War in Ukraine: Russian fuel depot on fire, Kremlin vows to continue fighting… update on the situation

Bombardement d'un centre de tri de la poste dans le quartier de Slobidsky à Kharkiv. MAXPPP – Nicolas Cleuet/Le Pictorium

Every day, Midi Libre takes stock of the situation in Ukraine. This Wednesday, August 28, 2024, discover the latest news about this conflict.

A Russian fuel depot on fire after a drone attack

A fire is underway at a fuel depot in the Russian region of Rostov following an attack by Ukrainian drones carried out overnight, Rostov Governor Vasily Golubev said on his Telegram account on Wednesday. The Russian Defense Ministry mentioned on its Telegram account the destruction of four drones over the Rostov region, without mentioning the attack on the fuel depot.

According to the Telegram channel Baza, which is close to the Russian security services, at least three tankers are on fire at a depot in the Kamensky district. Videos posted on Russian social media show large tanks on fire. Reuters was able to geolocate one of these videos in the district concerned. A fuel depot had already been attacked in early August in this area and this new attack comes as tankers are still burning at another large oil depot in the Rostov region, in the Proletarsk district, which was completely ravaged by fire following a drone attack ten days ago.

Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russian oil depots in recent months, forcing Moscow to ration fuel and suspend some exports. A drone attack also targeted the Russian region of Voronezh overnight, whose governor, Alexander Gusev, assured that it had not caused major damage. According to the Defense Ministry, eight drones were shot down. Russian authorities usually do not reveal the extent of the damage inflicted by Ukrainian attacks. 

In response to Zelensky, the Kremlin promises to continue the fight in Ukraine

The Kremlin on Wednesday dismissed out of hand the “peace plan” that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday he would submit to U.S. leaders, vowing to continue its “special military operation” in Ukraine until its goals are achieved. Volodymyr Zelensky said he wanted to submit to President Joe Biden and his two potential successors, current Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, the details of a plan he said was intended to “force Russia to end the war”.

Echoing the Kremlin's previous statements about continuing the war, the Ukrainian president added: “There can be no compromise with (Vladimir) Putin, any dialogue is meaningless today, because he does not want to find a diplomatic solution to this war.”

South Korean weapons delivered to kyiv ? This decision that Russia, Pyongyang's ally, fears

Since February 2022, the start of the'"special military operation", Volodymyr Zelensky has multiplied calls for help, both financially and in terms of armaments. And they seem to have been heard, since South Korea is considering reviewing its military support for Kiev, indicates Geo.

After the Ukrainian incursion on his territory, Vladimir Putin retaliated by launching a large-scale attack on his enemy. kyiv is struggling to counter Russian attacks but is still managing not to give in, thanks in particular to the help of its allies.

While Moscow and Pyongyang have been strengthening their ties in recent months, South Korea would like to ally itself with Volodymyr Zelensky's country. "We plan to reconsider the issue of supplying arms to Ukraine", said Chang Ho-jin, national security adviser to South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, quoted by the magazine. Until now, arms sales to countries in conflict were prohibited.

“Any cooperation that directly or indirectly contributes to strengthening North Korea's military capabilities is a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions. Un negative impact on relations between South Korea and Russia", detailed advisor Chang Ho-jin.

Faced with these remarks, Vladimir Putin was keen to respond. "The supply of lethal weapons to the war zone in Ukraine would be a very serious mistake. I hope that this will not happen. If that is the case, then we will have to make an appropriate decision, which will probably not please the South Korean leadership,” he said during a visit to Vietnam.