Live blog: Prigozhin 'a murderer' who 'won't be missed': Belarus opposition

Wednesday, August 23, 2023

2101 GMT – The leader of the opposition of Belarus, where some Wagner fighters moved after their short-lived mutiny in Russia, said that no Belarusian would miss Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, who is presumed dead in a plane crash.

"The criminal Prigozhin won't be missed in Belarus. He was a murderer and should be remembered as such. His death might dismantle Wagner's presence in Belarus, reducing the threat to our nation and neighbours," Belarusian opposition chief Svetlana Tikhanovskaya said on social media.

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1856 GMT - Prigozhin plane crash 'a signal from Putin': Ukrainian official

A senior aide to the Ukrainian presidency said that the crash of a plane on which Wagner chief Prigozhin was registered to fly was a signal from the Kremlin.

"The demonstrative elimination of Prigozhin and the Wagner command two months after the coup attempt is a signal from Putin to Russia's elites ahead of the 2024 elections. 'Beware! Disloyalty equals death'", Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak wrote on social media.

Shortly after the news of the crash emerged, a White House official commented that Prigozhin's death would be no surprise.

Prigozhin’s fate has been the subject of intense speculation ever since he mounted a short-lived mutiny against Russia’s military leadership in late June.

The Kremlin said the founder of the Wagner private military company, which fought alongside Russia’s regular army in Ukraine, would be exiled to Belarus.

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1821 GMT — Wagner chief on list of passengers on plane that crashed: Russian agencies

A private jet crashed in Russia, killing all 10 people aboard, emergency officials said. Mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was on the passenger list, but it wasn't immediately clear if he was on board.

A plane carrying three pilots and seven passengers that was en route from Moscow to St. Petersburg went down more than 100 kilometres (60 miles) north of the capital, according to officials cited by Russia’s state news agency Tass.

"There were 10 people on board, including 3 crew members. According to preliminary information, all those on board died," the ministry said.

It was not clear if Prigozhin was among those on board, though Russia’s civilian aviation regulator, Rosaviatsia, said he was on the manifest.

The bodies of eight people have been found so far at the site of the crash, RIA Novosti said citing the emergency services.

Dmitry Utkin, a co-founder of the Wagner paramilitary group, is also said to be among those on the plane, according to pro-Wagner Telegram channels.

1759 GMT — Ukrainian intelligence says it lured Russian helicopter to land in Ukraine

Ukraine's GUR military intelligence agency deliberately lured a Russian military pilot to land his Mi-8 helicopter at a Ukrainian airfield, spokesperson Andriy Yusov said, amid differing media reports of what happened.

"This was a GUR operation. The aircraft moved according to the plan," Yusov said.

A successful operation to capture a working Russian helicopter and its pilot would represent an audacious coup for Ukraine, allowing it to simultaneously replenish its limited aviation stocks while also potentially getting valuable intelligence on the Russian air force.

Ukrainian media outlet Ukrainska Pravda cited unnamed intelligence sources as saying the agency worked for over six months to convince the pilot to cooperate and fly the aircraft to Ukraine.

1750 GMT — Serbia joins Ukraine's Crimea platform, vows friendship with Kiev

Serbia on Wednesday joined a Ukraine-led platform on the reintegration of Crimea, signalling a swing away from Russia, a historical ally and its sole supplier of natural gas.

The move comes a day after a meeting of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic in Athens, described by both leaders as good and open.

In an online address to the forum, Serbia's Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said Serbia "sincerely regrets the suffering of Ukraine and Ukrainian people."

She emphasized "our commitment to upholding the principles of international law, territorial integrity and political independence of states," adding, "We genuinely empathise with the Ukrainian people and Ukraine who have a true friend in Serbia."

1705 GMT — Ukraine forces raise national flag in Robotyne in Zaporizhzhia region

Ukrainian forces have raised the national flag in the settlement of Robotyne in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, Kiev's military said, though it was not clear whether the entire community had been liberated from Russian forces.

"A historic day! Soldiers of the 47th Separate Mechanised Brigade set up the flag of Ukraine in the village of Robotyne, in one of the hottest destinations – Melitopol," the brigade said in a post on its Telegram channel.

In a video published by General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, commander-in-chief of Ukraine's armed forces, the Ukrainian flag is seen on the roof of a badly damaged building surrounded by burnt trees.

1631 GMT — Austrian foreign minister calls for special tribunal for Russia

Citing actions dating back to 2014, including the war in Ukraine, Austria’s foreign minister is calling for the establishment of a special tribunal for Russia.

"We will not let Russia get away with this crime. Austria is at the forefront of advocating the establishment of a special tribunal," said an early release of Alexander Schallenberg’s remarks at Wednesday’s virtual summit of the Crimea Platform.

