Zelenskyy's visit to Brussels, an explosion in Kyiv, and new aid from Lithuania: today's highlights

Explosion in Kyiv

The Kyiv City Military Administration reported that an explosion occurred at 15:45 on the territory of a former factory. According to preliminary information, a gas cylinder exploded.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko wrote that the explosion in a one-story warehouse on the territory of the former factory destroyed a building with an area of 500 square meters.

The Prosecutor General's Office reported that law enforcement officers are establishing the causes of the explosion in the Darnytskyi district of the capital and have launched an investigation. The Kyiv City Military Administration noted that 4 people have already died as a result of the explosion on the territory of the former plant.

Klitschko added that all four victims were men. The five injured include two women and three men. Rescuers continue to work at the site.

Zelenskyy's visit to Brussels

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy flew to Brussels with French President Emmanuel Macron on the morning of February 9. Later, he delivered a speech in the European Parliament, where he supported the fact that Europe is getting rid of its dependence on Russian fossil fuels, the corrupt influence of Russian oligarchic businesses, and agents of Russian special services.

Restrictions on the use of Starlink

SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell said that SpaceX has restricted the Ukrainian military's ability to use Starlink satellite internet to control drones in the war zone.

She stated that SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet “was never intended to be used as a weapon”.

“However, the Ukrainians have used it in a way that was unintended and was not part of any agreement,” she said at a conference in Washington.

A plan to destabilize Moldova

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had warned his Moldovan counterpart Maia Sandu about Russian plans to destroy the political situation in the country, intercepted by Ukrainian intelligence. This was confirmed by Moldova's intelligence services and Sandu herself.

Moldova's Information and Security Service confirmed that Ukrainian intelligence services had provided information about Russia's attempts to destabilize the situation in the country. The intelligence service noted that it is conducting operational activities to detect such attempts and is working closely with the intelligence services of its partners.

Lithuania's assistance

Lithuania will provide Ukraine with an additional 36 man-portable air defense missile systems that can effectively counter enemy drones, according to the heads of the Lithuanian and Ukrainian Defense Ministries, Arvydas Anušauskas and Oleksii Reznikov.

According to Reznikov, 15 Ukrainian instructors have already been trained and will be able to train more crews to operate the new weapons.

Briefly about other news:

• On February 9, a monument to Soviet General Nikolai Vatutin was dismantled in Kyiv. It was located in Mariinsky Park;
• Ukroboronprom and one of the NATO member states began to jointly produce 120 mm mines. Recently, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine signed a contract for the supply of these munitions, so the Ukrainian military will soon receive them;
• Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said that she is against the admission of Russians to the next Olympic Games to be held in 2024 in the French capital. She is convinced that the International Olympic Committee will eventually support this position;
• According to Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, in 2022, 621 officials of the Armed Forces and the Defense Ministry of Ukraine were brought to justice after internal audits;
• Iran appears to have modified the attack drones it provides to Russia to do more damage to infrastructure targets in Ukraine, CNN reports, citing an investigation.