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British tank arrivals and 2 dead in Russian strikes. Here are the latest headlines
It's past midnight in Kyiv, where multiple explosions were reported. They were initially heard in Obolon and Sviatoshynskyi residential districts Monday night, according to Vitaliy Klitschko, the city's mayor.
“Preliminarily, there are no casualties,” he said.
The city’s air raid sirens were activated ahead of the explosions, the Kyiv region military administration said on Telegram.
“The danger in the adjacent region to the capital city remains! Air defense forces are on the alert,” the post from the Kyiv region military administration read.
Here are the latest developments:
- British tanks arrive in Ukraine: Ukraine has received its first British main battle tanks, along with other donated Western-made armored vehicles, Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov announced Monday. "Today, I had the honor to test the newest addition to our armored units together with the commander of the Airborne Forces, Major General Maksym 'Mike' Myrhorodskyi, and our paratroopers,” Reznikov said in a Facebook post.
- Zelensky visits Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro regions and meetings with UN nuclear agency chief: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday visited the region of Zaporizhzhia, which remains partially occupied by Russia. He stopped by a military hospital and met with Rafael Grossi, the chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and members of the military. Zelensky also accused Russia of nuclear blackmail over its control of one of Ukraine’s Nuclear Power Plants (NPP).
- Wagner chief visits Bakhmut again as heavy fighting continues in city's central districts: The head of Russia's Wagner private military company, Yevgeny Prigozhin, paid another visit to the front lines inside the eastern city of Bakhmut, according to video geolocated by CNN. The video was uploaded Monday and was filmed by Russian journalist Alexander Simonov. It’s unclear exactly when it was shot.
- Two people were killed and several injured in Russian strike in Sloviansk: Ukrainian authorities have concluded search and rescue operations on the site of Russian missile strikes in Sloviansk, Pavlo Kyrylenko, head of the Donetsk region military administration, told national broadcasters on Monday. At least two people were killed and 32 were injured in the strike on the eastern city in the Donetsk region.
- Belarus opposition leader says Russia’s nuclear weapons decision "violates international security": Russia’s decision to station tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus “aims to subjugate Belarus and violates its constitution,” said Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya in an interview with CNN’s Jim Sciutto on Monday. Germany also described Russian President Vladimir Putin's nuclear weapons decision as “irresponsible“ and “escalatory." German Foreign Office spokesperson Andrea Sasse said the announcement was a “further attempt at nuclear intimidation from Russia."
Explosions reported in Kyiv late Monday night, mayor says
From CNN’s Yulia Kesaieva
Multiple explosions were reported in Kyiv, Ukraine, late Monday night (local time), the city’s mayor, Vitaliy Klitschko, said on his official Telegram channel.
“Explosions in the capital, initially in Obolon and Sviatoshynskyi residential districts. All services are being sent to the scene. More details will follow later,” Klitschko’s post read.
In the Sviatoshynskyi residential district, fire and rescue services are responding to the scene of a building fire, Klitschko said.
“Preliminarily, there are no casualties,” he said.
The city’s air raid sirens were activated ahead of the explosions, the Kyiv region military administration said on Telegram.
“The danger in the adjacent region to the capital city remains! Air defense forces are on the alert,” the post from the Kyiv region military administration read.
Ukraine to take part in US-led Summit for Democracy, Zelensky says
From CNN’s Vasco Cotovio in London
Ukraine is taking part in the US-led Summit for Democracy, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his nightly address Monday.
“We are already preparing for an important international event that will take place this week at the initiative of President (Joe) Biden and the United States,” he said. “Summit for Democracy. Ukraine will participate. Our position in support of freedom will sound strong, as always.”
Zelensky did not provide additional details on his country’s participation.
“I am thankful to everyone who helps our country protect freedom,” he concluded.
Zelensky accuses Russia of radiation blackmail after tour of Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro
From CNN’s Vasco Cotovio in London
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksy thanked the secretary general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for his support and accused Russia of nuclear blackmail over its control of one of Ukraine’s Nuclear Power Plants (NPP). The accusations come after Zelenksy visited the regions of Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro.
“I met with IAEA head Rafael Grossi. The topic is clear: the security of our energy industry, our nuclear plants. First of all, the Zaporizhzhia NPP, which Russia still uses for radiation blackmail of the world,” Zelensky said in his nightly address from Dnipro on Monday. “No other terrorist has reached such depths in his cynicism, in which Russia constantly seeks and finds a new bottom.”
Zelensky said Russia’s occupation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant threatened global security.
