Ukraine conflict live updates: Dnipro attack kills more; Wagner mercenaries grab town outside Bakhmut | Sherif Saad

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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy blamed the conflict for Wednesday’s helicopter accident near Kyiv that killed the interior minister and dozens of his colleagues. “This [helicopter crash] is not an accident because it was caused by war, which has multiple aspects, not only on the battlefields—there are no accidents at war.

“These are all war effects… every fatality is a result of the war,” he told the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday. After many modifications Wednesday, the death toll is now 14—including all nine chopper passengers and at least one kid. The collision occurred near a kindergarten and residences.

In other headlines, Russia’s Federal Security Service said Thursday that it has opened a criminal prosecution against a U.S. citizen for espionage, claiming “the American is accused of gathering intelligence material on biological themes.” The State Department was aware of unverified espionage investigations involving a U.S. citizen in Russia.

“Generally, the Russian Federation does not comply by its commitments to give prompt notice, frequently imprisonment of U.S. citizens in Russia,” deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said at a news conference. “Russian authorities also don’t frequently tell the Embassy about U.S. citizens’ trials, punishment, or travel.

Patel said the U.S. embassy in Moscow was working with Russian authorities to investigate. A seven-truck UN convoy delivered hygiene supplies, bedding, solar lights, and shelter kits to around 1,000 households in Vovchansk, Kharkiv.

“The town was almost devastated and people there rely on the help from humanitarian workers and volunteers to satisfy their essential needs,” the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tweeted.

“This town has been seriously hit by months of fighting and the 4,500 people who remain there depend on humanitarian supplies to satisfy their needs,” the UN said in a statement.

The body responsible for the export of agricultural goods from Ukraine has reported that four boats carrying 229,749 metric tonnes of grain and other food items have departed Ukrainian ports. Wheat and grain are being transported on three ships to Spain. The second ship’s cargo—corn—is being sent to China.

Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, and the United Nations reached an agreement in July called the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which reduced the severity of Russia’s naval blockade and allowed three vital Ukrainian ports to reopen. Over 660 vessels have left Ukrainian ports thus far.

The European Parliament has urged EU member states to support the establishment of a war crimes tribunal with jurisdiction over Russia’s possible aggression against Ukraine.

The European Parliament voted 472 to 19, with 33 abstentions, in favor of the nonbinding resolution, which emphasized the EU’s desire to see Moscow held accountable for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Legislators demanded that the European Union “act in close coordination with Ukraine to seek and establish political support in the U.N. General Assembly and other international forums… for convening the special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine.”

Even though the ICC’s top prosecutor has said his court can handle war crimes committed in Ukraine, this request was made anyhow.

After meeting with President Michel of the European Council in Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented him with the Order of Merit. I would like to extend a warm greeting to European Council President Charles Michel, who is visiting Ukraine today. Much appreciation for your unwavering loyalty and support.

Zelenskyy said, “We are commencing an important meeting.” The Ukrainian president has also said that talks with the EU to join will begin this year. We are going ahead with strong passion and ambition,” he said.

Eventually, more of Europe might be affected by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said. The conflict will go beyond Ukraine if the aggressor is not stopped from doing what he wants to do.

Rutte told CNBC at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that “the entire West is endangered.” When asked why they support the invasion, respondents said, “People believe that this is about morals, that we cannot tolerate one nation invading another country… He elaborated, saying, “It’s also about our community’s security.”

As for supplying tanks, Rutte acknowledged that this is a “difficult matter,” but said that Europe must do more to assist Ukraine. That being said, I can see why some may think it’s a good idea to send tanks to Ukraine.

He added that he was “pretty hopeful” that things “might come to a landing site” and that there was “also an argument to take the choice in concert with others, including our friends in the U.S.” we must assist the Ukrainian people in whatever way possible, as Rutte put it.

The United States is keeping an eye on what it claims is a Russian espionage vessel operating off the coast of Hawaii. U.S. Coast Guard District 14 Hawaii Pacific said in a video caption, “In recent weeks, the U.S. Coast Guard has continued to watch a Russian vessel, thought to be an intelligence collection ship,” off the coast of the Hawaiian Islands.

To foster international maritime rules, the Coast Guard “continues regarding communicating with Department of Defense allies, giving alerts to foreign vessel movements and actions,” the caption explains. In the 22-second clip, many jump cuts reveal an orange-clad crew of Russian sailors on the upper deck of their ship.

Ukraine sent fifteen deminers to Cambodia’s outlying Battambang region for a week of intensive instruction. Due to a 30-year civil war that concluded in 1998, Cambodia is still one of the most frequently mined nations in the world.

Russian missile fire on a residential building in Dnipropetrovsk has killed at least 46 people, according to the city’s top Ukrainian official, Valentyn Reznichenko.

According to NBC News’s translation, Reznichenko claimed that 11 people’s identities had still to be determined after their remains were found. Additionally, 80 people were injured, with 25 still being treated in hospitals.

Sweden’s armed forces have announced that as part of their current security aid package to Ukraine, they would be sending 90 infantry combat vehicles and 57 light anti-tank weaponry. The Archer mobile artillery system is also being sent from Sweden.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to Sweden for providing “strong weaponry” as part of the latest military aid package.

According to a Thursday article in Handelsblatt, citing industry insiders, German firms are prepared to provide over a hundred combat tanks to Ukraine. These tanks would include Leopards and reconditioned British Challenger 1s.

The report said that Germany may divert Leopard 2 tanks from their planned delivery to the Czech Republic and Slovakia and instead deploy them to Ukraine.

The defense chiefs of the United States and Germany were poised for a clash over weaponry that Kyiv claims might determine the destiny of the conflict, and Ukraine was begging the West to finally deliver its heavy tanks.

Russian attempts to destabilize the nation have so far failed, the president of Moldova said on Thursday, despite the country’s request for air defense systems from its partners in light of the ongoing conflict in neighboring Ukraine.

A request for air surveillance and defense equipment was made, Maia Sandu told Reuters at the World Economic Forum in Davos. We realize Ukraine is more deserving of such aid at the moment, but we’d be grateful to have it, too.

Sandu also said that in 2023 the nation will need at least the same level of financial assistance — 600 million euros (approximately $650 million) — to help protect its populace from inflation as it did in 2022.

The Ukrainian interior minister and 13 others, including a toddler, were killed in a helicopter accident on the outskirts of Kyiv on Wednesday. The tragedy may have been caused by several circumstances. Twenty-five further people were hurt.

Ukraine’s Air Force Command’s spokesman, Yurii Ihnat, said all possibilities will be studied, but it might take some time to conclude as to the reason.

“Normally, investigating an aviation collision takes a great deal of time. This is a worldwide phenomenon, not just a Ukrainian custom. Piece by piece, the helicopter is dismantled; each component has the potential for revelation. According to reports from the Ukrinform news agency, Ihnat suggested that several factors might have contributed to air disasters during a statewide telethon.

The unfavorable weather conditions were only one of many reasons that may have had a role. The created commission will evaluate everything into consideration. It is not a question of a few days. Ihnat said that the events of that day needed to be thoroughly established by obtaining the relevant facts.