Here are the latest developments in the war in Ukraine:
– Search for survivors after strike kills 23 –
Rescue workers dig through debris, a day after Russian missiles tore through Vinnytsia in central Ukraine, killing at least 23 people.
Russia claims the strikes — hundreds of kilometres from the front lines — had targeted a meeting of Ukrainian military officials and foreign arms suppliers.
“No other state in the world poses such a terrorist threat as Russia,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responds late Thursday, warning the death toll is likely to rise.
– Briton reported dead in detention –
Paul Urey, a British man captured by pro-Russian forces in Ukraine, died in detention on July 10, Moscow-backed separatists say, saying he died of diabetes.
Non-governmental organisations describe Urey as a humanitarian who worked as an aid volunteer in Ukraine, while the separatists say he was a “professional” soldier fighting for Ukraine.
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss says Russia bears “full responsibility” over the reported death.
– Russia under fire at G20 –
Western finance ministers on the island of Bali for two-day G20 talks condemn Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, accusing Russian officials of complicity in atrocities committed during the war.
“Russia is solely responsible for negative spillovers to the global economy,” US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen tells the Russian delegation in the opening session.
She is joined by Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, who tells Russia’s delegation they are responsible for “war crimes” in Ukraine because of their support for the invasion.
– Next target: Siversk –
Moscow-backed troops in the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine say they are closing in on their next target, after wresting control of sister cities Lysychansk and Severodonetsk two weeks ago.
“Siversk is under our operational control, which means that the enemy can be hit by our aimed fire all over the area,” a pro-Moscow rebel official is cited as saying by Russian state-run news agency TASS.
– Russia sees grain deal ‘soon’ –
Russia’s defence ministry says that a “final document” designed to unblock grain exports from Ukrainian ports will be ready “soon”, following negotiations with Kyiv in Istanbul this week.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February has disrupted the export of grain form ports in Ukraine, which is one of the world’s largest wheat exporters, worsening a food crisis around the world.
– US to resume flights to ISS –
The United States says it will resume flights to the International Space Station with Russia, despite its attempts to isolate Moscow over the invasion of Ukraine.
“To ensure continued safe operations of the International Space Station, protect the lives of astronauts and ensure continuous US presence in space, NASA will resume integrated crews on US crew spacecraft and the Russian Soyuz,” US space agency NASA says in a statement.
– EU targets Russian gold –
The European Union executive proposes to target Russian gold exports in an update to its sanctions’ packages that will also tighten the screws on previous measures against Moscow.
The EU has so far approved six packages of sanctions on Russia. The last one passed in June imposed a ban on most Russian oil imports.
The move on gold, fulfilling a decision by the Group of Seven most industrialised nations in late June, will be discussed at a meeting of EU foreign ministers on Monday.
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