Ukraine war briefing: F-16 fighter jets to carry advanced US weapons – report
www.theguardian.com
Wed, 31 Jul 2024 03:04:03 +0300
Russia claims control of settlement adjoining Toretsk Ukrainian strike on oil depot in Vozy, Kursk region.
What we know on day 889 The US will arm F16 fighter jets supplied by other allies to Ukraine with advanced American weapons including airtoground missiles, extended range guided bomb packs and airtoair missiles including the AMRAAM and AIM9X, according to the Wall Street Journal .
The first of dozens of donated F16s are due in Ukraine this summer, flown by Ukrainian pilots trained in European countries and the US.Russias defence ministry said on Tuesday its forces had captured the settlement of Pivdenne in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.
It adjoins Toretsk, a Ukrainian stronghold the Russians are trying to take.
Ukrainian military bloggers said areas around Toretsk were gripped by heavy fighting with Russian soldiers trying to infiltrate in small groups.
Ukraines military general staff made no reference to Pivdenne in a late evening report but said Russian forces tried repeatedly to breach Ukrainian defences near Pokrovsk, another hotspot farther west.The Ukrainian military said on Tuesday it had successfully hit a Russian oil depot in the Vozy settlement of the Kursk region.
The depot was targeted in a joint operation of the Security Service of Ukraine SBU and other forces, said the military general staff.
The Kursk regions acting governor said there had been a missile attack.
On Sunday, Ukraines military struck the Polevaya oil depot in the Kursk region with three tanks catching fire.Ukraines energy situation is improving, officials have said, as it contends with waves of Russian attacks targeting power stations.
Staterun electricity operator Ukrenergo said 30 July was the first day of the month with no power cuts.
If there is no more shelling, it will be possible to manage with minimal restrictions or no power outages at all in the next three months, said Yuriy Boyko, an adviser to Shmygal who sits on Ukrenergos supervisory board.
Ukraine has been importing electricity from the EU to fill the gap in generation.
The prime minister, Denys Shmygal, said Ukraine was continuing to prepare for the autumn and winter period and develop alternative generation sources.The Ukrainian government has invited the Chinese foreign minister, Wang Yi, to visit Ukraine, the latters foreign ministry has said.
Yi and his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, met in China last week.Shaun Walker reports that the Belarusian president, Alexander Lukashenko, has pardoned Rico Krieger, a German sentenced to death after being accused of espionage on behalf of Ukraine.
Germanys foreign office confirmed to the AFP news agency that Krieger had been pardoned.
It comes amid talk of possible highprofile prisoner exchanges by Belaruss close ally Russia.Russian lawmakers passed a bill on Tuesday allowing businesses to use cryptocurrencies in international trade, as part of efforts to skirt western sanctions.
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