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The boiler room of Mariupol was destroyed in a strike – reports
Ukrainian sources say Russian forces hit a boiler factory in Mariupol, southern Ukraine. The city’s mayor’s adviser, Petro Andryushenko, said Russian forces hit the city’s boiler facilities in a Telegram post early this morning. “The Russians have exploded again. Loud enough for the whole town to hear. Just blowing up the boiler room. Instead of preparing the city for winter and building boiler rooms, the conquerors are destroying even the remains…” Unconfirmed video purportedly showing the moment the facility was hit has surfaced online.
“Nuclear explosions must stop” warns the head of the UN
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an end to “nuclear explosions”, saying the world is at a “moment of greatest peril” and all countries with nuclear weapons must commit to “no first use”. . The UN chief described the situation at Ukraine’s Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest, as critical. Shelling and fighting in the area continues. In a statement released after ambassadors met at the UN Security Council on Monday, Guterres said: The nuclear rattle must stop… come to the negotiating table to reduce tensions and end the nuclear arms race, once and for all.” At this moment of “greatest danger to our world”, the secretary-general stressed that “the future of humanity is in our hands”, insisting that division should be replaced by dialogue and diplomacy, to “save future generations from the scourge of war”. He argued that negotiation, compromise and accountability are needed for the future, affirming that as it represents the nations of the world, the UN is “humanity’s best hope for building a better, more peaceful tomorrow”. In this moment of greatest danger to our world, now is the time to recommit to the @UN Charter and the ideals it represents. There is no greater solution to fulfilling the promise of the Charter than replacing division with dialogue and diplomacy. The future of humanity is in our hands. pic.twitter.com/LS43yEA6Pg — António Guterres (@antonioguterres) August 22, 2022
Russia will intensify strikes: US
The US State Department has issued a security alert, warning that Russia is stepping up efforts to launch strikes against Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure and government facilities in the coming days. The security alert issued by the US Embassy in Kyiv on Tuesday reads: The State Department has information that Russia is stepping up efforts to launch strikes against Ukrainian civilian infrastructure and government facilities in the coming days.” The U.S. intelligence community on Monday declassified a finding that determined Russia would increasingly target Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, according to a U.S. official with knowledge of intelligence. The official was not authorized to comment publicly on the find and spoke on condition of anonymity, The Associated Press reported. The warning also called on US citizens still in Ukraine to leave the country immediately. “If you hear a loud explosion or sirens are activated, seek cover immediately,” the State Department said. “If you’re in a house or building, go to the lowest level of the structure with the fewest exterior walls, windows, and openings. close all doors and sit near an interior wall, away from windows or openings.” Updated at 05.13 BST
Summary and welcome
Hello and welcome back to the Guardian’s live coverage of the war in Ukraine. I’m Samantha Lock and I’ll be bringing you all the latest developments for the next while. Whether you followed our coverage overnight or just dropped in, here are the latest lines. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an end to “nuclear explosions”, saying the world is at a “moment of greatest peril” and all countries with nuclear weapons must commit to “no first use”. . Meanwhile, the US State Department issued a security alert, warning that Russia is stepping up efforts to launch strikes against Ukrainian civilian infrastructure and government facilities in the coming days. It’s 7 am in Ukraine. Here’s everything you might have missed:
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an end to “nuclear rattles” on Monday, saying the world was in a “moment of greatest peril” and all countries with nuclear weapons must commit to “no first use”. The UN has described the situation at Ukraine’s Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest, as critical, with shelling and fighting in the area continuing.
Moscow has called for a UN Security Council meeting on Tuesday to discuss the Zaporizhia plant, Russian state news agency RIA reported, citing Deputy UN Ambassador Dmitry Polyansky.
Ukrainian soldiers captured after the battle for Mariupol have accused Russian forces of torturing them during their captivity. The soldiers, who were from the Azov regiment and were released as part of a prisoner exchange, told reporters they saw soldiers beaten to the point of breaking their bones. “Some had needles inserted into their wounds, some were tortured with water,” said Vladislav Zayvoronok, who lost a leg. “They stripped us, forced us to squat while naked. If any of the boys raised their heads, they immediately started beating them,” added Denis Chepurko.
The only bridge over the strategic Dnieper River in the Russian-held city of Kherson was reportedly hit by high-precision US-supplied Himars rockets, injuring 15 people, a source told Russian news agency Interfax. The bridge is a key passage for Russian military transport in the region.
Three villages in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region were hit by Russian artillery and multiple rocket launchers on Monday. Soledar, Zaytseve and Bilohorivka near the city of Bakhmut were hit, killing at least two civilians, Ukrainian authorities said.
Nearly 9,000 Ukrainian servicemen have been killed in the war with Russia, the head of Ukraine’s armed forces, General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, said on Monday. The UN human rights office said on Monday 5,587 civilians were killed and 7,890 injured between February 24 and August 21, mostly by artillery, rocket and missile attacks.
