Russia continues to strengthen its defensive positions in southern Ukraine in anticipation of a Ukrainian counter-offensive, the mayor of Nagasaki sounds the alarm over the nuclear risk, the launch of an Iranian observation satellite by Russia raises concerns... On the 167th day of the conflict,
Le Figaro
takes stock, this Tuesday, August 9, of the latest information from the war in Ukraine.
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Russia strengthens its defense
Russia has continued to reinforce its defensive positions in southern Ukraine since the weekend, while maintaining attacks in the Donetsk region in the east of the country, the British Ministry of Defense said on Monday.
It is in this oblast that Moscow has concentrated the most effort over the past 30 days, although the Russian forces have only managed to advance about ten kilometers, the British ministry also indicated in a regular update. of its intelligence services.
Read alsoAround Kherson, the Ukrainian army's small-step counteroffensive: the story of the special envoy of
Le Figaro
But the city of Kherson, in southern Ukraine, which fell into the hands of Russian forces at the start of the conflict, could soon become the new epicenter of the fighting, the British ministry already indicated last weekend.
"
It is almost certain that Russian forces will regroup in southern Ukraine in anticipation of a Ukrainian counter-offensive or to prepare for a possible assault
", explained the ministry, detailing the arrival of numerous convoys of Russian military trucks. , tanks, artillery and other weapons coming from Donbass, now heading for southwestern Ukraine.
Moscow launches Iranian satellite
Russia launched an Iranian observation satellite on Tuesday, the launch of which has raised concerns, with some Western officials fearing that Moscow will use it to support its offensive in Ukraine, which Tehran denies.
The launch of the Khayyam remote sensing satellite by a Soyuz rocket took place from the Russian Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 05:52 GMT, according to the Russian Space Agency (Roscosmos).
This satellite, named in honor of the Persian poet and scholar Omar Khayyam (1048-1131), aims in particular to "
monitor the borders of the country
", improve agricultural productivity, control water resources and natural disasters. , according to the Iranian Space Agency.
For the United States, the Iranian space program is intended for more military than commercial purposes, while Tehran maintains that its aerospace activities are peaceful and in accordance with a resolution of the UN Security Council.
This time, however, the Iranian authorities had to defend themselves against charges of a different kind, after the American daily
The Washington Post
reported that Russia “
plans to use the satellite for several months
” as part of its offensive in Ukraine. before handing control over to Iran.
"
All orders related to the control and operation of this satellite will be issued from the first day and immediately after the launch by Iranian experts based in the Iranian Ministry of Communications
," the Iranian Space Agency said in a statement on Sunday.
“
No third country can access the data
” sent by the satellite via an “
encryption algorithm
”, she assured, denouncing the “
false
” assertions of the American newspaper.
The mayor of Nagasaki is sounding the alarm
Nuclear weapons pose a "
real and present
" threat since Russia invaded Ukraine, Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue said on Tuesday, the 77th anniversary of the atomic bombing that devastated the Japanese city.
However, on Tuesday Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue sounded the alarm.
"
In January this year, the leaders of the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France and China issued a joint statement affirming that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be conducted
,” he said.
Read alsoIs humanity really “one misunderstanding away from nuclear annihilation”?
“
But the following month, Russia invaded Ukraine.
Threats of the use of nuclear weapons were made, shaking the whole world.
The use of nuclear weapons is not an unfounded fear, but a real and present crisis
,” said the mayor of Nagasaki.
He warned that these weapons can be triggered as a result of errors of judgement, malfunctions or terrorist attacks.
Nagasaki survivors, Japanese officials and foreign dignitaries performed a silent prayer at 11:02 a.m., the exact moment the atomic bomb was dropped on the Japanese port city.
New Start Treaty: Russia suspends US inspections of its military sites
Russia announced on Monday that it was suspending planned US inspections of its military sites under the New Start treaty, a key nuclear disarmament agreement between the two powers, assuring it was acting in response to US obstacles to similar Russian inspections in the United States.
Russia "
officially informed
" the United States on Monday that all of its sites subject to inspections under the New Start treaty would be "
temporarily exempt
", Russian diplomacy said in a statement.
These include missile launch bases, as well as air and naval bases where nuclear missiles are deployed.
This announcement comes in the midst of a Russian offensive in Ukraine, underway since February 24, and while Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to praise the new "
invincible
" weapons developed by Russia.
"
The Russian Federation is compelled to resort to this measure (...) due to the existing realities that create unilateral advantages for the United States and deprive Russia of its right to carry out inspections on American territory
", states the press release.
Read alsoThe extended New Start treaty, a hope for disarmament
Russian diplomacy cites in particular the obstacles to the travel of Russian inspectors and the difficulties linked to the issuance of visas, caused by the Western sanctions imposed on Moscow because of the Ukrainian conflict.
"
American inspectors and the crew members of their planes do not have similar difficulties
," the statement said.
However, Russia “
greatly appreciates the unique role
” of the treaty in relations between Moscow and Washington in the nuclear field, he underlines.
Once the problems related to the resumption of inspections under the treaty have been resolved, Russia will "
immediately
" reverse its decision announced on Monday, says Russian diplomacy.
