Russia-Ukraine War: That happened on Friday night

Enlarge image

Clouds of smoke over Sievjerodonetsk: The eastern Ukrainian city is heavily fought over

Photo: ARIS MESSINIS / AFP

What has happened in the past few hours

The city of

is still fiercely fought over.

President

said Ukrainian forces had achieved a partial success in the city.

Overall, however, the military situation in Donbass has not changed in the past 24 hours.

The governor of the

region , on the other hand, told the TV channel Ukraine 24: "As for the current situation in Sieverodonetsk, unfortunately I have to say that the

managed to penetrate deep into the city.

She

«.

However, the Ukrainian fighters maintained their positions in one part of the city.

“So I would advise skeptics not to write off Sieverodonetsk.

It's still too early for that.

The city is holding up,” said the governor.

are hiding

in bunkers under a

in Sievjerodonetsk .

This will continue to be defended by Ukrainian soldiers, Governor Serhij Hajdaj told US broadcaster CNN.

The Ukrainian administration of the Luhansk region, which was almost lost to Russia, spoke of around 800 people in the Azot factory on Thursday.

“These are locals who were asked to leave town but refused.

There are also children there, but not very many,” says Hajdaj.

A spokesman for the pro-Russian Luhansk separatists accused Ukrainian gunmen of luring civilians into the plant and using force to prevent them from leaving.

This was reported by the agency Tass.

That says Kyiv

In the course of Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin's war of aggression, Ukraine now sees a

.

"As of today, 20 percent of our territory is under the control of the occupiers," said Zelenskyy on Thursday, according to the presidential administration in Kyiv, during a video switch in front of the Luxembourg parliament.

In his later video address, Zelenskyy thanked the

and other allies for recent pledges to

.

He mentioned above all the multiple rocket launchers of the type Himars from the USA.

"These weapons will really help save the lives of our people and protect our country," said Zelenskyy.

He also thanked Sweden, which promised anti-ship missiles, among other things, on Thursday.

The EU 's new

against Russia with an extensive oil embargo is also a help.

The Speaker of the Ukrainian

, has called for the

announced by Germany to be

.

He welcomed the recent announcement by Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) to the newspapers of the Funke media group that he would send weapons such as the Iris-T-SLM air defense system to Ukraine.

"For us it is very important that the ice is broken and that Ukraine has the chance to get the latest and most modern weapons from Germany." With every day of the war, almost 100 Ukrainians are killed and 500 injured.

"Of course, Ukraine would like more weapons from Germany," Stefantschuk said.

"Above all, we need heavy weapons such as self-propelled howitzers, multiple rocket launchers, air defense systems and anti-ship guns." He also announced that he would invite Scholz to Kyiv to give a speech in front of the Ukrainian parliament.

International reactions

Germany's Foreign Minister

has promised Ukraine

and support.

In a guest article for "Bild", the Green politician wrote: "We will continue to support Ukraine.

Until there are no more Butschas left.

So that what we take for granted is normal again for the people in Ukraine: a life in freedom.«

Further

of weapons were also part of the support : "Putin is counting on perseverance - and on exhaustion on our part." Every village is threatened with Bucha's fate.

“That is why we must continue to support Ukraine right now.

Even with weapons, because Putin can't be stopped with words.« As long as Ukraine isn't safe, Europe isn't safe either.

"If Putin is not stopped in Ukraine, there is always a threat of new aggression." As the largest country in the EU, Germany has a responsibility to act.

Federal Economics Minister

over the follow-up costs of the Russian war against Ukraine

in autumn and winter .

"We will experience a dramatic increase in heating costs," he said on the ZDF program "Maybrit Illner."

»Whether the political measures will then be sufficient to maintain social peace and the feeling that things are fair in this country will be the decisive question of autumn and winter.

I'm not quite sure yet."

Theologians and politicians have called on the

to freeze relations with the leadership of the

because of its partisanship in the war of aggression against Ukraine.

"A moratorium on any bilateral dialogue" should be declared at church leadership level, says an

reported by the newspaper "Welt".

According to the report, the hierarchy of the Russian Orthodox Church "with its war legitimacy" and the rejection of inalienable human rights create "an intellectual and spiritual basis for an autocratic state power with revisionist and dictatorial traits."

Since the war of aggression was being waged with their blessing, the Moscow leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church was "an essential part of the Russian war machine."

The letter is therefore addressed to the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC), Ioan Sauca, and the Council of the EKD.

According to the AFP news agency, Chad has declared a

because of rising food prices as a result of the Ukraine war

.

The head of the military junta ruling in the African country, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, said on Thursday.

He referred to the "constant deterioration of the food and nutrition situation" and warned of a growing danger for the population if humanitarian aid is not provided.

what is happening today

The

, Ruslan Stefantschuk, is visiting

.

A talk with Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is also on the agenda.

leaders

are asking Russian President

to lift the

.

Because of the hunger crisis in Africa, they are calling for the Ukrainian ports to be opened.

bbr/dpa/AFP/Reuters