July 25, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news

Our live coverage of Russia's war in Ukraine has moved here.

John Kirby, National Security Council coordinator for strategic communication, called reports Russia hit the Ukrainian port city of Odesa just 24 hours after signing a deal committing to the safe passage of grain through the port “pretty disconcerting” on Monday.

He told CNN the move “sure flies in the face of what they say is their commitment to be good-faith participants in this arrangement to get — to get grain out.” 

“We have some indications that they certainly got close to some grain terminals — whether they damaged those grain terminals or not, we haven't seen exact battle damage assessment,” Kirby told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer in an interview. “So we're going to be watching this very, very closely. Unfortunately, we've seen this out of the Russians before — you can go back, even into the war in Syria, where they were hitting humanitarian aid shipments that were meant for Syrian citizens and Syrian refugees. So, this is just something unfortunately, we seen out of their playbook. And hopefully, this won't happen again, and that they will actually participate in good faith in Istanbul.”

Some context: Ministers from both Ukraine and Russia signed an agreement, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey in Istanbul that would allow the resumption of vital grain exports from Ukrainian Black Sea ports, a major diplomatic breakthrough aimed at easing a global food crisis sparked by the war. However, just one day later, two missiles hit the infrastructure of the port, while two were shot down by Ukraine's air defense, according to officials.

Kirby said officials are in talks with the Ukrainians “literally every day,” and are “continuing to explore with Ukrainians in near real-time what their capabilities are and trying to get them those capabilities as fast as we can,” touting delivery of an additional four Highly Mobile Advanced Rocket Systems (HIMARS) missile systems, which he told Wolf “are being used very, very effectively by the Ukrainians in the field.”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday urged Russia and Ukraine to act responsibly and honor agreements they signed in Istanbul last week regarding the export of Ukrainian grains.  

“We expect everyone to own their signatures on the agreement and act according to their responsibilities they undertook. We want everyone to avoid actions that are against the spirit of the agreement,” he said, speaking to Turkish state broadcaster TRT. 

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar told the Ukrainian infrastructure minister that it is important grain shipments begin as soon as possible, according to a readout of a call between both officials. Akar also vowed Turkey would continue to do live up to its part of the deal, and assured Kyiv “the work of the Joint Coordination Center continues intensively.”

Their comments come after Russian missile strikes hit the southern Ukrainian port of Odesa on Saturday, just one day after Ukraine and Russia had agreed on the grain export deal.

Here's a look at other developments in Russia's war in Ukraine and the grain export deal:

