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Ukraine updates: Zelenskyy visits Snake Island in Black Sea
Published 11 hours agoPublished 11 hours agolast updated 19 minutes agolast updated 19 minutes ago
The Ukrainian leader made a risky trip to the small island on the 500th day of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Turkey’s Erdogan, meanwhile, said Ukraine “deserves” NATO membership. DW has the latest.
https://p.dw.com/p/4Tbzs
A screenshot from a video posted by Volodymyr Zelenskyy to social media of him on Snake Island
Zelenskyy visited the island that became famous after its Ukrainian defenders gave an expletive-filled response to a Russian warshipImage: president.gov.ua
Skip next section What you need to know
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Snake Island in the Black Sea
Zelenskyy praised Biden for “decisive steps” after cluster bomb approval
Turkey’s Erdogan says Ukraine, Russia should return to peace talks
For the events of July 7, follow this link
Skip next section Russia defense minister attends combat units training
19 minutes ago19 minutes ago
Russia defense minister attends combat units training
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu attended on Saturday the training of new combat units, as the full-scale invasion of Ukraine reached its 500th day.
The Defense Ministry said in a statement on Telegram that Shoigu inspected T-89 tank crews at a training ground in southern Russia. The new limited-contract troops are on an intensive course for 38 days to prepare them for active duty.
Moscow announced last September a partial mobilization, but has in many cases relied on mercenary Wagner fighters on the front lines.
But last month’s short-lived mutiny by Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin has further complicated already tense relations between the group and the military.
https://p.dw.com/p/4TcOP
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Skip next section Kyiv made ‘steady gains’ toward Bakhmut, UK Defense Ministry says
43 minutes ago43 minutes ago
Kyiv made ‘steady gains’ toward Bakhmut, UK Defense Ministry says
The UK Ministry of Defense has said that Ukrainian forces made “steady gains to both the north and south” of the Russian-held Bakhmut over the last week.
In its daily war update, the ministry said Bakhmut has been “the site of some of the most intense fighting along the front,” following a lull in June.
“Russian defenders are highly likely struggling with poor morale, a mix of disparate units and a limited ability to find and strike Ukrainian artillery,” it said.
The UK Ministry of Defense, however, noted that Moscow would see losing Bakhmut as “politically unacceptable” as it was one of its few gains in the past 12 months of fighting.
Russian troops celebrated in May capturing Bakhmut, after what proved to be one of the longest and bloodiest battles in the war with Ukraine.
The British ministry thus said control over the town has “symbolic weight,” yet argued that “there are highly likely few additional reserves to commit to the sector.”
https://p.dw.com/p/4TcOE
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Skip next section Russia requests UNSC meeting on Nord Stream blasts
53 minutes ago53 minutes ago
Russia requests UNSC meeting on Nord Stream blasts
Moscow has requested a new United Nations Security Council meeting to discuss the blasts which hit the Nord Stream gas pipelines last September, a senior Russian diplomat said.
Dmitry Polyansky, Russia’s deputy UN ambassador, requested the meeting for July 11.
Polyansky said in a Telegram statement that the meeting would “deal another blow” to the West’s narrative that the investigation into the blasts was given “sufficient attention.”
He added that Moscow would ask the UK, the council’s chair for July, to request a report on the findings of the investigation. The investigation into the blast is being carried out by Denmark, Germany and Sweden.
Polyansky also said he would invite “a couple of interesting unbiased speakers” to the session, without disclosing their identities, citing security reasons.
The September blasts damaged both Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, which carried natural gas from Russia to Germany.
Earlier this year, media reports suggested a “pro-Ukraine” group was behind the attack. Kyiv vehemently denied any involvement.
https://p.dw.com/p/4TcNY
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Skip next section Governor: Six killed in Russian shelling in Donetsk
1 hour ago1 hour ago
Governor: Six killed in Russian shelling in Donetsk
Russian artillery shelling killed at least six civilians and wounded another five in Lyman in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, Pavlo Kyrylenko, its regional governor, said.
“At least six people were killed and five injured… At around 10:00 a.m. (0700 GMT), the Russians struck the town with multiple rocket launchers,” Kyrylenko said on the Telegram messaging app.
“A house and a shop were damaged. Police are working on the site,” he added.
In a daily military update, the Ukrainian military said that it had forced Russian troops to give up on their assault attempts near Lyman.
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Skip next section Zelenskyy says Ukraine will ‘never be conquered’
3 hours ago3 hours ago
Zelenskyy says Ukraine will ‘never be conquered’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted a video of his visit to the symbolically significant Snake Island, located in the Black Sea, on Saturday, marking the 500th day of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
“Today we are on Snake Island, which will never be conquered by the occupiers, like the whole of Ukraine, because we are the country of the brave,” Zelenskyy said in a video clip released on Twitter according to a translation by AFP.
