Ukraine wants to build its own anti-aircraft systems – the nightly update without photos German government wants to pave the way for a controversial part of the EU asylum reform

Ukraine, which was attacked by Russia, plans to build its own anti-aircraft systems. This fundamental decision will be implemented very soon, said the head of the presidential office in Kiev, Andriy Yermak. “Soon we will have specialists who will develop a plan for our own production of everything we need, especially air defense weapons.” According to the air force in Kiev, Russian combat drones again headed towards targets in southern Ukraine on Saturday night. Ukraine has been defending an invasion from its all-powerful neighbor Russia for more than 19 months.

Ukraine needs more air defense

Ukraine has only a few Soviet-designed anti-aircraft weapons left, and ammunition for them is also running low. That is why the development of new, proprietary systems, as Jermak announced, is important. At the same time, the country needs more foreign medium- and long-range air defense systems such as Iris-T, NASAMS or Patriot, said Yuri Ihnat, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force. Only then will it be possible to repel Russian cruise missiles and aircraft. The protection of Ukrainian cities improved last winter when Ukraine received weapons such as the Gepard anti-aircraft tank and the Iris-T and Patriot systems.

Ambassador thanks for Iris-T

The Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, Oleksii Makeiev, also underlined the importance of the arms deliveries. In the Mitteldeutsche Zeitung he contradicted the fear that Germany itself could become a party to the war. “Ukraine does not need Germany to be dragged into the war. What we need is something that protects us. For example, there is no better anti-aircraft system than Iris-T to protect our citizens from Russian drones and missiles,” he said.

Makeiev saw no turning point despite Ukraine’s recent military successes, for example the attack on the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol. “A turning point would be if the Russian troops withdraw.”

According to the situation report of the Ukrainian General Staff, the fighting in the ground war continued with heavy losses in the Bakhmut and Robotyne sectors of the front. The Ukrainian army attacks there. Russian attempts to regain lost positions were repulsed. The military information could not immediately be verified.

Russia celebrates one year of annexation of Ukrainian territories

Russia celebrated the one-year anniversary of the annexation of the Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhia on Friday. However, the Russian army only partially controls the claimed areas.

A major concert took place on Red Square in Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin met with soldiers reportedly deployed in Ukraine. During the meeting, he also observed a minute’s silence for former prisoners who were released from the prison camp to fight against the neighboring country and were killed there. Putin said the war effort freed the prisoners from their guilt.

Since the invasion of Ukraine, Russia has repeatedly recruited prisoners for combat operations. Many of them were killed in the devastating fighting for the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut several months ago.

Zelensky commemorates the mass murder of Jews in Babyn Yar

On the 82nd anniversary of the Babyn Yar massacre under German occupation in 1941, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj commemorated the victims. “In just a few days in September 1941, more than 30,000 people were killed,” Zelensky said in his evening video address. “It is very important to keep alive the memory of these victims and that the evil committed by the Holocaust was defeated and punished.”

On September 29 and 30, 1941, German troops shot more than 33,000 Jewish men, women and children in the Babyn Yar ravine on the northwestern outskirts of Kiev. In total, about 100,000 people were murdered there during the German occupation, including Jews, Ukrainians, Roma and members of other ethnic groups, Zelensky said.

Switzerland helps Ukraine clear mines

Neutral Switzerland wants to finance a quarter of the necessary budget for mine clearance in Ukraine. Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis announced this in Bern. The country provides 100 of the 400 million dollars (about 380 million euros) that Ukraine deemed necessary. However, mine clearance cannot begin on a large scale until the fighting is over.

Switzerland has been internationally criticized for adhering to its neutrality in relation to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. The US has already committed half of the $400 million, Cassis said. The new Swiss money must be used between 2024 and 2027. (sda/dpa)