A new Russian bombardment on a humanitarian aid distribution center in Orikhiv killed at least seven people on Sunday.
Shortly before a NATO summit centered on support for Ukraine, a new Russian bombardment on a humanitarian aid distribution center in Orikhiv killed at least seven people on Sunday, July 9. This town, located in central Ukraine, is close to the front line, where Ukrainian forces have been trying since early June to retake heavily fortified positions from Russian troops. While kyiv’s counter-offensive is struggling, franceinfo takes stock of what to remember from the day on the side of the conflict in Ukraine.
Zelensky calls for a ‘clear signal’ on Ukraine’s NATO membership
The Ukrainian president on Monday called for a “clear signal” on the part of Westerners about the prospects of his country joining NATO, on the eve of an important Alliance summit in Vilnius. “Ukraine deserves to be part of the Alliance. Not now because now is war, but we need a clear signal and this signal is needed now”Volodymyr Zelensky said in his daily video message on Telegram.
Russian strike kills seven in Orikhiv
Seven people were killed in a Russian strike on a humanitarian aid center in Orikhiv, in central Ukraine, according to a report given Monday by the emergency services. “Rescuers cleared the bodies of three people from the rubble with no sign of life. The death toll rose to seven people”, the Ukrainian Emergency Service announced on Telegram. The Ukrainian prosecutor general also reported 13 wounded in this bombardment which, according to regional governor Yuri Malachko, hit on Sunday “a humanitarian aid distribution center in a residential area”.
According to the Ukrainian Interior Ministry, she targeted a college “when civilians were receiving humanitarian aid”. “An aerial bomb completely destroyed the building”the ministry said, adding that nearby apartment buildings and civil infrastructure were also damaged.
Vladimir Putin met Yevgeny Prigozhin
Since his abortive march on the Russian capital, Yevgeny Prigojine had disappeared from circulation. On June 29, the boss of the Wagner militia spoke with Vladimir Putin in Moscow. The meeting lasted “almost three hours”, said the Kremlin spokesman. The latter reports that the Russian President gave his “appreciation” of the June 24 mutiny and listened to the commanders of the Wagner group who claimed that they supported the Russian president and would “keep fighting” for Russia.
Joe Biden is on a European tour
The US President is visiting Europe. He first gave a show of unity with London on Monday during a brief visit where he met the king and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, on the eve of an important NATO summit in Lithuania. . The two leaders agreed on the need to “to strenghten” the Alliance and “continue support for Ukraine” so that it wins against the Russian invasion a “just and lasting peace”, according to the Downing Street report. This visit comes two days after the decision of the United States to deliver cluster munitions to Ukraine, controversial and banned in many NATO countries.