European leaders have sent messages of solidarity on Ukraine's independence day, while President Zelenskyy vowed to fight "to the end" for victory over Russia.
European leaders have been sending messages of solidarity to Ukraine on the country's independence day.
It's 31 years since Ukraine broke free from Russian dominance under the former Soviet Union — and exactly six months since Vladimir Putin's forces rolled across the border in a full-scale invasion.
Anniversary events have been restricted amid security warnings of further Russian attacks.
Moscow forces on Wednesday launched a rocket attack on a train station in central Ukraine on the embattled country's Independence Day, killing at least 15 people and wounding about 50.
The lethal attack took place in Chaplyne, a town of about 3,500 people in the Dnipropetrovsk region, Zelenskyy told the UN Security Council via video.
Ahead of the holiday, Kyiv authorities banned large gatherings in the capital through Thursday for fear of missile strikes.
Residents of the capital, which has been largely spared in recent months, woke up Wednesday to air raid sirens, but no immediate strikes followed. As the day wore on, Russian bombardments were reported in the country's east, west and central areas, with the most serious attack apparently at the train station.
Outgoing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson marked the holiday with a visit to Kyiv — his third since the war broke out — and other world leaders pledged unwavering support for Ukraine, locked in a battle that was widely expected to be a lightning conquest by Moscow but has turned into a grinding war of attrition.
The US announced a major new military aid package totalling nearly $3 billion (€3.01bn) to help Ukrainian forces fight for years to come.
Review the developments around Ukraine's Independence Day in our blog below:
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Looking back at Euronews' Ukraine coverage
Euronews has not missed a development in the Ukraine war, covering the conflict's major events and their consequences comprehensively.
But we have also uncovered compelling stories and helped further the understanding of the war.
To mark the six-month anniversary of the Russian invasion, here are some of our best original features.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Why Ukraine's 'brave and anti-nationalist' president is a nightmare for Moscow
Should Russian culture be cancelled over the Ukraine war?
Tuning out: Did we grow tired of Ukraine war on TV and in newspapers?
Refugees, rates and record inflation: How Poland's housing market is under unprecedented pressure
Meet the motley crew of anarchists and anti-fascists fighting Russia in Ukraine
Ukrainian league football match lasts more than four hours
The Ukrainian first division football match between Rukh Lviv and Metalist Kharkiv in Lviv on Wednesday ended up being 4 hours 27 minutes long instead of the usual 90 minutes because of several air alerts.
Interrupted three times by air raid sirens, the match, which started at 3 pm local time (2 pm CET), ended at 7:27 pm (6:27 pm CET). The two teams spent a total of 145 minutes in a shelter without any strike being detected in the area.
The city of Lviv, located in western Ukraine and home to many refugees since the beginning of the Russian invasion on 24 February, has suffered violent air attacks in recent months.
Ukraine celebrated Independence Day, which commemorates its separation from the USSR in 1991, on Wednesday, six months to the day after the beginning of the conflict.
The Ukrainian league resumed on Tuesday behind closed doors, and it was Metalist that won 2-1 on Wednesday away from home.
Russian military struck train station in Ukraine's central region, Zelenskyy tells UN Security Council
Russia has launched missiles at a railroad station in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region, killing at least 15 and wounding scores of others, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told a Ukraine-focused meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday.
"I have just received information about a Russian missile strike on a railway station in the Dnipropetrovsk region ... At least 15 people were killed and about 50 injured," Zelenskyy said at the beginning of his speech.
"This is our life every day. This is how Russia got prepared for this UN session," Zelenskyy said over a video link.
In the meantime, local media have published photos from the village of Chaplyne, showing several train passenger cars and a train station destroyed in an apparent explosion.
Read more here:
Russia to hold 'illegitimate' referendums in Kherson, Kharkiv regions, says White House spokesman
The United States government has said that Moscow will hold an "illegitimate" referendum in occupied Ukraine this week to try to justify annexing Ukrainian territory to Russia, White House spokesman John Kirby told reporters Wednesday.
