Moscow vows to retaliate for the first major drone attacks in Russia since the start of its own war of aggression. In Ukraine, by contrast, such attacks are part of everyday life. News at a glance.
- War in Ukraine: after the shelling of Moscow
- After the shelling of Moscow: the White House does not support attacks on Russian territory
- Zelensky praised the determination of Chancellor Scholz
- IAEA chief formulates safety rules for Ukrainian nuclear power plant
- What’s important today
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War in Ukraine: after the shelling of Moscow
After the drone attacks in Moscow, Russia threatened Ukraine with retaliatory strikes. after the shelling of Moscow, in addition to Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, who accused Kiev of terror and announced retaliatory measures, his close confidant, Ramzan Kadyrov, vowed revenge: the leader of the Russian constituent republic of Chechnya in the North Caucasus called for martial law in Russia to take tougher measures against Ukraine. Ukraine, which has been repeatedly attacked by Russia, denied responsibility for the attacks on Moscow. “Soon we will show in the zone of the special military operation what revenge is in the full sense of the word,” Kadyrov wrote in his blog on the Telegram news channel. He also once again threatened Western Europe with Russian attacks, stating that Russia could knock on the doors of, for example, Germany or Poland.
While Moscow has only recently become the scene of such drone attacks, regions close to the Ukrainian border have long been repeatedly reporting artillery and drone attacks from the neighboring country. Governor of the Belgorod region Vyacheslav Gladkov announced new attacks on the region from the Ukrainian side last night. One person died, others were injured.
Air defense shot down several drones in the Russian capital yesterday morning. Several houses were damaged and two people were injured, authorities said. It remains unclear where the drones came from. In early May, a drone attack over the Kremlin was already repelled. Kremlin head Putin praised the work of air defense, but also said that it should become more dense and of high quality.
After the shelling of Moscow: the White House does not support attacks on Russian territory
After the drone attacks on Moscow, the US administration reiterated that it does not support attacks inside Russia. “We have been frank not only publicly but also privately with the Ukrainians, but we do not want to engage in hypotheses,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in Washington. Information is currently being collected to find out exactly what happened.” At the same time, she clearly stated: “We do not support attacks inside Russia. And point.
On the contrary, according to British Foreign Secretary James Cleverley, Ukraine has the right to attack targets on Russian territory in self-defense. “Legitimate military targets outside their own borders are part of Ukraine’s right to self-defence,” Cleverly said yesterday at a press conference with his Estonian counterpart Margus Tsahkna in the Estonian capital Tallinn. Cleverly did not comment on the drones shot down over Moscow.
Zelensky praised the determination of Chancellor Scholz
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has praised Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) for his “determination” in supporting his country, which is under attack from Russia. He thanked Scholz in a phone call yesterday for the German-supplied air defense systems that saved the lives of Ukrainians, Zelensky said in his evening video message. “And I thank Olaf, Chancellor, for his personal determination, which in many ways becomes the determination for the whole of Europe.”
Long after Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine began on February 24, 2022, Germany continued to be criticized for its unwillingness to help. Criticism subsided when Berlin supplied armaments such as heavy battle tanks and anti-aircraft guns. Zelensky estimated the total German military assistance to his country at three billion euros.
The Ukrainian president has made it clear that an effective air defense system is one of the main goals of his defense policy. “Russian terror must be defeated every day and every night, in the skies of every Ukrainian city and village,” he said. This May, Ukraine is experiencing more drone and missile attacks than at any time since the start of the war. Since there are constant complaints about the lack of shelters, the head of state called on the authorities to act: “Shelters should be available in all cities.” There should be more of them.
IAEA chief formulates safety rules for Ukrainian nuclear power plant
Ukraine continues to worry about its Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, which is occupied by Russian troops. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, outlined the rules for protecting Europe’s largest nuclear power plant. “There should be no attacks of any kind on or against the station, in particular against reactors, spent fuel storage facilities, other critical infrastructure or personnel,” Grossi told the UN Security Council in New York yesterday.
He urged Russia and Ukraine to follow the rules to prevent the release of radioactive materials. In addition, he said, Zaporozhye should not be used as a military base or storage for weapons, such as tanks or artillery, that could be deployed from the facility. An external power supply must be guaranteed and the station must be protected from acts of sabotage. “All violations will be made public,” Grossi added.
Europe’s largest nuclear power plant in the Zaporozhye region came under Russian control during the Russian invasion in early March 2022. Artillery duels around the power plant raised fears of a nuclear holocaust last summer. Therefore, six power units with a total net capacity of 5,700 megawatts have been shut down and are only being cooled down. Observers suggest that the liberation of the power plant is one of the main goals of a major Ukrainian offensive.
What’s important today
In the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, the head of Wagner’s Russian private army, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said he was continuing to withdraw troops. This Thursday, he plans to transfer the city, which was captured but not abandoned by Ukraine, under the control of the regular Russian army.
In addition, a meeting of NATO foreign ministers is taking place in Oslo. The topics of the meeting will be the war in Ukraine, the strengthening of the eastern flank and the upcoming summit on July 11 and 12 in Lithuania.
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Top photo: Danylo Antoniuk/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
