In the fight for Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, Russian troops want to have captured the country’s largest coal mine. Meanwhile, German multiple rocket launchers reach the Ukrainian armed forces – and Economics Minister Habeck does not want to rule out the continued operation of nuclear power plants. The 152nd day of the war at a glance.
Largest Ukrainian charcoal kiln in Russian hands?
In the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk, Russian troops say they have taken control of Ukraine’s largest coal-fired power plant near Svitlodarsk. Donetsk separatist media reported the capture. Pictures should prove the presence of Russian mercenaries of the so-called Wagner group in front of the administration building. According to other reports, however, fighting around the power plant site, which has been going on since the end of May, has continued. The information cannot be verified independently.
The Ukrainian General Staff no longer mentioned the power plant in its evening situation report. Instead, the military leadership only reported fighting around Semyhirya, which was a little further to the west. In the morning report there was still talk of air raids on Ukrainian positions on the power plant site.
East of the line from Siwersk via Soledar to Bakhmut, on the other hand, Russian attacks were successfully repelled, the Ukrainian General Staff said. Successful defensive battles were also reported from other sectors of the front in the Donetsk and neighboring Kharkiv regions. Russian troops continued to shell dozens of places with artillery and the Russian Air Force flew attacks.
Again attacks on Odessa
In addition, according to Ukrainian information, Russia continued its attacks on the south of the country. Russian troops have attacked the infrastructure of the port of Mykolayiv region, the city’s mayor Oleksandr Senkevich told Ukrainian state television. “A massive missile attack on southern Ukraine was launched from the direction of the Black Sea and using the Luftwaffe.” He did not give details of the aftermath of the attack.
The Odessa region was also attacked again, said a spokesman for the military administration. A rocket that had come from the direction of the Black Sea had hit. Nothing was known about possible victims.
Merz travels to Poland
After his visit to Ukraine, Friedrich Merz will soon be back on a foreign policy mission. From the Union faction it is said that the CDU leader wants to travel to Poland on Wednesday, where he will meet Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, among others. Talks are then planned in Lithuania.
In view of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and the “obvious failure of the exchange of rings, the Union faction considers it urgently necessary to maintain close contacts with the political leadership in Warsaw and Vilnius,” it said in justification of the three-day trip. As the “Spiegel” reports according to its own information, Merz wants to “smooth the waves” in Poland. The reason: Warsaw recently reacted with clear criticism of Berlin to the sluggish ring exchange for tank deliveries to Ukraine.
Kremlin confirms Schröder visit
Another flying visit continues to attract attention: Former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder is currently in Moscow, as ntv reported on Monday. The Kremlin has now confirmed that Schröder is in the Russian capital. According to the Russian news agency Interfax, Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov did not rule out that Schröder could get in touch with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The former chancellor’s wife, Soyeon Schröder-Kim, told “Spiegel” that her husband was “talking about energy policy in Moscow.”
Ukraine receives German multiple rocket launchers
The Ukraine has received more heavy weapons from Germany: “The promised multiple rocket launchers of the type MARS II and another three self-propelled howitzers 2000 have been delivered. We keep our word”, explained Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht. The SPD politician also spoke of five Gepard anti-aircraft gun tanks that had been delivered.
Meanwhile, the FDP defense expert Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann responded to allegations from Warsaw about the faltering German-Polish exchange of rings. She accused the NATO partner of exaggerated expectations. “After all, we can’t cut the tanks we want out of our ribs,” said the chairwoman of the Bundestag defense committee of “Zeit”. The Polish government knows that too.
Meanwhile, Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock spoke of progress in a tank ring swap with the Czech Republic. A contract is currently being drawn up “on how we can fill that in from the German side via industry,” said the Greens politician. In the ring exchange procedure, eastern allies of Ukraine are to provide easy-to-operate Soviet-design tanks. In return, Germany promised its NATO partners modern equipment as a replacement.
Habeck does not rule out the continued operation of nuclear power plants
In Brussels, the EU members initiated the decision-making process for an emergency plan to curb gas consumption. At a special meeting of the ministers responsible for energy, the necessary majority for the step came together. The plan is primarily intended to reduce the risks that could arise from a complete disruption of Russian gas supplies.
In view of an imminent gas shortage in winter, German politicians are still debating a possible extension of the life of the country’s three nuclear power plants that are still active. While the FDP is in favor of it, Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck does not want to rule out continued operation. In “RTL Aktuell” Habeck spoke of the fact that the renewed stress test of the kiln could result in a “special scenario”.
Other important articles on the Ukraine war:
You can read all further developments in our live ticker on the Ukraine war.