“17 people were killed and 32 injured by the Russian shelling,” said Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko. According to him, the salvage operation was completed. According to Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Schmyhal, a child was among the dead. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the shelling also hit shops, including a pharmacy, in addition to the market.
Kostyantynivka has around 70,000 inhabitants and is located on the war front in the industrial region of Donetsk. Zelenskyj commented on the bombardment with the words that the “Russian evil” had to “be defeated as soon as possible”. He accused Russia of deliberately targeting civilians. There were no military units near the bombed site.
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock condemned the shelling of the market square as an “attack on international law, on humanity”. The White House called the shelling “brutal” and the EU issued a statement condemning the “disgusting and barbaric missile attack”. The UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, Denise Brown, also spoke of a “despicable attack”.
US Secretary of State Blinken arrived on Wednesday for his fourth visit to Ukraine since the Russian invasion began in February 2022. US President Joe Biden “asked me to come here to reiterate our strong support,” Blinken told Zelenskyy.
The current progress made by Ukraine in its counter-offensive against the invading Russian forces is “very, very encouraging,” the US Secretary of State said. Kiev launched the counter-offensive in June and reported successes in the days leading up to Blinken’s visit.
The US Department of Defense announced the delivery of armor-piercing uranium ammunition as part of a new arms package for Ukraine worth $175 million (around €163 million). This is 120 millimeter caliber ammunition with depleted uranium for the US Abrams main battle tanks promised in January.
Depleted uranium is about 60 percent less radioactive than uranium in its natural state. The use of this ammunition is not prohibited, but is controversial because the metal is toxic – both for the soldiers and for people living in the war zone.
The US is Ukraine’s main military ally. Since the beginning of the Russian attack, the United States has provided or pledged more than $43 billion in military aid. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told Blinken on Wednesday that supporting Washington was not “charity.” Thanks to its partners, Ukraine is keeping “Russia’s aggression” in check.
At the same time as Blinken, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen also visited Ukraine. Frederiksen addressed the parliament in Kiev, MP Jaroslaw Jelesniak wrote in the online service Telegram. “Thanks for the F-16,” wrote Jelesniak.
A good two weeks ago, Denmark and the Netherlands were the first western states to agree to the delivery of US-made F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. Denmark wants to make 19 machines available.
The Ukrainian parliament confirmed the appointment of the new Defense Minister Rustem Umerov with a clear majority on Wednesday. After the vote, he wrote on the online service Facebook that he would do “everything possible and everything impossible for Ukraine’s victory.” “Every centimeter” of Ukrainian territory should be recaptured.
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