"We have information that Russia continues to prepare mock referendums" in Kherson as well as Kharkiv, in addition to the separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, said Kirby, the spokesman on national security issues.
"Any attempt to control sovereign territory of Ukraine will be considered illegitimate," Kirby added.
Pope Francis will not meet with Russian Patriarch Kirill, says church official
When Pope Francis attends a gathering of religious leaders in Kazakhstan next month he will not meet the Russian Orthodox patriarch, who backs the war in Ukraine, a senior Russian Orthodox official said on Wednesday.
Francis, due to be in the capital Nur-Sultan from 13 to 15 September to attend the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, has said in several recent interviews he hopes to meet with patriarch Kirill when in Kazakhstan.
Dubbed the "Tobacco Metropolitan" for his alleged profiteering off of duty-free cigarettes in the 1990s, Patriarch Kirill has been under mounting pressure from religious leaders over his stance since the beginning of the invasion in late February.
However, he has maintained his pro-war stance, blaming the invasion on "gay parades" and making unproven claims that Ukrainians have been "exterminating" Russian civilians in the Donbas.
Ukraine rejects 'cynical' Independence Day message from Russia ally Lukashenko
Ukraine rebuked what it called a "cynical" Independence Day greeting from Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko on Wednesday, blasting Minsk for supporting Russia and assisting its invasion.
In an unexpected message on his website to mark the 31st anniversary of Ukraine's independence from the Soviet Union, Lukashenko wished Ukrainians "peaceful skies, tolerance, courage, strength and success."
"I am convinced that today's disputes will not be able to destroy the centuries-old foundation of sincere good neighbourly relations between the peoples of the two countries," he added in the statement.
Wednesday's well wishes from Belarus prompted a sharp response from Kyiv.
"Lukashenko truly believes the world does not notice his participation in crimes against Ukraine," wrote Senior Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak on Twitter.
"That is why he cynically wishes us a 'peaceful sky' while allowing deadly rockets to hit us," he added.
Belarus is a close ally of Russia and has allowed Moscow to use its territory to send thousands of troops into neighbouring Ukraine, as well as to launch missiles from its airspace.
Lukashenko has also vocally supported Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which borders southern Belarus.
The Belarussian leader has previously said that his country was "being dragged" into joining the war by Kyiv's actions.
(Reuters)
UN chief says 24 August represents 'sad, tragic milestone' as Zelenskyy addresses Security Council
UN secretary-general denounced before the Security Council the "absurd" war in Ukraine on Wednesday, six months to the day after the invasion of the country by Russia.
"Today marks a sad and tragic milestone, the six months since the invasion of Ukraine by Russia on 24 February," said Antonio Guterres, denouncing the consequences of this "absurd war far beyond Ukraine".
Ukraine's ambassador to the UN, Sergiy Kyslytsya, shared on Twitter that the Russian objection to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressing the Security Council on Wednesday was unanimously rejected.
"Russians are notoriously known for being world champions of shooting (themselves) in the foot," Kyslytsya commented.
Russian troops arrest two employees of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant
Two employees of Ukraine's Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant have been detained for passing information to Ukrainian authorities, Russia's National Guard said on Wednesday.
The National Guard said it had prevented what it called "illegal actions" that threatened the plant's security and arrested the two staff, who it said had transmitted information to Ukrainian armed forces about the location of personnel and equipment on the site.
It said it also detained a third person who had violated the plant's access procedures, describing them in a statement as "an accomplice of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who transmitted the coordinates of the movement of columns of Russian equipment."
There was no immediate comment from Ukraine.
The Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, Europe's largest, was captured by Russian troops in March. It remains close to the frontline and has come under repeated fire in recent weeks, raising fears of a nuclear disaster.
Ukraine denies shelling the site and says Russia is using it as a shield to enable it to launch attacks on the surrounding territory.
The United Nations has called for the area to be demilitarised, and its nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, is seeking to gain access.
Boris Johnson arrives in Kyiv
The UK's outgoing prime minister, Boris Johnson, has visited Kyiv for the third time since Russia's invasion.
It comes as Ukraine marks 31 years of independence from Russian dominance under the former Soviet Union. Today is also six months since Russian troops invaded Ukraine.
