Live updates: Russia's war in Ukraine - CNN

“Today in Olenivka, in eastern Ukraine, Russia is reported to have killed dozens of Ukrainian prisoners of war, including defenders of ... Russia'swarinUkraineByJessieYeung,SanaNoorHaqandAdrienneVogt,CNNUpdated7:39p.m.ET,July29,2022RussianandUkrainianauthoritiesaretradingaccusationsoverapurportedstrikeonaprisoninseparatist-heldeasternUkraine,whichRussiasaidresultedindeaths.TheUnitedNationsisexpectedtoannounceanagreed-uponrouteforgrainshipmentsviatheBlackSeaonFriday,accordingtoUkraine.UkrainesaysaRussianammunitiondepotinthesouthernKhersonregionhasbeendestroyed,whileaRussianstrikenearabusstopinMykolaivkilledfivepeople.USSecretaryofStateAntonyBlinkenandRussia'sForeignMinisterSergeyLavrovspokeonthephoneFridayforthefirsttimesincethewarbegan.BlinkensaidhepressedLavrovonapotentialprisonerswap.sharewithFacebooksharewithTwittersharewithemailsharelink26PostsSortbyLatestOldestDropdownarrowYoucanreadmoreaboutRussia'swarinUkrainehere.Scrollthroughthepostsbelowtoreadmoreabouttoday'sdevelopments.sharewithFacebooksharewithTwittersharewithemailsharelinkAnimagetakenfromvideoshowsadestroyedbarrackataprisoninOlenivka,inanareacontrolledbyRussian-backedseparatistforces,easternUkraine,onFriday,July29(AP)JosepBorrell,whoistheEuropeanUnion’sHighRepresentativeoftheUnionforForeignAffairsandSecurityPolicy,saidonTwitterthatheis“appalledbyreportsofRussiakillingdozens"ofUkrainianprisonersofwarwhosurrenderedandwereregisteredbytheInternationalCommitteeoftheRedCross(ICRC).Headdedinthetweetthe"EUcondemnsinthestrongestpossibletermsatrocitiescommittedbyRussia.”InafullstatementreleasedbytheEuropeanExternalActionService,Borrellsaid“Russia’songoingillegitimateandunjustifiedwarofaggressionagainstUkraineanditspeoplebringsfurtherhorrificatrocitiesdaybyday.”“TodayinOlenivka,ineasternUkraine,RussiaisreportedtohavekilleddozensofUkrainianprisonersofwar,includingdefendersofMariupol’sAzovstalsteelplant,whosurrenderedtoRussia,wereregisteredbytheICRCinMayandwereinRussia’slegalprotectionunderinternationalhumanitarianlaw.Evidenceinformofappallingvideofootagehasbeenwidelysharedonpro-Kremlinsocialnetworkstoday,inwhichRussiansoldierscommitaheinousatrocityagainstaUkrainianprisonerofwar,"Borrellsaidinthestatement.Healsosaidinthestatement"theperpetratorsofwarcrimesandotherseriousviolations,aswellastheresponsiblegovernmentofficialsandmilitaryrepresentatives,willbeheldaccountable,"addingthattheEUsupportmeasuresto"ensureaccountability"forhumanrightsviolations.sharewithFacebooksharewithTwittersharewithemailsharelinkDuringtheirfirstknownconversationsinceRussiainvadedUkraineinFebruary,RussianForeignMinisterSergeyLavrov“stronglysuggested”toUSSecretaryofStateAntonyBlinkentheUnitedStatesshouldreturntoamodeof“quietdiplomacy”regardingapossibleprisonerexchange“withoutspeculativeinformationstuffing,”theRussianForeignMinistrysaidinastatementFriday.AtapressconferenceFriday,BlinkensaidhespokewithLavrov.Thecall lastedforabout25minutes,aseniorstatedepartmentofficialsaid. Blinkensaidhehad“pressedtheKremlintoacceptthesubstantialproposalthatweputforthonthereleaseofPaulWhelanandBrittneyGriner.”ThatproposalincludesanoffertoswapconvictedRussianarmsdealerViktorBout,CNNreportedearlierthisweek.         