KIEV, Aug. 13– The Ukrainian forces struck the Unecha oil pumping station in western Russia’s Bryansk region overnight, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said Wednesday.

A large fire broke out near the building of the backup pumping station following the strike, it said in a statement on Telegram, adding that explosions were also reported near the tank farm and in the area housing the main and booster pumps. The oil pumping station is used to supply the Russian army, it said.

The Unecha station, part of the Druzhba oil pipeline network, has an annual capacity of up to 60 million tons of oil. (Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 13  — A Chinese envoy said Tuesday that the security of the Red Sea shipping lanes must be maintained.

Last month, the Houthis claimed responsibility for sinking two commercial vessels — Magic Seas and Eternity C — in the Red Sea.

China finds it deeply concerning and calls on the Houthis to respect the navigational rights of commercial vessels of all countries in the Red Sea in accordance with international law, and to stop harassing or attacking them, said Geng Shuang, China’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

“The shipping lanes in the Red Sea should be kept safe, and the safety and security of civilians, including seafarers, should be protected.

Yemen’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity should also be respected,” he told a UN Security Council meeting on the situation in Yemen.

Active efforts should be made to move the Yemeni peace process forward, said Geng, calling on the two parties to the conflict to resume engagement, move in the same direction, demonstrate the greatest sincerity in resolving their differences, build the greatest possible consensus for reconciliation, and make the greatest efforts to restore peace.

The humanitarian crisis must be eased as soon as possible, he added, noting that Yemen is experiencing one of the worst food security crises in the world, with nearly half of its population facing acute food insecurity and about 4.8 million people displaced.

Life is particularly hard for vulnerable groups, including women and children. “The international community must ramp up humanitarian assistance to Yemen, support the country’s economic development and efforts to improve livelihood, and help the Yemeni people tide over these hard times,” said Geng.

What is happening in Yemen and the Red Sea is closely linked to the overall situation in the Middle East. The Security Council held an emergency meeting on the situation in Gaza last Sunday.

The message from that meeting was unequivocal: the vast majority of council members opposed Israel’s plan to take over Gaza, opposed Israel’s continued military operations in Gaza, and opposed Israel’s weaponization of humanitarian aid, said the Chinese envoy.

The international community must take all actions necessary to bring the fighting in Gaza to an end without delay, mitigate the impact of the humanitarian catastrophe, and de-escalate the overall situation in the Middle East, he said. (Xinhua)

VLADIVOSTOK, Aug. 13– Russia’s nuclear-powered missile cruiser Admiral Nakhimov is expected to begin sea trials in August or September, local media reported on Wednesday.

The cruiser is now “in the final stage of preparation for sea trials,” said RIA Novosti, quoting a source from Russia’s defense industry.

“All systems, units and equipment are undergoing checks, and the delivery crew is being formed.”

In July, Andrei Kostin, head of the VTB Bank and chairman of the board of directors of the United Shipbuilding Corporation, said that repairs on the Admiral Nakhimov had been completed and the ship was ready for trials.

The Admiral Nakhimov, a Kirov-class battlecruiser, is the largest surface combat ship in the Russian Navy, with a displacement of over 25,000 tons and a nuclear propulsion system.

It is designed to destroy large surface targets and provide integrated air and anti-submarine defense.

Built in the late 1980s, the cruiser served with the Northern Fleet before being sent for repairs in the late 1990s. The overhaul and modernization work began in 2013. (Xinhua)