At least three people were killed and 15 others injured on Friday, August 12, in Russian bombardments on the Ukrainian cities of Kramatorsk, in the East, and Zaporijjia, in the South, announced the local authorities. Among the dead are two civilians, said Pavlo Kyrylenko, the governor of the Donetsk region, on Facebook. A local official in Zaporijjia, Anatoli Kourtev, for his part reported on Telegram the death of a woman on Friday in Russian strikes which also injured two people who were hospitalized.
Ukraine goes into “selective” default
This is the last rung before payment default. Rating agency Standard & Poor’s downgraded Ukraine’s rating to SD, or “selective” default, due to a moratorium on its foreign debt granted on Wednesday. “Given the announced terms and conditions of the restructuring, and in accordance with our criteria, we consider this transaction as (…) equivalent to a default”justified S&P in a press release.
Pentagon says it ‘doesn’t know’ origin of explosions at Russian base in Crimea
The Pentagon has assured that it has no information on the cause of the recent explosions at a Russian military base in Crimea, which occurred on Tuesday. Washington also stressed that the United States had not delivered to kyiv any weapon allowing to carry out such a strike. These explosions were presented as accidental by Moscow but which experts attribute to an attack by Ukrainian forces.
Russian oil deliveries to the Czech Republic have resumed
Deliveries of Russian oil to the Czech Republic have resumed after an eight-day suspension, announced the Czech operator Mero. The Russian company responsible for transporting hydrocarbons, Transneft, had announced the interruption of oil deliveries to Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, from August 4. According to the Russian firm, the sanctions imposed on Russia prevented it from paying transit fees in kyiv, which had the effect of interrupting the transport of oil.