Day 440 since the beginning of the war: The USA has allegedly paralyzed a Russian spy software. A journalist has been killed in eastern Ukraine. All information in the blog.
The most important things at a glance
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Mourning and horror after death of AFP journalist in eastern Ukraine
3:12 p.m.: Colleagues and politicians have reacted with sadness and horror to the death of AFP journalist Arman Soldin, who was killed in a missile attack in eastern Ukraine. “His death is a cruel reminder of the risks and dangers that journalists covering the conflict in Ukraine face every day,” AFP President Fabrice Fries said of the 32-year-old Frenchman.
A keen soccer player, Soldin has been described by peers as “brave, creative and tenacious”. He was part of a five-strong team of AFP reporters that accompanied Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines.
On Tuesday, journalists on the outskirts of Chasiv Yar near the city of Bakhmut, which had been under fighting for months, came under Russian rocket fire. Soldin was mortally wounded. A colleague reports that he threw himself on the ground to protect himself. The rest of the AFP team escaped unharmed.
New Inspector General Breuer: “Ukraine is fighting for all of us”
2:12 p.m.: According to General Inspector Carsten Breuer, Ukraine is making good progress with preparations for its military offensive against Russian attackers. “It was explained to me how the front-line battle is being fought. The ground is still muddy and damp. There are still large lakes in some of the fields. The conditions for a comprehensive offensive have not yet been in place in recent weeks,” said Breuer of the German Press Agency in Berlin after a visit to the Ukraine. “But it has become clear to me in all conversations that plans for the Ukrainian offensive are underway.”
Breuer added that early concerns that Russia might ignite hostilities elsewhere in Europe are less acute now. “You always make an assessment of the situation and evaluate what an opponent’s options are and how and when he could use them. From the beginning of the war until today, this has evolved and changed. You now have a more realistic view of the possibilities of the Russian armed forces,” said Breuer. The Ukrainians in particular are good at assessing “what is possible for the Russians and what isn’t.”
The Inspector General gives priority to continued military support to Ukraine. She is “at the forefront”. He said: “The fight to the death justifies limitations in training and material availability in our country. Supporting the brave Ukrainian armed forces in the fight against the Russian aggressor is our top priority. Ukraine is fighting for all of us.”
US confirms Ukraine shot down hypersonic missile from Russia
2:02 p.m.: The US Department of Defense has confirmed Ukraine’s launch of a Russian hypersonic missile using the Patriot system. The Ukrainians intercepted the missile with the help of the US air defense system, Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder said on Tuesday (local time) in Washington. Ryder also confirmed the Ukrainians’ information that it was a Kinzhal-type missile. Russian President Vladimir Putin had praised them as “invulnerable” to Western defense systems.
