Ukrainian servicemen unload a plane with US Javelin anti-tank missiles at Kyiv’s Boryspil Airport, February 11,2022 (Sergey Supinsky/AP/Getty)

Thursday’s Coverage: Kyiv Prepares For Russia’s Renewed “Energy War”

Map: Institute for the Study of War

UPDATE 1451 GMT:

The European Council has set out plans to support Ukraine with the profits from frozen Russian assets, worth billions of euros.

Russia is responsible for the massive damage caused by its war of aggression against Ukraine. Decisive progress is needed, in coordination with partners, on how any extraordinary revenues held by private entities stemming directly from Russia’s immobilised assets could be directed to support Ukraine and its recovery and reconstruction, consistent with applicable contractual obligations, and in accordance with EU and international law. The European Council calls on the high representative and the Commission to accelerate work with a view to submitting proposals.

The European Union is completing a package of €50 billion in economic, financial, and military support for Kyiv.

European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen said the EU is also consulting with member states on the next sanctions package against Russia, including how to cut off revenues from the export of diamonds.

UPDATE 1144 GMT:

Oleg Tsaryov, a Ukrainian politician reportedly seen by Moscow as the head of a puppet administration in Kyiv after Russia‘s invasion, is in hospital after being shot.

Vladimir Rogov, a Russian proxy official in southern Ukraine, said,“Oleg’s condition is very serious. He is currently in intensive care.”

Tsaryov denied he was lined up to lead a pro-Russian government in Kyiv, saying that the idea was “pretty funny” because he was just running a wellness business in Russian-occupied Crimea.

Tsaryov was a member of the Ukrainian Parliament and then Speaker of the Parliament of “Novorossiya”, a Russia proxy creation in eastern Ukraine from 2014.

UPDATE 1136 GMT:

After a three-day pause in the Black Sea corridor, four ships have left ports in the Odesa region in southern Ukraine today.

The tanker Mavka, bulk carrier Golden Arrow and general cargo vessel Maranta are heading to Ukrainian ports. Ukrainian officials said another 23 ships are loading at the ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk, and Pivdennyi.

The corridor was reportedly suspended because of a possible threat from Russian warplanes and sea mines.

A total of 51 vessels have used the corridor since mid-August — a month after Vladimir Putin reimposed the blockade by ripping up a July 2022 agreement — with 33 exporting more than 1.3 million metric tons of Ukrainian agricultural products and other cargo.

The office of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he discussed the corridor and vessel insurance yesterday during a phone call with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

UPDATE 0647 GMT:

At least eight Ukrainian rescuers have been injured in a Russian missile strike on a fire department building.

The missile targeted Izyum in the Kharkiv region in northeast Ukraine on Friday. Images showed damage to the building and 13 fire trucks.

The Ukraine military said five of six Iranian-made attack drones were destroyed overnight.

Spokesperson Natalia Humeniuk said, “Unfortunately, there was a hit on an infrastructure object, a fire broke out. But it is not critical, it was localized.”

UPDATE 0638 GMT:

The Biden Administration’s national security spokesman John Kirby said Thursday:

We have information that the Russian military has been actually executing soldiers who refuse to follow orders.

We also have information that Russian commanders are threatening to execute entire units if they seek to retreat from Ukrainian artillery fire.

Asked by Reuters for comment, Russian officials did not respond to the claims.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: The US and Denmark have announced new military aid packages for Ukraine’s resistance against the 20-month Russian invasion.

The Pentagon said that the $150 million from Washington includes additional munitions for advanced surface-to-air missile systems, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, additional ammunition for HIMARS rocket systems, Javelin anti-armor systems, more than 2 million rounds of small arms ammunition, and cold-weather gear.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted:

The US has now committed about $44 billion in military assistance since Vladimir Putin launched the invasion in February 2022.

The Biden Administration has asked Congress for authorization of more than $60 billion in military, economic, and financial aid. Consideration had been held because of the vacant Speaker’s chair in the House; however, Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana was finally named on Wednesday after Republicans ended an internal battle.

Earlier on Thursday, Denmark’s Defense Ministry announced the provision of another 3.7 billion Danish crowns ($523 million) in military equipment to Ukraine.

The package includes tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, artillery ammunition, and drones.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy responded in his nightly address to the nation: