Russia-Ukraine updates: Russian missiles hit Odesa in blow to grain deal | News | DW

Russian missiles hit infrastructure within the Ukrainian port metropolis of Odesa on Saturday, the Ukrainian army mentioned, dealing a blow to a deal signed on Friday to unblock grain exports.

“The enemy attacked the Odesa sea commerce port with Kalibr cruise missiles,” Ukraine’s Operational Command South wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

Two missiles hit infrastructure on the port, whereas one other two had been shot down by air protection forces, it mentioned.

Hours earlier, Moscow and Kyiv signed a landmark United Nations-brokered deal seen as essential to reining in world meals costs and would permit sure exports to be shipped from Black Sea ports, together with the hub of Odesa.

Russian troops blocked tens of millions of tons of grain from leaving Ukrainian ports for export shortly after the invasion started in February.

US Ambassador to Kyiv Bridget Brink described Saturday’s assault as “outrageous,” and mentioned Russia should be held to account.

The workplace of UN chief Antonio Guterres issued a press release saying he “unequivocally condemns” the strikes on Odesa.

EU international coverage chief Josep Borrell labeled the assaults as “reprehensible.”

Ukraine’s international ministry known as on the UN and Turkey, which mediated Friday’s deal, to make sure that Russia fulfills its commitments and permits free passage within the grain hall.

“It took lower than 24 hours for Russia to launch a missile assault on Odesa’s port, breaking its guarantees and undermining its commitments earlier than the UN and Turkey underneath the Istanbul settlement,” International Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko mentioned. “In case of non-fulfillment, Russia will bear full
duty for a world meals disaster.”

Right here are the opposite essential headlines from the conflict in Ukraine on July 23.

HRW: Russian troopers torturing Ukrainians in occupied south

Russia’s armed forces are torturing prisoners of conflict and civilians in southern Ukraine, Human Rights Watch (HRW) alleged Saturday.

The rights group mentioned it carried out interviews with dozens of individuals within the occupied areas of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, revealing 42 instances the place Russian forces had both made civilians disappear or in any other case arbitrarily detained them.

Some had not had any contact with the surface world and plenty of had been tortured.

HRW additionally documented the torture of three members of Ukraine’s Territorial Protection Forces who had been POWs. Two of them died.

The non-profit company mentioned the aim of the abuse appeared to be to acquire data and to instill concern so that folks would settle for the Russian occupation.

“Russian forces have turned occupied areas of southern Ukraine into an abyss of concern and wild lawlessness,” mentioned Yulia Gorbunova, senior Ukraine researcher at Human Rights Watch. 

White Home publicizes contemporary army bundle for Ukraine

America has signed off on one other $270 million (€264 million) in army support to Ukraine.

The help contains 4 new M142 Excessive Mobility Artillery Rocket Programs, taking to twenty the variety of Himars delivered to Kyiv.

Ukraine has known as the Himars, which might exactly strike targets inside 80 kilometers (50 miles), a game-changer in countering Russia.

The Pentagon mentioned Ukraine would additionally obtain as much as 580 Phoenix Ghosts —  small and extremely moveable drones that detonate on their targets.

The most recent support additionally contains 36,000 rounds of artillery ammunition and 4 Command Put up Autos, armored posts that may operate as operations facilities on the battlefield.

Greater than half of the help comes from a $40 billion bundle for Ukraine permitted by Congress in Might.

“Thanks President Biden for the brand new protection support bundle for Ukraine. Critically vital, highly effective arms will save our troopers’ lives, pace up the liberation of our land from the Russian aggressor. I respect the strategic friendship between our nations. Collectively to victory!” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tweeted on Saturday.

Zelenskyy hails UN-brokered grain export deal

President Zelenskyy additionally expressed satisfaction with the deal signed with Russia permitting for the export of tens of millions of tons of grain from his nation’s Black Sea ports. 

Russian forces blockaded Ukrainian ports throughout the first stage of February’s invasion, sparking hovering costs and meals shortages in lots of elements of the world.

The settlement means grain exports can begin flowing once more, alongside safety checks on ships.

The doc signed in Istanbul on Friday was “totally according to Ukraine’s pursuits,” Zelenskyy mentioned in his Friday evening video handle.

“Now we cannot solely resume the work of our Black Sea ports, but in addition preserve the required safety for them,” he added.

The deal, which was brokered by the United Nations and Turkey, was additionally welcomed by the African Union regional bloc, as it would handle looming starvation on the world’s poorest continent.

Lithuania lifts ban on Kaliningrad rail transit

Lithuania has lifted a ban on the rail transport of sanctioned items out and in of Russia’s exclave of Kaliningrad, based on the RIA information company.

Final week, the European Union mentioned that the transit ban solely affected highway transit.

The Kaliningrad area borders Poland and Lithuania and depends on the import of products from the remainder of Russia by means of EU territory.

Lithuania stopped Russia from sending sanctioned items through rail to Kaliningrad in June.

Zelensky adviser:1,000 Russian troops encircled in Kherson area

Greater than 1,000 Russian troopers have been surrounded by Ukrainian forces within the Kherson area of southern Ukraine, an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned.

Oleksiy Arestovych mentioned the Russians had been caught in a “tactical encirclement” not removed from the village of Vysokopillya after an unsuccessful try to interrupt by means of Ukrainian traces.

Ukraine’s military lately launched a number of counteroffensives within the Kherson area, which has been largely underneath Moscow’s management for the reason that invasion started in February.

In its newest replace, British army intelligence mentioned the Russian forces’ provide traces west of the Dnipro river within the Kherson area are more and more in danger. 

German-Polish tank plan not going as deliberate

German International Minister Annalena Baerbock has admitted {that a} round swap plan for oblique arms deliveries to Ukraine just isn’t working as deliberate. 

Nevertheless, she rejected the sharp criticism from the Polish authorities, which accused Germany of deception

The proposed deal concerned Poland sending Soviet-era tanks to Ukraine, whereas Poland would obtain newer replacements from Germany or different allies. This is able to permit Ukraine to rapidly get hold of heavy army gear that they had been used to working with out in depth coaching on new know-how.

However Warsaw accused Berlin of providing older tanks to switch these Poland was sending to Ukraine.

Baerbock hit again, telling an occasion for Bild newspaper that there was no deception. She admitted that the plan was “unsatisfactory for each side,” however appeared to be “the perfect and quickest method [of helping Ukraine] on the time.”

Make amends for DW’s Ukraine content material

Germany at the moment hosts round 900,000 Ukrainian refugees. Regardless of the improved safety state of affairs round Kyiv and the West, many are reticent about returning dwelling.

Western sanctions on Russia are beginning to chunk. However rising ties between Moscow and Tehran may assist President Vladimir Putin uncover tips on how to circumvent the curbs.

Regardless of rumors that Minsk’s forces may be part of the conflict in Ukraine, Belarussian opposition determine Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya informed DW the considerations are most likely unfounded.

mm/jcg (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)