The Russian army is attacking the next civilian targets in Ukraine. The western allies assure Kyiv of more air defense systems - and as soon as possible. Meanwhile, another pipeline leak is causing a stir. A delivery offer from Kremlin chief Putin met with little approval in Germany. The 230th day of the war at a glance.
Ukraine reports Russian missile attacks
The Ukrainian General Staff has registered further Russian rocket and air strikes on residential buildings and objects of civilian infrastructure. In the evening situation report from Kyiv, there was talk of three rocket attacks and four cases of shelling by aircraft. Multiple rocket launchers were used ten times. Of the ten targets hit, most were in the front-line areas of Zaporizhia and Mykolaiv to the south. In addition, the Russian army continues to use Iranian-made combat drones, ten of which have been shot down. The Ukrainian military data are not independently verifiable.
On the Donbass front in eastern Ukraine, Russian troops continued to attack the city of Bakhmut throughout the day, according to Kiev sources. But they were repelled, it said. The "Kyiv Post" also reported on Twitter that the Ukrainian army had liberated five other towns in the Kherson Oblast. In addition, the medium posted a photo that should show soldiers in Chervone.
NATO circles: Russia has used up a lot of precise ammunition
According to information from NATO circles, the Russian army can no longer fall back on huge amounts of precision-guided ammunition in its attacks because a considerable part of it has now been used up. Because of Western sanctions, Russian industry is now unable to produce all types of ammunition and weapon systems, an insider said. The British secret service made a similar statement on Tuesday. "We know, and so do Russian commanders at war, that they are running out of equipment and ammunition," said GCHQ director Jeremy Fleming. Russian President Vladimir Putin makes misjudgments and strategic mistakes.
Kyiv should get more air defense systems as soon as possible
But Russia is still attacking Ukraine massively. In view of the ongoing series of airstrikes, the country's allies want to make additional defense systems available as soon as possible. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said after a meeting of the 30 NATO countries with around 20 other partners in the Ukraine contact group, the states would "do everything in their power". In this context, Austin praised Germany for supplying the first modern air defense system. However, the Federal Republic of Germany and the USA have yet to produce most of the promised weapons.
Federal Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht confirmed in Brussels that Germany had delivered the first IRIS-T SLM air defense system to Ukraine. Three more of these systems, which the Bundeswehr does not yet have, are to follow in the coming year. "We're doing everything to make it as quick as possible," said Lambrecht. Such "highly complex, state-of-the-art systems" such as IRIS-T SLM are expensive to produce. "I'm dependent on the industry to produce a little faster there," she said, referring to the manufacturer Diehl Defense from Lake Constance.
Bätzing: Arms deliveries compatible with Catholic peace teaching
The western allies' previous strategy has support from the very top. The chairman of the German Bishops' Conference, Georg Bätzing, believes that arms deliveries to Ukraine are legitimate. From a Christian point of view, it is difficult to approve of the delivery of lethal weapons to a war party, said Bätzing at the St. Michael annual reception of the German Bishops' Conference in Berlin. "But we can't help but notice that if a state is to be taken by force into the prey of another, it has the natural right to self-defense. And enabling this self-defense by other countries is legitimate." This is also what the Catholic doctrine of peace says.
NATO has no indication that Belarus is about to enter the war
However, the NATO countries are not particularly nervous about the stationing of Belarusian troops on the border with Ukraine. A representative of the military alliance said that there are currently no indications that Belarus wants to take an active part in the Russian war of aggression. As a possible reason, he named the threat of sanctions from the West. Referring to Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko, he said: "I don't think we should doubt that Lukashenko understands that the full force of the sanctions imposed on Russia will also be used against Belarus if the Belarusian armed forces do the same kind of operations against Ukraine."
Lukashenko recently announced the formation of a joint regional military unit between his country's armed forces and the Russian army. So far, however, the country of ten million people has not actively participated in the war of aggression. According to the West, however, Belarus serves Russia as a deployment and retreat area.
Germany before the UN: annexations danger for everyone
Before the UN General Assembly, Germany presented Russia's illegal annexations in the course of the war as a danger to all states. "Today it's Ukraine - tomorrow it could be any of us. The sovereign equality and territorial integrity of each of us would be a blessing exposed to our neighbors," said the German diplomat Michael Geisler before the largest UN body. Every country is obliged to reject the sham referendums and illegal annexations of Moscow. The General Assembly is still voting on a resolution condemning the annexations - the vote is also seen as a global mood test on Moscow's war of aggression in the neighboring country. Although the result is not binding under international law, it can develop political and moral power. Due to the high number of speakers, however, there is a possibility that the vote will not take place until Thursday.
Kremlin expects Turkish mediation proposal
The two heads of state Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan will also meet on Thursday. At the meeting in Kazakhstan, the Kremlin is expecting a concrete mediation proposal from Turkey. "Erdogan will probably propose something officially," Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov told journalists. He expects an "interesting and useful discussion". Should Russian-Ukrainian contacts take place, it would happen on Turkish territory, Ushakov said. The Kremlin adviser again praised Turkey's position, which "on principle does not support the illegitimate Western sanctions" against Russia. NATO member Turkey is heavily dependent on Russian oil and gas.
Oil supplies via Druzhba pipeline uninterrupted
Countries like Germany are still - to a lesser extent - dependent on energy supplies from Russia. The next leak in a pipeline comes at the wrong time. But after the reported damage to one of the two Druzhba lines between Russia and Germany, the all-clear was given. According to the federal government, the oil deliveries are not interrupted. "The two refineries Schwedt and Leuna are currently still receiving crude oil via the Druschba pipeline 'Freundschaft 1' via Poland. These deliveries are not interrupted," said the Federal Ministry of Economics. The security of supply in Germany is thus "currently guaranteed". According to initial information from the Polish authorities, "it is assumed that the damage was unintentional, not sabotage".
Federal government rejects Putin's Nord Stream 2 offer
Kremlin chief Putin made Germany a questionable offer in view of the leaks in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 Baltic Sea tubes, which were very likely caused by sabotage: gas deliveries are possible through the still operational stretch of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. "You just have to turn on the tap," Putin said during an appearance at the Russian Energy Week in Moscow. The tube was probably not so damaged that it can no longer be used, he said.
However, the federal government made it clear again that gas delivery via Nord Stream 2 was out of the question for them. When asked if she ruled out Nord Stream 2, deputy government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann said, "Yes." Irrespective of the possible sabotage of the two pipelines, it had to be determined that Russia was no longer a reliable energy supplier, said Hoffmann. She pointed out that gas had stopped flowing through Nord Stream 1 before it was damaged.
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