"This is the third time Boris Johnson has been in Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion. Not all countries are so lucky to have such a friend," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said upon receiving him.
Ukraine envoy criticises pope for remark on 'innocent' Russian
Ukraine's ambassador to the Vatican has criticised Pope Francis for referring to Daria Dugina, daughter of a prominent Russian ultra-nationalist, who was killed by a car bomb near Moscow, as an innocent victim of war.
It is highly unusual for ambassadors to the Vatican to criticise the pope publicly.
"Innocents pay for war," Francis said earlier at his Wednesday general audience in a sentence where he referred to "that poor girl thrown in the air by a bomb under the seat of a car in Moscow".
Alexander Dugin, Daria's father, has long advocated the unification of Russian-speaking and other territories in a new Russian empire that would include Ukraine.
Daria Dugina broadly supported her father's ideas and appeared on state TV in her own right to offer support for Russia's actions in Ukraine.
Russia blamed the killing on Ukrainian agents, a charge Kyiv denies.
In a tweet, Andrii Yurash, Ukraine's ambassador to the Holy See, said the pope's words were "disappointing". "How (is it) possible to mention one of ideologists of (Russian) imperialism as innocent victim? She was killed by Russians," he said.
Francis called the war "madness". He said Ukrainian and Russian children had been killed and that "being an orphan knows no nationality".
In his Tweet, Yurash said: "can’t speak in same categories about aggressor and victim, rapist and raped". The Vatican did not immediately respond to Yurash's comments.
In another part of his address, Pope Francis called for "concrete steps" to end the war in Ukraine and avert the risk of a nuclear disaster at the Zaporizhzhia power plant.
(Reuters)
Moldova's Sandu praises Ukraine's 'courage and defiance'
President Maia Sandu tweeted a photo of herself alongside Volodymyr Zelenskyy, expressing her admiration for Ukraine and its people. "You are an inspiration for generations to come," she said.
Moldova has been deeply impacted by the Russian invasion and its aftermath. Inflation has soared and the country has taken tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees.
It hastened its planned pro-Western course by formally applying to join the EU and has since had its candidate status approved, along with Ukraine. Not least, the ex-Soviet state fears being next in Russia's expansionist agenda.
Biden confirms further $3 billion in long-term US military aid for Ukraine
President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that he is sending $2.98 billion (€3 billion) in new military aid to Ukraine that will enable forces there to fight for years to come.
In a statement, Biden said the aid will allow Ukraine to acquire air defense systems, artillery systems and munitions, drones and other equipment “to ensure it can continue to defend itself over the long term.”
“I know this independence day is bittersweet for many Ukrainians as thousands have been killed or wounded, millions have been displaced from their homes, and so many others have fallen victim to Russian atrocities and attacks,” Biden said. “But six months of relentless attacks have only strengthened Ukrainians’ pride in themselves, in their country, and in their thirty-one years of independence.”
The aid package is being provided under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. Officials said it will include money for the small, hand-launched Puma drones, the longer-endurance Scan Eagle surveillance drones, which are launched by catapult, and, for the first time, the British Vampire drone system, which can be launched off ships. Several officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the aid before its public release.
U.S. security assistance is shifting to a longer-term campaign that also will likely keep more American military troops in Europe into the future, U.S. officials said.
Unlike most previous packages, the new funding is largely aimed at helping Ukraine secure its medium- to long-term defense posture, according to officials familiar with the matter. Earlier shipments, most of them done under presidential drawdown authority, have focused on Ukraine’s more immediate needs for weapons and ammunition and involved materiel that the Pentagon already has in stock that can be shipped in short order.
(AP)
Macron pays tribute to Ukraine's 'day of pride'
French President Emmanuel Macron has paid tribute to Ukrainians' unity and courage in a video message to mark independence day.
"This 24 August should have been a day of festivity, of joy, of pride," he said. "It is a day of pride, but instead of all the legitimate festivities, it's the dead and all the fighters we are thinking of today, of the courage and resilience of your people."
