War in Ukraine: French “mercenaries”, Ukrainian drones shot down in Russia, call from Zelensky… update on the situation

War in Ukraine: French "mercenaries", Ukrainian drones shot down in Russia, call from Zelensky... update on the situation

Bombardement à Kharkiv le 17 janvier 2024. EPA – YAKIV LIASHENKO

Tous les jours, Midi Libre fait le point sur la situation en Ukraine. Ce jeudi 18 janvier 2024, découvrez les dernières actualités autour de ce conflit.

France has no "mercenaries" in Ukraine

The French Ambassador to Russia, Pierre Lévy, was summoned this Thursday to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, regarding "French mercenaries" suspected to have been killed Tuesday in a strike on a building in Kharkiv, Ukraine, reports the Tass agency, citing the ministry spokesperson.

Russia announced on Wednesday that it had carried out a "precision strike" in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second city (north-east), on a building sheltering, according to her, foreign fighters, including "mercenaries" French. She reported a death toll of around sixty.

France vigorously denied on Thursday the presence of "mercenaries" on Ukrainian territory, denouncing "gross manipulation" from the Russian authorities.

"In connection with the destruction by the Russian armed forces of a temporary deployment point for foreign fighters in Kharkiv, including several dozen French nationals, the' French ambassador was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, spokesperson Maria Zakharova said, quoted by TASS.

Russian army says it shot down Ukrainian drones near Moscow and St. Petersburg

The Russian Defense Ministry said this Thursday morning that it had shot down a Ukrainian drone heading towards Moscow and another over the Leningrad region, in which Saint Petersburg is located, during the night .

According to the ministry, the drones were intercepted around 1:30 a.m. Thursday. The mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobyanin, clarified on Telegram that the debris from the downed drone had caused no casualties or damage.

In the Leningrad region, the drone targeted an oil terminal in the Baltic Sea, according to a Russian official in Ukraine. The governor of the Belgorod region, a regular target of Ukrainian attacks, for his part affirmed that ten Ukrainian missiles fired during the night had been shot down. One person was injured, Vyacheslav Gladkov added.

Zelensky calls on Ukrainians to take the initiative in determining the outcome of the war

Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday called on Ukrainians to take the initiative to help determine the outcome of the war between their country and Russia. The Ukrainian president also called on the West to step up its support for Kiev in its war against Moscow during a speech delivered Tuesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos.< /p>

While the Ukrainian counter-offensive launched last year had only limited success, Volodymyr Zelensky said he was confident about the release of American aid. "Ukraine needs an ambitious and proactive perspective so that it is our country that takes the initiative, not the enemy, and the end of “the war depends on Ukraine's actions,” he said in his daily address.

"The world supports those with perspective. The fundamental issue (is) to maintain the initiative so that we have the opportunity to become stronger.” While Russia's invasion of Ukraine began almost two years ago, the front lines have barely changed for several months.

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