Ukraine Latest: US to Mark Kyiv’s Independence With New Arms

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(Bloomberg) — The US will announce $3 billion in new arms supplies for Ukraine on Wednesday, when Kyiv observes its 31st Independence Day and the six-month mark of Russia’s invasion, according to a US official.

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US diplomats warned that Russia is preparing to intensify attacks on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure and government facilities in the coming days. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the Kremlin may attempt a “particularly cruel” assault.

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Zelenskiy denied any role in the car bombing that killed Darya Dugina, the daughter of Russian nationalist Alexander Dugin. Moscow has accused Ukrainian special services of orchestrating the killing that President Vladimir Putin condemned as a “dastardly crime.” 

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Key Developments

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On the Ground

Russia shelled Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia overnight, according to RBC-Ukraine, while Zelenskiy warned that “brutal strikes” are possible on Independence Day. The Ukrainian army said Russian forces struck towns and made several unsuccessful assaults in the Donetsk region. The UK Defence Ministry said the Kremlin’s Donbas offensive is making little progress and that Russia is suffering from shortages of munitions, vehicles and personnel.

(All times CET) 

Russian LNG Plant Scraps Cargo to Asian Buyer (8:05 a.m.)

Sakhalin Energy LLC, the new operator set up by Moscow to shore up control over the liquefied natural gas facility in Russia’s Far East, scrapped a shipment to at least one North Asian customer due to payment issues as well as delays signing revised contracts, according to traders with knowledge of the matter.

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Moscow transferred ownership of the plant to Russia-based Sakhalin Energy from a Bermuda-based entity on Aug. 19 and customers were asked to commit to new deals and send payments to Russian banks from that date. The canceled cargo was the first tangible example Moscow’s move to nationalize the plant is affecting shipments to the region.

Clash at UN Focuses on Nuclear Plant (12:06 a.m.) 

Russian and Ukrainian representatives to the United Nations traded accusations during a Tuesday afternoon Security Council meeting focused on the status of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, with each accusing the other’s forces of shelling in the vicinity of the facility and calling for an inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

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Rosemary DiCarlo, UN under secretary general for political and peace-building affairs, repeated calls by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to withdraw all military forces from the plant and grant the IAEA inspectors access.

Vassily Nebenzia, Russia’s permanent representative to the UN, accused Kyiv of shelling the nuclear plant and the international community of “whitewashing” alleged violations by the Ukrainian government. Sergiy Kyslytsya, the Ukrainian representative, said Russia alone was responsible for the risks, which he said would abate when Moscow withdraws its troops, as had occurred at the Chernobyl facility earlier in the war.

US to Give Ukraine $3 Billion in Arms (8:00 p.m.)

The US plans to announce $3 billion in additional arms to Ukraine on Wednesday, according to a US official. The latest weapons package was reported earlier Tuesday by the Associated Press.

It will be the largest single installment of US security assistance since Russia’s invasion.