Russian official killed in car explosion in eastern Ukraine
An MP and former military official in the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk – currently under Russian occupation – has died after his car blew up, local news reported on Wednesday.
Mikhail Filiponenko suffered “fatal injuries” in the blast, his son Ivan told Lug-info.
The news site said Filiponenko was a member of the local parliament and former leader of the Lugansk separatist army.
Another MP in the region, Yuri Yurov, claimed on Telegram that Filiponenko was targetted by a car bomb in Lugansk in February 2022, but emerged alive “by a miracle”.
Yurov said Filiponenko was one of the founders of the pro-Russian Lugansk separatist army in 2014, which then waged war against Ukraine.
The four Ukrainian territories that Moscow claims to have annexed – Lugansk, Donetsk Kherson and Zaporizhia – are routinely hit by attacks, sometimes fatal, on officials within the Moscow-backed administration.
Several assassinations have been blamed on Ukraine by Russian authorities since Moscow’s February 2022 invasion.
G7 vows to remain ‘united’ in support for Ukraine
Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven nations said on Wednesday they would remain “united” in their “firm support” for Kyiv as it battles Russia.
They maintained their assistance would continue “even in the current international situation”, referring to the war between Israel and Hamas.
Top diplomats of Canada, France, Italy, Germany, Japan, US and UK also expressed their desire to jointly impose “severe sanctions” on Moscow, accelerate reconstruction efforts in Ukraine and “work towards a peace process”, according to a press release from Japan’s foreign ministry.
Ukraine increasingly fears its allies in the West – key to its war effort against Moscow – are growing weary, while its summer counter-offensive has produced very limited results so far.
Kyiv will need further weapons and assistance from Western states as the probability of a long war of attrition increases.
It is important for the G7 to make clear to the international community that its commitment to supporting Ukraine “will never run out of steam”, even if a new conflict in the Middle East erupts, the Japanese minister of foreign affairs Yoko Kamikawa was quoted as saying in the press release.
US supports democracy in Ukraine amid election controversy
The United States said on Tuesday it backs a “strong” democracy in Ukraine, while seemingly understanding Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s reluctance to hold elections early next year.
Elections have been suspended in Ukraine due to the state of martial law, imposed after Russia invaded the country in February 2022.
“This is not the time for elections,” Ukraine’s president said on Monday, trying to end a growing debate among leaders after more than a year and a half war with Russia.
If Russia had not invaded, legislative elections in Ukraine would have taken place in October this year, then presidential election in March 2024.
A number of obstacles face Ukraine holding a vote, including the millions of Ukrainian refugees abroad, mobilisation of soldiers on the front line and security concerns surrounding sending people to the polls.
However, some observers argue it is vital that Ukraine shows its democratic credentials, especially against an increasingly authoritarian Russia. There are also worries that the suspension might set a precedent.
Asked about Zelenskyy’s remarks, US State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said the decision not to hold elections was “consistent with their constitution”.
“It is important to remember that Ukraine is in this situation because Russia continues to wage a large-scale illegal war against Ukraine. The Ukrainian people are fighting for their survival,” Patel told reporters, denouncing the “daily bombings of civilian infrastructure across Ukraine.”
“We have also made clear to our Ukrainian partners our commitment to supporting not only Ukraine in its fight, but also our commitment to supporting a prudent and constitutional approach to maintaining a strong democracy in times of war,” he said.