"Because six months ago to the day, Russia made a dire choice, that of waging war against your country, your people, in spreading death and destruction."
Macron outlined the aid France had contributed, saying the country would continue to do so — both humanitarian and military.
Kremlin critic and ex-mayor arrested over Ukraine war comments
More now on a story we brought you earlier...
Yevgeny Roizman, a critic of the Kremlin and former mayor of Russia's fourth-largest city, has been arrested on charges of discrediting the country's military.
The 59-year-old says he was detained for calling the Ukraine war an invasion.
Moscow insists it should be called a "special military operation".
Read our full story here.
Five of the most viral misinformation posts since the war began
Russia's war in Ukraine has provided fertile ground for online misinformation to grow. False claims were being spread by pro-Russian and pro-Ukrainian accounts even before Moscow's February invasion.
Matthew Holroyd in #TheCube takes a look at five of the most viral false claims:
Five of the most viral misinformation posts since Ukraine war began
Misleading rumours about war crimes, refugees and Ukraine's president have all been widely spread online. #TheCube'Europe is with you, today and in long run,' von der Leyen tells Ukraine
The European Union will continue to stand by Ukraine’s side “as long as it takes”, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday morning, on the occasion of Ukraine’s Independence Day.
“You are fighting to uphold your sovereignty and to protect your freedom in the face of naked aggression,” von der Leyen in a short video statement published on her Twitter account.
“We can never match the sacrifices you are making every day, but we can and we will stand by your side.”
As head of the executive, von der Leyen has played a prominent role overseeing the EU’s response to the war, including six rounds of sanctions against Russia, €2.2 billion in macro-financial assistance for Ukraine, the activation of an emergency law to fast-track asylum applications and an ambitious roadmap to achieve energy independence.
“Our schools have opened their doors to over 3 million Ukrainian children so they can continue to learn and study and come home, once this war is over,” she said.
Some of von der Leyen’s far-reaching proposals, however, were watered down by member states, who often struggled to find a compromise between their diverging positions, particularly when it comes to the hot-button topic of Russian fossil fuels.
After six months of war, the question on how to finance Ukraine’s costly reconstruction is still up in the air.
“Together with you, we will rebuild your cities – brick by brick. And replant your gardens and fields – seed by seed,” the president said. “Thanks to your sacrifice, your children will grow up in a Ukraine that is just and free.”
(Euronews Brussels Bureau)
Russian offensive 'deliberately' slowed to reduce civilian casualties, says Shoigu
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Wednesday that the slowing pace of Russia's military campaign in Ukraine was deliberate, and driven by the need to reduce civilian casualties.
"Everything is being done to avoid casualties among civilians. Of course, this slows down the pace of the offensive, but we are doing this deliberately," Shoigu said at a meeting in Uzbekistan.
Russia's war effort in Ukraine has made little progress in recent months, after its troops were pushed back from Kyiv in the early weeks of the war. The UK's latest intelligence assessment on Wednesday said Moscow switched to more modest aims after its initial invasion failed to topple the government in Kyiv and occupy most of the country.
Since the February 24 invasion, Russian missiles have bombarded civilian areas and buildings across Ukraine, killing thousands.
US intelligence warned last weekend that Russia would increasingly target Ukrainian civilian infrastructure around Ukraine's independence day.
In its daily assessments since the start of the war, British defence intelligence has said Russia's tactics increase the risk of civilian casualties, and has accused Moscow of "directly" targeting civilian evacuation routes from areas already under attack.
Shoigu is in Uzbekistan to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, a Eurasian political, economic and security institution.
(Euronews with Reuters)
Moscow ally Lukashenko 'congratulates' Ukraine on independence day
Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, Russia's main ally in its offensive in Ukraine, sent a congratulatory message to the Ukrainian people to mark Independence Day, his press service said.
"I am convinced that the current differences will not be able to destroy the centuries-old basis of sincere and good neighbourly relations between the peoples of the two countries," Lukashenko said in the message.
Belarus will continue to advocate "strengthening friendly contacts based on mutual respect at all levels" with Kyiv, he assured.
