Ukraine War: Heavy fighting in Donetsk - Russia strengthens troops in the south

Russia launches new attacks in southern and eastern Ukraine.

Selenskyj calls for new sanctions: the news ticker on Sunday, August 14th.

• Selenskyj warns of nuclear catastrophe

  : President calls on West to impose sanctions on Russia.

• Russia is struggling with supply problems:

  Two road bridges are probably no longer usable.

• Editor

  's note: You can read all the news about the Ukraine conflict in this news ticker.

  Some of the information comes from warring factions in the Ukraine war and cannot be checked directly and independently.

+++ 2.15 p.m .:

Apparently there is still fierce fighting for the Donetsk suburb of Pisky in the north-west of the city.

Serhiy Cherevaty, the spokesman for Ukraine's Eastern Battle Group, told Ukrainian state broadcaster

that heavy fighting continued to prevent Russian forces from capturing Pisky.

On Saturday (13 August), Russian news agency Interfax quoted the Russian Defense Ministry as saying that Moscow forces have full control over Pisky.

+

Picture taken on August 5: A Dnipro-1 soldier stands guard in the Donetsk region.

© David Goldman/dpa

+++ 12.30 p.m .:

According to Ukrainian information, the military successfully repelled the attacks of the Russian armed forces in two places in the Luhansk region.

According to Governor Serhiy Haidai, the Ukrainian military pushed back Russian attackers from the villages of Spirne and Serebrianka near the heavily contested Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast.

The Ukraine War in Pictures - Destruction, Resistance and Hope

The Ukraine War in Pictures - Destruction, Resistance and Hope

Selenskyj warns of nuclear catastrophe

+++ 10.45 a.m .:

In the struggle for the safety of the Ukrainian nuclear power plant (NPP) Zaporizhia, which was shot at, the Russian diplomat Mikhail Ulyanov sees the United Nations as having an obligation.

The task of the UN secretariat is to give the "green light" for experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to visit the nuclear power plant, Ulyanov said in an interview with the Russian state news agency TASS.

The diplomat represents Russia in Vienna at the international organizations.

The IAEA could then take care of the "modalities of travel to the troubled region" itself, said Ulyanov.

+++ 9:00 a.m .:

Russia apparently wants to strengthen its troops in southern Ukraine.

This is the result of an assessment by the British secret service.

In the past week, the military has focused on a regrouping of units, said the Ministry of Defense in London on Twitter.

In the east, the separatists launched further attacks on the regional capital, Donetsk, from the north.

The Pisky suburb near the airport is particularly affected.

In addition, Russia is trying to gain control of the M04 highway.

News about the Ukraine war: Selenskyj warns of a nuclear catastrophe

Update from Sunday, August 14,

7 a.m.: In view of the fighting over the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj is calling on the West to impose sanctions on Russia's nuclear industry.

Zelenskyy accused the Russian troops of using the area as a fortress in order to shoot at the small towns of Nikopol and Marhanets on the other bank of the Dnipro Dam.

He warned that the deployment of Russian troops on the site of the nuclear power plant "increases the radioactive threat to Europe to a level not seen even at the most difficult moments of confrontation during the Cold War."

Zelenskyy went on to say: "Of course there has to be a tough reaction to this." Ukrainian diplomats and representatives of the partner countries are now doing everything to block Russia's nuclear industry.

At the same time, the President called for international criminal justice to hold the officials responsible in the "state of terror" accountable.

With six reactors and a net output of 5700 megawatts, Europe's largest nuclear power plant was occupied by Russian troops in early March.

Zelenskyi also said in a speech that the situation in eastern Ukraine is still difficult, but without major changes.

The Kharkiv region in particular is repeatedly attacked, but the defense is holding up.

Meanwhile, Russia has deployed “colossal resources” in terms of artillery, personnel and equipment in the Donbass.

But there is also good news in the south.

There, according to Zelensky, the Ukrainian military repeatedly manages to deal blows to the "Russian occupiers".

News about the Ukraine war: Kyiv wants Crimea back

+++ 2:00 p.m .:

Under what circumstances will the Ukraine war end?

In any case, the Ukrainian government has formulated a clear goal.

The war begins and ends with Crimea, President Zelenskyj announced just a few days ago.

His advisor Mychajlo Podoljak is now taking the same line.

He made it clear via Twitter that the war would not be over until Russia returned Crimea to Ukraine and the responsible Russian politicians who ordered the invasion were punished accordingly.

+++ 12.30 p.m .:

The export of grain from Ukraine continues to gain momentum.

According to the Turkish Defense Ministry, two more ships left the port of Chornomorsk today.

The "Fulmar S" transports 12,000 tons of corn to the Turkish province of İskenderun, while the "Thoe" transports 3,000 tons of sunflower seeds to the Turkish port of Tekirdağ.