"The invasion of Ukraine was not the first breach of international law by Russia," said the text released by the Foreign Ministry. "The roots of this evil would go back to the illegal annexation of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol," it added, citing events in 2014 many observers have called a precursor to the current war.

"But the intention has remained the same: the redrawing of international borders in blatant violation of the UN Charter," said the text by Schallenberg, of the conservative ruling OVP party, adding that Ukraine has "bravely resisted Russian brutality for 546 days," referring to the war launched by Russia in February 2022.

1443 GMT — Russian strike on school in northeast Ukraine kills four

A Russian strike on a school in northeast Ukraine killed four people, razing the building to the ground in the Sumy region that borders Russia in an attack that came as the war in Ukraine enters its 19th month.

Three civilians were also killed in Russia's Belgorod region while the capital Moscow was targeted by a drone attack for the sixth night in a row, with the war now hitting Russian territory daily.

In Ukraine's Romny village, 230 kilometres (140 miles) east of Kiev, where the school attack hit, rescuers found the bodies of the school director, deputy director, secretary and librarian under the rubble.

"The number of victims of the Russian attack on the school in Romny has increased to four people," Ukraine's Interior Minister Igor Klymenko said on Telegram.

Four local residents passing by the school were wounded, Klymenko added.

The minister posted a photograph of a rubble-covered building, with a dozen rescuers clearing the site, with only one door left intact.

"In the photo, among the ruins of the school, there is a surviving entrance to the shelter. Unfortunately, people did not go down during the alarm to a safe place," Klymenko said.

1411 GMT — Zelenskyy: Finland to approve 18th package of defence support for Ukraine

"Today, the (Finnish) Prime Minister informed me that in the coming days a new, 18th package of defence support will be approved. We really need all this," Zelenskyy said during a press conference with visiting Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo after a meeting in Kiev.

According to a statement by the Ukrainian presidency, Zelenskyy and Orpo discussed defence and security cooperation between Ukraine and Finland, as the Finnish premier was informed about the situation at the front line.

It also said that Zelenskyy invited Finland to start negotiations on a bilateral document on security guarantees for Ukraine.

"Finland has already joined the G7 declaration, and now it is time for such bilateral work. I am confident that it will also be concrete and productive," the Ukrainian president said.

1328 GMT — Ukraine claims destroyed powerful Russian missile system in Crimea

Ukraine said it destroyed a Russian S-400 anti-aircraft system on the Crimean peninsula, which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014.

"At about 10 am (0700 GMT) an explosion occurred... destroying a Russian long- and medium-range S-400 Triumph air defence system," the Ukrainian defence ministry said on social media.

The ministry published a video of a massive explosion with a huge column of smoke billowing into the sky.

It said the explosion took place near the village of Olenivka on the Tarkhankut Peninsula and destroyed "the system, its missiles and personnel."

"This is a painful blow to the occupiers' air defence system," the ministry added.

1315 GMT — Russia says fighter jet intercepts Norwegian plane over Barents Sea

A Russian fighter jet intercepted a Norwegian military plane over the Barents Sea, the Russian defence ministry said.

It said the Norwegian aircraft, a US-made P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance plane, was nearing the Russian border but turned back after being approached by the Russian MiG-29 fighter.

Russia reported a similar incident over the Barents Sea, off its Arctic coast, on Aug. 14.

1311 GMT — Ankara does not recognise Russia's annexation of Crimea: Erdogan

Türkiye does not recognise Russia's annexation of Crimea and continues to see it as illegitimacy, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reaffirmed.

"Ensuring the security and well-being of our Crimean Tatar kin, who are one of Crimea's native peoples, is among our priorities," Erdogan said in a video message to the Third Crimea Platform Summit, which is being held in Ukraine's capital Kiev.

The Crimea Platform is an international coordination mechanism of Ukraine to draw more global attention to Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014.

Erdogan said the end of the Russia-Ukraine war and the restoration of peace and stability in the Black Sea basin would bring relief not only to the region but also the entire world.

"We also maintain our stance in favour of Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty. We consistently emphasise that Crimea is a part of Ukraine on every platform, including the United Nations," he added.

1250 GMT — Zelenskyy: Ukraine will end Russian occupation of Crimea

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed to end Russia's occupation of the Crimea peninsula and all other areas that Moscow controls in his country.

"Crimea will be de-occupied like all other parts of Ukraine that are unfortunately still under the occupier," Zelenskyy told an international conference on Crimea in which he said representatives of more than 60 countries and international organisations were participating.

He said Ukrainian troops were moving ahead in the counteroffensive launched by Kiev in early June, but gave no details. He set no time frame for Ukraine to regain control of Crimea.

1229 GMT — Putin says hostile actions of West, Kiev led to Ukraine war

Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated that the war in Ukraine was caused by the West and Kiev's hostile actions, and a desire by some countries to maintain their global hegemony.

