Overview of the situation - Signs of relaxation between Kiev and Minsk
Surprising relaxation at the border between Ukraine and Belarus, Russia's ally. After a steady build-up of troops on both sides of the border, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, during a troop inspection, gave the all-clear and declared the confrontation over. He referred to the withdrawal of Ukrainian units from the region, according to the Belarusian state agency Belta. "We no longer have complications with the Ukrainians, and I hope there won't be any," Lukashenko was quoted as saying by Belta.
Meanwhile, Lukashenko announced the withdrawal of troops that had been moved to the Ukrainian-Belarusian border in recent weeks. The Defense Ministry in Minsk issued orders to the affected units in the evening. "We will begin implementing this task immediately," Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin said.
There had been reports of troop build-ups on the Ukrainian side of the shared border and alleged provocations. However, from Kiev it was reported that Ukrainian forces had only fortified their positions along the border.
At the beginning of Russia's offensive against Ukraine in February 2022, Belarus allowed the deployment of Russian forces from its territory.
Kremlin spokesman: "Potential victims are the capitals"
The Kremlin threatened the West indirectly with a harsh response to the planned deployment of long-range US weapons in Europe. "Of course," Moscow will respond to this deployment, Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov told a Russian television journalist in response to the relevant question. "There has always been the paradoxical situation: The USA have rockets of various ranges and calibers stationed, and these have traditionally been aimed at our country." Russia in turn aimed its rockets at targets in Europe.
"Our country is in the crosshairs of American rockets in Europe," Peskow was further quoted by the state agency Tass. "We have experienced this before, we have been through it." But Russia has the ability to deter these rockets. "But the potential victims are the capitals of these countries," Peskow added ominously.
Ukrainian military uses drones
The Ukrainian military claimed responsibility for setting a fuel depot in Russia on fire with drones. The depot in the Zimljansk district in the Rostov region was set on fire by drones, according to the Ukrainian agency Unian, citing informed sources.
Approximately 12,500 cubic meters of fuel were on fire. The information could not be independently verified. There was no comment from the Russian side.
"The drones of the Ukrainian security services continue their precision attacks against the energy complex of Russia, which supports the war against Ukraine," Unian quoted an unnamed representative of the intelligence services. Ukraine had attacked nearly three dozen refineries and fuel depots on Russian territory in recent weeks.
Since Ukraine is not yet allowed to use long-range weapons against targets on Russian territory from Western supplies, drones with lower explosive power are used against carefully selected targets.
Deadly Russian attacks
At least four people were killed in a series of Russian attacks on civilian targets in the east and south of Ukraine. Two people died in a southern Ukrainian region, Cherson, according to Ukrainian media reports.
In the northeastern Ukrainian region of Charkiv, two people were killed and 22 others were injured in Russian attacks, according to Military Administrator Oleh Synyehubov. The Russian military had shelled a railway station and railway infrastructure.
- Despite the tense situation at the Ukraine-Belarus border, residents on both sides reported an unexpected sense of relaxation after Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko announced the end of the confrontation.
- The Kremlin, in response to the planned deployment of long-range US weapons in Europe, indirectly threatened the West with a harsh response, according to Russian spokesman Dmitri Peskov.
- Belarus, Russia's ally, allowed the deployment of Russian forces onto its territory at the beginning of Russia's offensive against Ukraine in February 2022.
- Ukrainian forces had only fortified their positions along the border with Belarus, according to reports from Kiev, contrary to rumors of troop build-ups and alleged provocations.
- Following Alexander Lukashenko's announcement of the withdrawal of troops from the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, the Defense Ministry in Minsk issued orders for affected units to begin implementing the task immediately.
- The Ukrainian military claimed responsibility for setting a fuel depot on fire in Russia's Zimljansk district using drones, as reported by the Ukrainian agency Unian.
- In retaliation for the alleged drone attacks against Russian targets, Russia aimed its rockets at targets in Europe, according to statements made by Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov.
- Deadly Russian attacks on civilian targets in the east and south of Ukraine resulted in the loss of at least four lives in the southern Ukrainian region of Cherson and the northeastern region of Charkiv, according to Ukrainian media reports.