Onthesubjectof“ongoingspecialmilitaryoperation”inUkraine,LavrovtoldBlinkenthatRussia’s“goalsandobjectiveswillbefullyimplemented,” theforeignministry’sstatementread.“Inthiscontext,theattentionoftheSecretaryofStatewasdrawntothefactthattheongoingpumpingoftheArmedForcesofUkraineandthenationalbattalionswithAmericanandNATOweapons,whicharewidelyusedagainstthecivilianpopulation,onlyprolongstheagonyoftheregimeinKyiv,prolongingtheconflictandmultiplyingthevictims,”thestatementadded.Thetwomenalsospoke“indetail”abouttheongoingglobalfoodsecuritycrisis,accordingtotheRussianstatement.“Blinkenwasinformedaboutthedetailsofthe"package"agreementsignedonJuly22inIstanbul,onthetransportationofUkrainiangrainfromtheBlackSeaportsandonthepromotionofRussianexportsoffoodandfertilizers.TheMinisteremphasizedthatthesituationiscomplicatedbyUSsanctions,andUSpromisestoprovideappropriateexemptionsforRussianfoodsupplieshavenotyetbeenfulfilled.Theunacceptabilityoftheuseofthisproblembythe'collectiveWest'intheirgeopoliticalinterestswasindicated,”thestatementadded. CNN’sJenniferHanslercontributedtothisreport.sharewithFacebooksharewithTwittersharewithemailsharelinkRussiangovernmentofficialsrequestedthataformercolonelfromthecountry'sdomesticspyagencywhowasconvictedofmurderinGermanylastyearbeaddedtotheUS'proposedswapofanotoriousarmsdealerforBrittneyGrinerandPaulWhelan,multiplesourcesfamiliarwiththediscussionstoldCNN.TheRussianscommunicatedtherequesttotheUSearlierthismonththroughaninformalbackchannelusedbythespyagency,knownastheFSB,thattheywantedVadimKrasikovreleasedinadditiontoViktorBout,thesourcessaid.KrasikovwasconvictedinDecemberofmurderingaformerChechenfighter,Zelimkhan"Tornike"Khangoshvili,inBerlin'sKleinerTiergartenin2019andsentencedtolifeinprison. Therequestwasseenasproblematicforseveralreasons,thesourcestoldCNN,amongthemthatKrasikovremainsinGermancustody.Assuch,andbecausetherequestwasnotcommunicatedformallybutratherthroughtheFSBbackchannel,theUSgovernmentdidnotviewitasalegitimatecountertotheUS'offerwhichwasfirstrevealedbyCNNonWednesday.ButunderscoringhowdeterminedtheBidenadministrationhasbeentogetGrinerandWhelanbacktotheUS,USofficialsdidmakequietinquiriestotheGermansaboutwhethertheymightbewillingtoincludeKrasikovinthetrade,aseniorGermangovernmentsourcetoldCNN.AUSofficialcharacterizedtheoutreachasastatuscheckonKrasikov.  TheconversationswereneverelevatedtothetoplevelsoftheGermangovernmentandincludingKrasikovinapotentialtradehasnotbeenseriouslyconsidered,theGermansourcesaid.ButthepreviouslyunreporteddiscussionsrevealthatRussianofficialshaveatleastsomewhatengagedwiththeUS'proposal.  Whiletherequestwasnotmadethroughformalchannels,theFSBhasanexpansiveremitandisacorepartoftheRussiansecurityapparatus.RussianPresidentVladimirPutinfamouslyworkedforitspowerfulpredecessor,theKGB.  