NU.nl regularly gives you an overview of the situation in Ukraine. This time: the coordination center for Ukrainian grain exports by sea opened in Istanbul on Wednesday and the German government approved the sale of 100 armored howitzers to Ukraine.
The coordination center is housed in the National Defense University campus, about 7 kilometers north of central Istanbul. The command is in the hands of a Turkish admiral. Members of the coordinating team are envoys from Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations.
The latter two should guarantee the resumption of the export of Ukrainian grain, as well as fertilizers and other agricultural products. The agreement was concluded on July 22 thanks to efforts by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his diplomats.
Since the Russian invasion, Ukrainian ports have been blocked by Russian warships. As a result, the worldwide export of Ukrainian grain also came to a halt. Much grain has to be transported from Odesa through the Turkish strait Bosphorus.
Ravende volunteers clear debris in northern Ukraine
Ravende Ukrainians help clear debris and rebuild shelled buildings. They did that last Sunday in the north of the country.
Such reconstruction raves have been organized more often since the outbreak of the war. The volunteers have already rebuilt fifteen homes in the village.
Germany sells 100 howitzers to Ukraine
The German government has approved the sale of 100 armored howitzers to Ukraine, reports The mirror. According to the magazine, it is estimated to be worth 1.7 billion euros. Production of all howitzers is likely to take years, the paper said.
Ukraine had asked arms manufacturer Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) in April whether it could purchase the mobile weapon systems directly from the manufacturer. Production will start immediately, but it is unclear when the first copies can be delivered.
Germany and the Netherlands previously supplied at least fifteen such heavy weapons from their stock. The countries also provided the corresponding training to Ukrainian military personnel. The so-called Panzerhaubitze 2000 has a range of 30 to 40 kilometers, depending on the ammunition used.
Counter offensive in Kherson continues
The Ukrainian army has shelled a strategic bridge in the Russian-occupied southern region of Kherson. The army is trying to cut roads over which the Russian army can transport weapons.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that Ukrainian troops are advancing “step by step” toward the occupied southern region. The city of Kherson fell to Russian hands early in the war and is strategically located west of the Dnipro River.
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