“I am grateful to everyone who fought here against the occupiers. The memory of the heroes who gave their lives in this battle — one of the most important during the full-scale war — was honored,” Zelenskyy wrote on Twitter.
The island is of significant symbolic value as its defenders famously stood up against a Russian warship during the initial stages of the invasion.
In an exchange with the warship, the Ukrainian soldiers refused to surrender, using explicit language to dismiss the demands of the Russian crew.
Although the Ukrainian soldiers were initially taken as prisoners, they were later exchanged for Russian captives.
The audio recordings quickly went viral and became a symbol of Ukraine’s resistance.
Kremlin sees Snake Island as very symbolic: DW’s Nick Spicer
02:55
https://p.dw.com/p/4TcGT
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Skip next section Ukraine says it has killed almost 250,000 Russian troops since invasion began
4 hours ago4 hours ago
Ukraine says it has killed almost 250,000 Russian troops since invasion began
The Ukrainian military said on Saturday that more than 233,000 Russian troops have been killed since Russia first launched its full-scale invasion last February.
The message posted on social media by the official account of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine also said 4,074 Russian tanks and 4,346 artillery systems have been destroyed, as of Saturday.
According to the Ukrainian general staff, 315 Russian aircraft, 309 helicopters and 3,666 drones have also been destroyed.
DW was unable to immediately verify the numbers provided by the Ukrainian forces and any figures provided by Russia have naturally painted a different picture.
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Skip next section Majority of Germans in favor of Ukraine joining NATO
5 hours ago5 hours ago
Majority of Germans in favor of Ukraine joining NATO
The majority of Germans were in favor of Ukraine joining NATO sooner or later. In a survey conducted by the research institute YouGov, 42% were in favor of Ukraine joining NATO once the Russian invasion of the country had ended.
A 13% share of respondents were in favor of immediate accession amid Russia’s war in Ukraine, while 29% were fundamentally opposed to Ukraine joining the alliance, with the main reason being mutual military assistance in the event of a war.
A clear majority of respondents, 58%, were in favor of Ukraine and Russia starting talks on ending the war immediately, while 26% of respondents were against peace negotiations.
The heads of state of the 31 NATO member countries are set to meet for a two-day summit in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius next Tuesday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to attend the summit. NATO member states such as Lithuania and Poland were in favor of guaranteeing Ukraine admission directly after a possible end to the war.
Other countries like Germany suggested that the country’s accession had to be attached to fulfilling prior requirements.
https://p.dw.com/p/4TcCz
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Skip next section Humanitarian groups slam cluster bombs
8 hours ago8 hours ago
Humanitarian groups slam cluster bombs
Several humanitarian organizations have criticized the United States for its decision to supply Ukraine with cluster munitions.
“The USA’s plan to transfer cluster munitions to Ukraine is a retrograde step, which undermines the considerable advances made by the international community in its attempts to protect civilians from such dangers,” Amnesty International researcher Patrick Wilcken said in a statement late on Friday.
Cluster munitions break into smaller bombs before hitting the ground. Some of these fragments only detonate years later, posing a serious safety risk.
“This is a death sentence to civilians over the long term. There are people who have not yet been born who will fall victim,” said Baptiste Chapuis, co-founder of Humanity and Inclusion, which strives to help people with disabilities deal with poverty and conflicts.
“People are still clearing American cluster munitions in Laos,” almost 50 years after the war in neighboring Vietnam ended, Chapuis added.
Other NGOs argued that a weapon that detonates indiscriminately across a desired area is fundamentally dangerous to human life.
“Cluster munitions will not differentiate a Ukrainian soldier from a Russian one,” said Daryl Kimball, director of the US-based Arms Control Association.
“The effectiveness of cluster munitions is significantly oversold and the impact on non-combatants is widely acknowledged, but too often overlooked.”
https://p.dw.com/p/4Tc93
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Skip next section Russia condemns American cluster munitions announcement
10 hours ago10 hours ago
Russia condemns American cluster munitions announcement
Russia’s ambassador to the United States has slammed Washington’s decision to supply Ukraine with cluster bombs
“The current level of US provocations is really off scale and brings humanity closer to a new world war,” Anatoly Antonov said on Saturday.
Analysts have previously accused Russia of using cluster munitions in areas with large civilian populations, leading to civilian casualties.
“The United States is so obsessed with the idea of defeating Russia that it does not realize the gravity of its actions,” Antonov added.
However, he claimed the move “would in no way hinder” Russia’s military goals in Ukraine.