Askedforcomment,aStateDepartmentofficialtoldCNN,"Inordertopreservethebestopportunityforasuccessfuloutcome,we'renotgoingtocommentpubliclyonanyspeculation."SecretaryofStateAntonyBlinkensaidonWednesdaythattheUShadput"asubstantialproposalonthetableweeksago"tofacilitateGrinerandWhelan'srelease.Headdedthat"ourgovernmentshavecommunicatedrepeatedlyanddirectlyonthatproposal."BlinkenspokewithRussianForeignMinisterSergeiLavrovonFridayabouttheproposedswap.Theyhada"frankanddirectconversation"Blinkensaid.CNN'sJenniferHanslercontributedtothisreporting.Readmorehere.WatchCNN'sFredPleitgenandNatashaBertrandbreakdowntheirnewreporting:sharewithFacebooksharewithTwittersharewithemailsharelinkUkrainianforcestheytheywereabletorepelRussianattemptsatstormingthedistrictsofSoledar,VershyandSmirhiryaintheDonetskregion.“TheoccupiersagaintriedtostormtheSoledar,VershynandSemihiryadistricts.Andagain,withoutsuccess—theysufferedlossesandleft,”theUkrainianmilitary’sGeneralStaffsaidinanupdateonFridayevening.“OursoldiersdecisivelysuppressedalloffensiveandassaultactionsoftheoccupiersintheAvdiivka,Kamianka,KrasnohorivkaandPiskyareas.”UkrainianforcesreportedintenseshellingacrossmostoftheEasternfrontlinebutnoadvancesfromRussianforces.SomeRussianreconnaissancegroupswereneutralizedintheShchurivkaareaandinthevicinityofVerkhnokamyanske.Inbothcases,theGeneralStaffsaysUkrainianforceswereabletoneutralizethegroups. TheUkrainianmilitaryalsosaidthatacrossthenorthernfrontlines,nearKharkiv,andsouthernflank,intheKhersonandZaphorizhzhia,Russianforcesfocusedonmaintainingtheirpositions. “Theenemy'smaineffortsarefocusedonpreventingtheadvanceofourtroops.TheenemyfearsandsupportsthehighintensityofUAVreconnaissance,”theGeneralStaffsaid. sharewithFacebooksharewithTwittersharewithemailsharelinkSecretaryofStateAntonyBlinkenspeaksattheStateDepartmentinWashingtononFriday,July29.(TomBrenner/AP)USSecretaryofStateAntonyBlinkenspokewithRussianForeignMinisterSergeyLavrovonFriday,thetopUSdiplomatsaidatapressconferenceFriday.Hesaiditwas"afrankanddirectconversation."ThisisthefirsttimethetwohavespokensincethewarinUkrainebeganinlateFebruary.startedshortlyafter12:00pm/easternandlastedforabout25mins,aseniorstatedepartmentofficialsaid. "IpressedtheKremlintoacceptthesubstantialproposalthatweputforthonthereleaseofPaulWhelanandBrittneyGriner,"Blinkensaid. ThatproposalincludesanoffertoswapconvictedRussianarmsdealerViktorBout,CNNreportedearlierthisweek.BlinkenwouldnotsaywhetherhethoughtMoscowwasmorelikelytomoveonadealtofreethetwoAmericansheldbyRussia,norwouldhe sayhowLavrovrespondedtothetopUSdiplomat'spushtoacceptthat"significant"proposalthatwaspresentedweeksago."Ican'tgiveyouanassessmentofwhetherIthinkthingsareanymoreorlesslikely,"BlinkensaidatapressconferenceFriday,butnotedhethoughtitwasimportantthatLavrovheardirectlyfromhimonthematter. "IraisedexactlywhatIsaidIwouldraisewithhim,"Blinkenadded,referencinghisannouncementonWednesdaythatheintendedtospeakwithhisRussiancounterpartaboutthedetaineeproposal,thegraindealandthemajorconcernsaboutfurtherRussianannexationofpartsofUkraine.ThetopUSdiplomatunderscoredthattheUShasseen"nowillingness"onthepartofRussiatoenditsaggressionagainstUkraine.  