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CDS Daily brief (08.09.22) | CDS comments on key events

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Humanitarian aspect:

As of the morning of September 8, 2022, more than 1,125 Ukrainian children are victims of full- scale armed aggression by the Russian Federation, Prosecutor General’s Office reports. The official number of children who have died and been wounded in the course of the Russian aggression remained unchanged from yesterday at 382 children killed and more than 742 children injured, respectively. However, the data is not conclusive since data collection continues in the areas of active hostilities, temporarily occupied areas, and liberated territories.

In Zaporizhzhya Oblast on September 7, the Russians shelled the Pologiv and Vasyliv districts. As a result, 27 objects of civil infrastructure were damaged. In the village of Mala Tokmachka, three civilians were killed and seven wounded. People were receiving humanitarian aid when the shelling began.

In Donetsk Oblast on September 7, 7 civilians were killed by enemy shelling: 3 – in Slovyansk, 2 – in Mariintka, 1 – in Halytsynivka, and 1 – in Vodiane. 2 more were wounded. Mayor of Slovyansk Vadim Lyakh reported that there were no shellings of the city at night. But from under the rubble of a house were recovered the bodies of three civilians – two men and a woman.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, the Russians shelled the Nikopol district four times. No civilian victims were reported. In Nikopol, 11 private houses and farm buildings near them, several solar power plant panels and a local gymnasium were damaged, and an enterprise was damaged in the Marganets community.

The Russians attacked the Kryvyi Rih region with an air-to-surface Kh-59 cruise missile. Ukrainian anti-aircraft defense shot down an enemy missile, the head of Dnipropetrovsk Military Administration, Valentyn Reznichenko, reported.

On September 7, the enemy attacked the Mykolaiv and Bashtan districts of Mykolayiv Oblast. No civilian victims were reported. Residential buildings, agricultural enterprise buildings, and agricultural warehouses were damaged.

Over the past day, the Russians launched five missile strikes on Kharkiv. At night, they hit the Kholodnohirskyi and Saltivskyi districts of the city. The object of critical infrastructure and premises of the production enterprise were damaged. As a result of the shelling of Kharkiv’s Industrial district, two people died, and five were injured, the head of Kharkiv Military Administration, Oleh Synehubov, reported.

In the Kharkiv Oblast, the enemy attacked Kharkiv (3 wounded), Izyum (3 wounded), Chuhuyiv (2 wounded), and Bogodukhiv districts.

In Sumy Oblast, at night, the Russians shelled the Yunakiv community with artillery at least 21 times. No civilian victims were reported. Information about the destruction is being clarified.

Occupied territories

The first photos of Vysokopillia in Kherson Oblast, which the Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated on September 4, were published on social network channels. The village was under occupation for almost six months. “Private estates were burned and destroyed, the center of the settlement was completely destroyed. All over the village, there are mutilated cars of civilians, forcibly taken and marked with the letter Z. The Russian military took away people’s passports, they forbade people to walk around the village, and if they were allowed, then only with a white cloth,” Deputy of the Kherson Regional Council, Ihor Yosypenko, said.

The heating season will not start in the territories of the Luhansk Oblast recently seized by Russians, Luhansk Oblast Military Administration Head Serhiy Haidai said. According to him, the so-called administration of the “LPR” reported on preparations for the heating season and stated that 91.5% of apartment buildings were ready. At the same time, Severodonetsk, Lysychansk, Kremenna and Rubizhne are not even included in the calculation. No heating is expected there, according to the Luhansk Regional District Administration. The same situation is with private houses that are heated by gas. “The seized towns of the Lugansk Oblast are in for a catastrophe

– damaged houses, without heating, windows, ceilings and walls, without the promised electricity and gas,” Haidai said.

Ukrainian military intelligence has full information about what is happening at the ZNPP, said Andrey Yusov, a spokesman for the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense. “We know almost everything about the occupiers and their intentions, even those that have not yet begun to materialize. We clearly see the actions of a nuclear terrorist, which is the Russian Federation.” He noted that it is known about torture, acts of genocide, and shelling of civilian objects, which are carried out from the territory of the nuclear power plant [seized by Russians], and that the occupiers are bringing military equipment to the territory of the plant.