As part of an internationally brokered grain export agreement, 16 ships with more than 440,000 tons of cargo have left Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea since August 1.

News about the Ukraine war: Russia is struggling with supply problems

+++ 10.10 a.m .:

Russia apparently continues to have major problems with supplies.

The two main road bridges that provide access to the Russian-held area on the western bank of the Dnipro River in the Kherson region are unlikely to be used for long-range military supplies.

This was announced by the British Ministry of Defense, citing the daily update from military intelligence on the situation in the Ukraine war.

Even if Russia were able to repair the bridges on a large scale, they would remain a critical weak point.

The supplies for soldiers on the west bank almost certainly depend on the two pontoon bridges, it was said.

Given the constrained supply chain, the size of the stockpiled so far on the West Bank is likely to become a key factor for Russia.

+++ 7.45 a.m .:

According to the Ukrainian general staff, the Russian armed forces are currently concentrating their efforts on gaining full control of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts and on maintaining the temporarily occupied parts of the Kherson, Kharkiv, Zaporizhia and Mykolaiv oblasts.

In addition, Russia's military is trying to bring the communications of the Ukrainian armed forces in the Black Sea to a standstill.

Update from Saturday, August 13, 7:15 a.m .:

In the dispute over travel opportunities for Russians in the EU, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj has reiterated his call for a travel ban.

"It must be ensured that Russian murderers and supporters of state terror do not use Schengen visas," he said in Kyiv on Friday evening.

News about the Ukraine war: Zaporizhia hit by rockets

+++ 8:55 p.m .:

According to local information, the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhia was hit by five Russian rockets on Friday evening (August 12).

In the process, infrastructure buildings were destroyed, regional governor Olexander Staruch said on Telegram.

A fire had broken out.

At least one woman was injured and more information about victims is expected.

The regional capital of Zaporizhia, Ukraine's sixth largest city, has remained in Ukrainian hands since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression.

However, the southern part of the administrative area is occupied by Russian troops.

There, near the town of Enerhodar, is the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, for which Russians and Ukrainians blame each other for shelling.

Ukraine war: Medvedev threatens West

+++ 8:18 p.m .:

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has apparently threatened Ukraine’s western allies.

“Let's not forget that the European Union also has nuclear power plants.

And accidents can happen there, too,” Medvedev said on Friday (August 12), according to the Reuters news agency.

The Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine has been under fire for days.

Kyiv and Moscow blame each other for the extremely dangerous situation. 

“They [Ukraine] claim it was Russia.

Of course, this is 100% nonsense, even for the stupid Russophobic public,” Medvedev wrote on his Telegram channel.

"They say it's just random, like, 'We didn't mean it,'" he added.

"What can I say?

Let's not forget that the European Union also has nuclear power plants.

And accidents can happen there too.”

+++ 3:00 p.m .:

According to the Ukrainian government, Russian troops are again shooting at the nuclear power plant in Zaporizhia.

"Russia resorted to dangerous provocations and staged the shelling of the nuclear power plant itself," said Ukrainian Ambassador Serhiy Kyslytsia at a UN Security Council meeting on Friday night in New York.

Update from Friday, August 12, 8:15 a.m .:

The Russian military was apparently successful in its heavy attacks on the front line in eastern Ukraine.

"The enemy was partially successful in the advance towards Horlivka-Zaytseve," the Ukrainian general staff said in a situation report on Friday morning.

The city of Horlivka north of Donetsk has been in the hands of pro-Russian separatists since 2014.

A heavily fortified position north of the city was apparently stormed.

News on the Ukraine war: Heavy artillery shelling in Donbass – Russia doubles airstrikes

First report from Friday, August 12, 7:00 a.m

.: Kiev – The Ukraine war continues unabated.

For Ukraine, Friday marks the 170th day of the fight against the Russian invasion.

Air raid alerts were sounded twice on Thursday evening (August 11) across Ukraine.

The Ukrainian general staff reported fierce fighting in the east of the country, where Russian troops are trying to advance in Donbass.

Under cover of heavy artillery fire, the Russian armed forces attacked the cities of Bakhmut and Avdiivka.

Fighter planes were also used.

According to the Ukrainian military, the advance of the Russian troops was initially repelled.

News about the Ukraine war: the situation at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant may deteriorate

The threatening situation in the Russian-occupied Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine is currently stable and there is no security risk.

"However, this can change at any time," emphasized the United Nations Security Council in New York last Thursday.

Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), asked Moscow and Kyiv before the Security Council to quickly allow international experts to visit.

“Personally, I am ready to lead such a mission.” Important facts cannot be gathered without a physical presence. 

In Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy demanded an immediate withdrawal of Russian troops from the plant and accused Moscow of "nuclear blackmail".

"No one else has so obviously used a nuclear power plant to threaten the whole world and impose conditions," Zelenskyy said in his evening video address.

(aa/dpa)

List of rubrics: © David Goldman/dpa