LIVE UKRAINE. Ukrainian Agriculture Minister suspected of corruption arrested – Greece does not supply Patriots to Ukraine | War Ukraine and Russia

The Ukrainian Minister of Agriculture Mykola Solskywhich are Thursday dismissal filed because he is suspected of corruption, has been arrested. The Public Prosecution Service reported this on Friday. Solsky is accused of it to have illegally appropriated state land before he was part of the government.

With the transaction 6.5 million euros have been involved.

Solsky stays in pre-trial detention until at least June 24the public prosecutor specialized in corruption cases said.

Solsky tendered his resignation on Thursday. Parliament has yet to accept the resignation.

Since the beginning of the Russian invasion in February 2022, several cases of corruption have emerged in Ukraine, especially within the military. But usually it concerns civil servants in lower positions.

Greece shall not to supply Patriot systems or S-300 anti-aircraft missiles to Ukrainesaid the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis Thursday. According to Mitsotakis, Greece already has other defense equipment sent to Ukrainebut Athens cannot supply weapon systems that crucial are for Greece.

His statement is true recent reports suggesting that some leaders in the EU had put pressure on Greece to supply Ukraine with air defense systems. Mitsotakis confirmed that inquiries had been made and said Athens was ready to supply other goods. “If we can find such material, we will”he added.

The Greek Prime Minister’s position may be due to it repeated escalation of tensions between Greece and Turkey over sovereign rights in the Aegean Sea and the presence of gas fields in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea. Last year the Turkish president resigned Recep Tayyip Erdogan repeatedly questioned Greek sovereignty over several Greek islands, including Rhodes, Samos and Lesbos.

The Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky wild domestic defense production expand with help from the West, he said in his daily video address on Thursday. Zelensky said he international partners who do not have their own production capabilities asks to investing in the Ukrainian defense sectorto jointly produce weapons and strengthen the front.

Ukraine is to a large extent dependent on Western arms supplies. Zelensky said that the months of delays in supplies from the United States had caused major problems at the front. As a result, Ukraine was placed in the defense pressed and the Russians were able to conquer more Ukrainian territory.

The US is likely to announce on Friday new arms purchases for Ukraine worth 6 billion dollars (more than 5.5 billion euros), a US official said on Thursday. This would include: radar and Patriot systems, artillery, precision munitions and dronessaid the official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

In Ukraine its Thursday at least ten people were killed by bombings by both sides. The local authorities have communicated this.

The Donetsk region, among others, is under heavy fire. It The Russian army is currently trying to force a breakthrough towards the city of Chasiv Yar. “The Russians continue to bomb the Donetsk region all day,” Governor Vadim Filashkin said on the Telegram messaging service. He reports a total of six deaths on Thursday evening.

In addition, are also two people killed in Ukrainian drone strikes on Novokarlivka village, in the southern region of Zaporizhia. The village is located in an area under the control of the Russian army.

“A civilian car was hit, killing a man and a woman,” said Yevgeny Balitsky, Zaporizhia’s Moscow-appointed regional leader. The couple leaves behind four children, Balitski also writes on Telegram.

Also in the neighboring Kherson regionwhich is partly occupied by Russia Ukrainian shelling occurred. Two people were killed, said Vladimir Saldo, head of Russia’s regional occupation administration. A gas pipeline was also damaged during the bombings, it is said.

The Ukrainian Minister of Agriculture Mykola Solskywho is accused of appropriating state land before joining the government, has his resigned. The chairman of the parliament, Ruslan Stefanchuk, reported this on Thursday.

“I ask you to accept my resignation as Minister of Agricultural Policy and Food,” read a handwritten letter that Stefanchuk published on Facebook. Parliament has yet to accept the resignation.

Since the beginning of the Russian invasion in February 2022, there have been several cases of corruption surfaced in Ukraine, especially within the military. But usually it concerns civil servants in lower positions.

Mykola Solsky confirmed the report and said he “did the right thing.” He also said to be prepared to “continue working” if parliament refused his resignation.

The Danish government will further increase its military aid to Ukraine with an additional 4.4 billion Danish krone (590 million euros). This will total Danish aid by 2028 8.7 billion euros. This was announced by Minister of Defense Troels Lund Poulsen.

“Since the beginning of the war, Denmark one of the most active donor countries “, says Poulsen in a press release. “We must continue to do this. That is why I am pleased that a large majority of parties in the Folketing (Danish Parliament, ed.) support us by adding another 4.4 billion in additional aid for Ukraine.”

Artillery ammunition, Harpoon missile systems, tanks, drones and anti-aircraft defenses are part of the new Danish aid. Germany’s Kiel Institute for the World Economy calls Denmark the fourth-largest donor of military aid to Ukraine.

After months of debate in the United States, President Joe Biden signed a package with 57 billion euros in military and economic aid for Ukraine earlier this week.

At least seven people were killed in Ukraine on Thursday due to bombings by both sides. The local authorities have communicated this.

The Donetsk region, among others, is under heavy fire. The Russian military is currently trying one to force a breakthrough towards the city of Chasiv Yar. “The Russians continue to bomb the Donetsk region all day long. Three more people have been killed,” Governor Vadim Filashkin said on the Telegram messaging service.

In addition, two people were also killed Ukrainian drone strikes on the village of Novokarlivka, in the southern region Zaporizhia. The village is located in an area under the control of the Russian army. “A civilian car was hit, killing a man and a woman,” said Yevgeny Balitsky, Zaporizhia’s Moscow-appointed regional leader. The couple leaves behind four children, Balitski also writes on Telegram.

Also in the neighboring region Cherson, which is partly occupied by Russia, Ukrainian shelling has taken place. Two people were killed, said Vladimir Saldo, head of Russia’s regional occupation administration. A gas pipeline was also damaged during the bombings, it is said.