Deaths in Russian missile attack on Kiev – the night at a glance

Kyiv, Odessa, Moscow At least three people were killed and 14 injured in a Russian rocket attack on Kiev, according to Ukrainian sources. Two children were among the fatalities of the night attack with ground-based cruise missiles, Mayor Vitali Klitschko and the military administration of the Ukrainian capital announced on Thursday morning. Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, which has been going on for 463 days, is likely to be the main topic at two international meetings on Thursday.

According to the Ukrainian General Staff, the ten ground-launched Russian Iskander missiles were shot down by anti-aircraft defenses. The attack took place at 3 a.m. (2 a.m. CEST), the military administration in Kiev said. The debris would have led to many victims and extensive damage. “In the Dniprovsky and Desnyansky districts, according to the doctors, there are now 14 injured, 9 had to be hospitalized,” Klitschko wrote on his Telegram channel.

“It’s children’s day. And the racists carry out another attack on our capital and kill. Killing Ukrainian children,” Kyiv’s military administration chief Serhiy Popko ranted on Telegram. The word ‘racists’ is a combination of ‘Rascha’, as Russia is pronounced in English, and fascist. It has been used as a swear word for the Russian occupiers in Ukraine since the beginning of the war.

Zelensky: Grain expert fundamental to food safety

During a visit to the port city of Odessa, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky underlined the importance of the recently extended grain agreement. “The world knows about the fundamental role of maritime grain exports for food safety,” said Zelenskiy on Wednesday in his evening video address, with a view to the agreement with Russia, which came about through international mediation.

“All sea-facing countries in the world can now see what their ports and waters could face if Russia gets through with the Black Sea blockade.”

In the course of its war of aggression, which began in February 2022, Russia blocked grain exports from the neighboring country for months. In the summer of last year, an agreement was concluded between the two warring parties, mediated by the United Nations and Turkey, after which Ukrainian grain was shipped again. Most recently, the agreement was extended for another two months in mid-May – combined with Moscow’s demand to now also facilitate its own exports.

US pledges millions in military aid to Ukraine

The US government is providing Ukraine with further military aid to ward off Russia’s war of aggression. The US Department of Defense announced another military package worth around 300 million US dollars (around 281 million euros). This includes ammunition for various weapon systems that the United States has already delivered to Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman accuses Western countries of “Russophobia”.

After drone attacks on Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused Germany and other Western countries of anti-Russian reactions. “You can feed Russophobia and they (European states) feed Russophobia,” Peskov said on Russian state television. He was reacting to statements by German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit.
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Hebestreit had not explicitly commented on the drone incidents in Moscow. Instead, earlier in the day, when asked how he viewed attacks on Russia’s heartland, he said, “Basically, international law provides that a country defends itself.” Defense against Russian forces attacking Ukraine be legit. “However, the Chancellor has repeatedly made it clear: As far as the use of German weapons is concerned, they are there to defend Ukrainian territory.”

On Tuesday, the Russian military said it had destroyed a total of eight drones that were flying towards Moscow. Several buildings were slightly damaged. Russia blames Ukraine, against which it has been at war for more than 15 months, for the incident. The attacked country rejected the allegations. In Ukraine, on the other hand, heavy drone fire – often resulting in deaths and injuries – is part of everyday life.

This is how the Handelsblatt reports on the Ukraine war:

That will be important on Thursday

The foreign ministers of the NATO countries want to press ahead with preparations for the next alliance summit during consultations in the Norwegian capital Oslo on Thursday. Among other things, it should be about how to deal with Ukraine’s accession request.

At a European summit in the ex-Soviet Republic of Moldova, which borders Ukraine, Russia’s war of aggression is likely to be the main focus. Chancellor Olaf Scholz and other heads of state and government from almost 50 countries are expected there for the second summit of the new European Political Community (EPG).

In the combat zone in Ukraine, the east should also be looked at in particular on Thursday: According to his own statements, the head of the Russian private army Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, wants from now on after extremely costly battles the conquered city of Bakhmut, which has not been abandoned by Ukraine Left control to regular Russian army.

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