Russia Ukraine War
It would be an honor to die for your country, says Kyiv Mayor Klitschko. The nuclear powers USA and Russia have set up a telephone connection to avoid military incidents.
Russian troops on the nuclear power plant site
According to Kiev, the Russian army has occupied the site of the Ukrainian nuclear power plant Zaporizhia. “The operating staff controls the power units and ensures their operation,” said the Ukrainian nuclear regulatory authority.
World Federation excludes Russian and Belarusian weightlifters
Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the World Weightlifting Federation (IMF) has suspended Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from international and continental events until further notice. In addition, there will be no more IWF competitions in either country for the time being. “These extraordinary measures were decided and enacted in view of the extraordinary circumstances in Ukraine,” said the association.
“The IWF strives to develop and promote weightlifting in the spirit of the Olympic Charter and is guided by Olympic values. Therefore, we strongly support the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee in response to the current crisis,” the statement said. In addition, the IWF Board approved additional funds to support Ukrainian athletes. The world association also wants to help rebuild all facilities that may be affected. The IMF is committed to “providing any additional humanitarian assistance needed. On behalf of the weightlifting community, the IWF hopes that peace will be restored as soon as possible.”
Expert: A targeted attack on a nuclear power plant would be a war crime
According to international law expert Claus Kress, a targeted Russian attack on a Ukrainian nuclear power plant would be classified as a war crime. “A targeted attack on a civilian nuclear power plant, yes, that would be a war crime,” said the Cologne scientist on Deutschlandfunk .
Such a case would fall within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court in The Hague. There, Kress advises chief prosecutor Karim Khan, who has launched official investigations into war crimes in Ukraine, which has been attacked by Russia. The investigations are primarily about acts before Russia’s ongoing “use of violence”, for example in Crimea since 2014. “It’s about the suspicion of numerous war crimes and with regard to Crimea it’s also about crimes against humanity,” said Kress .
However, the trial will also include any current war crimes. The investigation is not yet directed against a specific suspect, such as Russian President Vladimir Putin, said Kress. If an arrest warrant is issued later, it must first be executed by a state. He therefore considers it unrealistic that Putin would have to appear before the International Criminal Court. Russia does not recognize the court.
ARD reporter: Refugee numbers could continue to rise
“Around 650,000 people have crossed the Ukrainian-Polish border alone,” says ARD correspondent Olaf Bock in the ARD morning show . “After what we are hearing now, these heavy attacks, I can well imagine that these numbers will possibly also increase drastically.”
What moves people now is the attack on the nuclear power plant. “Then key questions arise: What about the energy supply?” says Bock. People are very worried.
7:58 a.m
Australia worried about Ukrainian nuclear plant
The Australian government has expressed its deep concern over the fire at Ukraine’s Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. Secretary of State Marise Payne spoke on Twitter of “recklessness” on the part of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The war he triggered “poses a direct threat to critical infrastructure in Ukraine, including nuclear power plants,” the minister wrote.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in a radio interview that the targeted sanctions against Russia were having an effect. “I am not one of those who believe that President Putin will be dissuaded from his murderous deeds,” he said. “But that shouldn’t stop the rest of the world from continuing to press and tighten the vise.”
7:54 a.m
New York Opera suspends collaboration with Netrebko
In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the renowned New York Metropolitan Opera (Met) and star soprano Anna Netrebko have put their collaboration on hold for the time being. The opera house has asked Netrebko to withdraw her public support for Russian President Vladimir Putin. The 50-year-old Russian did not do this, the opera said.
As a result, Netrebko withdrew from planned appearances – including her role in “Turandot” in April and May and in “Don Carlos” in the coming season. The Ukrainian soprano Liudmyla Monastyrska is to take on the part in “Turandot”.
Intel suspends shipments to Russia
Chip giant Intel suspends all shipments to customers in Russia after attack on Ukraine. Belarus, which supports the Russian invasion of Ukraine, is also no longer supplied, as the US company announced on Friday. Intel is the main provider of processors and servers in data centers.
ARD reporter: Fire on the site of the nuclear power plant
The fire was not in the nuclear power plant, but on the site of the nuclear power plant, says ARD correspondent Demian von Osten in the ARD morning magazine . “According to information from the Ukrainian side, this is a training center that belongs to the nuclear power plant.”
The fire has now been extinguished. It was a dramatic situation at night, “because the Russian side did not grant the Ukrainian firefighters access.” You had to wait for hours to get access to the fire in an area of ​​2000 square meters.
