Russia continues to strengthen its defense positions in southern Ukraine in anticipation of a Ukrainian counteroffensive, Nagasaki’s mayor warns of nuclear risk, Russia’s launch of an Iranian observation satellite raises concerns… 167th day of conflict, Le Figaro This Tuesday, August 9, roundup of the latest information on the war in Ukraine.
Russia is strengthening its defenses
Russia has continued to strengthen its defense positions in southern Ukraine since the weekend, while continuing to attack the Donetsk region in the east of the country, Britain’s Ministry of Defense said on Monday. It is in this region that Moscow has concentrated most of its efforts over the past 30 days, although Russian forces have managed to advance only about ten kilometers, the British ministry also noted in regular updates of its intelligence services.
However, the city of Kherson in the south of Ukraine, which fell into the hands of Russian forces at the beginning of the conflict, may soon become the new epicenter of the fighting, the British ministry already noted last weekend. “It is almost certain that Russian forces will regroup in southern Ukraine in anticipation of a Ukrainian counterattack or in preparation for a possible attack.“, the ministry explained, detailing the arrival of numerous convoys of Russian military trucks, tanks, artillery and other weapons coming from Donbass and now moving towards the south-west of Ukraine.
Moscow launched an 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 Khayam remote sensing satellite was launched by a Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur space station in Kazakhstan at 05:52, according to the Russian Space Agency (Roscosmos).
Named after the Persian poet and scholar Omar Khayyam (1048-1131), this satellite aims specifically to “control the country’s bordersimprove agricultural productivity, control water resources and natural disasters, according to Iran’s space agency. For the United States, Iran’s space program is more for military than commercial purposes, while Tehran insists its space activities are peaceful and comply with a UN Security Council resolution.
This time, however, after the American daily, the Iranian authorities had to defend themselves against other kinds of accusations The Washington Post reported that Russia”plans to use the satellite for several monthsas part of its offensive in Ukraine before handing over control to Iran. “All orders related to the management and operation of this satellite will be given from the first day and immediately after the launch by Iranian experts stationed in the Ministry of Communications of Iran.This was stated in a statement issued by Iran’s space agency on Sunday.
“No third country can access the data” sent via satellite “coding algorithm“He assured, denying the allegations.”falsefrom an American newspaper.
The mayor of Nagasaki is sounding the alarm
Nuclear weapons are dangerousreal and currentAfter Russia invaded Ukraine, Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Tau said Tuesday on the 77th anniversary of the atomic bombing that devastated the Japanese city. However, on Tuesday, the mayor of Nagasaki, Tomihisa Taue, sounded the alarm. “In January of this year, the leaders of the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France and China issued a joint statement affirming that nuclear war cannot be won and should never be fought.“, he announced.
“However, the following month, Russia invaded Ukraine. Threats of using nuclear weapons were made, shocking the whole world. The use of nuclear weapons is not an unfounded fear, but a real and present crisis“, the mayor of Nagasaki assessed. He warned that these weapons could be launched as a result of errors of judgment, malfunctions or terrorist attacks. Nagasaki survivors, Japanese officials and foreign dignitaries held a silent prayer at 11:02 a.m., the exact moment the atomic bomb was dropped on the Japanese port city.
New start agreement. Russia suspends US inspections of its military facilities
Russia announced on Monday that it was ending planned US inspections of its military facilities under the New Start Treaty, a key nuclear disarmament agreement between the two powers, saying it was acting in response to US obstacles to similar Russian inspections in the US. Russia”officially notifiedOn Monday, the United States said that all of its sites subject to inspections under the New Start Treaty would be “temporarily releasedIt was said in the statement of Russian diplomacy.
These include missile launch bases, as well as air and naval bases that host nuclear missiles. The announcement comes amid the ongoing Russian offensive in Ukraine since February 24, and while Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to praise the new weapons.invincibledeveloped by Russia. “The Russian Federation is forced to resort to this measure (…) due to the existing realities, which create one-sided advantages for the United States and deprive Russia of the right to carry out inspections on the American territory.“, the press release states.
Russian diplomacy specifically cites obstacles to the travel of Russian inspectors and difficulties in issuing visas caused by Western sanctions imposed on Moscow over the Ukraine conflict. “American inspectors and their aircrew members have no such difficulties“, he assures in the press release. However, Russiahighly appreciates the unique roleHe emphasized about the agreement on relations between Moscow and Washington in the nuclear sphere.
Once the issues related to the resumption of inspections under the treaty are resolved, Russia will cancel the “immediatelyHis decision was published on Monday, Russian diplomacy said.
Two new ships loaded with grain leave Ukraine
Two new ships loaded with 70,000 tons of grain left the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk on Tuesday under an agreement to resume exports from Kyiv, according to the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine. “Two ships with a total cargo volume of 70,000 tons left Chornomorsk port. The Rahmi Yaggi ship will deliver 5,300 tons to Turkey, and the Ocean Lion ship will deliver about 65,000 tons of corn to South Korea.“, the ministry announced on its Telegram channel.
Russia and Ukraine signed two separate agreements on July 22, ratified by Turkey and the United Nations, allowing the export of Ukrainian grain and Russian agricultural goods blocked by the war since February 24, despite Western sanctions.
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Source: Le Figaro