The Russian-installed occupying “authorities” of the Russian-controlled part of the Kharkiv Oblast moved from Kupyansk to Vovchansk. As United Russia [paty] MP Yevgeny Yevtushenko stated, Vovchansk was declared a “temporary regional center of the Kharkiv Oblast.” As for Kupyansk, the Vovchansk Russian-installed so-called “Military Administration” reports an evacuation from the city as the Ukrainian Forces approached.

he UN will send a mission to Olenivka to investigate the [Russian] terrorist attack on [Ukrainian] prisoners of war. This was stated by the Deputy Secretary General of the Organization for Political Affairs, Rosemary Di Carlo, during a meeting of the UN Security Council.

US Permanent Representative to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said that the Russian authorities applied filtration and deported from 900 thousand to 1.6 million citizens of Ukraine. She stressed that the deportation is a serious violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention and is a war crime.

Operational situation

It is the 197th day of the strategic air-ground offensive operation of the Russian Armed Forces against Ukraine (in the official terminology of the Russian Federation – “operation to protect Donbas”). The enemy continues to concentrate its efforts on establishing full control over the territory of Donetsk Oblast, maintaining the captured parts of Kherson, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhya, and Mykolaiv Oblasts.

The enemy keeps five BTGs in the border areas of the Bryansk and Kursk regions to demonstrate the forward presence and constrain the actions of the Ukrainian Defense Forces.

The enemy fired mortars at Bachivsk, Ulanove, and Zapsilya and conducted aerial reconnaissance in Tovstodubove and Vilna Sloboda districts (Sumy Oblast). It carried out aerial reconnaissance (using UAVs) along the Novy Ropsk route of Bryansk region (Russian Federation) – Karpovychi, Chernihiv Oblast of Ukraine, presumably with the aim of further shelling of the Ukrainian border.

The morale and psychological state of the personnel of the invasion forces remain low.

Kharkiv direction
  • Zolochiv-Balakleya section: approximate length of combat line – 147 km, number of BTGs of the RF Armed Forces – 10-12, the average width of the combat area of one BTG – 13.3 km;
  • Deployed enemy BTGs: 26th, 153rd and 197th tank regiments, 245th motorized rifle regiment of the 47th tank division, 6th and 239th tank regiments, 228th motorized rifle regiment of the 90th tank division, 1st motorized rifle regiment, 1st tank regiment of the 2nd motorized rifle division, 25th and 138th separate motorized rifle brigades of the 6th Combined Arms Army, 27th separate motorized rifle brigade of the 1st Tank Army, 275th and 280th motorized rifle regiments, 11th tank regiment of the 18th motorized rifle division of the 11 Army Corps, 7th motorized rifle regiment of the 11th Army Corps, 80th separate motorized rifle brigade of the 14th Army Corps, 2nd and 45th separate SOF brigades of the Airborne Forces, 1st Army Corps of so-called DPR, PMCs.

The enemy focused its primary efforts on restraining the counteroffensive actions of the Ukrainian Defense Forces in the Balakliya area. The enemy continued the transfer of available reserves, and the local Russian-installed occupation administrations introduced a long-term curfew for civilians.

Enemy units of the 200th separate motorized rifle brigade of the 14th Army Corps of Russian North Fleet conducted offensive operations in the direction of Uda, Kostyantynivka, but were stopped and forced to retreat.

As a result of the successful actions of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, the enemy had left its positions in the areas of Volokhiv Yar, Mykhailivka, Nova Husarivka, Bayrak, and Semenivka and was trying to gain a foothold along the Borshchivka, Brigadyrivka, Petropillia, Shevchenkove

frontier, and was equipping a second line of defense along the frontier of Voloska Balakliya, Vyshneva, and Morozivka.

To strengthen the grouping in the Kharkiv direction, the enemy moved CTGs from the Izyum district in the direction of Volokhiv Yar, more than 30 units of military equipment (including tanks) and two “Uragan” self-propelled grenade launchers to the Morozivka district, up to two motorized rifle companies (with 15 BMPs), up to two tank companies (with 15 tanks), two self- propelled guns and ten trucks to Shevchenkove.

In order to prevent a breakthrough and advance of the Ukrainian Defense Forces to the state border, the enemy strengthened the grouping with units of the 206th rifle regiments of the 2nd Army Corps.

Ukrainian Defense Forces liberated Balakliya from the Russian invaders. A video is circulating on the network where the Ukrainian flag was raised over the town and placed at the monument to Taras Shevchenko on the central square of Balakliya.

