Gas supplies through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline will be stopped again at the end of August. Image: AP / Markus Schreiber
Ukraine blog
Almost six months ago, Russia, Ukraine. Since then, Russian President Vladimir Putin has waged a bloody war in the neighboring country. Fronts have hardened in the south and east of Ukraine and both sides are currently not gaining any territory. The United Nations has resumed efforts to find a diplomatic solution.
Here you will find the most important news about the war in Ukraine.
August 20
12:40 pm: Ukraine offers replacement pipelines due to the blocking of Gazprom deliveries
Due to the imminent disruption of Russian gas supply via the Baltic Sea, Ukraine is offering its gas pipelines as a replacement. “The capacities of the Ukrainian gas transport system and the route through Poland are more than sufficient to guarantee the fulfillment of the obligations of delivery of Russian gas to European countries”. This was announced on Friday evening by the operator of the Ukrainian gas pipeline network in Kiev.
The alternative route is “given the chronic interruptions of the works from Nord Stream 1 ″. Russia ignores this alternative delivery option, said the Ukrainian operator. There are no objective reasons for limiting gas supplies to the EU. Gazprom is trying to pressure European countries to stop supporting Ukraine. Despite the Russian war of aggression, some countries, especially in South Eastern Europe, continue to receive their gas in transit through Ukraine.
9.28: Explosion in Crimea – separatists denounce the shooting down of drones
Another explosion occurred in the Crimean peninsula annexed by Russia. According to authorities, debris from a downed drone hit the headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet in the city of Sevastopol on Saturday. The fleet’s anti-aircraft defenses hit the drone, said the chief administrator of the city, Mikhail Rasvozhayev. “She fell on the roof and got burned.” There are no casualties. The official released a photo of the destroyed roof. Razvozhayev blamed Ukraine for the attack.
After an explosion, a cloud of smoke rising into the sky could be seen in initially unverifiable images and videos that were distributed on social networks. “Keep calm and stay home for the next hour if possible,” the head of administration wrote on his channel in the Telegram news service. There is no serious destruction.
The debris from the downed drone is said to have fallen on the roof of the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.Image: imago / aP
5:00 am: Selensky accuses Russia of extortion with pipelines
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of using its pipelines to blackmail. As an example, he cited the announcement by the Russian gas company Gazprom that it would cut off supplies to Germany via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline for three days at the end of August. Without naming FDP deputy Wolfgang Kubicki, Selenskyj spoke of “absurd statements” in Germany about the commissioning of Nord Stream 2. Russia only needs these pipelines to create problems in Europe, not to help with gas. he has declared.
19 August
21:40 .: Macron and Putin are for a quick inspection of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant
Against the backdrop of the ongoing attacks on the site of the Ukrainian nuclear power plant in Zaporizhia, the presidents of Russia and France, Vladimir Putin and Emmanuel Macron, have called for a quick inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In a phone call on Friday, Putin and Macron asked IAEA inspectors to visit the plant “as soon as possible,” according to a Kremlin statement. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said he was willing to send inspectors “as soon as possible”.
Moscow declared “its willingness to provide the necessary support” to IAEA inspectors during a visit to Zaporizhia, the Kremlin said in a statement. The phone call between Macron and Putin was the first direct exchange between the two heads of state since the end of May.
Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to refuse to withdraw his troops from the occupied Zaporizhia nuclear reactor. Image: filo imago / zuma
You can find the oldest news about the war in Ukraine here.
(nik / with material from dpa and afp)