The Russian invasion.The outside world's response

 

Rustem Umerov. Sergei Kholodilin / AP 

The Russian Invasion|Ukraine's Response 

Umerov approved as new Ukrainian defense minister 

 

 Ukraine's parliament has approved Rustem Umerov as the country's new defense minister, several news agencies report. 338 out of 360 MPs voted yes.  

 

The 41-year-old Umerov has been a member of parliament and has played an important role in the sensitive negotiations on special grain agreements.  

 

Umerov succeeds Oleksiy Reznikov, who recently resigned. According to several experts, the reason is the corruption discovered within the Ministry of Defence.  

 

Dmytro Kuleba and Antony Blinken in Kyiv today. The picture is published by Kuleba.  

 

The Russian invasion. The outside world's response  

Blinken has landed in Kyiv - expected to provide new support package 

 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has landed in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. During the visit, Blinken will meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyj and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. 

 

Sources tell Reuters and AP that the US wants an update from Ukraine on the plan for the counter-offensive, which it has previously criticized, albeit in cautious terms. 

 

In addition, Blinken is expected to announce a new American support package worth over one billion dollars, corresponding to eleven billion kroner. This is what a representative of the Ministry of the Interior tells reporters who are on the trip. But according to the AP, today's aid is "only" expected to be worth $175 to $200 million, while a larger aid package awaits later this week.  

 

The same representative says that the visit will last two days, which means that Blinken will spend the night in Ukraine for the first time since the start of the war.  

 

 

Cluster robot in a sunflower field in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine. Evgeniy Maloletka / AP  

 

Russian Invasion|Casualties of War

HRW: The war can change attitudes towards cluster weapons  

 

The US delivery of cluster munitions to Ukraine could lead to an erosion of the ban on cluster munitions signed by over 100 countries, but not Russia, Ukraine or the US. The human rights organization Human Rights Watch, HRW, warns that, according to TT. 

 

- There is a risk that other countries believe that if Ukraine can use cluster weapons, they can too, says Belkis Wille at HRW.  

 

She adds that other countries have now begun to consider leaving the convention against the use of cluster weapons.  

 

According to many organizations, cluster munitions contravene international humanitarian law, as the weapons are by their nature indiscriminate. They open up in the air and spread smaller warheads over a larger area, which can have catastrophic consequences in densely populated areas.

 

Romanian Defense Minister Angel Tilvar Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP 

The Russian Invasion|The Battles 

Drone part found in Romania – the country is investigating 

NATO country Romania has discovered parts of drones on its territory in the area of Plauru on the border with Ukraine, reports Antena 3 CNN. The information first came from Ukraine and the TV channel's reporters have verified the information. The discovery was made on Wednesday morning.  

- I can confirm that we found parts that could have been a drone, says Romania's Minister of Defense Angel Tilvar. In recent days, Russia has carried out a series of attacks in the border area.  

According to TT, Romania has launched an investigation after the find. 

- Right now we are not sure that they can be connected to this weekend's attacks, says Constantin Spinu, spokesperson for the Romanian Ministry of Defense.  

On Monday, Ukraine stated that drones had struck Romania, which Romania denied at the time. Since then, the drone attacks in the area have continued.  

Moscow has not commented.  

 

Plauru, Romania map

 

UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman/Dead Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin. TT  

 

The Russian invasion. The outside world's response  

Wagner is labeled a terrorist: "Threatens global security"  

 

The UK will label the Wagner Group a terrorist group, the Home Office announces. The proposal is being tabled in parliament today and from next week it will be illegal to be part of or support the group.  

Interior Minister Suella Braverman's justification is simple: "They are simply terrorists". Furthermore, she notes that the Wagner Group functions as Vladimir Putin's extended military arm abroad. 

 

- Wagner has been involved in looting, torture and barbaric murder. Its operations in Ukraine, the Middle East and Africa are a threat to global security, says Braverman. 

 

At the same time, she notes that it is ultimately the Putin regime that is responsible for "the monster it has created".  

 

The EU does not classify Wagner as a terrorist group.

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