Thea Arbar, CNBC Indonesia
Friday, 21/07/2023 22:00 WIB
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – The war between Russia and Ukraine is not over yet. The war between the two neighboring countries has also heated up with an internal conflict between President Vladimir Putin and the boss of the Wagner mercenary group.
Following are the latest updates on the Russia-Ukraine war, as compiled by CNBC Indonesia from various sources:
Putin Possible Revenge Against Prigozhin
The head of the US foreign intelligence agency, the CIA, said Putin was trying to buy time as he pondered what to do with the leader of the Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prighozin, over the mutiny and failed coup.
CIA Director William Burns said last month’s brief mutiny by the Wagner paramilitaries had exposed significant flaws in Putin’s system. He added that the president’s carefully crafted image as a strong ruler had been damaged.
“What (Putin) will try to do is take Prigozhin apart and cut him off but keep what is valuable to him,” he said, adding Putin would likely want to keep the Wagner group, but let Prigozhin go.
“As the ultimate apostle of vengeance, Putin will almost certainly go after Prigozhin when the time is ripe,” Burns said, as quoted by Sky News.
While speaking at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado, Burns confirmed that the US believed Prigozhin was indeed in Belarus.
“He’s moved around quite a bit. I think he’s been in Minsk lately,” he said. “I’m not sure he has plans to retire in the suburbs of Minsk. But he has also spent time in Russia.”
Photo: CNBC Indonesia TV
Wagner’s Boss Finally Appears After The Coup Fails And Escapes
Wagner Prepares Troops near Poland, Threatens NATO
The border areas of Poland and Belarus are heating up. This was due to the emergence of reports of Wagner mercenary troops starting to train Belarusian troops. It is known, Wagner moved in the country after rebelling against the Russian defense regime for not being able to support the group during its drop in Ukraine.
On Thursday (20/7/2023), Russia’s Wagner army began joint exercises with the Belarusian military near the Polish border. The Belarusian Ministry of Defense announced that the week-long drills would take place at a shooting range near the border city of Brest.
In a video released recently, Wagner leader Prigozhin tells his troops that they will be spending time in Belarus to train its military. He even aims to make the Belarusian army one of the strongest armies on earth.
“The Wagner fighters will remain in Belarus for some time. Belarus has met us as brothers,” he was quoted as saying by the Express.
This Wagner exercise was taken seriously by one of the NATO members bordering Belarus, Poland. The Polish Ministry of Defense has stated that it is closely watching the situation on the Belarusian border and is preparing for various scenarios.
“Poland borders are secure, we are monitoring the situation on our eastern border on an ongoing basis and we are prepared for various scenarios as the situation develops,” Warsaw wrote in an official statement.
Pictured: A woman watches as emergency services personnel work on the site of a building destroyed after the Russian attack in Odesa, Ukraine, Thursday, July 20, 2023. (AP/Libkos)
A woman watches as emergency services personnel work at the site of a building destroyed after Russia’s attack in Odesa, Ukraine, Thursday, July 20, 2023. Russia pounded southern Ukrainian cities, including the port city of Odesa, with drones and missiles for several minutes. the third night in a row in a wave of strikes that have destroyed some of the country’s vital grain export infrastructure. (AP Photo/Libkos)
Russia Continues to Attack Ukrainian Port Cities
Russian attacks on Ukrainian port cities continued for four consecutive nights. This was conveyed by the Governor of the Odesa Oblast region, By Kiper on Friday (21/7/2023).
Launching CNBC International, Kiper said on messaging app Telegram that Russia fired missiles at Odesa, two of which hit barns. The attack destroyed 100 tonnes of peas and 20 tonnes of barley and injured two people.
Ukraine has reported dozens of Russian missile and drone attacks on its port cities this week. This comes as tensions rise over global food supplies following the suspension of a major Black Sea export route.
Russia says the attack was retaliation for Monday morning’s attack on the Crimean bridge, which Ukraine blames.
Wheat prices rose for a third day in a row following tensions amid Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, a treaty that established a maritime humanitarian corridor.
Russian Attack: 19 Wounded in Mykolaiv, Two in Odesa
At least 19 people were injured after a Russian airstrike on the Ukrainian port city of Mykolaiv, the head of the regional military administration Vitaly Kim said on Telegram.
“As a result of the impact, several floors of the three-storey building were destroyed and a fire broke out in an area of 450 square meters,” he said. “In total, 19 people were injured as a result of the rocket attack. Eight people sought medical assistance – two are being treated in hospital, including a child.”
The Ukrainian air force on Telegram said that Russian forces had once again struck southern Ukraine, hitting Mykolaiv and the fellow port of Odesa on the night of July 20.
Russia has targeted both hubs in its attacks in recent days, following what Moscow called a “terrorist attack” on the Crimean bridge.
Russia Exercises to Fire Rockets in the Black Sea
Russian ships have reportedly started practicing firing rockets at surface targets in the Black Sea.
The country’s defense ministry said its Black Sea Fleet was practicing closing off areas that had been temporarily set aside for delivery, for training rocket launches. He added that the drills included “arresting offending vessels.”
A video released by the Russian defense ministry appears to show the rocket being launched from the Ivanovets missile ship.
The exercise came two days after Russia said it would consider any ship en route to a Ukrainian port as a potential carrier of pro-Ukrainian military cargo.
Meanwhile starting Friday, Ukraine said it was adopting the opposite: treating ships bound for Russian ports as carriers of pro-Russian equipment.
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(tfa/wur)
2023-07-21 15:00:00
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