The night of the war at a glance
Ukraine holds key areas – Scholz protects the Russian people
3/18/2022 6:54 am
The destruction is increasing, but the Ukrainian army is holding key areas of the country – this is the message sent out by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at night. At the same time, he promises full support to cities that are particularly heavily attacked by Russian troops. Chancellor Olaf Scholz meanwhile reminds that not all Russians approve of the attack on Ukraine. “This war is Putin’s war,” he said at an SPD event. In the USA, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is now also speaking of war crimes, Japan is imposing new sanctions and in the UN Security Council Russia is withdrawing a propaganda resolution on Ukraine for which there was apparently no support. Nevertheless, under pressure from Moscow, the powerful body has to deal with questionable allegations against the country under attack.
Selenskyj encourages beleaguered cities
According to its leadership, Ukraine still controls those areas into which Russian troops are trying to advance three weeks after the start of the war. The army responds to every attack by Russian units, said President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at night. He also addressed the people in cities such as Mariupol in the south, Kharkiv in the east and Chernihiv in the north, who are besieged by Russian troops and have suffered severe damage from the fighting. They would not be let down, he assured. From the army to the church, everyone does everything for the people. “You will be free,” Zelenskyi promised.
The head of state also thanked US President Joe Biden for his “new and effective” help – and asked for understanding that he could not disclose all the details of the US support package. Washington had recently pledged more weapons worth several billion dollars. According to Ukrainian data, Russian troops also attacked in the past Chernihiv.
More people under theater rubble?
In Mariupol on the Azov Sea, it remains unclear how many people died when a theater was shelled. MP Serhiy Taruta wrote on Facebook that at least 1,300 people had apparently been staying in the shelters of the building recently. The city council had previously assumed around 1,000 people. MP Olga Stefanyschyna indicated that around 130 civilians were rescued alive from the rubble on Thursday.
Scholz: “This war is Putin’s war”
Chancellor Olaf Scholz warns not to forget who started the war against Ukraine. Russia is not Putin, he said at an event organized by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in honor of SPD politician Egon Bahr, who would have turned 100 on Friday. “It was not the Russian people who made the fatal decision to attack Ukraine. This war is Putin’s war.”
This distinction is important in order not to jeopardize the reconciliation between Germans and Russians after the Second World War, Scholz emphasized. “And it is important to show the courageous Russian men and women who are taking to the streets at great personal risk against Putin’s war of aggression one thing: you are not alone. We are with you.”
Ukraine demands temporary German sanctions
In a video address to the Bundestag on Thursday, Selenskyj reminded Germany of its historical responsibility to counteract injustice. He called for more help for his country. After the speech, Parliament went on with the agenda, which was clearly criticized not only by members of parliament. The Ukrainian Ambassador Andriy Melnyk demanded that Germany should not buy any Russian energy sources, at least in the short term, for a month or two. “You don’t buy gas, oil or coal,” he said on the ZDF program “Maybrit Illner”. “That is our request to the federal government.”
Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck said he was willing to travel to Kyiv, following the example of the heads of government of Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovenia: “If it makes a contribution – I would always go.”
Blinken speaks of war crimes
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused Russia of war crimes in Ukraine, but described this as his personal opinion. He referred to a similar statement by President Biden. Deliberate attacks on civilians are a war crime. Officially, the US government has not yet made such a classification. But Blinken said: “Our experts are in the process of documenting and evaluating possible war crimes being committed in Ukraine.” According to the US Department of Defense, the Russian military is increasingly attacking civilian facilities in Ukraine.
Japan imposes more sanctions
Japan freezes the assets of other Russian individuals and organizations. As the Japanese news agency Kyodo reports, citing the government in Tokyo, this affects, among other things, the head of the Russian military intelligence service GRU and the arms supplier Rosoboronexport. Japan has now imposed sanctions on 95 Russian individuals and groups. The assets of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the central bank and Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko were also frozen.
That will be important on Friday
- US President Joe Biden on the phone with Chinese President Xi Jinping. China is Russia’s main ally, but shows some distance after attacking Ukraine.
- The effects of the deep conflict between the West and Moscow are also likely to shape considerations of a national security strategy for Germany. A kick-off event will be held in Berlin, at which Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock will speak.
- A meeting between Chancellor Scholz and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez should also be about Ukraine.
- In New York, Russia has refrained from voting on a resolution on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine due to a lack of support in the UN Security Council. The most powerful UN body nevertheless convenes again for an emergency session to discuss alleged US laboratories allegedly producing bioweapons in Ukraine.
You can follow all further developments in our live ticker on the Ukraine war.