Ukraine is preparing to celebrate its Independence Day on August 24, a national holiday to commemorate the 1991 declaration of independence from the USSR.
And President Volodymyr Zelensky fears Russia's demonstrative actions: "We must be aware that Russia could do something particularly terrible , particularly violent," he said in his evening video message on Telegram.
The summit of the Crimean Platform - the Kiev initiative to identify ways for the liberation of the peninsula, also with international support - is expected to take place next week.
Meanwhile, Kiev continues to attack the Russian fleet in Crimea with drones , hitting the headquarters of the Black Sea fleet in Sevastopol.
Moscow also denounces that the Ukrainian army used chemical agents against Russian troops in the Zaporizhzhia region. The Ministry of Defense speaks of signs of "severe poisoning" found in soldiers hospitalized, the agent used would be Botox type B toxin.
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Here is the news by the hour
Pope: "Proximity to Ukrainians who experience immense cruelty"
"We persevere in closeness and in prayer for the dear Ukrainian people who are experiencing immense cruelty". The Pope said this at the Angelus.
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Black Sea, Russia deploys other missile ships
Russia increases the number of its cruise missile ships in the Black Sea ahead of Ukraine's Independence Day, which falls on August 24th. This was stated by Natalia Humeniuk, spokesman for the "South" operational command of the country, quoted by The Kyiv Independent, specifying that Russia has five units with cruise missiles in the Black Sea, including a submarine.
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Destroyed ammunition depot in Odessa
The Russian military destroyed an ammunition depot in the Odessa region with Kalibr cruise missiles, where US Himars multiple rocket launchers were stored, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov said today. Tass reports it. "Long-range Kalibr missiles destroyed an ammunition depot with American missiles near the village of Mayorskoye in the Odessa region," Konashenkov said.
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1,036 evacuated from Zaporizhzhia
Yesterday, 1,036 people, including 324 children, were evacuated from the territories of the Ukrainian region of Zaporizhzhia occupied by Russian troops.
"In the last day, 1,036 civilians, including 324 children, were evacuated from the temporarily occupied territory," the press service of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration reported on Telegram, reported by Ukrinform. The military situation in the Zaporizhzhia region has not undergone significant changes in the last day. On the last day, Russian forces attacked Ukrainian positions, using tanks, rockets and artillery pieces along the entire line of contact.
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Civilians killed in Donetsk
Russian troops killed four civilians and injured two more in the Donetsk region, according to Pavlo Kyrylenko, head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, quoted by Ukrinform on Telegram.
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Four ships with agricultural products depart from Ukrainian ports
Four cargo ships carrying a total of 33,300 tons of agricultural products left the Ukrainian ports of Odessa, Chernomorsk and Yuzhny this morning, the Turkish Defense Ministry reported from Ankara, quoted by TASS.
The ships are the Da Liang which transports 14,000 tons of sugar beet to Gunsan, South Korea; Filyoz and Foyle with 5,000 and 4,300 tons of vegetable oil respectively, and Kubrosli Y with 10,000 tons of wheat. The ships are all headed for Turkey and will be inspected by today.
(Unioneonline)
