Almost five months after the start of its offensive, Russia is changing its plans: she military objectives in Ukraine are no longer limited “uniquely” in the east of the country, they also concern “a series of other territories”. That’s what said Sergei Lavrov, Wednesday July 20, dyears an interview given to two Russian media. the head of russian diplomacy mentioned in particular “Kherson and Zaporizhia regions” in the south of the country. Franceinfo takes stock of the situation in Ukraine, on the 147th day of war.
Bombings in the East
New Russian strikes in eastern Ukraine killed five civilians on Tuesday and injured 16, according to Pavlo Kyrylenko, the governor of the Donetsk region. That of Lugansk, Sergiï Gayday, affirms that a significant number of men of the Russian paramilitary group Wagner were “completely liquidated” near Popasna.
In Kharkiv, in the northeast, shelling killed at least three people, according to local authorities. Among them, a 13-year-old boy killed near a bus stop. AFP journalists saw the body and relatives in shock, amid the shards of glass. In the south, new bombardments left at least two dead and nine injured in the town of Nikopol, according to its mayor.
According to the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russian forces “continue their offensives” southwest of Sloviansk. They have made “marginal efforts” towards Bakhmout, two major points on the Sloviansk-Siversk-Bakhmout line, the main Ukrainian defense axis in the Donbass.
Moscow no longer focuses its military objectives “only” on eastern Ukraine
Russia’s military objective is no longer “uniquely” eastern Ukraine. That’s what has said Sergei Lavrov, in a interview with the Russian news agency RIA-Novosti and the Russia Today channel. The Russian Foreign Minister assures that the Kremlin is aiming “a series of other territories”, whose “Kherson and Zaporizhia regions” in the south of the country. He justified this change with a “different geography” compared to the situation on the ground at the end of March.
In his interview, the head of russian diplomacy has as esteemed as it would have “no sense in the current situation” to hold talks with kyiv. He believes that previous contacts have “only revealed the unwillingness of the Ukrainian side to seriously discuss anything.”
The First Lady of Ukraine visits the United States
Olena Zelenska delivered a vibrant plea before the American Congress to ask for more arms deliveries to her country in order to fight against the Russian invasion. “We are grateful for the presence of the United States on our side in this war”noted thea ukrainian first lady, “but the war is not over”.
“I ask you for more weapons (…) to protect everyone’s homes and the right to wake up alive in those homes,” did she say. Help us (…) and we will achieve a great victory together”. At the end of his speech, the American parliamentarians rose in unison to applaud him.
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On Wednesday evening, the United States announced that it would send four new Himars precision artillery systems to Ukraine, bringing the total to sixteen. At the beginning of the week, the Ukrainian Minister of Defense praised the effectiveness of these weapons, while estimating that it would be necessary “at least 100” to carry out a counter-offensive against Russia.
Western countries agree to give Ukraine more time to pay its debts
Due “exceptional circumstances”several creditor countries of Ukraine, including France, announce that they are granting kyiv a deferral of interest payments, from August until the end of 2023. In a joint statement, these countries (including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and Japan) call on the rest of Ukraine’s creditors to follow the initiative.
The Ukrainian economy has collapsed since the start of the war. The country could see its GDP plunge by 45% this year, according to the latest World Bank estimates. The objective is to favor the “foreign currency resources for priority war-related expenditures”explained the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine.
Turkey still hopes for a grain deal this week
Recep Tayyip Erdogan is still betting on an agreement by Sunday with Russia and Ukraine on Ukrainian grain exports. “We have a memorandum that we hope will be turned into a written text this week”declared the Turkish president to the local press, on his return from Tehran where he met his Russian and Iranian counterparts, Vladimir Putin and Ebrahim Raïsi.
Vladimir Poutine “expressed a very positive opinion regarding our efforts”, assured Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. “We hope the plan will start to be implemented in the next few days, from a coordination center in Istanbul.”he insisted.
During his visit to Tehran, Vladimir Putin demanded that Western restrictions affecting Russian cereals be lifted to allow an agreement on Ukrainian exports.