Return of prisoners of war and release of Metropolitan Pavlo of the UOC-MP: August 7 highlights
Ukraine has returned 22 more soldiers from Russian captivity, and Metropolitan Pavlo of the UOC—MP has been released on bail, his lawyer said. We have collected the key news for August 7, 2023.
Return of prisoners of war
Ukraine has returned 22 more defenders from Russian captivity. Among the released defenders of Ukraine are soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (including two officers), privates, and sergeants. They took part in battles in different areas.
The oldest of the soldiers was 54 years old, the youngest was 23 years old. There are wounded and sick among the liberated soldiers. All the liberated defenders will undergo physical and psychological rehabilitation, reintegration and receive the necessary treatment with the support of medical specialists.
Metropolitan Pavlo of the UOC-MP was released from custody
Metropolitan Pavlo (Petro Lebed) of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate has been released from custody. He was released on bail, which amounted to more than 33 million hryvnias, his lawyer Mykyta Chekman said.
The lawyer said that more than a thousand people donated money for Pavlo's bail. This “seemingly unbearable amount” was raised by publishing the details on the UOC website.
In addition, representatives of the UOC-MP set up boxes in the Church of St. Agapitus of the Caves of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra to collect donations for Metropolitan Pavlo's bail.
Shelling of Ukraine
On the night of August 7, Russian occupation forces struck Kherson, killing a woman and injuring local residents and rescuers who came to put out a fire.
In the afternoon, Russian troops also shelled the city of Nikopol in the Dnipropetrovsk region. One person was killed and another one was wounded.
In addition, the occupiers launched two missile attacks on Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region. The occupants hit the city center, including a residential building. The attack killed at least 5 people and injured 31 others.
In the Kharkiv region, Russians attacked the village of Kruhliakivka with four guided aerial bombs. Preliminary, 2 people were killed and 5 others were injured. While extinguishing the fire, rescuers came under repeated Russian fire with cluster munitions, and the rescuers were injured.
Earlier, on August 7, Russian troops shelled the village of Kucherivka in the Kupiansk district of Kharkiv region. According to Yermak, the Russians hit a house. Two people were reported dead and three were wounded.
Other important news
- US officially approves sending first Abrams tanks to Ukraine - CNN.
- A man with epilepsy was mobilized in the Odesa region. He died in a military unit.
- Russia continues to use chemical munitions, Commander Tarnavskyi reports.
- Metropolitan of the Tulchyn Diocese of the UOC-MP is sentenced to 5 years in prison.
- Former MP Serhiy Slabenko was killed in action for Ukraine.