The situation at an overview: rocket strike against Odessa – Selenskyj demands help

At a Russian rocket strike, at least seven people were injured in the South Ukrainian port city of Odessa. They all suffered “moderate injuries,” said the public prosecutor’s office on Telegram. “Russian terrorists attacked the historical center with rockets,” wrote area governor Oleh Kiper on Telegram and also published pictures of the old Hotel Bristol, on which damage could be seen inside and outside.

Kiper called on people to take the air alarm seriously. This time numerous historical buildings, including museums, have been damaged. The old town in Odessa is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Black Sea city is always the goal of Russian air strikes in the Moscow attack war on Moscow for almost three years.

Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj said in his evening video message that the blows were committed to simple civil buildings. According to him, Norwegian diplomats were also in the center at the time of the rocket attack. Nothing happened to them.

The air defense continues to priority for Ukraine, said Selenskyj. “We work with all of our partners to gain more protection for our state.”

Selenskyj: need faster deliveries

After reporting on problems with the arms deliveries, Selenskyj said that the troops were further equipped. However, more weapons and faster deliveries are needed so that the life of the defenders and civilians is protected. In addition to simple weapons, this also included drones. “Our industry has the potential,” he said.

Especially in Europe, states are ready to work more closely with Ukraine and to invest in the country’s arms production. “We have to increase our partners’ support for the defense of Ukraine,” emphasized Selenskyj. It is also the task of the diplomats abroad to raise the funds.

At a meeting on the location on the front, he also got information about the personnel situation, says Selenskyj. “We are preparing new formats to support the brigades and to fill our units.” He announced details for next week. There is always complaints from the military that there are too few soldiers. In the room there is, for example, a renewed reduction in the convenient age in order to recruit younger men for the use of war.

Dispute over military procurement

There have been disputes in Ukraine for days due to allegedly inadequate weapons purchases. The Ukrainian Minister of Defense Rustem Umjerow therefore released his deputy Dmytro Klimenkow this week. The head of the agency for military procurement, Maryna Betrukowa, also had to go because, according to the ministry, she did not perform her tasks in the delivery of weapons for the front.

The head of the main department for the control of armaments purchases in the Ministry, Serhij Bulawko, announced that the weapons were delivered in time. “To date, there is no obstacles to the timely delivery of weapons and military equipment to the front in Ukraine,” he told Ukrinform. Contracts would be fulfilled, and the financing for this is also secured.