What to remember from Saturday, August 24

Volodymyr Zelensky notably promulgated a law banning the Moscow-linked Orthodox Church on Ukraine’s Independence Day from the Soviet Union.

On the day of the Independence Day of Ukraine from the Soviet Union, Saturday, August 24, Volodymyr Zelensky promised “reprisals” to Russia, as kyiv launched an offensive in Russia’s border region of Kursk, while Russian troops continue to advance in eastern UkraineThe Ukrainian president also signed into law a law banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is linked to Moscow. The day was also marked by a prisoner exchange between the two countries. Here’s what you need to know from the day.

Volodymyr Zelensky promises “retaliation” against Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has promised “reprisals” to Russia, as kyiv launched an offensive in Russia’s border region of Kursk, while Russian troops continue to advance in eastern Ukraine. Russia wanted “destroy us” but the war is “came home”the Ukrainian president said.

On the day of the independence of Ukraine from the Soviet Union, iThe law was also promulgated banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Churchlinked to Moscow, the official text of which was published on the Parliament’s website. The leader said in a speech that this decision would strengthen his country’s independence, while the law is denounced by Moscow. The Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, Kirill, accused the Ukrainian authorities of “persecute” believers and called on the international community for help.

Russia and Ukraine exchanged 230 prisoners of war, including Russian conscripts

The two countries announced that they had carried out an exchange of 230 prisoners of war from both sides, which involves Russian conscripts captured during the Ukrainian offensive in the Kursk border region. This exchange was carried out, like many previous ones, under the mediation of the United Arab Emirates, which welcomed being “a reliable mediator supporting diplomacy to resolve the crisis between the two countries.”

Five dead in Russian strike on Kostyantynivka in eastern Ukraine

Five people were killed and five others injured in a Russian shelling on the industrial city of Kostyantynivka in eastern Ukraine, the Ukrainian prosecutor’s office said. Kiev said it had carried out an attack on an ammunition depot in the Voronezh region in western Russia. Local Russian authorities reported drone strikes and the evacuation of a village.

Olaf Scholz reaffirms his “unwavering solidarity” with Volodymyr Zelensky

The German Chancellor, whose government is planning to cut the budget for bilateral military aid to kyiv next year, reaffirmed “continuous and unwavering solidarity” from Germany to Ukraine “in the face of Russia’s continued aggression”during a telephone conversation with the Ukrainian president. “President Zelensky thanked the federal government for its continued military support, including in air defense”the German chancellery also specified.