According to Ukrainian information, no radioactivity has escaped and attempts are now being made to shut down the reactors. “But that takes a little time and also requires a power supply.”
Google stops advertising business in Russia
Google is suspending its ad business in Russia after the attack on Ukraine until further notice. The group informed the US broadcaster CNBC, among others, that advertising was affected both in the context of Internet searches and on the YouTube video platform. Previously, Google only blocked certain war-related ads.
As another tech company, the apartment broker Airbnb stopped its activities in Russia and Belarus, as company boss Brian Chesky wrote on Twitter. He initially gave no further information.
Zelenskyy: “Russian military must be stopped”
“The Russian military must be stopped,” said Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a video message. “Ukraine has 15 reactors. If there is an explosion, it will be the end for everyone. The end of Europe.”
7:20 a.m
Mayor after nuclear power plant fire: situation is “tense”
After the fire at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, the mayor of the nearby town of Enerhodar described the situation as “extremely tense”. “We recommend staying at home,” wrote Dmytro Orlov on the Telegram news channel. But it was quiet on the streets, there were no strangers there. He apparently meant Russian troops.
“During the night Enerhodar was left without heating during the shelling due to damage to a pipe.” Now ways are being sought to repair the damage, he continued. In the morning there was no more shelling.
7:11 a.m
Media report: Russia restricts access to BBC
According to a media report, the Russian media regulator is restricting access to the BBC’s Russian offerings. This also applies to Radio Liberty and the news portal Meduza, reports the Russian news agency RIA. The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that the BBC was being used to infiltrate Russia’s domestic politics and security.
Baerbock: Putin is also ruining his own country
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has assured the Ukrainian people of their solidarity in the war against Russia. “In this situation, we want to make it unmistakably clear again today in Brussels, in the NATO circle as well as in the EU and G7: We will never leave the Ukrainians to their fate,” she said shortly before her departure, according to the Federal Foreign Office Brussels for the meeting of the foreign ministers of NATO, G7 and EU.
The people would be cared for and would receive urgently needed humanitarian aid. On the other hand, there is also material support. The sanctions would be implemented consistently. Baerbock added that Russian President Vladimir Putin is only achieving one thing with his war: immeasurable suffering on all sides. “We will continue to show him – politically and economically – as we did recently in New York – that if he continues on this course, he must expect united action and global isolation from Russia. With his war against Ukraine, he is also driving his own country to ruin.”
Against the background of the Ukraine war, the foreign ministers of the EU countries are coming together again for a special meeting in Brussels. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken are also expected to attend the meeting. The Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, the British Foreign Minister Liz Truss and her Canadian colleague Mélanie Joly were also invited. In the morning, the foreign ministers of the 30 NATO countries – most of them are also members of the EU – are already meeting for a special meeting at the Brussels headquarters of the military alliance.
Klitschko: “Civilians die every day”
“Every day not only Ukrainian soldiers die, every day a lot of civilians die as well,” says Kiev’s mayor Vitali Klitschko in the ARD morning show . About 100 civilians have already died in Kyiv.
If he had to die himself, it would be an honor “to die for my country.” He never believed that he would have to experience a war and pick up a gun. “But today we have no choice. We have to defend our homes, our families.”
Brazil wants to grant humanitarian visas to Ukrainians
Brazil will issue humanitarian visas to people from Ukraine. A corresponding decree, signed by Brazilian Foreign Minister Carlos França and Justice Minister Anderson Torres, was published in the government’s official gazette. According to this, Ukrainian citizens who fled the war in Ukraine can apply for a temporary residence permit after a 180-day visa.
Brazil has an estimated 600,000 residents of Ukrainian descent, especially in the south of the country. The city of Prudentópolis in the southern Brazilian state of Paraná indicated its willingness to accept refugees last week. “Prudentópolis continues to keep its doors and hearts open to the Ukrainian people, just as it did more than 100 years ago when it welcomed the first immigrants who built their history here and directly influenced the way of life of our country,” said a mayor Osnei Stadler signed notice.
Ukrainians on the run
Julia Onuchova wants to keep her 91-year-old mother, mother and young son safe. “When we left Kiev, I cried,” she says in the ARD morning show . “If I were alone, I would have stayed, would have helped.” Her grandmother left the east of the country only a year ago because the situation there was getting worse and worse.
