August 24, Wednesday, 2022 (1:30 p.m.) Newsline read by Mr. Yamaguchi Hiroaki

1.Ukraine is bracing for possible intensified attacks by Russia on Wednesday, which marks six months since the invasion began. It is also the day Ukrainians celebrate their independence from the now-defunct Soviet Union. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that “hideous Russian provocations and brutal strikes are possible.”
2.Officials in the US say they are preparing what could be their largest package of military aid since the Russians invaded Ukraine. The assistance to equip and train Ukrainian forces would be worth 3 billion dollars. The goal is to help shore up Ukrainian defenses over the medium to long term.
3.A senior Ukrainian official has stressed that the country has reached a phase of taking the offensive to take back territories captured by Russia, including Crimea. Ukraine’s presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said the Ukrainian military are using weapons provided by the United States and other Western nations to focus on destroying Russia’s arms depots, fuel storage facilities and strategic command posts to drive Russia into withdrawal.