A Russian missile strike lands near Zelenskyi’s motorcade in Odesa. A Russian missile strike on Kharkiv region kills one and injures seven, including three children. Britain prepared to loan Ukraine all frozen Russian central bank assets in the UK.
Russian missile strike lands near Zelenskyi’s motorcade in Odesa
Russia launched a missile strike at Odesa on Wednesday when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis were visiting the port. A missile landed several hundred meters from a convoy carrying Zelenskyi.
“We witnessed the strike today. You can see who we are dealing with, they don’t care where to hit. I know that there were casualties today, I don’t know all the details yet, but I know that there are dead and wounded,” Zelenskyi told a joint news conference with Mitsotakis in Odesa on Wednesday.
Zelenskyi and Mitsotakis were visiting the Odesa port when, about 10:40 a.m., air raid sirens were heard. An air raid alert was declared due to a ballistic missile threat, Ukraine’s Air Force said. The explosion then occurred within minutes. Zelenskyi’s motorcade was 150 meters away from the Greek delegation, according to the Greek newspaper Protothema.
Russian missile strike on Kharkiv region kills one, injures seven, including three children
A Russian missile strike on the town of Borova, in Kharkiv region killed a 70-year-old man and injured seven other people, including three children.
Head of the Kharkiv regional military administration, Oleh Synehubov said: “A 70-year-old local resident was killed. The circumstances are being investigated. A 73-year-old civilian was injured by the debris. A 44-year-old woman is in fair condition. A 24-year-old woman suffered a severe stress reaction. Three boys ages between 12 and 16 suffered mild injuries. An 18-year-old boy was injured by the debris.”
All wounded have received medical treatment, Synehubov said. A fire broke out where a missile hit, destroying a car, garage and outbuildings in a private yard.
Britain prepared to loan Ukraine all frozen Russian central bank assets in UK
Britain is prepared to loan Ukraine all frozen Russian central bank assets in the UK on the basis that Russia will be forced to pay reparations to Ukraine at the end of the war, the UK foreign secretary David Cameron has said.
He said the assets would be used as surety for the payment of the reparations, according to the Guardian. Cameron said he did not think the bond plan would undermine the reputation of the City of London in any way.
Cameron told peers on Tuesday night: “There is an opportunity to use something like a syndicated loan or a bond that effectively uses the frozen Russian assets as a surety to give that money to the Ukrainians knowing that we will recoup it when reparations are paid by Russia. That may be a better way of doing it. We are aiming for the maximum amount of G7 and EU unity on this but if we cannot get it I think we will have to move ahead with allies that want to take this action.”
It is the first time Cameron has spoken about the proposal openly in such detail, and probably underscores the political support the plan has in the US, but not the EU.
The plan is more radical than proposals discussed in the European Union for Ukraine to be given only the windfall profits from the Russian central bank assets being held by the West. The annual windfall profits are estimated at USD four billion.
The plan would be especially helpful to Ukraine if the U.S. Congress continues to block an extension of aid to Ukraine since it would provide Ukraine with a new source of funds to buy armaments, and fund its budget deficit.