• UN spokesperson says parties recommitted to Black Sea initiative to transport Ukrainian grain: The first shipment of grain under the Black Sea initiative is expected to move within a few days, the UN secretary general spokesperson said Monday. Parties to the initiative have reaffirmed their commitment as of Sunday, Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson, said — despite strikes in the Ukrainian port of Odesa. "On the Black Sea Initiative, we can tell you that since the signing of the agreement, parties to the initiative, and the UN, have been in frequent contact, including yesterday. All parties have reconfirmed their commitment to the Initiative," Haq said.
• US expects food exports deal "will be implemented": The US State Department said that despite the Russian attack on the Ukrainian port city of Odesa, they “continue to expect” that the agreement to allow Ukraine to export grain and fertilizer “will be implemented.” “Despite these attacks, we do understand that the parties are continuing preparations to open Ukraine’s Black Sea ports for food and fertilizer exports,” US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said. “We are clear-eyed going forward, but we also continue to expect that the Black Sea agreement will be implemented.”
• Ukraine says it hopes to resume grain exports from Odesa despite Russian strike: The Ukrainian government is hoping to resume exports of grain from the Black Sea port of Odesa despite a Russian missile strike on Sunday, said Markiyan Dmytrasevych, the deputy minister for agrarian policy and food. “We expect that, as announced, despite the incident that happened on Saturday, [export of grain] will start in the coming days. Hopefully we'll see some early results this week,” Dmytrasevych told journalists on Monday. President Volodymyr Zelensky pointed to the role of UN and Turkey to ensure security given their involvement in mediating the deal.
• Ukraine's General Staff admits small Russian advances in the Donetsk region: The Ukrainian General Staff conceded Monday that Russian forces have been able to make small advances in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. “The enemy carried out airstrikes near Soledar, Pokrovske, New York, and on the territory of the Vuhlehirska TPP. It led assault operations in the directions of Klynove — Pokrovske, and Volodymyrivka — Pokrovske, suffered losses and withdrew,” the General Staff update read. “In the area of ​​the Vuhlehirska TPP, individual units of the enemy have partial success.” According to the General Staff, intense shelling was reporting along the frontline in the entire Donetsk region, especially near Siversk, Sloviansk, Bakhmut and Kramatorsk. Ukraine says Russia also made a push towards Spirne and Ivano-Dariivka. CNN could not independently verify the claims made by the Ukrainian military.
• EU's bank approves $1.62 billion in financial assistance for Ukraine: European Investment Bank (EIB), also known as the European Union's bank, is providing an additional 1.59 billion euros ($1.62 billion) of financial assistance for Ukraine amid the devastating impact from the Russian invasion, the European Commission said Monday in a statement. Of the new amount pledged, 1.05 billion euros ($1.07 billion) will be made available immediately, it said. This is the second financial package provided by the bloc since the invasion began and will help Ukraine "repair the most essential damaged infrastructure and resume critically important projects addressing the urgent needs of Ukrainian people," the commission said.
• Russia's Gazprom announces reduction of gas flow through Nord Stream 1 pipeline again: Russian state-owned energy company Gazprom says it will have to further reduce gas flow through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline on Wednesday as it halts another turbine for repairs. This comes days after Gazprom resumed gas shipments through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, a vital artery linking Russia's vast gas reserves to Europe via Germany. The pipeline had been shut 10 days for scheduled maintenance, and many had feared Russia would not resume deliveries once the work was done. The head of Germany’s gas regulator, Klaus Muller, confirmed the move in a tweet on Monday. “According to our information, there is no technical reason for a reduction in gas deliveries via Nord Stream 1," the German Ministry of Economy insisted in a tweet on Monday. 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday urged Russia and Ukraine to act responsibly and honor agreements they signed in Istanbul last week regarding the export of Ukrainian grains.  

"We expect everyone to own their signatures on the agreement and act according to their responsibilities they undertook. We want everyone to avoid actions that are against the spirit of the agreement,” he said, speaking to Turkish state broadcaster TRT. 

Reacting to Russian missile strikes that hit the southern Ukrainian port of Odesa just one day after Kyiv and Moscow signed a deal brokered by Turkey and the United Nations to allow shipments, Erdogan said that Istanbul has increased its diplomatic efforts to avoid any fallout from the attack in Odesa. 

“It saddens us that something like that happened. This kind of failure would be harmful for all of us. We're determined to implement this agreement with all of its components and our efforts in this regard continues,” he underlined. 

During the interview with TRT, the Turkish president also reiterated his threat to block Sweden and Finland’s bid for NATO accession, if the Nordic countries don’t comply with the agreements signed in Madrid in late June between Istanbul, Stockholm and Helsinki. The trilateral memorandum led Turkey to conditionally agree to their accession bid, following which, Sweden and Finland made the historic decision to formally apply for NATO membership, ending decades of neutrality. Their bid now requires ratification from all 30 member states' parliaments and legislatures. 

Ankara had said Helsinki and Stockholm agreed to not provide support to the Kurdish People's Protection Units, also known as YPG, and the separatist militant Kurdistan's Workers Party, also known as PKK, both of which Turkey considers as a terrorist organizations. 

"What happened in Madrid is an invitation, not an approval. Result of that invitation will depend on their actions. If you continue to allow these terrorists to march on your streets with protection, well we follow that,” Erdogan said on Monday.  

“It's not just about Sweden and Finland; Germany, France, England, Italy, all of the Scandinavian states are all the same. I told these things to their leaders in my bilateral meetings. For instance, I asked Emmanuel (Macron) what are you going to do, will you continue like this and he laughed. If it is going to be like this, sorry but our parliament wouldn't look positively on this issue,” he warned. 

