In September, Ukraine cleared a thousand square kilometers of land. The injured Italian journalist is better off. The Pentagon foresees a long war. Orban against sanctions. Moscow: 'We remain open to EU citizens'

Mattia Sorbi: his car hit a mine in Kherson Photo Video

The Pentagon predicts a long war and announces nearly $ 3 billion in new aid to Ukraine. Kiev recaptures territories. Mattia Sorbi, the wounded Italian journalist, is followed by the Farnesina and makes it known that he is fine. Erdogan asks to start the export of Russian wheat and Orban lashes out against the sanctions: 'They have failed'. The United States sanctions an Iranian company that sold drones to the Kremlin. And while the EU is preparing to suspend the agreements on easy visas for the Russians, Moscow is sending a soothing signal: 'We remain open to European citizens'. - Photo | video

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THE WOUNDED JOURNALIST - Volodymyr Zelensky, in his customary late evening address to the nation, praises the 'heroes who have already liberated dozens of settlements'. According to the Ukrainian leader, over a thousand square kilometers of territory were freed from Russian occupation in September: “Thanks to all those who have ensured this! Thanks to the army, to the special services for every Ukrainian flag that has been reinstalled in recent days '. Meanwhile, accusations are being exchanged between Moscow and Kiev about what would have happened to the Italian freelance journalist Mattia Sorbi. The first reports gave him wounded in a firefight on the front line of Kherson, rescued and emergency operated in a hospital in the hands of the Russians. But in a video broadcast by the Moscow media, he can be seen recounting the incident, lying on a bed: 'We took a taxi and went to Oleksandrivka, we were told it was safe'. Then he points to the legs: 'Mina'. The car in which he was traveling would have jumped on a mine: the driver would have died, while he was injured. The Farnesina confirms that it is 'in constant contact with the journalist involved in the accident: he is treated, we have positive news on his health, he has little coverage to communicate but has free contact. We are working to get him safely back to Italy as soon as possible ”. For the Russian agency Ria Novasti, things would have gone like this: “At the beginning of the counter-offensive, Sorbi went to the front accompanied by two unidentified people in military uniform. They promised to take him by taxi to the front line, but they stopped the car and showed him the way and left without telling him that it was mined. And when the car went down that road it blew up. The Russian defense ministry says the Ukrainian intelligence's goal was for him to die under fire from Russian defenders and then blame the death on the Russians. But despite the Ukrainian fire, Russian soldiers entered and pulled him out of the burning car. ' Kiev's reply is that Sorbi was not accompanied by 'Ukrainian military personnel', who had tried in vain to dissuade him from crossing 'the combat line of contact without coordination and in an unspecified place'. And the Ukrainian Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security writes on Facebook that the reporter 'went to Mykolaiv and from there, voluntarily, despite the attempted deterrence, went to Kherson, through the settlements that were in the ' red zone 'due to heavy fighting. We can assume that Sorbi had previous agreements with the Russian army '. Finally, a post on Facebook by Sorbi himself appeared, but not from his usual profile, which appears in private mode. In fact, the message, in Italian and English, comes from a profile created a few hours earlier: 'Dear friends, thank you very much for your solidarity and for all the affection you are showing these days, worried about my lack of contacts. I am fine and safe, but unfortunately the communication difficulties in Ukraine prevented me from being online as usual. It will probably be like this for a few more days, but the important thing is not to have any problems. I am collecting many stories to tell you and I will not fail to let you know! '

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A LONG WAR - Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin warns the 50 countries in support of Kiev and gathered in Ramstein that they will have to prepare for a long war. The United States pledges another $ 2.8 billion in aid, including $ 675 million in direct war supplies from American reserves. The twentieth package includes '105mm Howitzer rocket launchers, artillery ammunition, Humvee armored vehicles, anti tank systems, small arms and armored ambulances'. However, there will be no Atacm requested from Kiev, with a range of 300 km. For the joint chief of staff, Mark Milley 'the range of the Himars and Howitzer rocket launchers is sufficient to meet the current needs of the Ukrainians'. Meanwhile, the US has sanctioned Iranian Safiran Airport Services, which helped send drones to Russia for use in the conflict.

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MOSCOW OPENING AND EUROPEAN SPLIT - Poland and the Baltics have announced a first crackdown on tourist visas for Russians for national security reasons. A move that anticipates the suspension of the agreement between the EU and the Kremlin on facilitated visas decided in Brussels. At the Moscow foreign ministry, the decision was welcomed as follows: 'The European Union closes its cage from the inside and continues to isolate itself from Russia and the rest of the world'. However, spokeswoman Maria Zakharova launches a relaxing message, letting it be known that the visa closure will not be reciprocal: “Russia is an open and truly free country that respects all peoples regardless of the intellectual abilities of their elites. Anyone who wants to visit Russia and see its unique culture and civilization with their own eyes will certainly have the opportunity to do so ”. And in Europe the first cracks are opening up on the line to follow. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban says attempts to weaken Russia have been unsuccessful despite 11,000 sanctions: “Due to sanctions and war, Europe could run out of energy. There are 11 thousand sanctions in force against Russia, but the war is still ongoing, the attempts to weaken Russia have failed ”. As for his country, “there will be no energy shortage in Hungary. This is not a prediction, it is a fact. In Hungary we will have enough gas and enough electricity ”. Orban announced a 25% reduction in gas consumption in public buildings (excluding hospitals and social assistance) and a limitation on the cost of wood. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says instead: 'We want to start exporting wheat from Russia'. And he complains: 'Unfortunately, the grain that has been exported goes to the rich countries and not to the poor ones'.

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Source: oggi.it