The German chancellor says he is working quickly to find alternatives to Russian gas. Olaf Scholz said he aims to wean Germany off its dependence on Russian gas and seek new energy supplies. Scholz met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Montreal on Monday. The two leaders are set to sign an agreement to supply clean hydrogen from Canada to Germany.
Ukraine has restored a rail link with neighboring Moldova that could transport 10 million tons of goods a year, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said. The 22 km (12 mi) long line runs from western Ukraine to Moldova. Ukraine’s infrastructure minister, Oleksander Kubrakov, said the link would provide an alternative route from the Black Sea port of Odessa.
Ukraine’s agricultural exports are likely to rise to around 4 million tonnes in August, up from 3 million tonnes in July, the vice chairman of Ukraine’s agricultural council said. The rise is due to a UN-brokered deal that unblocks Ukrainian ports.
Europe faces another disruption in energy supplies due to a breakdown in a pipeline system carrying oil from Kazakhstan through Russia, the pipeline’s operator said on Monday. The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) said exports from two of its three Black Sea terminal berths have been suspended.
A senior Russian diplomat has ruled out a diplomatic solution to ending the war in Ukraine. Gennady Gatilov, Russia’s permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, told the Financial Times that there would be no direct talks between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky, adding that Moscow expected a protracted conflict.
A Ukrainian national flag was displayed on a burnt Russian military vehicle in central Kyiv on August 22. Photo: Alexey Furman/Getty Images Updated 05.02 BST
title: “Russia Ukraine War The Nuclear Sword Must Stop Un Chief Warns. Us Predicts Moscow Will Step Up Strikes Live News Russia " ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-17” author: “Rachel Winters”
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The mayor of Dnipro confirms the explosions in the city
Dnipro Mayor Boris Filatov said rockets were falling on houses and urged Ukrainians in the city to stay hidden. In a post on his Facebook page he said: Please stay under cover. There is already evidence of rockets falling on private homes. Details will come later. We await official information from the Military Administration. Dnipro is located in south-central Ukraine and has come under Russian long-range missile attacks during the war. Updated at 10.22 BST Porsches, Bentleys and other luxury cars with Russian number plates fill the garage at Helsinki airport as Finland becomes a major transit country for Russian tourists flying to Europe, AFP reports. The European Union closed its airspace to Russian planes after Moscow invaded Ukraine, forcing anyone wanting to travel to Europe to cross the border or take a circuitous route using non-Western airlines. A quick stroll through the parking lot at Helsinki Airport revealed dozens, if not hundreds, of high-end cars with Russian license plates, including a new Mercedes-Benz S-class sedan and the Porsche 911 Turbo S. Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto told AFP that the Nordic nation had become a “transit country” for Russian tourists. Finland said last week it would limit Russian tourist visas to 10% of the current volume from September 1 due to growing resentment of Russian tourism amid the war in Ukraine. However, Russians continue to enter Finland with visas issued by other EU countries in the borderless Schengen travel area for their travels. Schengen rules do not allow Finland to close borders to certain nationalities, Haavisto said. Such sanctions can only be decided jointly by the EU. The European Commission acknowledged last week that discussions were underway to see if a “coordinated approach” could be reached on Russian visas. Luxury cars with Russian license plates in the premium parking area of Helsinki Airport on August 19 in Vandaa, Finland. Photo: Alessandro Rampazo/AFP/Getty Images Expensive cars with Russian number plates in Vandaa, Finland. Photo: Alessandro Rampazo/AFP/Getty Images Updated at 10.15 BST European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen paid tribute to Ukrainians who “gave their lives to protect the values” on which the European bloc was built. In commemoration of the Pan-European Day of Remembrance for the victims of all totalitarian and authoritarian regimes today, he said in a statement: On August 23, we commemorate the victims of totalitarian and authoritarian regimes, in Europe and beyond. Today, on the 83rd anniversary of the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, this date has special significance. This year, Putin brought back the horrors of war to Europe, along with the reminder that peace cannot be taken for granted. The painful memory of the past is not just a distant memory, but has echoed in Russia’s illegal and unjustified war against Ukraine. We are inspired by the courage of those who stood up to injustice then, and we pay our respects and support to the many men and women who are forced to do so again today. The Ukrainian people give their lives to protect the values on which our Union was built. Today more than ever, we stand united against Russian state-controlled propaganda that distorts history, spreads conspiracies, and punishes those who oppose it. We will resolutely continue our work to counter misinformation. And we will ensure that those who stood against totalitarianism are not forgotten. Today we honor the victims of totalitarian regimes. We are inspired by those who stood up to injustice then and support those who do so today, as the horrors of war return to Europe. Ukrainians give their lives to protect the values on which our Union was built. — Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) August 23, 2022 Russian forces are likely to have started moving