Photo : Reuters/ abc News
Photo : Reuters/ abc News
By Neha Tresa George
WAR ON THE GROUND
On 18 July, abc News reported on the prisoner exchange mediated by UAE between Ukraine and Russia. According to the officials of Moscow and Kyiv, 95 captured soldiers were released from each side in the latest prisoner exchange between the countries. According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s President: “We continue to bring our people home. Another 95 defenders have been released from Russian captivity.” At the exchange, Tatyana Moskalkova, Russian human rights commissioner met her Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Lubinets and discussed the “joint humanitarian actions” for the released prisoners. Almost all the exchanges which happened occasionally throughout the conflict had been mediated by the UAE.
On 17 July, The Kyiv Independent reported on the missing people listed by Ukraine under its unified register for missing persons under special circumstances. According to the Interior Ministry official, 42,000 citizens were listed under the register over the possible causes of war, occupation, or natural and man-made disasters. The figure underlined that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had led to deportations, kidnappings and deaths of both civilians and military personnel. The ministry also has the data of 7000 people which includes 3,000 former prisoners of war who are alive and 4,000 killed people, mainly soldiers. According to the report, all these figures do not include the Ukrainian children who were deported to Russia and Belarus which exceed 19,500.
THE MOSCOW VIEW
Claims by Russia
On 17 July, the TASS reported on Russia’s readiness to work with any US President capable to hold an equal and mutually respectful dialogue. According to Sergey Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, Vladimir Putin, Russia’s President had repeatedly expressed Russia’s willingness to work with any US leader elected by the people.
On 18 July, the TASS reported on the destruction of Ukrainian drones and drone boats by the Russian Air Defence forces. According to the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation, 33 drones across Crimea and Bryansk areas were intercepted by the Russian Air defence forces. Along with that, ten drone boats that were moving towards the Crimean city of Sevastopol were also destroyed in the Black Sea.
On 18 July, the TASS reported on the US-made M109 Paladin artillery gun being shot down by the Russian troops. According to the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation, the Russian troops destroyed a US-made M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system of the Ukrainian army by a Lancet loitering munition over the Kherson area. Data recorders also registered repeated detonations over the area.
THE WEST VIEW
On 18 July, the BBC reported on Germany’s plan to decrease Ukraine’s military aid according to the draft budget proposed for 2025. The country was planning to have the aid from EUR eight billion to EUR four billion. According to Christian Lindner, the future of Ukraine was secure as the G7 countries plan to raise USD 50 billion from the interest of frozen Russian assets. Germany being the second biggest donor of Ukraine after the US, the cut comes at a time of change in US leadership.
On 16 July, NATO announced the appointment of Patrick Turner as the Senior Representative to lead the NATO Representation in Ukraine (NRU). Previously, he served in the positions of NATO Assistant Secretary General for Operations, Assistant Secretary-General for Defence Policy and Planning, and in a range of senior civil service positions for the United Kingdom. In his new position, he will head the NRU and coordinate NATO’s efforts and assistance to Ukraine. He will be the connecting point between NATO’s policies and Ukrainian authorities in Kyiv.
On 17 July, Anadolu Agency reported on the accusation against a former businessman for illegally delivering military components worth EUR 875,000 to Russia. A court in the southern city of Stuttgart in Germany sentenced him to six years and nine months in prison. According to the German Press Agency, the co-accused also received a 21-month suspended sentence over charges of aiding and abetting. The court also said that the accused were the citizens of both Germany and Russia. The delivered components were found to be electrical components including converters, amplifiers and transistors which are common parts of drones. The court condemned the person for violating foreign trade law in several commercial cases.
References
“Russian troops wipe out US-made M109 Paladin artillery gun in Kherson area,” TASS, 18 July 2024
“Russian military destroys 35 drones, ten drone boats in two regions,” TASS, 18 July 2024
“Russia ready to work with any US president capable of holding equal dialogue — Lavrov,” TASS, 18 July 2024
“Ukraine lists 42,000 citizens as missing persons,” The Kyiv Independent, 17 July 2024
“Russia and Ukraine each free 95 prisoners of war in third exchange in recent weeks,” abc News, 18 July 2024
“Secretary General announces new head of the NATO Representation in Ukraine,” NATO, 16 July 2024
“German court convicts businessman for delivering drone components to Russia,” AA, 17 July 2024
“Germany plans to halve military aid for Ukraine,” BBC, 18 July 2024