The Ukrainian General Staff confirmed the liberation of 20 settlements in the Kharkiv region. The Armed Forces of Ukraine managed to break through 50 km deep into the positions of the Russian troops, Deputy Chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksiy Hromov said during a briefing. According to him, filtration operations are underway there. He reported that the Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated 700 square kilometers in the Kharkiv and South Buh directions.

Kramatorsk direction
  • Balakleya Siversk section: approximate length of the combat line – 184 km, the number of BTGs of the RF Armed Forces – 17-20, the average width of the combat area of one BTG – 9.6 km;
  • 252nd and 752nd motorized rifle regiments of the 3rd motorized rifle division, 1st, 13th and 12th tank regiments, 423rd motorized rifle regiment of the 4th tank division, 201st military base, 15th, 21st, 30th separate motorized rifle brigades of the 2nd Combined Arms Army, 35th, 55th and 74th separate motorized rifle brigades of the 41st Combined Arms Army, 3rd and 14th separate SOF brigades, 2nd and 4th separate motorized rifle brigades of the 2nd Army Corps, 7th separate motorized rifle brigade of the 1st Army Corps, PMCs.

The enemy concentrated its primary efforts on the Siversk direction, shelling the positions of Ukrainian units with barrel and rocket artillery and tank armament in the Dolyna, Krasnopillya, Hrushuvakha, Karnaukhivka, Nova Dmytrivka and Virnopillya areas. It conducted offensive operations by units of the 752nd motorized rifle regiment of the 3rd motorized rifle division of the 20th army corps of the Western Military District in the direction of Dovhenke, Dibrivne, but the attack was repulsed.

The enemy shelled the positions of Ukrainian troops with mortars, barrel and rocket artillery and tank weapons in the Bohorodychne, Pryshyb, Verkhnyokamianske, Tetyanivka, Spirne, Sydorove, Siversk, Hryhorivka, Slovyansk districts. The enemy struck missiles at Siversk (two missiles,

probably S-300 anti-aircraft missile), Kramatorsk (one missile, probably S-300 anti-aircraft missile), and aviation at Ivano-Daryivka (with Su-25).

Donetsk direction
  • Siversk – Maryinka section: approximate length of the combat line – 235 km, the number of BTGs of the RF Armed Forces – 13-15, the average width of the combat area of one BTG – 17 km;
  • Deployed BTGs: 68th and 163rd tank regiments, 102nd and 103rd motorized rifle regiments of the 150 motorized rifle division, 80th tank regiment of the 90th tank division, 35th, 55th and 74th separate motorized rifle brigades of the 41st Combined Arms Army, 31st separate airborne assault brigade, 61st separate marines brigade of the Joint Strategic Command “Northern Fleet”, 336th separate marines brigade, 24th separate SOF brigade, 1st, 3rd, 5th, 15th, and 100th separate motorized rifle brigades, 9th and 11th separate motorized rifle regiment of the 1st Army Corps of the so-called DNR, 6th motorized rifle regiment of the 2nd Army Corps of the so-called LNR, PMCs.

The enemy’s primary efforts were focused on conducting hostilities in the Bakhmut operational areas. Information is circulating among the enemy 2nd Army Corps officers about a possible transition to a defensive operation, preparing defensive positions along the administrative border with the Donetsk Oblast to prevent a breakthrough of the Ukrainian Defense Forces.

There is an acute shortage of 122 mm artillery ammunition and ammunition for TOS (strict control and reporting of the use of ammo has been introduced) in the enemy 2nd Army Corps units, which are conducting combat operations in the Donetsk direction. “Solntsepek” TOS has been deployed on the territory of the Lysychansk Refinery. In addition, there is a shortage of personnel in the units of the 2nd Army Corps, some of which are only 50% staffed and at a low morale.

The enemy attacked with the forces of the 3rd separate motorized rifle brigade of the 1st Army Corps in Zaitseve, Mayorsk, Dacha, and Mykolaivka Druga, was stopped and pushed back to the starting line.

Units of the PMC “League” attacked in the direction of Klynove, Vesela Dolyna, Pokrovske, and Bakhmut, and the fighting continued.

