiles, which have a long range and destructive power.
The chancellor’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) is wary that the delivery of a weapon system with a range of over 500 kilometers (310 miles) might escalate the conflict, if the missiles are used to strike Russian territories.
Chancellor concerned Taurus could be used to attack Russia
03:18
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Skip next section Russia strikes Ukraine grain port, Kyiv says
2 hours ago2 hours ago
Russia strikes Ukraine grain port, Kyiv says
Ukraine has accused Russian forces of attacking a major exporting port overnight, ahead of scheduled talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Russian resort town of Sochi on Monday.
Ukrainian officials said Russia attacked Izmail port, one of two major grain-exporting ports on the Danube River in the Odesa region. The Ukrainian air force called on the residents in the area to seek shelter.
Putin is hosting Erdogan, as the United Nations strives to revive a grain deal which Moscow withdrew from last July. The UN-facilitated deal, which was brokered with Turkey’s help, allowed Kyiv to export grains via the Black Sea amid the war.
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Skip next section Russia says shot two drones over Kursk region
2 hours ago2 hours ago
Russia says shot two drones over Kursk region
Russian air defense systems shot down two drones over the southern Kursk region, the Defense Ministry said early on Monday, adding that the drones were launched by Kyiv.
The ministry said in a statement on the messaging platform Telegram that the drones were destroyed over the Black Sea, near the Crimean peninsula.
The Kursk region borders Ukraine.
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Skip next section Zelenskyy dismisses Defense Minister Reznikov
2 hours ago2 hours ago
Zelenskyy dismisses Defense Minister Reznikov
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov.
“Oleksiy Reznikov has been through more than 550 days of full-scale war,” Ukraine’s president said in his nightly address.
“I believe that the ministry needs new approaches and other formats of interaction with both the military and society at large.”
Zelenskyy nominated Rustern Umerov as Reznikov’s replacement.
“Now Rustem Umerov should be the head of the (defense) ministry,” Zelenskyy said. “I expect parliament to support this candidate.”
Umerov, a Crimean Tatar, is currently the head of the Ukrainian government’s privatization body, the State Property Fund. He also participated in negotiations on the Black Sea grain deal.
Reznikov was accused of corruption in January, leading to the resignation of his deputy, Vyacheslav Shapovalov.
rmt/sri (AFP, Reuters, AP, dpa)
