The Russian army continued, Saturday, July 9, to bombard Ukraine, even if its offensive has recently diminished in intensity, Moscow needing to rest its troops and to reorganize after the very difficult captures of the cities of Severodonetsk and Lyssytchansk in the Donbass, in the east of the country.

Severodonetsk and Lysychansk were key cities whose recent capture enabled Moscow to capture all of Luhansk, one of the two regions that make up Donbass. Controlling all of Donetsk, the second territory making up the Donbass, is a Russian imperative.

The Russian army continued its bombardments in Ukraine on Saturday and is preparing, after four and a half months of war, «new actions», according to Ukrainian officials. The United States, which continues to increase its military aid to kyiv, has asked China to condemn «Russian aggression» in Ukraine. The United Kingdom is welcoming a first group of Ukrainian soldiers who have come to train.

In the Donbass, in the gradually conquered eastern Ukraine, «the brutal strikes of Russian artillery do not stop one day: Sloviansk, Bakhmout, Avdiivka…», condemned President Volodymyr Zelensky, in the evening, still claiming «modern and powerful» weapons to defend themselves.

«In one day, Russia hit Mykolaiv (south), Kharkiv (northeast), Kryvy Rig (hometown of Volodymyr Zelensky in the east, editor’s note), the villages of the Zaporijjia region (east)… It hit (…) deliberately, intentionally, simple houses, civilian objects, people. There are victims, dead, injured, «he listed.

Canada decided on Saturday to return turbines destined for Russia’s Nord Stream gas pipeline to Germany to ease the energy crisis with Russia, despite pleas from Ukraine not to «submit to Kremlin blackmail».

Ukraine had urged Canada not to return the turbines that are currently in Siemens Group workshops near Montreal, Quebec. The Russian gas group Gazprom had invoked this work to justify, in mid-June, a reduction in its deliveries to Germany via the Nord Stream gas pipeline.

Canada will grant Siemens Canada a revocable, time-limited permit to allow the repaired Nordstream 1 turbines to return to Germany, which will support Europe’s ability to access reliable and affordable energy, Minister of Foreign Affairs said. Natural Resources, Jonathan Wilkinson.

«Without a necessary supply of natural gas, the German economy will suffer very significant difficulties and Germans themselves may not be able to heat their homes as winter approaches,» he said. he explained in a press release. The Canadian minister also accused President Putin of wanting to «sow division among the allies».

On a visit to kyiv, the President of the Senate Gérard Larcher pleaded on Saturday before the Ukrainian Parliament for the country to obtain «without delay the concrete fruits» of its status as a candidate for the European Union.

Ukraine formally applied for membership five days after the Russian invasion began on February 24. The 27 members of the Union accepted his candidacy on June 23. «We are proud that this was able to happen under the French presidency of the European Union», recalled the LR manager, in front of a hemicycle where French and European flags had been deployed. «Ukraine, as well as Moldova, have seen a European destiny unfold before them, irrepressibly,» added Gérard Larcher, who paid a vibrant tribute to the country at war and its leaders.

«The Senate, and a number of other national parliaments, will be at your side in the months to come, to bring this candidate status to life and so that, between now and the decision to join, your country and your people collect without delay the concrete fruits of your linking to the European Union», undertook the President of the Senate, who had received the President of the Rada (Ukrainian parliament), Rouslan Stefantchouk, at the beginning of June. The accession process is likely to take several years, due in particular to strict criteria concerning the rule of law and the economy of the candidate countries.