"The Belarusian president wished Ukrainians a peaceful sky, tolerance, courage and strength to restore a good life," the presidential press service added.
Lukashenko, who has been in power in Belarus since 1994 and is widely seen as having rigged the last election in order to stay there, opened his country's territory to the Russian army so that it could launch its assault on Ukraine on 24 February.
(with AFP)
Scholz pledges Germany's support 'for as long as Ukraine needs' it
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has assured Kyiv of his country's support in the face of Russia's invasion, in a message to mark Ukraine's national day.
"Germany stands firmly by Ukraine today and for as long as Ukraine needs our support," he said in a video message posted on his Twitter account.
"We will continue to deliver weapons (...) and train Ukrainian soldiers with state-of-the-art European equipment," the chancellor added.
He referred to Tuesday's announcement whereby the German government will deliver €500 million worth of additional weapons to Ukraine, some of which will be handed over in 2023.
They include three Iris-T air defence systems, recovery tanks, rocket launchers, as well as ammunition and anti-drone devices.
"We will continue our sanctions, we will provide financial support to Ukraine and we will help to rebuild the destroyed cities and villages," Scholz insisted.
The chancellor reiterated his intention, expressed on Tuesday, to organise an international conference for Ukrainian reconstruction, in Berlin at the end of October.
"The blue and yellow of the Ukrainian flag and the starry strip of Europe are linked," the chancellor said.
"Dear Ukrainians, your country will chase away the dark shadow of war because it is strong and courageous and because it has friends in Europe and in the whole world," he added, concluding his message with the slogan "Slava Ukraini" (Glory to Ukraine).
(with AFP)
Zelenskyy says Ukraine was 'reborn' when Russia invaded
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Ukrainians on Wednesday in an emotional speech to mark 31 years of independence that Ukraine was reborn when Russia invaded on February 24 and would recapture annexed Crimea and occupied areas in the east.
In the recorded speech aired on the six-month anniversary of Russia's Feb. 24 invasion, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine no longer saw the war ending when there was peace, but when Kyiv was actually victorious.
"A new nation appeared in the world on February 24 at four in the morning. It was not born, but reborn. A nation that did not cry, scream or take fright. One that did not flee. Did not give up. And did not forget," he said.
The 44-year-old wartime leader delivered the speech in his trademark combat fatigues in front of Kyiv's central monument to independence from the Russia-controlled Soviet Union.
Zelenskyy vowed that his country would fight "to the end" without "any concessions or compromises" with "Russian terrorists".
"We will fight for (our land) until the end," he said. "We have been holding on for six months. It is hard but we have clenched our fists and we are fighting for our destiny.
"For us Ukraine is the whole of Ukraine. All 25 regions, without any concessions or compromises," he continued.
"What for us is the end of the war? We used to say: peace. Now we say: victory," he said.
The streets of central Kyiv were unusually empty on Wednesday morning following days of dire warnings of the possibility that Russia could launch fresh missile attacks on major cities.
(with Reuters/ AFP)
Country-by-country guide: How Russia's invasion has changed Europe
Russia's war has brought death, destruction and misery to Ukraine over the last six months. But how has the conflict changed the rest of Europe?
Read our in-depth round-up below:
Ukraine war at six months: How has the conflict changed Europe?
Read our A-Z country guide that charts how six months of war in Ukraine has changed Europe, sometimes forever. #UncoveringEuropeRussia's military and economy struggling six months into war — UK intelligence
The latest British defence intelligence update on the war paints a sorry picture for Russia, six months after its invasion.
It says the Donbas offensive is making minimal progress and a major Ukrainian counteroffensive is anticipated. "Operationally, Russia is suffering from shortages of munitions, vehicles and personnel," the UK defence ministry tweeted.
"Morale is poor in many parts of its military and its army is significantly degraded. Its diplomatic power has been diminished and its long-term economic outlook is bleak. Six months in and Russia’s war has proven both costly and strategically harmful."
Russian politician detained for criticising Ukraine invasion
Russian authorities have detained politician Yevgeny Roizman known for his criticism of the Kremlin and, more recently, of the military campaign in Ukraine, Russia's TASS news agency reported on Wednesday.
