Ukraine updates: 10 Russian planes stuck in Germany

Almost six months after the closure of the EU airspace for Russian airplanes, ten aircraft owned or controlled by Russia are still in Germany, Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND) reported on Sunday, citing the German Ministry of Transport.

"Since the planes are subject to a take-off and flight ban due to the EU sanctions regime, they cannot be used by the owner and cannot be taken to another location," the ministry was quoted as saying.

According to the report, there are three Russian Antonov AN-124 machines on the ground in Leipzig, a Bombardier BD-100-1A10 Challenger 300 and a Boeing 737 in Cologne, and a Boeing 747 in Frankfurt-Hahn. Another four aircraft are in Baden-Baden: a Cessna 750 Citation X, two Embraer ERJ-135BJ Legacy 600 and a Bombardier BD-700-1A10 Global Express XRS.

In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the EU closed its airspace for Russian airplanes in late February.

Here are the other main headlines from the war in Ukraine on August 14.

42 countries demand Russia hand over Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant to Ukraine

Artillery shells again struck the Ukrainian city of Enerhodar on Sunday near the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, as dozens of countries demanded the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops from the area.

"The stationing of Russian military personnel and weapons at the nuclear facility is unacceptable," a statement on behalf of 42 countries said.

"We urge the Russian Federation to immediately withdraw its military forces and all other unauthorized personnel from the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, its immediate surroundings, and all of Ukraine so that the operator and the Ukrainian authorities can resume their sovereign responsibilities within Ukraine's internationally recognized borders."

The demand was made on behalf of the EU as well as the US, Britain, Norway, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and many other countries.

Zelenskyy urges Russians to speak out against war

In his nightly video address on Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on the people of Russia to speak out against the war.

"Evil takes on such proportions that silence approaches the level of complicity," he said.

"If you have Russian citizenship and you are silent, it means you are not fighting, it means that you are supporting it," Zelenskyy said.

He has also welcomed the proposal for an EU-wide ban on entry visas for Russian citizens. The discussion about a corresponding proposal by the Czech EU presidency is "expanding every day," the Ukrainian president said.

Ultimately, this should lead to "appropriate decisions," Zelenskyy said.

First UN-chartered freighter leaves Ukraine with grain for Africa

The first grain freighter chartered by the United Nations left the southern Ukrainian port of Pivdennyi on Sunday with wheat for Africa, according to the governor of the Odesa region, Maksym Marchenko.

The UN World Food Program (WFP) had chartered the freighter Brave Commander, which was carrying 23,000 tons of wheat destined for Ethiopia.

The UN and Turkey had brokered agreements at the end of July to allow Ukraine to resume exporting grain through its Black Sea ports despite the war with Russia. Since the beginning of August, more than a dozen freighters have taken Ukrainian grain out of the country.

However, the first shipments were commercial. The UN fears food shortages and hunger in poor parts of the world if Ukraine fails to resume its traditional role as a major grain supplier.

Russia's Donetsk offensive continues

Russia's Ministry of Defense said Sunday that it had continued its assault on Donetsk, using missiles and artillery, hitting in dozens of places. 

While the attacks were concentrated in the Donetsk region, Moscow claimed to have captured the village of Udy in the neighboring region of Kharkiv. Russia also claimed to have destroyed a fuel depot located near Sloviansk.

Ukraine's General Staff reported an intense assault on the east and south and said Russia's attempt to break Ukrainian defenses in Sloviansk had been halted. 

An apparent attack in nearby Popasna targeted the purported headquarters of the Wagner mercenary group in the city. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the purported owner of Wagner, was photographed at that same building just days earlier, according to Foreign Policy Research Institute senior fellow Rob Lee.

Some Russian forces have crossed the Dnieper River, but they are confronting growing challenges after key bridges were damaged, hurting supply lines. The three bridges Russia controls, two for motor vehicles and one for rail, have faced steady bombardments in the last few weeks.