BlinkenalsosaidhealsodiscussedtheexpectationthatthedealtoallowUkrainiangraintotransitsafelythroughtheBlackSeabeallowedtoenterintoforce."We'relookingtoseethatmoveforwardassoonaspossible,"BlinkensaidFriday.Healsostressedthatthe"worldwillnotrecognizeannexations"and"willimposeadditionalsignificantcostsonRussiaifitmovesforwardwithitsplans."Thecallstartedshortlyafter12p.m.ETandlastedforabout25mins,aseniorStateDepartmentofficialsaid. sharewithFacebooksharewithTwittersharewithemailsharelinkDaysafterMoscowlauncheditsbloodywaronUkraine,aRussiancargoplanestoodonaKhartoumrunway,astripoftarmacsurroundedbyred-orangesand.Theaircraft’smanifeststateditwasloadedwithcookies.Sudanrarely,ifever,exportscookies.AheateddebatetranspiredbetweenofficialsinabackofficeofKhartoumInternationalAirport.Theyfearedthatinspectingtheplanewouldvexthecountry’sincreasinglypro-Russianmilitaryleadership.MultiplepreviousattemptstointerceptsuspiciousRussiancarriershadbeenstopped.Ultimately,however,theofficialsdecidedtoboardtheplane.Insidethehold,colorfulboxesofcookiesstretchedoutbeforethem.HiddenjustbeneathwerewoodencratesofSudan’smostpreciousresource.Gold.Roughlyonetonofit.ThisincidentinFebruary–recountedbymultipleofficialSudanesesourcestoCNN–isoneofatleast16knownRussiangoldsmugglingflightsoutofSudan,Africa’sthird-largestproducerofthepreciousmetal,overthelastyearandahalf.Multipleinterviewswithhigh-levelSudaneseandUSofficialsandtrovesofdocumentsreviewedbyCNNpaintapictureofanelaborateRussianschemetoplunderSudan’srichesinabidtofortifyRussiaagainstincreasinglyrobustWesternsanctionsandtobuttressMoscow’swareffortinUkraine.TheevidencealsosuggeststhatRussiahascolludedwithSudan’sbeleagueredmilitaryleadership,enablingbillionsofdollarsingoldtobypasstheSudanesestateandtodeprivethepoverty-strickencountryofhundredsofmillionsinstaterevenue.Inexchange,RussiahaslentpowerfulpoliticalandmilitarybackingtoSudan’sincreasinglyunpopularmilitaryleadershipasitviolentlyquashesthecountry’spro-democracymovement.ReadmorefromCNN'sinvestigation:RELATEDRussiaisplunderinggoldinSudantoboostPutin'swareffortinUkrainesharewithFacebooksharewithTwittersharewithemailsharelinkInsideOlenivkaprisonfollowingtheshellinginthesettlementofOlenivkaintheDonetskRegion, Ukraine,on July29.(AlexanderErmochenko/Reuters)TheUkrainianProsecutorGeneral’sOfficehaslaunchedaninvestigationintoapurportedstrikeonOlenivkaprison,undertheviolationofthelawsandcustomsofwaroutlinedintheCriminalCodeofUkraine.RussianandUkrainianauthoritiesonFridaytradedaccusationsoverthestrike,whichtheseparatist-controlledandself-proclaimedDonetskPeople'sRepublicsaidresultedinthedeathofatleast53people.Accordingtotheprosecutor’soffice,pre-trialpreliminarydatashows“theoccupyingstatestrucktheterritoryofpenalcolonyNo.120inthetemporarilyoccupiedOlenivkavillageofVolnovakhadistrictofDonetskregion.”“Itwasestablishedthatinthiscolony,theoccupiersorganizedaplaceofdetention,whereciviliansandprisonersofwaroftheArmedForcesofUkraineareillegallydetained,”thestatementadded.