US: Kiev uses cluster munitions “effectively” – the night at a glance That’s why the Russians are now bombing Odessa

Washington: The use of cluster munitions is already having an effect

According to the White House, Ukraine is already using cluster munitions supplied by the United States to defend itself against the Russian attackers. “They’re using them appropriately, they’re using them effectively,” the U.S. government’s National Security Council communications director John Kirby said Thursday. The US also warns of Russian false flag actions in the Black Sea. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s culture minister tendered his resignation. In his evening video address, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy questioned whether the state budget does not spend too much on cultural projects in times of war.

The use of cluster munitions is already affecting Russian defense and offensive maneuvers, Kirby said. For more details he referred to the Ukrainians. The Pentagon confirmed last week that the cluster munitions promised by the US shortly before had already arrived in Ukraine.

Cluster munitions are rockets or bombs that explode in the air above the target, releasing many small explosives. It is especially controversial because a significant part of it does not explode, but remains on site as duds, endangering the population. More than 100 countries have banned its use, including Germany.

Ukraine claims it urgently needs these weapons to defend against Russia’s 17-month offensive war and liberate occupied territories. In addition, international organizations such as Human Rights Watch have demonstrated that Russia itself has been using cluster munitions for quite some time. Residential areas in Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine were hit by Russian cluster bombs last year.

US: Russia could accuse Ukraine of attacking civilian ships

The US administration also warned again that Russia could expand its attacks on civilian ships in the Black Sea after it pulled out of the international grain deal and blamed Ukraine.

“Our information indicates that Russia is continuing to lay naval mines in the entrances to Ukrainian ports,” National Security Council communications director John Kirby said. “And yesterday we saw Russia release video of the discovery and detonation of what they believe was a Ukrainian naval mine.” It is possible that this video is a “harbinger” of a false flag attack.

On Monday, Russia declared an end to the agreement on the export of Ukrainian grain across the Black Sea, despite all international calls. Moscow then announced that it would consider ships calling at Ukrainian ports as possible military targets in the future. In recent nights, Russia has also attacked the port of Odessa, from which millions of tons of food have been exported in recent months, and other Ukrainian cities on the Black Sea.

UN chief condemns Russian attacks on Odessa

UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned repeated Russian attacks on the port of Odessa and other Ukrainian Black Sea cities “in the strongest possible terms”. “The attacks contradict the commitments of the Russian Federation under the Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations,” the world organization said. Moreover, the destruction of civilian infrastructure constitutes a violation of international humanitarian law.

“Culture in times of war” – Ukrainian culture minister resigns

Ukraine’s culture minister, Olexander Tkachenko, has resigned after dissatisfaction with the way state funds are being used. There was “a wave of misunderstanding about the importance of culture in times of war,” Tkachenko told Telegram late Thursday, explaining his move. Afterwards he was surprised by a statement by President Zelenskyj on this subject.

Zelenskyi said in his evening video address that he had asked Prime Minister Denys Schmyhal to consider replacing Tkachenko. Ukrainian media had previously reported that the culture minister wanted to spend 500 million hryvnia (about 12 million euros) to complete a national museum in memory of the victims of the Holodomor genocide in the 1930s.

Tkachenko wrote on his Telegram channel on Thursday night that funds for culture during the war were no less important than funds for drones, “because culture is the protective shield of our identity and our borders.”

Zelenskyj criticized in his speech: “In times of war like this, the main attention of the state, and therefore of state resources, should be on defence”. Museums and other cultural areas are important, “but we have other priorities at the moment”. After about 17 months of Russian offensive war, Ukrainian society understands that budget cuts are currently being made on things that are not urgently needed.

IAEA: waiting for access to roofs of Zaporizhia NPP

Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency are still waiting for access to the roofs of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, which is occupied by Russian troops. The specialists conducted further inspections of the facility earlier this week, but so far have found no visible signs of explosives or mines, IAEA director Rafael Grossi said, according to a report from the agency on Thursday. According to Grossi, the IAEA continues to demand access to the roofs of the reactors and their turbine halls.

Russian troops had occupied the nuclear power plant shortly after the outbreak of war, almost 17 months ago. The plant came under fire several times, which increased international concern about a nuclear disaster despite its closure. Moscow and Kiev had been suspecting each other for months of deliberately causing an accident at the nuclear facility, either through shelling or mining.

What will be important on Friday

Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) will meet his Czech counterpart Jana Cernochova on Friday during his inaugural visit to Prague. One topic should be a possible purchase of Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks. As part of a ring exchange, the Czech Republic has already received the first of 14 Leopard 2A4 tanks from Germany. The NATO member state thus receives a modern replacement for the Soviet-designed T72 tanks that were delivered to Ukraine. (yam/sda/dpa)