06:19 a.m
Fire in nuclear power plant extinguished according to authorities
According to the authorities, the fire in the Ukrainian nuclear power plant Zaporizhia has been extinguished. The fire was completely extinguished at 6:20 a.m. local time on Friday morning, the Ukrainian civil protection authority said on Facebook. Nobody was injured in the fire.
A fire broke out in Europe’s largest nuclear power plant with six reactor blocks after a Russian attack. According to the authorities, the Russian army initially did not let fire-fighting teams through to the scene of the fire.
US imposes sanctions on oligarchs and Kremlin spokesmen
US President Joe Biden’s administration has imposed new sanctions on Russian oligarchs and others in President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle. Those affected include Putin’s press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, and Alisher Burhanovich Usmanov, one of Russia’s wealthiest figures and a close Putin ally. The US State Department also announced that it has imposed visa bans on 19 Russian oligarchs and dozens of their family members and close associates.
“The goal was to maximize the impact on Putin and Russia and minimize the damage to us and our allies and friends around the world,” Biden said. The oligarchs and dozens of their family members will be cut off from the US financial system, the White House said. Their assets in the United States would be frozen and their property blocked from use. Kremlin spokesman Peskov described the White House as “a top purveyor of Putin’s propaganda.”
US Secretary of Energy: Ukrainian nuclear plant will be shut down safely
US Energy Secretary Jenniver Granholm says the reactors at Ukraine’s Zaporizhia nuclear power plant will be shut down safely. “There are no elevated levels of radiation near the facility,” Granholm wrote on Twitter. The reactors are secured by a robust protective cover.
London calls for UN Security Council meeting after nuclear attack
Britain is calling for an emergency UN Security Council meeting after the Russian attack on the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine. The “reckless” behavior of Russian President Vladimir Putin could “directly threaten the security of all of Europe,” said Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s office on Friday night. According to Ukrainian sources, fire broke out in the nuclear power plant after a Russian attack.
Zelenskyy accuses Russia of “nuclear terrorism”.
After the Russian attack on the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of “nuclear terrorism”. No other country in the world has ever shelled nuclear plants, said Selenskyj in a video message published on Friday night. “The terrorist state is now turning to nuclear terror.” Apparently, Russia wants to “repeat” the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. A fire broke out in Europe’s largest nuclear power plant in Zaporizhia, Ukraine, after a Russian attack. According to the authorities, however, the situation is under control and the fire does not affect the nuclear reactors. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stated that According to the Ukrainian government, no increased radioactivity was measured in the vicinity of the plant. The authority called for an end to all hostilities around the nuclear power plant and warned of “serious danger” if reactors were hit.
Ukrainian TV broadcaster: Nuclear radiation safety guaranteed
The Ukrainian TV channel Ukraine 24 reports that the Ukrainian nuclear power plant in Zaporizhia has been guaranteed radiation safety, citing the director of the plant. The Russian news agency RIA, citing a spokesman for the nuclear power plant, reports that the values ​​for radioactive radiation have not changed. According to the Ukrainian state security service, a fire broke out outside the facility in a training building.
Ukrainian embassy asks for German battle tanks and submarines
The Ukrainian embassy in Berlin is asking the German government to supply additional weapon systems to fight the Russian attackers, including main battle tanks, submarines and combat aircraft. This emerges from a so-called verbal note from the embassy to the Chancellery, the Foreign Office and the Ministry of Defense, which is available to the German Press Agency.
“In view of the extremely tense security situation due to the ongoing Russian aggression, the Ukrainian government requests that this application be processed as quickly as possible and given a benevolent examination,” it said. The reason for the request is that Russian President Vladimir Putin has started a “war of annihilation” against Ukraine and the Ukrainians, in which highly modern weapon systems are being used – including banned weapons such as cassette bombs with cluster munitions.
“In doing so, the Russian Federation is seriously violating international humanitarian law,” says the note, which is dated March 3, i.e. Thursday. In addition, “numerous war crimes” were committed by the Russian side. That is why the Ukrainian government is asking “for immediate assistance from the federal government”.
In addition to main battle tanks, the Ukrainian embassy’s wish list also includes infantry fighting vehicles, artillery systems such as self-propelled howitzers, anti-aircraft systems, combat and support helicopters, reconnaissance and combat drones, transport aircraft and warships. These weapon systems are “urgently needed” by the Ukrainian armed forces, according to the note verbale.
