Zelenskyy directs foreign, defense ministries to work with partners on new defense packages

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday that he has directed the country’s foreign and defense ministries to work with partners on the details of new defense packages.

“We constantly monitor the supply of equipment and ammunition, as well as the pace of our own production. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense have been instructed to work with partners so that the next defense packages have exactly what is needed,” Zelenskyy said in a statement on Telegram.

He said that a meeting on arms supplies also reviewed intelligence reports on Russia’s tactical and strategic plans, the state of its military equipment, and preparations for Ukraine’s power and air defense systems for winter.

He also said that eliminating the consequences of Russian shelling in Ukrainian cities and the evacuation of the Kupiansk district, as well as new house constructions in the Kherson and Kyiv regions were discussed, in addition to the functioning of the Black Sea grain deal.

Kupiansk has been the site of fierce fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces in recent days, where Moscow claimed that it improved its position along the front line with the support of aviation and artillery fire.

Some 436 people have been evacuated from the Kupiansk district after a decision was made by local authorities on Aug. 9 to evacuate those living near the front line. More than 11,000 people are expected to be evacuated, according to Kharhiv Governor Oleh Synyehubov.