04/02/2022
Ukraine war in the live ticker
+++ 02:06 USA cancel test of intercontinental missile +++
The US military has decided not to test its ICBM. This is intended to defuse nuclear tensions with Russia during the war in Ukraine, US Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek told Reuters. In early March, the Pentagon announced a postponement of the test after Russia said it was putting its nuclear forces on high alert. Washington said at the time it was important that both the United States and Russia “consider the risk of miscalculation and take steps to mitigate those risks.”
+++ 01:26 Kyiv still sees air sovereignty over Ukraine in its own hands +++
According to its commander, the Ukrainian air force still sees the skies over Ukraine in its hands despite heavy Russian attacks. “The enemy did not control the Ukrainian sky and does not control it,” says Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk. After the attack on February 24, Russia tried to eliminate the Ukrainian air force. This was not successful. In the meantime, the Russian air force is attacking less with planes, but bombing from a distance with rockets.
+++ 00:56 dozens of buses with refugees from Mariupol arrive in Zaporizhia +++
Dozens of buses with civilians from the besieged Ukrainian port of Mariupol and other displaced persons on board arrived in Zaporizhia, 220 kilometers away, on Friday evening. On the buses were numerous Mariupol residents who had managed to get to the Russian army-occupied city of Berdiansk, where they were picked up by the convoy, fugitives and officials say.
+++ 00:36 Ukraine arrests fleeing major general +++
A major general of the reserve of the Ukrainian secret service SBU has been prevented from leaving the country illegally, according to the authorities. At a border crossing to Hungary, the general presented forged papers on Friday, according to which he was not conscripted. This was announced by the State Investigation Bureau of Ukraine in Kyiv. As a military rank, the man had given a enlisted rank, namely private. The Major General had been arrested, it said.
Here you can read more about it.
+++ 00:03 USA deliver protective equipment against biological and chemical weapons ++
The United States says it is providing Ukraine with equipment and materials in the event of a Russian attack using chemical or biological weapons. Presidential spokeswoman Jen Psaki points to warnings from her government and other states that Russia could use such weapons.
+++ 23:29 Henkel defends whereabouts in the Russian business +++
Peskov of the RIA.Henkel news agency defends the Russian deal despite the war. “The current continuation of our business in Russia is not a question of profit in view of the weak ruble and the difficulties in the country,” says the head of the supervisory board, Simone Bagel-Trah, according to the “Handelsblatt” in a preliminary report. “We mainly produce everyday goods for the population here.” The Dax group has stopped all new investments in Russia, does not advertise there and observes all international sanctions.
+++ 22:54 Bulgaria expels Russian diplomats from the country +++
Bulgaria has once again expelled a Russian diplomat on suspicion of espionage. The public prosecutor’s office has launched investigations into the first secretary of the Russian embassy for illegal secret service activities, the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced. He must leave the country within 72 hours. Two weeks ago, Bulgaria expelled ten other Russian diplomats from the country on suspicion of espionage. The EU and NATO member traditionally maintains close economic ties with Russia.
+++ 22:27 Bolshoi Theater plays for fallen Russian soldiers +++
The Moscow Bolshoi Theater wants to support the Russian army with a ballet performance. On Saturday, the ensemble will perform the ballet “Spartacus” by Aram Khachaturian in support of the Russian “military operation” in Ukraine, the theater announced. The proceeds go to the families of the Russian soldiers who died in Ukraine. According to the theater, the performance is the prelude to a “large-scale charity campaign” by the Russian Ministry of Culture. Several Russian theaters will put on performances for members of “youth, volunteer and veteran organizations” and for residents of pro-Russian separatist-controlled areas in eastern Ukraine.
Here you can read more about it.
+++ 22:03 Southern Europe refuses fuel to Russian ships +++
According to insiders, ships flying the Russian flag are no longer receiving fuel in several southern European countries. This applies to Spain, Malta and Gibraltar, for example, the Reuters news agency learned from five people familiar with the matter. Several tankers had to make longer trips to refuel, says one of them. Government spokesmen in Malta and Gibraltar confirm the information. A representative of the Spanish Ministry of Transport says some suppliers may have acted of their own accord.
+++ 21:37 Russia announces reinforcement of its western flank +++
According to a media report, Russia is announcing a strengthening of its western borders. Then “no one would think of attacking,” Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the RIA news agency. There are no further details at first. NATO has been strengthening its eastern flank since the Kremlin army attacked Ukraine.
+++ 21:11 security warning allowed: Kaspersky fails in court +++
According to a court decision, the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) was allowed to warn against the virus protection software from the Russian company Kaspersky. In its decision, the Cologne Administrative Court dismissed an urgent application from a company in the Kaspersky Group. Accordingly, the term security gap, which entitles the BSI to issue a warning, is broadly formulated by the legislature. Virus protection software meets all the requirements for such a security gap because of the far-reaching permissions to access a computer system. The recommendation for software is based solely on the high degree of trust in the reliability of the manufacturer. There is therefore a security gap if this trust is no longer guaranteed.
You can read about previous developments here.