Ukraine updates: NATO praises Germany over Patriot delivery
Published October 7, 2023last updated October 7, 2023
What you need to know
In an interview with German media, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has welcomed "Germany's announcement to send another Patriot air defense system to Ukraine."
Elsewhere, Russia fired missiles at the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa, injuring four people in the process, and the Russian army said it took out a Ukrainian drone near Moscow on Saturday morning.
Here are the main headlines about Russia's war in Ukraine on Saturday, October 7:
Russia calls for 'restraint' in Middle East
Russia's Foreign Ministry called on Israel and the Palestinians to stop armed hostilities on Saturday, following the major overnight attack from Gaza and Israel mobilizing its military in response.
"We call on the Palestinian and Israeli sides to immediately cease fire, renounce violence, show the necessary restraint," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.
She called on the parties to set up "a negotiation process aimed at establishing a comprehensive, lasting and long-awaited peace" with the help of the international community.
Zakharova said the conflict "cannot be solved by force, but only by diplomatic means."
Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov had already urged restraint from all parties.
"We are now in contact with everyone. With the Israelis, Palestinians, Arabs," Bogdanov told Russian private news agency Interfax, describing the attack as "unexpected."
Zelenskyy says Israel's right to defense 'indisputable'
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded to the major overnight attacks from the Gaza Strip on Israel on Saturday.
"Horrible news from Israel," he wrote. "My condolences go out to everyone who lost relatives or close ones in the terrorist attack."
Zelenskyy said terror should have "no place in our world," because "it is always a crime, not just against a specific country or this terror's victims, but against humanity in general and our entire world."
"Israel's right to self-defense is unquestionable," he wrote.
Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip early on Saturday announced having fired thousands of missiles into Israel overnight, as well as its fighters infiltrating by land, air, and sea.
Israel responded by saying it was in a "state of war," launching airstrikes on targets in Gaza among other responses.
Stoltenberg praises Berlin, says 'if Putin wins war, he will probably use force again'
NATO's Jens Stoltenberg has praised Germany's decision to deliver another Patriot air defense system to Kyiv but said Russian President Vladimir Putin must be stopped amid his decision to invade Ukraine.
"I understand the concerns that our support for Ukraine carries the risk of escalation, but the risk pales in comparison to allowing Putin to win this war," he Secretary General of the military alliance told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper. "If Putin wins the war in Ukraine, he will probably use force again."
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had expressed concerns of "escalation" when explaining his decision not to deliver Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine, adding it is important that "Germany does not become part of the conflict."
Russian missiles hit Odesa again
Russia has fired missiles at the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa, striking a residential building, as well as a grain warehouse, Ukrainian media reported on Saturday.
Four people were wounded in the strike, according to local authorities. Russian military forces fired Onyx missiles from launchers on the occupied Crimean peninsula, according to the reports.
Meanwhile, the Russian army said it had taken out an approaching Ukrainian drone near Moscow on Saturday morning.
jsi/dj (AP, AFP, Reuters, dpa)