US government: Established military hotline with Russia
Because of the war in Ukraine, the US government has set up a hotline with Russia to avoid military incidents. “The United States has a number of channels to discuss critical security issues with the Russians in the event of an emergency or emergency situation,” the Pentagon said. The Defense Ministry established a channel with the Russian Defense Ministry on March 1 to prevent miscalculations, military incidents and escalations, it said. As recently as Monday, the Pentagon said there was no such hotline. The US government does not want to send troops to Ukraine. However, she is concerned that the conflict with Russia could spread to NATO countries. The United States has troops stationed there.
IAEA intervenes over fighting near nuclear power plant in Ukraine
In response to reports of fighting near Europe’s largest nuclear power plant in Ukraine, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna has become involved. The IAEA is aware of reports of attacks on the nuclear power plant near the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhia, the authority announced on the short message service Twitter early Friday morning. They are in contact with the Ukrainian authorities about the situation, it said.
According to the local administration, a fire broke out in the nuclear plant. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote on Twitter that the Russian army was shooting at the facility “from all sides”. “The fire has already broken out. If it explodes, it will be ten times bigger than Chernobyl!” Russia must stop shooting immediately to allow the fire brigade to get to the fire.
Access to independent media restricted in Russia
The websites of Facebook and several independent media outlets are partially unavailable in Russia. During the night, the non-governmental organization GlobalCheck and journalists from the AFP news agency discovered access problems on the Facebook websites, as well as the Deutsche Welle, Medusa, RFE-RL and the BBC’s Russian-language service.
The Russian authorities have massively tightened their crackdown on critical voices in the media since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine. The independent radio station Echo Moskvy (Moscow Echo), for example, announced its dissolution on Thursday after being banned from broadcasting for its coverage of the invasion of Ukraine. The independent television station Dozhd was also banned.
After the invasion of Ukraine, Russian media were instructed to only use official information from the Russian authorities for their reporting. Terms such as “attack” or “invasion” in connection with the invasion of Ukraine are prohibited.
Russian soldiers are apparently advancing on nuclear power plants
Russian soldiers are apparently advancing on the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. According to the local administration, up to 100 Russian military vehicles are approaching the nuclear power plant near the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhia. A fire is said to have broken out during the fighting. It is still unclear whether and to what extent the nuclear power plant is affected.
The mayor of the nearby town of Energoda said gunshots could be heard. For security reasons, the fighting must be stopped immediately, he demanded.
The Ukrainian ambassador Andrei Melnyk told the “Bild” that the nuclear power plant is no longer under Ukrainian control. There was initially no official confirmation of this. Russia had already informed the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna that Russian units had taken the area around the nuclear power plant on the Dnipro River.
Ukrainians in the US get provisional protection status
The US is granting temporary protection status to Ukrainians in the face of the Russian attack on their country. The regulation is initially limited to one and a half years, as the Department of Homeland Security announced. Ukrainians who are in the USA can stay in the country and do not have to fear deportation.
Russia’s “planned and unprovoked attack on Ukraine has resulted in an ongoing war and senseless violence, and Ukrainians are being forced to seek refuge in other countries,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said. The US is therefore offering support and protection to Ukrainians in the country. The EU states agreed on a common protection status for war refugees from Ukraine on Thursday. This means that refugees from Ukraine can remain in the EU for up to three years without applying for asylum.
CDU sets conditions for approval of Bundeswehr special funds
CDU General Secretary Mario Czaja has set conditions for his party’s approval of the special fund of 100 billion euros for the Bundeswehr. The traffic light coalition wants to anchor the special fund in the Basic Law. “The proposal must contain a clear purpose for the 100 billion packages. The funds must not be used for deviating, irrelevant investments,” said the CDU politician to the editorial network Germany.
In addition, the CDU wanted to be involved in the specific design of the special fund. Czaja added: “The CDU not only wants to talk about the results, but also about the intermediate steps”. However, the Union is aware of its state-political responsibility and ready to support the necessary amendment to the Basic Law for the 100-billion-euro special fund.
London emphasizes cooperation with EU
Before attending the meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on the Ukraine war, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss stressed the need for her country to work closely with the EU. “It is crucial that Britain and our allies maintain a strong and united front against Russian aggression and speak with one voice,” Truss said.
In Brussels, the conservative Briton also wants to hold talks in the group of G7 foreign ministers and in the NATO group. Since Brexit, members of the British government have often distanced themselves from the EU in their public statements and emphasized the status of Great Britain as a separate, independent country. Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, however, the tone in London has changed and there is a greater emphasis on solidarity with Western allies.
