March 5, 2024
Ukraine war in the live ticker
+++ 01:59 Despite Russian attacks: cargo volume on the Ukrainian sea corridor almost as high as during the grain agreement +++
Despite Russian threats, Ukraine has transported almost 30 million tons of cargo via its maritime corridor on the Black Sea in just over six months. Ukrainian President Zelenskyj mentioned this number in his evening video speech. “This is very remarkable in times of war,” said Zelensky. “I am grateful to everyone who works in our ports and on the ships, and to everyone who ensures the operation of the maritime corridor and its safety.” The cargo volume has almost reached the mark of 33 million tonnes of grain, which was exported from July 2022 to July 2023 as part of the so-called Black Sea Grain Initiative. Moscow canceled the agreement in July. Immediately afterwards, Russia began heavy air strikes on the Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea and the Danube.
+++ 00:45 Kremlin bans SPD-affiliated foundation from Russia +++
The Russian Ministry of Justice declares the SPD-affiliated Friedrich Ebert Foundation an undesirable organization. The German Society for Eastern European Studies is also placed on the blacklist, which means a ban on activity in Russia. Shortly after the attack on Ukraine in 2022, Moscow stopped the political education work of the party-affiliated German foundations of the SPD, CDU, Greens and FDP in Russia and revoked the registration of their offices in Moscow. So far, only the Green Party-affiliated Heinrich Böll Foundation has been declared an undesirable organization. According to a Russian law from 2015, the undesirable organizations must stop operating in Russia, accounts and possible property will be blocked, and their representative offices will be closed.
+++ 23:25 Ukraine: Russian advance at Adiivka stopped +++
The Ukrainian army says it intercepted a Russian advance near Avdiivka in the east of the country. However, Russian troops would regroup in an area further south. “Our defense is holding up,” says military spokesman Dmytro Lykhovyy. “The enemy is making enormous efforts, but is making no progress at all.”
+++ 22:13 Lithuania joins the Czech Republic’s ammunition initiative +++
Lithuania will join and financially support the Czech initiative to procure artillery ammunition for Ukraine. Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte said she promised this to her Czech counterpart Petr Fiala in a phone call in Vilnius. The Prime Minister of the Baltic EU and NATO country does not provide any further information. The Czech Republic is urgently collecting financial support for the plan to purchase large quantities of artillery ammunition for Ukraine from non-EU countries. “Lithuania will contribute to all international efforts that bring Ukraine closer to their and our victory,” writes Simonyte on X. Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis writes about the forwarded post: “Whatever it takes.”
+++ 21:39 Washington: Taurus leak “transparent” Russian maneuver to divide +++
The US government classifies the publication of the intercepted conversation between German officers about the Taurus cruise missile as an attempt by Russia to divide the West. It is a “blatant and transparent attempt by the Russians to sow discord,” says US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby. Moscow wants to give the impression that “the West is not united.”
+++ 9:04 p.m. wiretapping affair: special meeting of the Defense Committee next Monday +++
The Defense Committee of the Bundestag wants to discuss the Russian wiretapping operation against Air Force officers in a special session. A meeting is planned for next Monday, as the German Press Agency was told. The meeting should therefore be the basis for the Air Force to inform Defense Minister Boris Pistorius. In response to the publication of the audio recording, Pistorius accused the Russian leadership of waging an information war with the aim of dividing Germany.
+++ 20:20 After drone attack: St. Petersburg’s governor relies on unusual “air defense” +++
A few days after a drone explosion in Saint Petersburg that damaged a residential building, Governor Alexander Beglow is resorting to unusual measures to protect his city from further dangers. Together with Metropolitan Warsonofij and other clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church, the politician circled the city on a bus. During the “prayer ride”, the men held icons in their hands and prayed for Vladimir Putin, Patriarch Kirill, authorities and residents of the city, said the Saint Petersburg Metropolis. Metropolitan Varsonofij had performed similar prayers several times – in 2020 and 2021 he flew over Saint Petersburg in a helicopter to rid the city of the coronavirus. Governor Beglow later explained that it had worked – the pandemic had subsided.
+++ 19:29 Military teach Ukrainian students combat drone flights +++
The war has long been part of everyday life for Ukrainian children. In addition to protective measures, it also involves concrete warfare, such as at a school in Lviv: young people there learn to control combat drones using simulators, VR glasses and mini quadcopters.
You can read all previous developments here.