War in Ukraine: Russia at the next peace summit, insufficient Western support… an update on the situation

Le président ukrainien a qualifié de “demi-mesures” les sanctions imposées à la Russie et au Bélarus aux Jeux Olympiques de Paris. MAXPPP – ANDY RAIN/POOL

Every day, Midi Libre takes stock of the situation in Ukraine. This Wednesday, July 31, 2024, discover the latest news about this conflict.

Ukraine claims to have shot down 89 drones launched during a major Russian attack

Ukraine's air force said Wednesday it shot down 89 drones and a missile launched by Russia overnight, in one of the largest drone attacks since the start of Russia's invasion war. The Russian attack mainly targeted the Kiev region, where local authorities said the air force shot down more than 40 drones. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, all Russian drones launched during the night have been shot down.

Ukraine says it has repelled one of Russia's largest drone attacks

The Ukrainian Air Force said Wednesday it had repelled one of the largest drone attacks by Russia since the start of its invasion war in Ukraine. It shot down 89 drones launched by Russia overnight on the capital Kiev, the surrounding region and other areas of the country. All Russian drones launched overnight were shot down, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. The Russian attack mainly targeted Kiev and its surrounding region, where local authorities said more than 40 drones were shot down. An air raid alert sounded for much of the night.

According to the military administration of the Ukrainian capital, no civilians or vital infrastructure were directly hit, but debris damaged the roofs, windows and facades of 13 residential buildings. “This is one of the most massive attacks carried out by Shahed-131/136 drones”, said the Air Force, referring to a type of drone regularly used by Russia for its strikes against Ukraine. The Russian attack carried out overnight is the seventh targeting the capital kyiv since the beginning of the month, said the head of the city's military administration, Serhiy Popko.

More than 11,000 Kiev residents took refuge in metro stations overnight as drones arrived in several waves from "all possible directions& quot;, city authorities said. The Ukrainian Air Force also intercepted a Kh-59 missile fired at the Mykolaiv region in southern Ukraine. Local authorities have so far reported no damage. Russia has made no comment on this attack.

Zelensky calls "half measures" sanctions targeting Russia at the 2024 Olympics

The Ukrainian president called "half measures" the sanctions imposed on Russia and Belarus at the Paris Olympic Games, denouncing the presence of Russian athletes under a neutral banner, when hundreds of Ukrainian athletes have died since the start of the invasion. "Every country in the world sees clearly that the athletes under the neutral banner are athletes from Russia and Belarus. I think that these sanctions are half measures", declared Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview with several French media including AFP.

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine with Belarus' support, the International Olympic Committee banned both countries from the 2024 Olympics. But a handful of Russian and Belarusian nationals who never supported the Russian assault are participating as individuals, under neutral banners and without an anthem, in the Games. “Thirty (Russians and Belarusians) are participating. And (Russia) killed 488 of our athletes and coaches during the war. They just killed them,” Zelensky insisted. He was also offended by the lack of sanctions against North Korea, accused of supplying huge quantities of shells to Russia, but also by the fact that the economic sanctions imposed by the West on Moscow are being circumvented.