“Apre-trialinvestigationisongoing.”CNNcouldnotimmediatelyverifytheallegationsofthestrike.BriefclipsofvideoairedonRussiannetworksandbysocialmediachannelsinDonetskshowextensivedestructiontoabuildingandseveralbodies.CNNhasanalyzedsocialmediavideosandfootagefrompro-RussianbroadcastersofthestrikeinOlenivkaandhasbeenabletogeo-locateittoanindustrialarea3kilometers(about1.8miles)outsideofthetown. TheOlenivkaprisonhasbeenusedtohousemanyoftheUkrainiansoldierswhosurrenderedattheAzovstalplantinMariupolseveralmonthsago.Lastweek,UkrainianPresidentVolodymyrZelenskysuspendedformerProsecutorGeneralIrynaVenediktova.OnWednesday,UkrainianParliamentapprovedaresolutiontoappointlawmakerAndriyKostinasthecountry’snew prosecutorgeneral.sharewithFacebooksharewithTwittersharewithemailsharelinkUkrainianPresidentVolodymyrZelensky,centerright,visitstheportofOdesainOdesa,UkraineonJuly29.(UkrainianPresidency/AnadoluAgency/GettyImages)TheUnitedNationsisexpectedtoannounceanagreed-uponrouteforgrainshipmentsviatheBlackSeaonFriday.AlthoughadealwasbrokeredlastweekbetweenUkraineandRussiatoallowurgentgraintobeexported,noshiphasleftsofar,despitehopestoresumeshipmentsasearlyasthisweek.“Nearlyalltechnicalissueshavebeenagreed.Today,wearereceivingaconfirmationfromtheUNregardingaproposedroutethatourvesselscanfollowintheBlackSeatowardsBosphorusstrait.Andwearereadytostartafterthat.Ihope,bytheendoftheweek,firstvesselscanleaveourports,”UkrainianMinisterofInfrastructureOleksandrKubrakovtoldjournalistsduringanewsconferenceFriday,addingthatUkrainehasdone“200%”onitspartforgrainshipmentstoresume. AskedwhethertherewouldbeshipmentsonFriday,Kubrakovsaid,“Let’ssee.Wearewaitinguntiltheendofthisweek,butitdependsonhow[the]UNteamwillworkandfacilitate.” “TheUnitedNationsiscommittedtoremainfullyinvolvedandcountsonthepartiestoreallyeffectivelycomplywiththeagreement,”UNResident&HumanitarianCoordinatorinUkraineOslatLubranitoldreporters,sayingthatUNSecretaryGeneralAntónioGuterreshasbeenpersonallyinvolved“dayandnight”inthenegotiations.  USAmbassadortoUkraineBridgetBrinktoldjournaliststhat“theUnitedStatesandtherestoftheworldwilllooktoRussiatostandupandimplementitsagreements.” TheUK’sAmbassadortoUkraineMelindaSimmonssaidthat“theballisinRussia’scourt.”“Theyarestillsigningoffontheroutethatwillbetaken.TheUkrainianshaveputtheirideastogether,theRussianshaveotherideas,andtheUNishavingtomediateit.That’swhatwearewaitingon,”Simmonssaid.U.S.AmbassadortoUkraineBridgetBrink,center,speaksduringapressconferencewithG7ambassadorsandUNrepresentativesattheOdesaSeaPort,inOdesa,Ukraine,onJuly29.(DavidGoldman/AP)Somebackground:TurkeyandtheUNbrokeredthedealbetweenUkraineandRussialastweek,whichwasaimedateasingaglobalfoodcrisissparkedbythewar.Thebreakthroughfollowedmonthsofnegotiations,andpromisestounblockportsontheBlackSeatoallowthesafepassageofgrainandoilseeds--someof Ukraine'smostimportantexports.Russiahassofarbeenblockingmaritimeaccesstothoseports,meaningthatmillionsoftonsofUkrainiangrainhasnotbeenexportedtothemanycountriesthatrelyonit.UkrainianPresidentVolodymyrZelenskyandtheG7ambassadorstoUkrainegatheredattheChornomorskportnearOdesaearlierFridayinashowofunityfollowinganagreementtoallowtheresumptionofgrainexportsfromUkrainianBlackSeaports. “Itisimportantforustoremaintheguarantorofworldfoodsecurity.AssomeoneblockstheBlackSeaandtakeslifeinothercountries,weallowpeopletosurvive,”ZelenskysaidonhisTelegramaccountsharingpicturesoftheevent.CNN'sNicRobertson,KareemKhadder,RobPicheta,JomanaKaradsheh,RadinaGigovaandTimListercontributedreportingtothispost.sharewithFacebooksharewithTwittersharewithemailsharelink