The enemy shelled the positions of Ukrainian units with mortars, barrel and rocket artillery, and tank weapons at Krasnohorivka, Avdiyivka, Kamyanka, Vesele, Opytne, Vodyane, Pervomaiske, Maryinka. It carried out an air strike on the Maryinka area (with Su-25). The enemy forces of the 11th separate motorized rifle regiment and the 100th separate rifle battalion of the 1st Army Corps attacked in the direction of Pisky, Pervomaiske, the 2nd separate rifle battalion of territorial defense forces – in the direction of Kruta Balka, Kamyanka, but suffered losses and retreated.

The enemy’s 3rd separate SOF battalion of the 1st Army Corps tried to storm Vesele and Opytne; the 100th separate motorized rifle brigade of the 1st Army Corps – Staromykhailivka, Pervomaiske; the fighting continues.

Zaporizhzhya direction
  • Maryinka – Vasylivka section: approximate length of the line of combat – 200 km, the number of BTGs of the RF Armed Forces – 17, the average width of the combat area of one BTG – 11.7 km;
  • Deployed BTGs: 36th separate motorized rifle brigade of the 29th Combined Arms Army, 38th and 64th separate motorized rifle brigades, 69th separate cover brigade of the 35th Combined Arms Army, 5th separate tank brigade, 37 separate motorized rifle brigade of the 36th Combined Arms Army, 135th, 429th, 503rd and 693rd motorized rifle regiments of the 19th motorized rifle division of the 58th Combined Arms Army, 70th, 71st and 291st motorized rifle regiments of the 42nd motorized rifle division of the 58th Combined Arms Army, 136th separate motorized rifle brigade of the 58 Combined Arms Army, 46th and 49th machine gun artillery regiments of the 18th machine gun artillery division of the 68th Army Corps, 39th separate motorized rifle brigade of the 68th Army Corps, 83th separate airborne assault brigade, 40th and 155th separate marines brigades, 22nd separate SOF brigade, 1st Army Corps of the so-called DPR, and 2nd Army Corps of the so-called LPR, PMCs.

The enemy did not carry out active offensive operations. It shelled the positions of Ukrainian troops with tanks, mortars, barrel and rocket artillery in the areas of Vuhledar, Prechystivka, Yehorivka, Velyka Novosilka, Novomayorske, Novoandriivka, Dorozhnyanka, Novopil, Vremivka; carried out airstrikes in the areas of Vremivka, Velyka Novosilka ( with three Ka-52s), Prychystivka (with a pair of Su-25s), Chervone (with a pair of Su-25s), and missile strikes in the Trudove region (with four S-300 anti-aircraft missiles).

Kherson direction
  • Vasylivka–Nova Zburyivka and Stanislav section: approximate length of the battle line – 252 km, the number of BTGs of the RF Armed Forces – 27, the average width of the combat area of one BTG – 9.3 km;
  • Deployed BTGs: 114th, 143rd and 394th motorized rifle regiments, 218th tank regiment of the 127th motorized rifle division of the 5th Combined Arms Army, 57th and 60th separate motorized rifle brigades of the 5th Combined Arms Army, 135th, 503rd and 693rd motorized rifle regiments of the 19th motorized rifle division, 70th, 71st and 291st motorized rifle regiments of the 42nd motorized rifle division, 51st and 137th parachute airborne regiments of the 106th parachute airborne division, 7th military base of the 49th Combined Arms Army, 16th and 346th separate SOF brigades.

An enemy echelon with “Uragan”/”Smerch” anti-aircraft missiles and ammunition (15 cars) arrived at the “Kalanchak” railway station.

The efficiency of the enemy’s logistic support has been significantly reduced due to the damage to the main transport (bridge) crossings and the systematic destruction of these crossings by the Ukrainian Defense Forces. Therefore, the enemy concentrated combat equipment immediately

in front of the crossings. In addition, the enemy restored the pontoon-bridge crossing over the Ingulets River in the Darivka area. The enemy “Tor” air defense system provides air defence of the crossing area.

The enemy strengthened the troops’ grouping in the Mykolaiv-Kryvyi Rih direction with the units of the separate “Akhmat” regiment. About 40 BBM “Tiger” and up to 100 personnel arrived in Kherson.

Enemy military transport aircraft (seven IL-76s) transferred up to the battalion of personnel of the separate “Akhmat” regiment and up to 100 UAZ “Patriot” cars and BBM “Tiger” to the area of the “Dzankoy” airfield.

