NU.nl regularly gives you an overview of the situation in Ukraine. This time: Ukraine mourns the victims of the rocket attack on Vinnytsia, including a four-year-old girl with Down syndrome. The Netherlands will help the British train Ukrainian soldiers, while the European Union is considering further support.
At least 23 people were killed in a rocket attack on the central Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia on Thursday. Especially the death of four-year-old Liza causes a lot of grief among the Ukrainians. Partly because of her death, President Volodoymyr Zelensky has already called the attack a war crime.
The situation is made even more tragic by the fact that her mother was seriously injured in the attack. She has not yet been notified of her daughter’s death, as doctors fear she may not survive the shock.
Olena Zelenska, the wife of President Zelensky, said she was inconsolable. She knew the girl personally, because they had previously collaborated on a Christmas video.
Ukraine receives even more weapons from the west
The West continues to support Ukraine with weapons. After receiving advanced HIMARS missile launchers from the US, Ukraine has also received the first M270 systems. This allows multiple missiles to be fired.
Ukraine uses the missile launchers to hit targets in Russian occupied territory. This is happening in the south, for example, where the Ukrainian armed forces are engaged in a counter-offensive.
The European Union is considering allocating extra money for arms and military equipment for Ukraine. EU foreign ministers will meet on Monday to make a final decision.
Dutch soldiers help train Ukrainians
The Netherlands will help train Ukrainian soldiers on a “large scale” in the United Kingdom, Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren reported. Units of the Royal Netherlands Army and the Marine Corps are expected to be there from the end of August.
In total, the United Kingdom wants to train about ten thousand soldiers together with other countries. This is a basic training of three weeks.
The Netherlands is sending 65 soldiers to the UK. They do not all work at the same time, but in rotation. The soldiers are not trainers in the Netherlands, but according to Ollongren they are “well trained”. According to her, the training operation has a “minor” effect on the deployability of the Dutch army.
Briton captured by rebels in Ukraine dies
A Briton who was captured by pro-Russian rebels in southeastern Ukraine in April has died in captivity from illness and stress, according to separatists.
The British government has described the death of 45-year-old Paul Urey as alarming and has summoned the Russian ambassador to explain.
Two Britons were previously sentenced to death as mercenaries in eastern Ukraine, Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner. However, they had been living in Ukraine before the start of the Russian attack in February, and reportedly worked there officially for military units.
Van Urey would not have been known to be in Ukraine, not even among his daughters. He would have gone to the front on his own.