The most critical bridge, the Antonivskiy Bridge, has been targeted by missiles since last month. The Russians have resorted to crossing it with pontoons that "cannot totally meet their needs," regional Ukrainian lawmaker Serhii Khlan said.

Khlan added there are 20,000 Russian troops who could still cross the bridges on foot as Russia has shifted its command centers to the left bank of the Dnieper River.

Kyiv assessed the situation to be largely unaltered.

Poland considers visa ban for Russians

Poland is considering restricting access to visas for Russian citizens.

"Poland is working on developing a concept that will make it possible not to issue visas to Russians," Deputy Foreign Minister Piotr Wawrzyk told the PAP news agency.

The Czech Republic became the first EU country to stop issuing visas to Russian citizens in late February.

On Thursday, the Estonian government announced it would ban Russians with Estonian-issued Schengen visas from entering the country, following a similar move by Latvia at the beginning of the month.

Poland's deputy foreign minister said his country was in favor of the European Union imposing further sanctions against Russia because of the Ukraine war. This would also include the suspension of a visa regime for Russian citizens.

Schengen visas for Russians are to be discussed at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Prague at the end of August.

Germany reaches 75% gas stocks target ahead of schedule

Germany's gas storage facilities are 75% full a couple of weeks ahead of target, data from European operators group GIE showed.

The country has been racing to store gas ahead of winter after Russia began cutting its delivery amid tensions over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

The government had targeted gas storage levels to reach 75% by September 1. The next targets are 85% by October 1 and 95% by November 1.

Gas heats more than half of the homes in Germany, and the government has been racing to ensure there is enough to avoid an unprecedented shortage during winter. 

Germany is at phase two of a three-stage emergency plan. The third phase could involve gas rationing.

Zelenskyy: Ukraine will target those who target or use Zaporizhzhia as a shield

On Telegram, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that "every Russian soldier" who shoots at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant or attempts to use it as a shield "must understand that he is becoming a special target for our intelligence and special services, for our army."

He also called on the West to impose sanctions against Russia's nuclear industry in the wake of the fighting over the plant.

Russia captured Zaporizhzhia in March shortly after it launched its full-scale invasion.

Both sides have accused each other of shelling Europe's largest nuclear power plant following a series of attacks in recent weeks.

G7 nations have called for a withdrawal of Russia's forces from the plant, a request Russia has already rejected.

Russian diplomat: UN must intervene for safety of nuclear plant

A Russian diplomat has called on the United Nations to intervene to ensure the safety of Zaporizhzhya following weeks of shelling.

Mikhail Ulyanov, who represents Moscow at international organizations in Vienna, told the Russian state news agency TASS that the UN should "give the green light for a visit to the nuclear power plant by experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)." 

According to reports, the UN has so far not allowed IAEA chief Rafael Grossi to travel, not only for security reasons but also because of a dispute over the itinerary. 

Kyiv has accused Moscow of wanting to divert the energy produced at the power plant to the Ukrainian region of Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014. 

UK: Russian priority to strengthen operation in southern Ukraine

Over the past week, Russia has likely moved units to strengthen its offensive in southern Ukraine, Britain's Defense Ministry said.

The region is home to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant that both warring parties have blamed each other for repeated shelling in recent days. 

In its daily intelligence briefing, the UK ministry also said Russian-backed forces of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic in the Donbas continued to attempt assaults to the north of Donetsk city.

Particularly heavy fighting has focused on the village of Pisky, near the site of Donetsk Airport, it added, backing up remarks from Ukraine's military command a day earlier.

Russia, meanwhile, has claimed full control of Pisky.

The UK update said the Russian assault "likely" aims to secure the
"M04 highway", the main approach to Donetsk from the west.

More on the war in Ukraine

The Russian Foreign Office has said if the US seizes its assets, it could lead to a total breakdown in bilateral relations. Read this story and more from Saturday here.

ar, mm, dh/dj (Reuters, AFP, dpa, AP)