“Holding a nuclear power plant hostage for more than a year is the worst thing that could happen in the history of the European and in general global nuclear energy sector,” he said. “The longer the Russian occupation of the ZNPP continues, the greater will be the threat to the security of Ukraine, the whole of Europe and the world.”
“I am grateful to our partners, grateful to Grossi for understanding this and for supporting Ukraine in the relevant issues,” Zelensky said.
Zelensky’s meeting with Grossi came ahead of his visit to Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant later in the week.
Zelensky met with frontline soldiers, visited a military hospital in Zaporizhia and saw the impact of Russian shelling in Marhanets and Nikopol. He also held a Cabinet meeting in Dnipro.
“I have just held a meeting of the Staff — for the first time away, in Dnipro. Right here — in the strategic city of the center of our country, after visiting Marhanets and Nikopol, Zaporizhzhia, the frontline positions of our warriors in the Zaporizhzhia region,” he said. “The commanders of the operational areas reported the actual situation.”
“Every commander understands that the enemy must be held accountable for every attack on our cities and villages, on our people. For Slovyansk, for Kostiantynivka and Druzhkivka, for Avdiivka and Toretsk, for all the pain of Ukrainians — and not only during the full-scale war, but also since 2014,” he said.
Russia fails to gain votes on a UN Security Council proposed resolution to investigate Nordstream attacks
From CNN's Richard Roth in New York
Russia failed to gain enough votes on Monday at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for its proposed resolution to investigate attacks on the Nordstream pipeline.
Only three countries voted in favor of the proposed resolution, with 12 countries abstaining.
At least nine votes in favor were needed to pass the proposed resolution; however, the United States would still have been able to veto the move if it chose to.
US Ambassador Robert Wood told the UNSC that the US had nothing to do with the attack on the pipelines. He also questioned why Russia would attempt to pass the resolution after most UNSC members had expressed discontent towards the idea.
Vassily Nebenzia, Russian ambassador to the UN, said the truth will not be uncovered and urged the need for accountability.
Zelensky visits frontline city of Nikopol, his office says
From CNN's Vasco Cotovio and Yulia Kesaieva
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the frontline city of Nikopol, in the Dnipropetrovsk region, on Monday, according to his office.
Nikopol is on the bank of the Dnipro river and sits across from Enerhodar, where the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is located.
The city is constantly shelled by Russian forces from across the river.
“The Head of State observed the situation in the Nikopol district, the consequences of the enemy's terrorist attacks on Nikopol, Marhanets and other settlements in the region,” Zelensky’s office said in a statement. “The President was informed that almost 5,000 buildings in the district were destroyed, including medical and educational institutions.”
2 people were killed and 32 injured in Russian strike in Sloviansk, Ukraine official says
From CNN's Yulia Kesaieva and Vasco Cotovio
Ukrainian authorities have concluded search and rescue operations on the site of Russian missile strikes in Sloviansk, Pavlo Kyrylenko, head of the Donetsk region military administration, told national broadcasters on Monday.
“The rubble removal has finished,” Kyrylenko said. “All the injured are being provided with the medical treatment, including being taken to the hospitals of the neighbouring regions.”
At least two people were killed and 32 were injured in the strike on the eastern city in the Donetsk region.
“Those whose home was destroyed are provided with the list of possible temporary dwelling places, offered to evacuate,” he added.
Belarus opposition leader: Russia’s nuclear weapons decision "violates international security"
From CNN’s Mariya Knight
Russia’s decision to station tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus “aims to subjugate Belarus and violates its constitution,” said Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya in an interview with CNN’s Jim Sciutto on Monday.
“It violates international security and of course, it's against the people's will,” Tsikhanouskaya said. “We are not a nuclear country and we don't want to deploy nuclear weapons in our state.”
Discussing the situation in Ukraine, Tsikhanouskaya called Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko “a full accomplice in the war” and the one who “fulfills all the orders of Putin.”
She also claimed that Lukashenko can't take credit for the fact that Belarusian troops haven't been sent to Ukraine.
“It’s a call of people of Belarus who are against this war and our soldiers who don't have anti-Ukrainian moods," she went on. "They don't want to kill or to be killed on the battlefields for the ambitions of these two leaders."
According to Tsikhanouskaya, Lukashenko is “responsible for crimes of aggression against Ukraine and has to be called a sponsor of terrorism.”
The opposition leader noted that Belarus is “overlooked at the moment” due to the conflict in Ukraine and “not all the politicians understand the role of Belarus in regional peace and security.”
She emphasized that people of Belarus “are fighting not only against Lukashenko's regime but also against hybrid occupation of Russia in Belarus.”
