Russian official reported killed is shown on video call
A senior Russian naval officer that Ukraine claimed to have killed in a missile strike was seen attending an online conference.
On Monday, Ukraine claimed without evidence that its strike on the Crimean headquarters of Russia’s navy last week had killed 34 officers, including fleet commander Admiral Viktor Sokolov – but on Tuesday, Sokolov was seen among other senior officers attending a video conference with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.
The footage of the call was released by the Russian defence ministry. It is not clear exactly when the video was recorded.
Responding to the footage, Ukraine’s special forces issued a statement on Telegram: “Since the Russians were urgently forced to publish a response with Sokolov allegedly alive, our units are clarifying the information.”
Moscow claims US and UK involved in Crimea strike
Friday’s Ukrainian strike on the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea fleet in Crimea was “implemented at the request of US and British intelligence services” and coordinated with them, Russian diplomacy accused Wednesday.
“There is not the slightest doubt that the attack was planned in advance with the use of Western intelligence assets, Nato satellite equipment, reconnaissance aircraft, and that it was implemented at the request of and in close coordination with US and British intelligence services,” Russian diplomatic spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.
Polish far-right party gains strength with anti-Ukraine stance
Ahead of parliamentary elections on 15 October, Poland’s most conspicuous far-right party is performing well in polls – raising concern for the future of the country’s Ukraine policy.
Confederation, which won nearly 7% of the vote four years ago, has been polling as high as 15% in the summer, raising the prospect of a third-place finish after the right-wing governing party Law and Justice and the opposition Civic Coalition, led by former Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
That has created speculation that it could end up as a coalition partner in the next government with Law and Justice. Such a scenario could push the EU and NATO even further to the political right and weaken Poland’s support for the Western alliance defending Ukraine.
Responding to recent lurches in Poland’s backing for Ukraine, particularly on the subject of grain shipments and weapons transfers, confederation Co-leader Krzysztof Bosak “myth” of a Polish-Ukrainian partnership “lies in ruins.”
“It is clear,” he said, “that Confederation was the only one that correctly read the dynamics of relations between Poland and Ukraine, which was based on taking advantage of Polish naivety.”
Russia strikes Odesa port
Russia struck the Black Sea region of Odesa in a drone barrage that damaged a warehouse, charred dozens of trucks and injured two drivers in fiery explosions that led to the suspension of the ferry service between Romania and Ukraine, Ukrainian officials have announced.
Video shot from the Romanian side of the Danube River showed rapid bursts of Ukrainian anti-aircraft fire streaking through the night sky followed by two orange fireballs exploding near the port area. Photos showed burned-out frames of trucks.
Romanian Border Police said ferries were anchored in Isaccea, on the Romanian shores of the Danube, due to the attacks on Ukraine. Traffic was being redirected through Galati, a Romanian town upstream.