“I want to note that it was the desire to maintain their hegemony in the world, the desire of some countries to maintain this hegemony that led to the severe crisis in Ukraine,” Putin said in his speech via video link at the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg.

The “crisis,” he said, was first created during the 2014 Maidan protests, which he described as an “unconstitutional coup d'etat” with the help of Western countries.

The protests in Ukraine, which Moscow claims were supported by the West, had led to the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych, who was viewed as pro-Russian.

1026 GMT — Ukraine, Moldova agree on to jointly boost border infrastructure

Ukraine and Moldova agreed to jointly develop border control infrastructure amid efforts to find an alternative route for Kiev's grain exports following the collapse of a landmark deal with Russia last month.

"I would like to note our progress in developing logistics in the face of Russia's blocking of the 'grain corridor' in the Black Sea," Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said after a meeting in the capital Kiev with his visiting Moldovan counterpart Dorin Recean.

"A quick decision on the construction of a bridge over the Dniester, the development of border crossing points and railway connections are very important and crucial for us," Shmyhal said, according to a statement on Ukraine's government portal.

0943 GMT — UK to provide $243M loan guarantee to boost Ukraine nuclear fuel capabilities

The UK announced that it will take steps to ensure the provision of vital fuel for Ukraine's nuclear power plants by offering a planned £192 million ($243 million) loan guarantee.

The support aims to help Ukraine maintain its energy needs during the winter and reduce its dependence on Russian supplies, according to a UK government statement.

During his visit to Ukraine, UK's Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps toured a power plant that was undergoing repairs due to damage from Russian bombing.

The government's plan aimed at facilitating Urenco, a UK-based company, in providing essential uranium enrichment services to Ukraine, a critical component of nuclear fuel production.

“Urenco, renowned for nuclear enrichment services, has been a supplier to Energoatom and Ukraine since 2009,” the statement said.

0815 GMT — Russia replaces 'General Armageddon' as air force chief

Russia has appointed a new acting head of its aerospace forces to replace Sergei Surovikin, nicknamed "General Armageddon", who vanished from view after a Wagner mercenary mutiny against the top brass, the RIA state news agency has reported.

Surovikin earned the nickname "General Armageddon" during Russia's military intervention in Syria for the brutal tactics he employed there. He had close ties with Wagner and was rumoured to have been removed after the mercenary group rebelled against Russia's military leadership.

During the June 23-24 revolt, Surovikin, who once commanded Russia's overall war effort in Ukraine, appeared in a video, looking strained and without insignia, urging Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin to abandon his march on Moscow.

On Wednesday, RIA cited an unnamed source as saying: "Ex-chief of the Russian Air and Space Forces Sergei Surovikin has now been relieved of his post, while Colonel-General Viktor Afzalov, head of the Main Staff of the Air Force, is temporarily acting as commander-in-chief of the Air Force".

0759 GMT — Russia launches 3-hour drone attack on Odessa as Ukrainian drones target Moscow again

Russia and Ukraine traded drone attacks early today, officials said, with Kiev targeting Moscow again and the Kremlin's forces launching another bombardment of Ukrainian grain storage depots in what have recently become signature tactics in the almost 18-month war.

A three-hour nighttime Russian drone attack in Ukraine’s southern Odessa region overnight Tuesday caused a blaze at grain facilities, Odessa Regional Military Administration Head Oleh Kiper wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

"Unfortunately, there were hits to the production and transhipment complexes where a fire broke out... The damage includes grain storage facilities," Kiper said on Telegram.

Ukrainian air defences said later on that it had shot down 11 out of 20 drones launched by Russia overnight.

0205 GMT — US says it does not support Ukrainian strikes inside Russia

The United States does not encourage or enable attacks inside Russia, a US State Department spokesperson has said after Russian authorities said they downed drones that tried to attack Moscow early Wednesday.

It is up to Ukraine to decide how it chooses to defend itself from the Russian aggression that began in February last year, the State Department spokesperson said, adding that Russia could end the war anytime by withdrawing from Ukraine.

The United States, which has supplied Ukraine with massive assistance in the form of weapons and other military equipment to combat the Russian offensive, has consistently said it does not support attacks inside Russia.

0050 GMT — Russia air defences down two drones in Moscow region: mayor

Russian air defences have downed one drone over the Moscow region and another in the city, its mayor said, in the sixth night of attacks on the capital region.

"Tonight, air defence shot down a drone in Mozhaisky district of Moscow region. The second UAV hit a building under construction in the City," Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram.

According to preliminary information, there were no casualties he said.

An "explosion" was heard in the Moscow City business district, the RIA Novosti news agency reported.

"A little later, smoke rose from the buildings in the same area," it said.

One building under construction in the business district had received "minor damage" the TASS state news agency quoted emergency services as saying.

For our live updates from Tuesday (August 22), click here.