Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the start of a new initiative aimed at bolstering Kyiv’s ties with Eastern European as well as Baltic nations.
Russia-Ukraine war |Zelenskyy announces ‘Kyiv initiative’ to bolster ties with Eastern Europe & Baltic nations
Amid the ongoing war with Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the start of a new initiative aimed at strengthening Kyiv’s ties with Eastern European as well as Baltic nations. Speaking at his nightly address on Monday, August 22, the embattled Ukrainian President stated that the government has found a new diplomatic and security format known as the “Kyiv Initiative,” and that European neighbours are already involved in its work.
“These nations are Poland, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, and the Baltic states. We will gradually involve other countries. In the ‘Kyiv Initiative’ format, the work takes place at the level of foreign policy advisors of heads of state,” Zelenskyy said.
According to him, the initiative is “highly promising” and follows the Euro-Atlantic direction. Additionally, Zelenskyy urged European nations to add an additional eighth set of sanctions against Russia, arguing that “the more time passes between sanctions packages, the more audacious Russia appears to be.”
Search operations ended in Kharkiv after Russian strike: Zelenskyy
During his address, the Ukrainian President also stated that the search operations have come to an end in the Kharkiv region after a Russian strike on a residential building that killed at least 19 people on August 17.
“Search operations at the site of the occupiers’ attack on a residential building in Kharkiv have ended. This Russian strike alone claimed the lives of 19 people. The invaders have not stopped such strikes at different parts of our country for the last 180 days,” Zelenskyy said, adding that it is nearly impossible to count the strikes of Russian artillery as they are too ‘intense.’
Russia has lost nearly 45,550 soldiers since onset of war: Ukraine
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Defence Ministry claimed that Russia has also incurred heavy casualties since the onset of the war in late February. In its latest operational update, the Ministry claimed that Russia has lost nearly 45,550 soldiers, 4,238 Armored Personnel Vehicles (APV), 1,921 tanks, 1,033 artillery systems and 266 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS), and at least 146 anti-aircraft warfare systems. In addition, the invaders also lost as many as 3,150 vehicles and fuel tanks, 817 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), 234 aircraft, 198 helicopters, 196 cruise missiles, 99 special equipment and 15 boats, the Ukrainian Defence Ministry stated in a Facebook post.
