An injured man walks in Krasna Square in entrance of the Taras Shevchenko Chernihiv Regional Academic Music and Drama Theatre, after a Russian assault on Chernihiv, Ukraine, on Saturday.

Efrem Lukatsky/AP

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Efrem Lukatsky/AP

An injured man walks in Krasna Square in entrance of the Taras Shevchenko Chernihiv Regional Academic Music and Drama Theatre, after a Russian assault on Chernihiv, Ukraine, on Saturday.

Efrem Lukatsky/AP

Here’s a glance forward and a roundup of key developments from the previous week.

What to observe

Leaders of the BRICS international locations will collect for an Aug. 22-Aug. 24 summit in South Africa — minus Russian President Vladimir Putin, who’s sending his international minister as a substitute. Putin is about to take part just about. In addition to South Africa, the BRICS nations embrace Brazil, Russia, China and India.

Ukraine’s Independence Day is on Thursday — which additionally marks 18 months since Russia’s invasion started. On the identical day, the U.N. Security Council will maintain a briefing on Ukraine, with remarks by Under Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo and a civil society consultant.

Russia’s Flag Day is well known on Tuesday.

What occurred final week

A Russian missile strike on Sunday killed seven people and injured a minimum of 90 in Chernihiv, Ukraine. The missile hit simply as many had been leaving church, and broken a theater constructing. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was on a go to to Sweden on the time, the place the 2 international locations announced an agreement on manufacturing and use of Swedish CV90 infantry combating autos.

Denmark and the Netherlands confirmed they will send F-16s to Ukraine, after the U.S. agreed to allow it. The timeline for supply is unclear. Ukrainian pilots should be skilled to make use of the subtle fighter jets, which aren’t anticipated to be deployed till after this yr. Earlier within the week, Germany’s Finance Minister Christian Lindner held talks with Ukrainian officers in Kyiv and signed a joint declaration to boost cooperation.

China’s Defense Minister Li Shangfu visited Russia and Belarus. It was his second go to to Russia this yr, and he met with high officers and spoke on the Moscow Conference on International Security. “Whether it is on Afghanistan, Syria, the Korean Peninsula, Ukraine or the Iranian nuclear issue, China will promote peace talks and help reach an international consensus,” Li said at the conference. Putin additionally addressed the gathering by way of a prerecorded video on Tuesday, as Russia launched missile strikes throughout Ukraine.

The first ship left Odesa’s port since Russia terminated the United Nations-backed Black Sea Grain Initiative. According to Ukraine’s infrastructure minister, the container ship, carrying cargo together with meals, left the port on Aug. 16, sure for the Bosporus alongside the non permanent hall established for civilian vessels. It had been moored on the Odesa port since Feb. 23, 2022.

The complete variety of Ukrainian and Russian troop deaths and injuries in the Ukraine war is estimated at nearly 500,000, the New York Times reported, citing U.S. officers.

Russia’s central financial institution increased interest rates from 8.5% to 12%, in an try and stabilize the ruble after the Russian forex tumbled previous 100 to the U.S. greenback because of the sanctions Western international locations have imposed over the invasion of Ukraine. The ruble has shed greater than a 3rd of its worth this yr.

Gene Spector, a Russian-born U.S. citizen imprisoned for bribery in Russia, can be being charged with espionage, Russian information companies reported. A State Department spokesperson stated the U.S. is “aware of reports of charges against a U.S. citizen in Russia” and is monitoring the scenario.

Russian Gen. Gennady Zhidko, a senior Russian army chief, died “after a long illness,” Russian officers stated. Zhidko was briefly in command of the army marketing campaign in Ukraine earlier than a collection of setbacks on the battlefield in the course of the summer season of 2022 led to his elimination.

In-depth

With a easy query, Ukrainians probe mental health at a time of war.

Remembering the Ukrainian musical duo the Similar Girls, killed by a Russian missile.

Russia is trying to recover from currency dip by mountain climbing rates of interest.

Women’s professional soccer flourishes in Ukraine whilst struggle touches some gamers.

Special report

Russia’s struggle in Ukraine is altering the world: See our report on its ripple effects in all corners of the globe.

Earlier developments

You can learn past recaps here. For context and extra in-depth tales, you will discover extra of NPR’s coverage here. Also, pay attention and subscribe to NPR’s State of Ukraine podcast for updates all through the day.