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Skip next section Ukraine ‘justified’ in seeking cluster munitions for counteroffensive
10 hours ago10 hours ago
Ukraine ‘justified’ in seeking cluster munitions for counteroffensive
Ukraine’s need for weapons to continue its counteroffensive could justify the use of controversial cluster munitions, which the United States has now agreed to supply, according to an expert from the West Point military academy in the US.
International relations professor Robert Person told DW’s Brent Goff that Ukraine has a “true necessity” for additional and more powerful weapons as it pushes back against Russia.
“They continue to be in a fight for their survival, and they certainly, I think, are justified in seeking every means available to them to continue that fight against a larger adversary,” Person said of the Ukrainian side.
“It’s also a matter of necessity because of the shortage of conventional artillery rounds that we’ve been hearing about for well over a year, as Ukraine and its partners and allies have scoured the globe for unused shells.”
The Day with Brent Goff: Cluster Munitions for Ukraine
25:55
Cluster munitions are controversial because they function by breaking apart in the air and releasing numerous “bomblets” across a wide area.
Not all explosives from cluster munitions detonate upon impact, which means they can potentially kill or maim people years later similar to landmines.
However, Person said the threat to civilians largely depends on how these weapons are used on the battlefield.
“Now, when we’re talking about the impact of cluster munitions on civilians, I do think it’s important to note that during this war, Russia is the side that has actively used cluster munitions against civilian populations, seemingly deliberately so,” Person said.
“Again, I have confidence in the Ukrainian side that they would only target military targets, legitimate military formations in a way that the Russians have not shown such restraint.”
Person also pointed out that Ukraine’s military partners can assist with minimizing the potential impact of cluster munitions on civilians.
“I do personally believe that if the United States supplies these munitions to Ukraine, we also have an obligation to assist significantly in the demining and the cleanup after the conflict,” he said
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Skip next section UN aid chief calls to renew Black Sea grain deal
10 hours ago10 hours ago
UN aid chief calls to renew Black Sea grain deal
United Nations humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths has added his voice to calls for the Black Sea grain export deal to be renewed. It is currently due to lapse on July 17.
“The world has seen the value of the Black Sea Initiative … this isn’t something you chuck away,” he said late on Friday.
The UN has heard repeated statements from Russia “saying that there’s been no advantage to them and time’s up,” Griffiths noted.
But he said “this doesn’t deter us from doing everything we can to work for a deal.”
Russia has said it does not see any ground for extending the deal and said demands to export its own grain and fertilizer have not been met. Ukraine supports renewing the deal but has accused Russia of obstructing ships.
Griffiths’ comments came after UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged both sides to reach an agreement.
https://p.dw.com/p/4Tc5p
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Skip next section Erdogan says Ukraine ‘deserves’ to join NATO during Zelenskyy visit
11 hours ago11 hours ago
Erdogan says Ukraine ‘deserves’ to join NATO during Zelenskyy visit
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Istanbul on Friday where he met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“There is no doubt that Ukraine deserves membership of NATO,” Erdogan said during a joint press conference.
He added that “both sides should go back to peace talks.”
Volodymyr Zelenskyy shaking hands with Recep Tayyip ErdoganVolodymyr Zelenskyy shaking hands with Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Recep Tayyip Erdogan in IstanbulImage: Arif Hudaverdi Yaman/AA/picture alliance
Erdogan also said he hoped the Black Sea grain deal, which is set to lapse on July 17, will be renewed.
“Our hope is that, it will be extended at least once every three months, not every two months,” he said.
“We will make an effort in this regard and try to increase the duration of it to two years.”
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy accused Russia of obstructing the movement of ships.
“Russia behaves as if it owns the entire Black Sea, as if it is the owner here,” he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit Turkey in August, the Turkish leader noted.
https://p.dw.com/p/4Tbzv
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Skip next section Zelenskyy thanks Biden for cluster munitions promise
11 hours ago11 hours ago
Zelenskyy thanks Biden for cluster munitions promise
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked US President Joe Biden after Washington greenlit the delivery of cluster munitions to Ukraine.
Zelenskyy said it was “a timely, broad and much-needed defense aid package.”
“The expansion of Ukraine’s defense capabilities will provide new tools for the de-occupation of our land and bringing peace closer,” he said on Twitter.
In an interview with CNN, Biden said the decision to send cluster munitions was “difficult,” but added that Ukrainian troops were “running out of ammunition.”
Germany has expressed opposition to sending cluster bombs to Ukraine.
Germany is one of 111 parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which the US is not a part of.
zc/wd (AP, Reuters, AFP, dpa)
https://p.dw.com/p/4Tbzt
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