As 40 countries discuss peace for Ukraine, Medvedev says Kyiv ‘must beg for mercy’

As diplomats and national security advisors from over 40 countries discussed ways of putting an end to Russia's war against Ukraine in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Russia's Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said on Aug. 6 that Kyiv "must beg Moscow for mercy.”

Following the Copenhagen meeting in June, Saudi Arabia hosted the second extended meeting on restoring peace in Ukraine on Aug. 5, where countries and organizations, like the U.S., EU, the U.K., and China, among others, could voice their position and vision, the President’s Office reported on Aug. 6.

Russia did not receive an invitation.

“There were different views, but all the participants demonstrated their countries' commitment to the principles of the UN Charter, international law, and respect for the sovereignty and inviolability of the territorial integrity of states,” said Andriy Yermak, the head of the President’s Office.

Yermak, who led the Ukrainian delegation, didn’t specify the difference in the views.

Zelensky presented a ten-point peace plan in November 2022. The Peace Formula includes withdrawing Russian troops from Ukraine, restoring Ukraine's territorial integrity, punishing those responsible for war crimes, preventing ecocide, and releasing all prisoners of war and deportees.

The Jeddah meeting is set to be followed by a so-called Global Peace Summit in the fall, according to Zelensky.

Meanwhile, former Russian President Medvedev said negotiations are not needed.

“The enemy must crawl on the knees, begging for mercy,” Medvedev said in a Telegram post, claiming Ukraine “never existed.”

Zelensky said on June 18 that peace talks with Russia are possible only after the complete withdrawal of Russian troops.

Most of the countries that participated in the Jeddah meeting “have already defined their role in the implementation of specific points of the Formula,” according to the president’s office.

Russia moves stolen grain through Crimea and Mariupol

The grain collected in Russian-occupied Kherson Oblast is transported through ports in Crimea, new analysis from Ukraine's National Resistance Center said on Aug. 5.

Russian forces also take some grain through the port city of Mariupol, where trucks have been seen carrying grain toward Novoazovsk and Rostov-on-Don.

"All farmers in occupied territories are forced to surrender wheat grain to [Russian forces] at a fixed price, which is many times lower than the market price," the National Resistance Center wrote, explaining how Russia can acquire grain at such a cheap rate.

The National Resistance Center hypothesizes that the grain is sent from Ukrainian territories to African markets, where governments have become concerned with grain shortages after Russia backed out of the Black Sea Grain Initiative on July 17.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative was critical for ensuring global food security. Russia has unleashed attacks on Ukraine’s port and grain infrastructure in several weeks.

30 missiles, and 27 drones were shot down overnight

Ukraine's Air Force reported on Aug. 6 that 30 missiles and 27 kamikaze drones were shot down by air defense overnight during Russia's latest mass attack that came in several waves.

According to the Air Force, Russia launched 14 Kalibr missiles and three Kinzhal missiles in the first wave of the attack on the evening of Aug. 5. Twelve of the 14 Kalibr missiles were destroyed but no information has been provided on the Kinzhal missiles.

Russia continued its attack into the early hours of Aug. 6, launching Shahed-136/131 kamikaze drones from the southeast, Kalibr missiles from the Black Sea, and Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles from Tu-96 strategic bombers in the Caspian Sea.

In this second wave of attack, Ukraine's air defense destroyed all 27 Shahed drones, five out of the six Kalibr missiles, and 13 out of 20 Kh-101/Kh-555 missiles.

Several regions were targeted during both waves. President Volodymyr Zelensky said aircraft engine manufacturer Motor Sich's facilities in Zaporizhzhia Oblast and unspecified targets in Khmelnytskyi Oblast came under attack.

The Khmelnytskyi Oblast Military Administration wrote that the region was attacked three times overnight, but "most of the missiles" were intercepted by air defense.

According to the administration, Russian forces were likely targeting the airport in Starokostiantyniv.

In the Starokostiantyniv community, several private residential buildings' roofs, doors, and windows were damaged by explosion shock waves. Windows were also shattered in one of the public cultural establishments, the bus station, and a commercial building.

A fire also broke out at a farm warehouse. During the explosion, one worker at the facility was injured. No other casualties were reported.