Russia-Ukraine War: That happened on Friday night (June 24)

Enlarge image

Russian warship in the Black Sea

Photo: ALEXEY PAVLISHAK / REUTERS

What has happened in the past few hours

The strategically important city of

in the

region is increasingly becoming the target of the

Russian

in the

.

Russian troops advanced to the outskirts of the city, according to Ukrainian sources.

The general staff's situation report in Kyiv in the evening also said that the Russian army was now drawing on reserves.

The Borivske settlement east of the Severskyi Donets river was also fought over.

Recently it became known that a Ukrainian group was surrounded in the towns of Solote and Hirske in the south of Lysychansk.

In the evening, the Ukrainian military announced that the Russian troops had meanwhile partially captured Hirske.

According to the report, they were able to completely close the cauldron.

That says Kyiv

Ukrainian

has described his country's EU candidate status as a

.

"The future of Ukraine lies in the EU," Zelenskyy wrote on Twitter on Thursday evening.

At their summit in Brussels, the heads of state and government of the European Union had previously included Ukraine and Moldova, which had been attacked by Russia, among the candidate countries.

EU Council President

, French President

and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen then unanimously spoke of a “historic decision”.

In the past few weeks, Zelenskyy had campaigned massively for the prospect of accession, also to boost the morale of his citizens.

(You can read more about the decision in Brussels here in the analysis.)

humanitarian situation

Warnings

are coming

from the

against a

of the approximately five million

who were taken in by Europe.

»There are two essential prerequisites: We have to find ways and means of

rebuilding the destroyed

And where they are going, a functioning anti-

is needed - just like it more or less exists for Kiev now," said Olena Sotnyk, adviser to Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna, after talks in Berlin.

Olena Haluschka, board member of the Ukrainian organization Anticorruption Action Centersei, named the

of

and hidden booby traps in areas that the Ukrainian side had recaptured from the Russian army as a further prerequisite.

At their meetings with German politicians, the two women reported that the main thing they had urged was a rapid delivery of more weapons.

They described the fact that the anti-tank howitzers promised by Germany had now arrived at the front as a "turning point".

International reactions

British Prime

has signaled his country's willingness to

sea

off the coast of Ukraine

.

Johnson told Reuters news agency during a visit to Rwanda that he did not want to give any technical or military details.

However, it can be concluded from the measures that have already been taken "that we are definitely talking to them on a technical level to help with mine clearance near Odessa".

In addition, Great Britain is available with expertise for support in the insurance of sea freight.

Ahead of the

, the

announced further

to Ukraine worth $450 million (about 428 million euros).

This included multiple rocket launcher artillery systems and patrol boats, a senior White House official, John Kirby, said in Washington on Thursday.

According to its own statements, the USA has promised or already delivered weapons and equipment worth around 6.1 billion US dollars (5.8 billion euros) to the country attacked by Russia in the four months of the war.

US President

is traveling this Saturday to the G7 summit, which will take place from Sunday to Tuesday at Schloss Elmau in Bavaria. Germany currently chairs the “Group of Seven”.

Before the summit, Biden will meet Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) for bilateral talks.

The G7 also includes Canada, Great Britain, France, Italy and Japan.

economic consequences

Economics Minister

believes it is possible that

deliver any gas

after the maintenance interval for the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline .

According to a preliminary report in the RTL Nachtjournal, when asked the relevant question, he says: "I would have to lie if I said I'm not afraid of it." The argument of technical problems was put forward, it was a political measure from Moscow.

'And who knows what the next political move will be.

Well, I'm not without worries." When asked whether he could imagine the gas bills trebling, Habeck said: "That can't be ruled out (...) yes, that's within the realm of possibility." It's coming a price wave towards Germany that can no longer be averted.

The

tax increases

after the crisis are unavoidable

due to the heavy

caused by the war in Ukraine and the corona pandemic .

"Why not something like a war solo in such a difficult time," asked the Green politician on Thursday evening in the SWR program "Zur Sache Baden-Württemberg".

The traffic light has ruled out tax increases in its coalition agreement.

"I think that's also dangerous in an acute crisis." But once this crisis is over, the question will have to be answered as to who will foot the bill for the aid packages and the special fund for the Bundeswehr.

That's only possible with tax increases.

"In my opinion, there's no getting around that at the end of the day."

Federal Food Minister Cem Özdemir

expects

and therefore advocates relief for poor households in this country.

The Greens politician told the “Tagesspiegel” (Friday) that food prices had probably not yet peaked.

Many manufacturers now have to spend more money on energy and pass this on to customers.

He thinks it would be good to abolish VAT on fruit and vegetables, as social organizations are calling for, "because consumer spending plays a major role, especially for the poor and because that would also contribute to healthy eating," he said.

But he fears that there is currently no majority in the governing coalition with the SPD and the FDP.

What is happening today

• Shortly before the

  G7 summit at the weekend

  , the federal government is focusing on the global

  food situation

  and the search for solutions to blocked grain exports due to the Ukraine war.

  Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (both Greens) and Development Minister Svenja Schulze (SPD) are inviting people to a conference in Berlin.

jok/Reuters/dpa