At least seven people have died and more than 140 injured in a missile strike on Chernihiv. Zelenskyy shared footage of the destruction showing debris scattered on the floor and a body slumped in a car. Meanwhile, a Ukrainian drone strike has caused a fire at a Russian military airfield.
Sunday 20 August 2023 04:28, UK
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Forty-one people remain in hospital after a Russian missile struck a central square in the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv, officials have said.
Seven people, including a six-year-old child, were killed, and at least 129 wounded.
Of those 129, 15 were children and 15 were police officers, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said on Telegram.
Debris was scattered across a square in front of a damaged theatre and surrounding buildings.
“It is horrific, horrific. There were wounded, ambulances and broken glass in here,” said local resident Valentyna.
“Nightmare, just nightmare.”
Ukrainians have begun training on F16 fighter jets, Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov has said.
However, six months of learning is considered the minimum required, Mr Reznikov said in a TV interview.
It is not yet known how long it will take to train engineers and mechanics, he added.
Mr Reznikov said he would not be giving details about where and when the training is taking place.
He was speaking two days after a US official said F16s would be transferred to Ukraine once the country’s pilots had learned how to use them.
“To build reasonable expectations, set a minimum of six months in your mind, but do not be disappointed if it is longer,” Mr Reznikov told Kanal 24.
As we have been reporting, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been meeting Swedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson at his country retreat in Harpsund.
At a joint news conference, they said their countries had agreed to cooperate on the production, training and servicing of Swedish CV90 infantry fighting vehicles.
Mr Zelenskyy urged Mr Kristersson to “share” Sweden’s Gripen fighter aircraft with Ukraine.
He said: “We do not have superiority in the air, and we do not have modern aircraft.
“In reality, the Swedish Gripen is the pride of your country, and I believe that the prime minister could share this pride with Ukraine.”
The Russian missile strike on a theatre in Chernihiv earlier hit a gathering of drone manufacturers and aerial reconnaissance training schools, organiser Mariia Berlinska has said.
The event was agreed in advance with both the local authorities and the venue, Ms Berlinska added.
However, Chernihiv City Council denied it had given its approval or issued permits, Reuters reported.
Seven people were killed and 129 others were injured, the city’s acting mayor said.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has shared a list of outcomes from his talks with Sweden’s prime minister earlier today.
The Ukrainian president landed in the country this morning on his first visit there since Russia launched its invasion.
He met Ulf Kristersson at the government’s retreat outside Stockholm, and is due to meet the royal family later.
He has listed 10 achievements, including an agreement to work together on the production of CV-90 armoured vehicles in Ukraine.
Here are the other nine outcomes:
The United Nations’ humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine has described the Russian missile attack on Chernihiv as “heinous”.
Denise Brown said she was “extremely disturbed” by the attack, in which seven people were killed and more than 100 injured.
“It is heinous to attack the main square of a large city, in the morning, while people are out walking, some going to the church to celebrate a religious day for many Ukrainians,” she said.
“I condemn this repeated pattern of Russian strikes on populated areas of Ukraine, causing deaths, massive destruction and soaring humanitarian needs.”
She added that attacks “directed against civilians or civilian objects are strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law” and “must stop”.
If you’re just joining us this Saturday afternoon, today’s main development so far is a Russian missile attack on the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv.
Seven people including a six-year-old child were killed and 117 were wounded, the city’s mayor has said.
Twelve of the injured were children and 10 were police officers, according to the interior ministry.
Some other updates to bring you:
The number of people injured in the Chernihiv missile attack has risen from 90 to 117, the city’s mayor has said.
Oleksandr Lomako said the number of people killed in the strike remained at seven, including a six-year-old child.
“This strike is another war crime by the occupiers against the civilian population,” he wrote on Telegram.
“This is a very quiet centre, many people and children walk here at lunchtime in beautiful weather.”
He also declared a national period of mourning has been introduced, starting today until 21 August.
We’ve heard a lot about Ukraine’s counteroffensive over the last few days – from US officials reportedly saying it will fail to achieve a main goal to think-tanks arguing it is “significantly degrading” Russian forces.
Kyiv’s forces are now 10 weeks in to the operation, and with no real shift on the frontline, there is a risk Western countries supplying them with weapons will start getting frustrated.
“From the Ukrainian perspective, this is all about gaining territory,” says military analyst Sean Bell.
“Ukraine has been very, very effective at targeting the Russian logistics, ammunition dumps, Crimea, Moscow and the like.
“The problem is the metrics of success for this will not be measured in ammunition fired or tanks destroyed or even casualty rates.
“It’s all about territory gained. And we’re now 10 weeks into the counteroffensive.
“Ukraine might be on the verge of making a breakthrough, but the next four to six weeks are going to be utterly crucial for Ukraine, for their success in this campaign.”
Ukraine has started discussions with Sweden about the possibility of receiving Gripen fighter jets, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.
The Ukrainian president arrived in Sweden for a series of talks this morning – his first visit since Russia launched its invasion.
He has met the country’s prime minister Ulf Kristersson at the government’s retreat outside Stockholm, and is due to meet the royal family during his visit.
It comes after the US signed off on sending modern F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine from Denmark and the Netherlands yesterday.
Washington said it will expedite approval of transfer requests for the jets when pilots are trained – but the process could still take months.
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