In this photograph taken on August 21, 2022 a man climbs on a destroyed Russian tank at Khreshchatyk street in Kyiv, that has been turned into an open-air military museum ahead of Ukraine鈥檚 Independence Day on August 24, amid Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine. AFP
KYIV 鈥� Here are the latest developments in the war in Ukraine:
Independence Day warning
The United States warns that Russia is planning to increase strikes on civilian infrastructure and government buildings in Ukraine, as the nation prepares to mark its independence day.
Wednesday will mark the six-month anniversary of Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine, as well as the nation鈥檚 1991 break from the Soviet Union.
鈥淭he Department of State has information that Russia is stepping up efforts to launch strikes against Ukraine鈥檚 civilian infrastructure and government facilities in the coming days,鈥� the US embassy in Kyiv says in a new security alert, urging its citizens to leave Ukraine if possible.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has already warned that 鈥淩ussia could try to do something particularly disgusting, particularly cruel鈥� in the coming days.
鈥楴o mercy鈥� for killers, Russia warns
Russia鈥檚 Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov vows 鈥渘o mercy鈥� for the killers of Daria Dugina, the daughter of an ultranationalist intellectual, as hundreds gather for her funeral following her death in a car bomb blast over the weekend.
Moscow says Ukrainian intelligence is behind the attack 鈥� a claim dismissed by Kyiv.
Alexander Dugin 鈥� a vocal supporter of the Kremlin鈥檚 military campaign who has claimed to be close to Russian President Vladimir Putin 鈥� may have been the intended target of the attack that killed his 29-year-old daughter.
Dugina was killed Saturday when a bomb placed in her car went off as she drove on a highway outside Moscow.
West vows long-term support
European leaders, including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz vow further support for Ukraine.
Macron vows that the EU鈥檚 support for Ukraine will continue 鈥渇or the long term鈥�, in a video address to the Crimea Platform conference in Kyiv.
Polish President Andrzej Duda, who attends the meeting in person, warns against any 鈥渁ppeasement鈥� of Russia, saying: 鈥淭here is no return to business as usual in relations with Russia鈥�.
Ukraine鈥檚 Western allies have supplied Kyiv with billions of dollars of military equipment and imposed ever more stringent sanctions on Russia.
Moscow has accused Western powers of escalating the war with its support for Ukraine.
Ukraine football season kicks off
Ukraine launches its new football season despite Russia鈥檚 ongoing invasion, in an apparent attempt to give a morale boost to the war-ravaged nation.
In the first match of the Ukrainian Premier League, Shakhtar Donetsk drew 0-0 with Metalist 1925 from Kharkiv at the Olympiysky stadium in Kyiv.
In a pre-match ceremony, the players of both teams and the referees entered the pitch wrapped in Ukrainian flags and unfurled a banner that read 鈥淲e are of the same courage.鈥�
The first symbolic kick of the ball was made by a Ukrainian soldier.
Matches will be held without spectators due to security reasons.
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