Update on the situation – Le Figaro Journalists provide an update on the latest information from Ukrainian and Russian official statements, Western sources and international organizations.
At least eight people were killed in Ukraine on Monday in Russian attacks, including the use of suicide drones, and 13 people died in Russia when a Russian military plane crashed near the Ukrainian border. But the dispatch of 9,000 Russian soldiers, the release of 108 women by Moscow and threats of US sanctions against Iran … Le Figaro Provides an update on Tuesday, October 18 for the latest information regarding War in Ukraine.
Russian military plane crashes
At least thirteen people, including three children, were killed when a Russian Su-34 military plane crashed in Yeisk, near Ukraine, on Monday, according to Russian officials. Rescuers”He completed the work of digging the ruins“Finding”Ten bodiesAdditionally, after reporting three deaths.
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“A total of 13 people, including three children, were injured“and”19 people were injured“, according to the ministry, cited by Russian agents. The accident on Monday evening caused a fire in a nine-story building housing about 600 people. The town of Yeysk, where the tragedy occurred, is a town bordering the Sea of Azov in the Krasnodar region near Ukraine.
See more – A Russian military plane crashed in a populated area near Ukraine
39 strikes on Monday
Overall, throughout the day,Enemy nine missile strikes, 39 air strikes, up to 30 shells (fired) with multiple rocket launchers.“, the staff of the Ukrainian army summarized in the evening. Apart from the capital, the neighborhoods of Kharkiv and Sumy (Northeast), Donetsk (East), Dnipropetrovsk (Central East) or Kherson and Mykolaiv (South) were affected, after a week of massive bombings in Ukraine, he continued.
Critical infrastructure was affected in three regions, including Kyiv, “Hundreds of locationsWithout electricity, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Chymikal noted, “Five drone strikesThe capital alone is thought to be of Iranian manufacture. Still in the capital, a suicide drone also hit an administrative building, according to Ukrainian emergency services. An AFP journalist saw one of the suicide drones crash into a building, after which two police officers tried to shoot it down with their service weapons.
Thousands of Russian soldiers and tanks were sent to Belarus
9,000 Russian soldiers and about 170 tanks will be deployed in Russia’s ally Belarus to coordinate a new military group formed between the two countries, the Belarusian Defense Ministry announced on Monday. The creation of the new force to protect Belarus’ borders against a Ukrainian threat was announced last week, at a time when Russia suffered several setbacks in its offensive in Ukraine. “Total number“Russian Soldiers”9000 should come to Belarus“, the advisor to the Belarusian Defense Minister for International Military Cooperation Valery Revenko announced in Telegram.
According to him, Russia will also rush to Belarus.About 170 tanks, up to 200 (other) armored vehicles and 100 guns and mortars above 100 mm calibre.“.Russian units”.Four training grounds in eastern and central Belarus“, they will participate in specially relevant exercises”Combat fire and anti-aircraft missile fire“, said Valéri Revenko. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko last week accused Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine of planning the attacks.Terrorists” and one “riseBelarus and announced the deployment of this regional military group.
Zelensky condemns 108 women freed by Russia as “terrorists”.
“Russian terrorists strike again. In Qew, they killed a young family by targeting an apartment building with an Iranian Shahed (drone). A man and a six-month pregnant (…) A total of four people were killed by this shaheed.“, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was taken in the evening. “Russia has no chance (to win) on the battlefield. And he tries to cover up his military failures with terror. Why does she need terror? To put pressure on us, on Europe and on the whole world“, he continued in his daily video message.
“To guarantee the security of our skies and reduce the capabilities of Russian terrorists to zero, we need significantly more modern air defense systems and more missiles for them.“, Volodymyr Zelensky repeated. “We’ve been here maybe half an hour and four drones have gone downOne of them, Yaroslav, was still nervous after the shooting. However, despite this situation, 108 women, mostly soldiers, thanks to a new prisoner exchange with Russia, President Zelensky noted.
New U.S. sanctions threaten
KYIV has asked the European Union to impose further sanctions on Iran, which refuses to supply Russia with killer drones for attacks against Ukraine. “Iran is responsible for the killing of Ukrainians. This country, which oppresses its own people, is now providing terrible weapons for mass murder in the heart of Europe.“, Mykhailo Podoliak, an adviser to the Ukrainian president, denounced. Tehran reiterated its denial.
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Washington has threatened to sanction companies or states that cooperate with Iran’s drone program. “Anyone doing business with Iran should be wary of developing drones or ballistic missiles, or moving weapons from Iran to Russia.External Affairs spokesperson Vedant Patel said. “The US will not hesitate to use sanctions or take action against those most responsible“.
“The strengthening of the alliance between Russia and Iran should be considered by the whole world (…) as a serious danger“, he added. The military earlier said it shot down 26 Iranian Shahed-136 drones overnight from Sunday to Monday in southern Ukraine.
EU military aid
“EU increases military aid to Ukraine to 3.1 billion euros and begins military training for our soldiers“, for his part, welcomed Andriï Yermak, head of the cabinet of the Ukrainian president. On Monday, EU foreign ministers agreed in Luxembourg on the increase of European military aid and the training of about 15,000 Ukrainian soldiers.
Kyiv’s Western allies promised it more air defense systems and some have already been delivered. The Russians are on the defensive along most of the front in Ukraine, retreating north, east and south since September. The only area where they are still advancing is the part of the city of Bagmouth (East), which they have been trying to take since the summer.