Roizman, a former mayor of the city of Yekaterinburg, is being investigated for "discrediting the Russian army", TASS reported, citing Yekaterinburg security services.
Roizman was one of a handful of Kremlin critics who won mayoral posts following a series of big opposition demonstrations as President Vladimir Putin campaigned for office in 2012.
(Reuters/ TASS)
UN nuclear agency again asks to visit Zaporizhzhia
The U.N. nuclear agency renewed its request Tuesday to assess the safety and security at Europe’s largest nuclear plant in southeastern Ukraine which Russia and Ukraine accuse each other of shelling, sparking warnings of a possible nuclear catastrophe.
An emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council on the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant was told that Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, requested to send an IAEA mission “to carry out essential safety, security and safeguard activities at the site.”
Grossi said in a statement that “the mission is expected to take place within the next few days if ongoing negotiations succeed.”
The U.N. says it has the logistics and security capacity in Ukraine “to support any IAEA mission to the plant from Kyiv, provided Ukraine and Russia agree.”
The Zaporizhzhia plant has been under the control of Russian forces since early March, soon after their invasion of Ukraine. Technical experts from Ukraine continue to operate the nuclear equipment.
(with AP)
US expected to give Ukraine $3 billion in long-term military aid
The Biden administration is expected on Wednesday to announce an additional roughly $3 billion in aid to train and equip Ukrainian forces to fight for years to come, U.S. officials said.
The officials told The Associated Press that the package will fund contracts for as many as three types of drones and other weapons, ammunition and equipment that may not see the battlefront for a year or two.
Officials speaking anonymously said it will include money for the small, hand-launched Puma drones, the longer-endurance Scan Eagle surveillance drones, which are launched by catapult, and, for the first time, the British Vampire drone system, which can be launched off ships.
As Russia's war on Ukraine drags on, U.S. security assistance is shifting to a longer-term campaign that also will likely keep more American military troops in Europe into the future, U.S. officials said.
Unlike most previous packages, the new funding is largely aimed at helping Ukraine secure its medium- to long-term defense posture, according to officials familiar with the matter. Earlier shipments have focused on Ukraine’s more immediate needs for weapons and ammunition.
(AP)
Explosions reported as Ukraine begins independence day
In the early hours of 24 August, explosions rang out in several cities, including Kharkiv in the northeast, and Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro in central Ukraine, according to local authorities.
"Tomorrow is a important day for all of us - it is also, unfortunately, important for our enemy. We must be aware that disgusting Russian provocations and brutal strikes are possible," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his evening video address on Tuesday.
"And of course we will respond to any manifestation of Russian terrorism," added the Ukrainian president, who made a similar warning last weekend.
(AFP)
Wednesday's key points:
- President Zelenskyy says Ukraine was 'reborn' when Russia invaded, in an emotional speech marking independence day.
- Outgoing UK PM Boris Johnson makes a visit to Kyiv, saying: "What happens in Ukraine matters to us all."
- European leaders have sent messages of solidarity. The EU's Ursula von der Leyen and Germany's Olaf Scholz both pledged to support Ukraine for "as long as" necessary. France's President Macron paid tribute to Ukrainians' courage and unity.
- President Biden has announced another near $3 billion (€3 billion) package in long term US military aid for Ukraine.
- Kyiv has banned public celebrations commemorating Ukraine's independence from Soviet rule. Kharkiv and Mykolaiv have also imposed curbs. It follows warnings of increased Russian attacks.
- At least 15 were killed and 50 injured in a missile attack on a railway station in central Ukraine on Wednesday, Zelenskyy told the UN Security Council.
- The UN nuclear watchdog says it will visit the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine within days if talks to gain access succeed.
- A key Russian opposition figure, Yevgeny Roizman, is arrested on charges of discrediting the country's military.
- Ukraine's Vatican envoy criticises Pope Francis for describing Daria Dugina, the daughter of a prominent Russian ultra-nationalist, as an innocent victim of war. The TV commentator who shared her father's views was killed by a car bomb.