On the 25th (local time), marking the 367th day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, there were no signs of a major Russian offensive, but local engagements continued.
According to the Guardian and CNN, the Ukrainian military said three civilians were wounded in shelling by Russian forces in the southern Kherson region.
Separately, the Kherson Military Government Office said that two paramedics and a rescue worker were injured by Russian shelling.
The Kherson Military Government added that Russian forces had hit 34 settlements in a total of 83 announcements.
In the midst of this, it was reported that an explosion was heard in Mariupol, southern Ukraine, occupied by Russia. The blast occurred in an area with a large concentration of Russian soldiers.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner Group, a private Russian mercenary company, said, “The group’s fighters captured the village of Yahydne, north of Bakhmut.” However, this claim has not yet been confirmed as fact.
The European Union (EU) approved the 10th round of sanctions against Russia on the 24th, the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
According to foreign media, Sweden, the EU’s circuit presidency, tweeted on the same day, “Today, one year after Russia’s brutal and illegal invasion of Ukraine, the EU has approved its 10th sanctions package against Russia.”
The 10th sanctions are aimed at making it difficult for Russia to finance the war and to procure technical equipment and spare parts for weapons for use in Ukraine.
It includes the first sanctions against Iranian companies related to dual-use products and Shaheed self-destruct drones used in Ukraine, along with a broad ban on exports of construction goods, technology and electronics that Russia could use in warfare.
The UK Ministry of Defense said the Russian military appears to have exhausted Iranian-made drones, such as the Shahed-136. The British Ministry of Defense cited the fact that there had been no record of Iranian-made drones being used in Ukraine for 10 days since the 15th.
In the midst of this, reports have emerged that China is positively considering providing drones and ammunition to Russia.
On the 24th, CNN, citing a source, said, “Although China has not yet made a final decision, negotiations between Russia and China on arms prices are ongoing.”
While Russia has been requesting drones and ammunition from China, the Chinese leadership has been actively discussing the issue over the past few months and has reportedly recently turned to providing weapons.
The meeting of finance ministers of the G20 held in Bengaluru, India on the 24th and 25th was closed without adopting a joint statement as member states differed in their opinions on the war in Ukraine. Representatives of most member states strongly condemned the war in Ukraine, but representatives of Russia and China did not agree to include phrases condemning the war in Ukraine in the joint statement.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.