Putin and Erdogan conclude an economic and energy agreement at their meeting in Sochi. In the turmoil surrounding the controversial Amnesty report, the Ukraine boss is now resigning. All voices and developments on the Ukraine war in the ticker.
4 a.m.: The Ukrainian government has appealed to the Greens to let the last nuclear power plants in Germany continue to operate beyond the end of the year. The coming winter will be a “key winter”, said the closest adviser to the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj, Mykhailo Podoljak, the “Tagesspiegel”. In view of the throttling of Russian gas supplies, it does not make sense to shut down the three plants in December.
“It is imperative that we use everything we have to create a new energy map in Europe as quickly as possible and to stop financing Russia’s war,” stressed the presidential adviser. This is also a question of leadership. “We are paying a high price, many people are dying. We hope that our partners will see and understand this award and do everything possible on their part,” said Podoljak.
01.40: Ukrainian farmers are under heavy pressure despite the resumption of grain exports via the Black Sea. This year, for the foreseeable future, only around 20 million tons of wheat would be harvested, about two-thirds of the yield in the previous year before the start of the Russian war of aggression, Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Agriculture Taras Wyssozkyj told the newspapers of the Funke media group (Sunday). “So far at least 20 farmers have died at work because they drove over mines,” he said. In addition, despite increased world market prices, producer prices for wheat have fallen dramatically.
“We would have to export six million tons of grain every month,” said the deputy agriculture minister. At the end of July, Russia and Ukraine reached an agreement with Turkey and the United Nations on grain exports via the Ukrainian Black Sea ports, which had been blocked by the war.
The most productive grain-growing regions of Ukraine are in the war zones. Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russia of stealing grain from occupied territories. According to experts, the reason for the expected decline in the harvest is not only the war and mines or contamination in the fields, but above all the drought this year.
Sunday, August 7th, 1:00 a.m.: The first cargo ship with Ukrainian grain since the beginning of the war docked in Lebanon later than expected. The arrival of the ship “Razoni” planned for this Sunday had been cancelled, ARD reported on Saturday evening, citing the Ukrainian ambassador in Lebanon. No information was given about the reasons. The Russian state news agency Tass, citing a source from the port administration in Tripoli in northern Lebanon, reported that the freighter will dock there on Tuesday – it has changed its route.
At the beginning of the week, after several months of Russian naval blockade, the first grain freighter – with 26,000 tons of corn on board – left a Ukrainian Black Sea port. After a successful journey through the Black Sea corridor agreed between the warring parties and an inspection on the Bosporus by Turkish and Russian experts, among others, the “Razoni” is on its way to Lebanon. On Saturday evening, the second grain freighter was allowed to cross the Bosphorus Strait into the Mediterranean. Two more ships are expected shortly.
The resumption of Ukrainian grain exports is considered important for stabilizing food prices on the world market. For the time being, however, Kyiv only wants to send three ships a day for security reasons.
11:02 p.m .: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has praised his armed forces for successful counterattacks – emphasizing the role of Western weapons. In the past week, the Ukrainian army has achieved “strong results” in the destruction of Russian war logistics, Zelenskyj said in his video address on Sunday night. “Any attack on the enemy’s ammunition depots, on their command posts and on accumulations of Russian technology saves the lives of all of us, the lives of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians.”
Selenskyj thanked western partners for previous arms deliveries. He referred in particular to the United States, which a few days ago announced further arms deliveries to Ukraine in the amount of 550 million dollars. This should include ammunition for the Himar multiple rocket launcher system and 75,000 artillery shells. At the same time he asked for further military aid.
Ukraine, which has now been defending itself against the Russian invasion for almost six months, wants to use the foreign weapons to reconquer lost territory. Recently, the Ukrainian army launched several counter-offensives in the south.
10:02 p.m .: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is again pushing for access to the Russian-occupied plant after the shelling of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine. Friday’s attack “underscores the very real risk of a nuclear disaster that could threaten public health and the environment in Ukraine and beyond,” IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said in a statement on Saturday. He stated that damage had occurred on the site, but that the reactors were intact and no radioactivity had escaped.
A site visit by an IAEA team would help stabilize nuclear safety on site and provide independent information on the state of the nuclear plant. Grossi called on Ukraine and Russia to finally make such an IAEA mission possible together. While Moscow blamed Ukrainian troops for the shelling, Kyiv said the Russians had shelled the area themselves. The information cannot be verified independently.
4:53 p.m .: Will the Pope travel to Ukraine soon? The Ukrainian ambassador to the Vatican fueled this rumor after an audience with Francis on Saturday. Ukraine has been waiting for the head of the Catholic Church since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression, Andriy Yurasch wrote on Twitter. And they will be happy to “welcome him before his trip to Kazakhstan”. The pontiff is planning a three-day trip to Kazakhstan for September 13.
The Vatican did not make any details of the conversation with Jurasch public, but only confirmed the meeting on Saturday morning. The ambassador, on the other hand, reported that Francis had underlined his closeness to the Ukrainian people and expressed his willingness to show this closeness during a visit.
Since the outbreak of the war, the 85-year-old Argentine has repeatedly said that he would like to visit the country to promote peace. At least a trip to Kyiv seems very unlikely at the moment, because Francis is physically ailing and a long and arduous train journey can hardly be expected of him. It is still not possible to fly to the capital of Ukraine.
Saturday, August 6th, 12:28 p.m.: After the publication of a critical report on the Ukrainian army, the head of the Ukraine office of the human rights organization Amnesty International resigned. Oksana Pokalchuk announced her resignation online late Friday evening, accusing Amnesty of hijacking Russian propaganda.
Amnesty caused outrage in Kyiv with the report presented on Thursday. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the organization of “putting victims and attackers on the same level, so to speak”. In the report, Amnesty International accused the Ukrainian army of endangering civilians by setting up bases in residential areas, schools and hospitals.
“Unless you live in a country that’s being invaded by occupiers who are tearing it to pieces, you probably don’t understand what it’s like to condemn an army of defenders,” Pokalchuk said. “And there are no words in any language that can convey that to someone who hasn’t experienced that pain.”
Pokalchuk said she tried to warn Amnesty officials that the report was one-sided and did not adequately reflect Ukraine’s position. However, she was ignored.
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