The Russian Ministry of Defense has announced the withdrawal of Russian troops stationed on Zmyn Island near Odessa as a sign of goodwill to facilitate the transportation of Ukrainian grain abroad.
A ministry statement published by TV channel (Russia Today) said that the withdrawal of Russian troops from the island of Zmene confirms that Russia does not interfere with international efforts to organize a corridor for the export of agricultural products from Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he had informed the UN of Russia’s readiness to help export Ukrainian grain and fertilizers.
For his part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed gratitude to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson after the UK pledged an additional £1bn for Ukraine’s military support. “I am grateful to Prime Minister Boris Johnson for providing an additional £1 billion in security assistance to Ukraine. The UK is a true friend and strategic partner. We appreciate the continued support of the Ukrainian leadership in the face of the Russian operation,” Zelensky said. .
The British government has indicated that this new military aid includes air defense systems and drones, and this additional amount raises the total cost of military aid provided by London to Kyiv since the start of the Russian military operation to £2.3 billion.
On the other hand, the Command of the Lugansk Armed Forces said in a statement that its units had managed to eliminate 42 Ukrainian servicemen in the last 24 hours.
The command added that “during the clashes with our units over the past day, the Ukrainian forces suffered losses in manpower and equipment in the amount of 42 personnel, five armored personnel carriers and six military trucks.”
Ukrainian forces fired 50 Grad and Organ rocket launchers yesterday, according to the statement. The total number of Lugansk civilians who have died since the beginning of the conflict in the region has reached 69 people, including three children, and 207 people were injured as a result of Ukrainian shelling.
