War in Ukraine: Zelensky soon to be received in Paris, 400 Russian drones destroyed, Macron meets soldiers… an update on the situation

Every day, Midi Libre takes stock of the situation in Ukraine. This Wednesday, October 9, 2024, discover the latest news about this conflict.

Five injured in Odessa after Russian drone attack

Five people were injured in a Russian drone attack on the Odessa region in southern Ukraine, and a residential building was damaged, regional governor Oleh Kiper said on Wednesday.

The attack, the governor said, caused a fire in a building under construction, which has since been brought under control, and damaged a nine-story residential building, as well as windows of a medical facility. The Ukrainian military says it has shot down 21 of the 22 drones launched overnight by Moscow, which also targeted the central region of Poltava with three ballistic missiles.

According to Poltava Region Governor Filip Pronin, an industrial facility was damaged in the attack, which did not cause any casualties or other damage.

Zelensky in Croatia for 3rd Ukraine Summit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Croatia on Wednesday for the third summit between Ukraine and the countries of South-Eastern Europe.

Ukraine, the leader said, will take the opportunity to discuss a common response to security challenges and international efforts to implement Ukraine's peace plan. Volodymyr Zelensky also intends to discuss his country's accession to the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The summit, which is being held in Dubrovnik, aims to reaffirm the participating countries' support for Ukraine.

The European Union must “unite the entire continent, all the democratic nations of Europe, including all yours”, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky argued at a Ukraine-South-Eastern Europe summit in Croatia.

“Although there are political tensions, we must ensure that our union within Europe remains as stable as possible. If Europe is not united today, it will not be at peace. The accession processes must therefore be completed”, Zelensky added to officials from 13 southeastern European countries, many of which have been waiting for years to join the EU, which formally opened accession talks with kyiv in June.

Ukraine says it has destroyed drone depot in southern Russia

Ukraine said on Wednesday that its armed forces had destroyed a depot housing several hundred attack drones in southern Russia.

Ukrainian forces “attacked a drone depot near Shahed Oktyabrsky in the Russian Krasnodar region. About 400 attack drones were stored there,", the Ukrainian military wrote on Telegram.

Macron to welcome Zelensky in Paris on Thursday

French President Emmanuel Macron will welcome his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in Paris on Thursday, the Elysee Palace announced in a statement on Wednesday.

"This meeting will be an opportunity for the President of the Republic to reaffirm France's determination to continue to provide, over the long term and with all of its partners, unwavering support to Ukraine and the Ukrainian people", the presidential palace said.

Emmanuel Macron meets Ukrainian soldiers in training in France

Emmanuel Macron traveled to eastern France on Wednesday to meet Ukrainian soldiers in training. The head of state announced last July that the 2,200 of the 4,500 soldiers who make up the Ukrainian brigade Anne of Kiev would be trained in France.

J’en avais pris l’engagement : nos militaires forment actuellement 2 300 soldats ukrainiens dans le Grand Est, avec des équipements qu’ils utiliseront en mission.

La brigade Anne de Kyiv sera formée et équipée grâce à la solidarité de la France. pic.twitter.com/LFwv06LW6b

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) October 9, 2024

"I had made a commitment: our military is currently training 2,300 Ukrainian soldiers in the Grand Est, with equipment that they will use on missions. The Anne brigade of kyiv will be trained and equipped thanks to the solidarity of France", wrote on his account X (ex-Twitter), with a video.

The French Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu and the Ukrainian Minister of Defense Roustem Oumerov were also present on the site.

Volodymyr Zelensky announces that he will meet Keir Starmer in the United Kingdom and Giorgia Meloni in Italy

The Ukrainian president announced on Wednesday that he would meet in the coming days the British Prime Minister and the Italian Prime Minister, during a European tour marked by the postponement of a meeting of kyiv's allies that was to take place in Germany on Saturday.

“I will meet separately in each country with the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Germany,”, Volodymyr Zelensky said at a press conference in Dubrovnik, Croatia, without specifying the exact dates.