In Sokologhirny, the enemy strengthened the administrative and policing regime, and filtering measures are being carried out to identify persons who inform the Ukrainian Defense Forces. First of all, railway employees and their family members are checked.

The enemy is actively using the railway station to move weapons and ammunition and is probably trying to hide the transfer of reserves.

Kherson-Berislav bridgehead
  • Velyka Lepetikha – Oleksandrivka section: approximate length of the battle line – 250 km, the number of BTGs of the RF Armed Forces – 22, the average width of the combat area of one BTG –11.8 km;
  • Deployed BTGs: 108th Air assault regiment, 171st separate airborne assault brigade of the 7th Air assault division, 4th military base of the 58th Combined Arms Army, 429th motorized rifle regiment of the 19th motorized rifle division, 33rd and 255th motorized rifle regiments of the 20th motorized rifle division, 34th and 205th separate motorized rifle brigades of the 49th Combined Arms Army, 224th, 237th and 239th Air assault regiments of the 76th Air assault division, 217th and 331 Air assault regiments of the 98th Air assault division, 126th separate coastal defense brigade, 127th separate ranger brigade, 11th separate airborne assault brigade, 10th separate SOF brigade, PMC

The enemy shelled Ukrainian troops with mortars, barrel artillery and MLRS in the areas of Prybuzke, Stepova Dolyna, Oleksandrivka, Tavriyske, Myrne, Blahodatne, Lyubomirivka, Shevchenkove, Novohryhorivka, Shyroke, Pervomaiske, Kyselivka, Kvitneve, Partyzanske, Novohredneve, Biloghirka, Velyke Artakove, Olhyne, Novovoskresenske, Myrolyubivka, Lyubymivka and Petrivka. It carried out airstrikes in the areas of Vyskopillya (with a pair of Su- 25s), Ternovi Pody (with a pair of Su-25s), Lozove (with a pair of Su-25s), Kostromka (with Ka-52 and Mi-8), Chervonyi Yar (with Su-34).

The enemy conducted 25 UAVs’ sorties to clarify the position of Ukrainian troops and adjust the artillery fire in the areas of Lyubomyrivka, Shchaslyve, Vavylove, Bruskynske, Bilohirka, Pravdyne, Davydiv Brid, Snigurivka, Ternovi Pody, Velyke Artakove, Kostromka, Sukhy Stavok, Blahodatne,

Zeleny Gai, Kyselivka, Myrne, Novopetrivka, Ivanivka, Novovoskresenske, Potemkine, Sofiivka, and Zolota Balka.

In Rozdolne, the Russian troops concentrated a reserve of the tank battalion.

Azov-Black Sea Maritime Operational Area:

The forces of the Russian Black Sea Fleet continue to project force on the coast and the continental part of Ukraine and control the northwestern part of the Black Sea. The ultimate goal is to deprive Ukraine of access to the sea and connect unrecognized Transnistria with the Russian Federation by land through the coast of the Black and Azov seas.

Along the southern coast of Crimea, there are two enemy missile carriers, a frigate of project 11356P and a small missile ship of project 21631, as well as more than ten other enemy warships and vessels of the auxiliary fleet of the Russian Black Sea Fleet and the Caspian Flotilla, which provide reconnaissance and blockade of shipping in the Azov-Black Sea water basin. Up to 16 enemy Kalibr missiles are ready for a salvo.

Russian patrol ships and boats are on combat duty in the waters of the Sea of Azov on the approaches to the Mariupol and Berdyansk seaports.

Most large amphibious ships are in the ports of Novorossiysk and Sevastopol for replenishment and scheduled maintenance. There are no signs of preparation for an amphibious assault on the southern coast of Ukraine.

One enemy project 636.3 submarine is on high alert in Sevastopol; three submarines are in Novorossiysk.

Enemy aviation continues to fly from Crimean airfields Belbek and Gvardiyske over the northwestern part of the Black Sea. Over the past day, 12 Su-27, Su-30 and Su-24 aircraft from Belbek and Saki airfields were involved.

The humanitarian corridor from the ports of Odesa continues to work. In total, 101 ships left Ukrainian ports during the initiative, and 2.4 million tons of agricultural products were delivered. Ukraine exported 44% of its agricultural products to Asian countries. According to the Ministry of Infrastructure, 2.37 million tons of agricultural products have been exported since the first ship with Ukrainian food left until today. In particular, 54 ships with 1.04 million tons of grain were sent to Asian countries, 32 ships with 0.85 million tons to Europe, and 16 ships with 0.47 million tons of agricultural products to Africa.