The first shipment of grain under the black sea initiative is expected to move within a few days, the UN Secretary General spokesperson said Monday.

Parties to the initiative have reaffirmed their commitment as of Sunday, Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq said, despite strikes in the Ukrainian port of Odesa.

"On the Black Sea Initiative, we can tell you that since the signing of the agreement, parties to the initiative, and the UN, have been in frequent contact, including yesterday. All parties have reconfirmed their commitment to the Initiative," Haq said.

He continued, "The Government of Turkiye has generously provided a physical space for the Joint Coordination Centre, where operations are being established now. By tomorrow, all parties and the UN will have a presence in the Joint Coordination Centre in Istanbul. We expect that the first ship may move within a few days. The Joint Coordination Centre will be liaising with the shipping industry and publishing detailed procedures for ships in the very near future."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Russia is waging an “overt gas war” against Europe. 

“Even despite the concession regarding the Nord Stream turbine, Russia is not going to resume gas supplies to European countries, as it is contractually obligated to do. All this is done by Russia deliberately to make it as difficult as possible for Europeans to prepare for winter,” Zelensky said in his nightly address. “This is an overt gas war that Russia is waging against a united Europe — this is exactly how it should be perceived.”

Zelensky went on to say the latest move by Moscow was part of a wider scope of actions he said were “forms of terror.”

“They don't care what will happen to the people, how they will suffer — from hunger due to the blocking of ports or from winter cold and poverty... Or from occupation,” Zelensky said. “These are just different forms of terror.”

The US State Department said that despite the Russian attack on the Ukrainian port city of Odesa, they “continue to expect” that the agreement to allow Ukraine to export grain and fertilizer “will be implemented.”

“Despite these attacks, we do understand that the parties are continuing preparations to open Ukraine’s Black Sea ports for food and fertilizer exports,” US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said. “We are clear-eyed going forward, but we also continue to expect that the Black Sea agreement will be implemented.”

Price said that the attack on Odesa “undermines the credibility of Russia’s commitments to the other parties to this deal,” and that the US “will be working with our partners around the world to see to it that Moscow is held accountable for the agreement it reached.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Guatemala's President Alejandro Giammattei for his support during his visit to Ukraine on Monday.  

"I am grateful to Guatemala for its clear and consistent support to our state, for the protection of our sovereignty, for its firm position on protecting human rights and the fundamental right of every nation to freedom and independence," Zelensky said. 

During a news conference on Monday, Zelensky said the cost of living in dozens of states and Latin America is unfairly increasing "just because one state, the Russian Federation, decided to undermine existing political and economic relations in the world." 

The leaders also announced an agreement to remove visa requirements between the two countries that, according to Zelensky, will contribute to developing commercial and social ties between both nations.

"Guatemala confirmed its interest in buying Ukrainian agricultural products and establishing industrial relations," Zelensky said. 

Guatemala's president said his country feels "disturbed by the pain and devastation that Ukraine is currently suffering, which I have witnessed when visiting the places where they have felt the horrors of this confrontation."

"In one of the darkest moments of this century. We wanted to come here to reiterate our absolute support for President Zelensky, who, with his leadership, courage, and great dignity, keeps this nation united," he added.

Giammattei called on the world's nations to join and put aside their differences, "Nations of the world, what if we join? What if we put our differences behind us and stop dividing ourselves? If instead of facing each other, we face the causes that are putting humanity at risk?"

Giammattei’s visit is the first of Guatemala's head of state to Ukraine in the history of their bilateral relations, according to Zelensky, and it's "generally the first visit of a Latin American leader since Feb. 24 and in the last 12 years."

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has told the Ukrainian Infrastructure minister that it is important grain shipments begin as soon as possible. 

“[Minister Akar] expressed his satisfaction with the announcement that the grain shipment will start this week, it is important that the first ship starts sailing as soon as possible,” the Turkish Defense Ministry said in a readout of the call. 

Akar also vowed Turkey would continue to do live up to its part of the deal, and assured Kyiv “the work of the Joint Coordination Center continues intensively.”