Live blog: 7 dead, 90 injured in Russian attack on Ukraine's Chernihiv

Saturday, August 19, 2023

1108 GMT - Seven people including a 6-year-old child were killed and 90 wounded when a Russian missile struck a central square in the historic northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv, the interior ministry said.

Chernihiv, some 150 kilometres north of Kiev towards Belarus, has been largely spared from major attacks since the first months of Russia's offensive as fierce fighting rages in the east and south.

The attack hit after President Vladimir Putin met top Russian generals in a rare trip to the operational hub Rostov-on-Don in southern Russia and as his Ukrainian nemesis, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, visited Sweden.

"Five people died," Ukrainian Interior Minister Igor Klymenko said about the Chernihiv attack on Telegram. "Thirty-seven people were wounded, including 11 children."

Zelenskyy said the attack hit "in the centre of the city" in a square that houses a "polytechnic university, a theatre".

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1608 GMT - Sweden, Ukraine agree on joint production of armoured vehicles

Sweden and Ukraine agreed on the joint production of Swedish CV 90 combat vehicles in Ukraine, as Ukrainian President Zelenskyy met Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.

Addressing a joint news conference in Stockholm, Kristersson said bilateral cooperation has become "broader and deeper" after Russia's war on Ukraine in February 2022.

Underlining that Sweden provided Ukraine with advanced arms systems, including but not limited to Leopard 2 tanks, and Archer self-propelled artillery platforms to defend itself, Kristersson said they agreed to strengthen cooperation on "production, training and servicing" of the CV90s.

"No task is more important for my government than supporting Ukraine in its fight for freedom and territorial integrity. Ukraine is fighting for us. For all European democracies," he added.

Kristersson said Sweden has approved a five-year strategy that provides €520 million to support "reform and reconstruction" in Ukraine.

Zelenskyy, for his part, said Ukraine and Sweden discussed further steps to transfer Gripen jets to Ukraine, adding that Ukrainian pilots had already begun training on the planes.

1349 GMT - UN condemns 'heinous' Russian attack on Chernihiv city centre

The UN's humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine condemned a Russian missile attack on Chernihiv's city centre that killed at least seven and wounded over 100 as "heinous", calling for Moscow to end strikes on "populated areas".

The attack hit a drama theatre in Chernihiv's central square.

"It is heinous to attack the main square of a large city, in the morning, while people are out walking, some going to church to celebrate a religious day for many Ukrainians," Denise Brown, the UN's humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine, said in an online statement.

"I condemn this repeated pattern of Russian strikes on populated areas of Ukraine, causing deaths, massive destruction and soaring humanitarian needs."

"Attacks directed against civilians or civilian objects are strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law," she added.

"It must stop."

1207 GMT - Russia says thwarted Ukraine drone attack on Moscow area

The Russian army said it had thwarted a Ukrainian drone attack on Moscow and its region, hours after other drone raids on Moscow-annexed Crimea and a military airfield.

"An attempt was thwarted this afternoon by the Kiev regime to carry out a terrorist attack with an aircraft-type drone on objects on the territory of Moscow and the Moscow region," the Russian army said.

It added that air defence had detected a drone, which crashed in a "deserted area near the village of Putilkovo," causing no damage.

1134 GMT - Russia shoots down Ukrainian drone in Belgorod region

Russia destroyed a Ukrainian drone in the Belgorod region, Interfax news agency cited Russia's Defence Ministry.

The Belgorod region borders Ukraine and is very often targeted by drones and missiles.

1045 GMT - Moscow says warplane damaged in Ukrainian drone attack on airfield

A Ukrainian drone has targeted a military airfield in Russia's Novgorod region, causing a fire and damaging one warplane, Russia's Defence Ministry said.

The ministry said nobody was hurt and the fire was quickly extinguished. The Novgorod region lies northwest of Moscow, hundreds of kilometres from Russia's border with Ukraine.

1006 GMT - Ukrainian President Zelenskyy arrives in Sweden for talks

Zelenskyy has arrived in Sweden for a visit, local media reported.

Zelenskyy, accompanied by his wife Olena Zelenska, will meet with the Swedish royal family, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Parliament Speaker Andreas Norlen, the commander-in-chief of the Swedish Armed Forces and political party leaders, public broadcaster SVT reported.

According to the broadcaster, Zelenskyy's meetings with Sweden's leadership will center on security and Swedish support for Ukraine's EU bid.

Earlier this week, the government proposed a 13th support package for Ukraine worth approximately $310M (Swedish krona 3.4 billion).

Sweden has so far donated defense equipment worth approximately $17B to Ukraine.

0531 GMT - Russia launches overnight drone attack on Ukraine

Russia has launched 17 drones overnight attempting to strike Ukraine's northern, central and western regions, Ukraine's Air Force said.

The Air Force said that 15 of the Russia-launched Iranian-made Shahed drones were shot down.

It was not immediately clear what happened to the two drones that were not downed.

Reuters could not independently verify the reports. It was not immediately known what objects and areas Russia targeted in its strikes.

0415 GMT - Russia says downs Ukraine-launched missile over Crimea

Russia's air defence forces have shot down a Ukraine-launched missile over the Crimean Peninsula overnight, Russia's defence ministry said.

There were no casualties and no damage, the ministry said in a statement on the Telegram messaging app.

Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

0403 GMT - Putin meets top generals in charge of Russia's war efforts in Ukraine

President Putin has visited the commander of Russia's operation in Ukraine and other top military brass, the Kremlin has said.

"Vladimir Putin held a meeting at the headquarters of the special military operation group in Rostov-on-Don," the Kremlin said in a statement.

The Kremlin added that Putin, Russia's supreme commander-in-chief, listened to reports from Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the General Staff of the Army in charge of Moscow's operations in Ukraine, and other top military commanders and officers.

The meeting came after Ukraine, whose counteroffensive to recapture land taken by Russia in the first months of the war has been slower than expected, said it liberated a small village along the frontline, its first since July.

For our live updates from Friday (August 18), click here.