Operational losses of the enemy from 24.02 to 07.09

Personnel – almost 51,250 people (+640);

Tanks – 2,112 (+15);

Armored combat vehicles – 4,557 (+37);

Artillery systems – 1,226 (+32);

Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 305 (+5); Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 159 (+3); Vehicles and fuel tanks – 3,344 (+24); Aircraft – 239 (+2);

Helicopters – 210 (+2);

UAV operational and tactical level – 884 (+4); Intercepted cruise missiles – 214 (0);

Boats / ships – 15 (0).

Ukraine, general news

Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a previously unannounced visit to Kyiv, showing the US continuing support for Ukraine. “We know this is a pivotal moment, more than six months into Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, as your counteroffensive is now underway and proving effective,” said the top US diplomat. Ukrainian President expressed gratitude “for the signal, for this enormous support that the US is providing daily”. Antony Blinken announced that he authorized the twentieth aid since September 2021 of US arms and equipment worth $675 million. He also mentioned that the Biden Administration notified Congress of the intent to make a further $2.2 billion available in long-term investments under Foreign Military Financing. Ukraine would get $1 billion, while the rest of the money would be divided among Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.

“Now we’re seeing the demonstrable success of our common efforts on the battlefield,” said the US Defence Secretary, opening the 5th Ramstein meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Germany. Lloyd Austin announced that the new $675 million aid package includes howitzers, munitions, Humvee vehicles, armoured ambulances and anti-tank systems. At the same time, the meeting’s goal is far-fetching and is to support Ukraine “for the long haul.” It’s aimed at “pushing all of our defence industrial basis to provide Ukraine with the tools it will need,” Secretary Austin said. Ukraine is being provided with M982 Excalibur, a GPS- and inertial-guided munition with a range of up 20 40 km, Bloomberg reports. Pentagon will send some additional 900 shells to already supplied around 370 ones.

Norway donates approximately 160 Hellfire missiles to Ukraine, an undisclosed number of launching pads and guidance units, and night-vision equipment. The missiles have now been shipped from Norway, and Norwegian instructors have already trained Ukrainian operators.

Germany’s Federal Minister of Defence announced further support for Ukraine in the form of a “winter package” that includes power generators, tents and other winter equipment.

After the EU failed to address the tourist visa ban for Russian citizens, Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania agreed to employ a common regional approach with the “political will and firm intention to introduce temporary national measures for Russian citizens holding EU visas.”

There’re two reasons for such a move: national security and moral rightness. “We believe that this is becoming a serious threat to our public security and to the overall shared Schengen area… There are people coming with the aim of undermining the security of our countries,” the Estonian Prime Minister justified the decision. She went on to reject the idea that travel to the EU is somehow a human right, not a privilege, especially in the background of Russia’s atrocities in Ukraine. However, the Baltic countries and Poland have no intentions to introduce an outright entry ban, leaving possibilities to provide visas for dissidents, humanitarian cases, family members and holders of residence permits, among others. Russians have been denied entry into Georgia on a mass scale; several dozen people are denied entry daily, Free Russia Foundation in South Caucasus reports.

The Latvian Saeima (the Parliament) voted the law recognizing the fully independent and autocephalous status of the Latvian Orthodox Church. “The withdrawal of any link with the patriarch of Moscow is an essential issue for our Orthodox, all Latvian society, and national security,” stated Egils Levits. It is yet another blow to the Russian orthodox church that for decades has enabled the Kremlin’s interference in the domestic affairs of other states.

Vladimir Putin lies that only 3% of Ukrainian grain under the deal between Ukraine, the UN, Turkey and Russia goes to the developing countries in need, while the rest is heading to the West, was reputed by Ukraine’s Foreign Minister. He rejected the false claims, proving that two-thirds are coming to Asia, Africa and the Middle East countries. President Zelensky revealed that, so far, 54 bulkers shipped grain to Asia, 16 to Africa and 32 to Europe, including those that later sailed to countries of Asia and Africa. Among the customers are Egypt, Yemen, Israel, Iran, India, China, South Korea, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Djibouti, Türkiye and EU countries.


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