barges to build a floating bridge over the Dnipro River near the Antonivsky Bridge, according to a British intelligence briefing. The bridge in Kherson has been repeatedly targeted by Ukrainian forces with missile strikes, as it is a key supply route for Russia in the southern part of the country. For several weeks, Russian forces and local civilians have relied on a ferry crossing the waterway, the briefing said. If Russia completes the makeshift bridge, it will almost certainly increase the capacity of the crossing compared to the ferry, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) believes. The update added that the floating bridge would likely still be vulnerable to Ukrainian attacks. Updated at 09.48 BST A total of 33 cargo ships carrying about 719,549 tons of food have left Ukraine as part of an agreement brokered by the United Nations and Turkey to de-block Ukrainian seaports, Ukraine’s agriculture ministry said. The Joint Coordination Center in Turkey, which monitors the implementation of the agreement, reported the total amount of grain and food exported from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports since the agreement was reached at 721,449 tons. Ukraine’s grain exports fell after Russia invaded the country on February 24 and blockaded its Black Sea ports, raising global food prices and raising fears of shortages in Africa and the Middle East, Reuters reports. Three Black Sea ports were unblocked under the agreement signed on July 22 by Moscow and Kyiv. In addition to the ships that have already left Ukraine, the agriculture ministry said another 18 were loading or awaiting permission to leave Ukrainian ports. The ministry said Ukrainian grain exports could reach 4 million tons in August, compared with 3 million tons in July. Updated at 09.49 BST Isobel Koshiw Isobel Koshiw reports: The US State Department has issued a security alert, warning that Russia is “escalating” efforts to launch strikes against civilian infrastructure and government facilities in Ukraine in the coming days. The warning, issued on Tuesday, is the first special security warning issued by the US embassy in Kyiv in recent months. He did not say which places he believed Russia planned to target, but advised American citizens to leave Ukraine if it was safe to do so. The alarm comes a day before Ukraine completes 31 years as an independent state. On August 24, 1991, the Ukrainian parliament voted to secede from the Soviet Union. The day will also mark six months since Russia launched its full invasion. Some restaurants in Kyiv have closed early this week due to the increased threat. Read more: Russia to step up strikes on civilians, US says, as Ukraine’s independence day approaches Updated at 08.50 BST Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said 825 people were evacuated from the Kharkiv region in northeastern Ukraine. In a message on her Telegram channel she said: A successful humanitarian operation: 825 people were evacuated today from the uncontrolled part of Kharkiv region, of which 238 were children. We thank the head of Kharkiv OVA Oleg Sinegubov for organizing the process, as well as the voluntary organizations for their dedication and help. ⚡️Vereshchuk: 825 people were evacuated from Kharkiv region on August 22. Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk reported that 238 of those evacuated from the occupied parts of Kharkiv Region were children. — The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) August 23, 2022
Polish President Duda arrives in Kyiv for talks with Zelensky
Polish President Andrzej Duda arrived in Kyiv for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The duo will engage in talks on the current war situation in Ukraine, economic and humanitarian support and bilateral cooperation, according to Duda’s official Twitter channel. Pawel Szrot told reporters: The visit will include a meeting with President (Volodymyr) Zelenskiy and talks on military support and defense of Ukraine in the economic, humanitarian and political sense,” Pawel Szrot told reporters. The presidents will discuss political support that Poland could offer to persuade other countries to continue helping Ukraine. Duda has met with Zelensky five times this year, including three visits he has made to Ukraine since the invasion began in February this year. President @AndrzejDuda at the invitation of President @ZelenskyyUa is in Kyiv today. During the visit, bilateral talks will be held between the Presidents and the delegations on the situation in 🇺🇦, support in the military, economic and humanitarian dimension and bilateral cooperation. pic.twitter.com/isQcEK1gdj — Office of the President (@prezydentpl) August 23, 2022 Updated at 08.49 BST Exports of key Ukrainian agricultural products have nearly halved since the start of the Russian invasion earlier this year compared with the same period in 2021, agriculture ministry data showed late Monday. Ukrainian seaports have been blockaded since the Russian invasion began in late February, leaving a huge amount of crops either unharvested or damaged, Reuters reports. Agricultural exports between February 24 and August 15 this year fell to 10 million tonnes from about 19.5 million in the same period last year, according to ministry data. Ukraine’s 2022 grain harvest is forecast to fall to around 50 million tonnes from a record 86 million tonnes in 2021. In late July, three Ukrainian Black Sea ports were unblocked as part of a deal between Moscow and Kiev brokered by the United Nations and Turkey. But even with the ports open, Ukraine’s agricultural exports are significantly lower than before the conflict, when Ukraine exported up to 6 million tons of grain a month. Updated at 08.19 BST
Summary so far
It’s 9 am in Ukraine. Here’s everything you might have missed:
The US State Department has issued a security alert, warning that Russia is stepping up efforts to launch strikes against Ukrainian civilian infrastructure and government facilities in…
