While the Russian troops in eastern Ukraine can report gains, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy remains combative and wants Russia to be classified as a “terror state”. Political expert Markus Kaim explains how this demand is to be understood and whether a diplomatic solution seems possible:
+++ 10:10 a.m. Germany apparently also hardly supplies any light weapons +++
The German government has apparently reduced its military support to Ukraine to a minimum over the past nine weeks. So far, Chancellor Olaf Scholz has refused to supply battle tanks and armored personnel carriers, citing agreements with NATO allies. But according to documents from Ukrainian government circles, which are available to “Welt am Sonntag”, since the end of March Germany has hardly supplied any significant light weapons. Between March 30th and May 26th, only two deliveries arrived, both of which contained only small devices. According to Ukraine, in mid-May Germany sent 3,000 anti-tank mines and 1,600 more special anti-tank directional mines. However, the main problem facing the Ukrainian army at the moment is the superior Russian firepower in the east – which it can hardly counter with mines.
+++ 09:43 Video: How Ukrainian children play war in war +++
Six-year-old Valentin and twelve-year-old Andrii experience the occupation of Kiev and have to hide in bunkers with their families. For the two boys, the war is sad everyday life. Even when they play, it mostly revolves around trenches, wooden guns and fictional gunfights.
+++ 08:52 Federal Network Agency boss: Germany’s gas storage not well filled +++
In view of the Ukraine war, the President of the Federal Network Agency, Klaus Müller, is pushing for an increase in German natural gas supplies. The gas storage facilities in Germany are filling up “better than in previous years” and are more full than they were at the beginning of May, Müller told Deutschlandfunk. However, they are “not yet well enough filled if we were to receive less or no more Russian gas in the short term”. Müller refers to the specifications of the new gas storage law. If Germany’s gas storage facilities were actually filled to 90 percent plus X, as planned, the country would have “a buffer for at least two and a half months, under stable conditions, with a normal winter,” says the head of the authority. From his point of view, this would be “a very good prerequisite” for industry and consumers. “Of course it’s not all that good,” added Müller. In order to “get through the next winter properly”, Germany would have to switch to natural gas suppliers other than Russia, said Müller. In addition, private households and industry would have to use gas more sparingly and efficiently.
+++ 08:35 show at the Brandenburg Gate as a sign against war in Ukraine +++
A music show with video messages from politicians and celebrities is to draw the world’s attention to the war in Ukraine in the evening (8 p.m.) at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. Stars from Ukraine are also expected, including this year’s winners of the Eurovision Song Contest, the Kalush Orchestra. In addition, video messages from President Volodymyr Zelenskyi and international heads of government are planned, including Chancellor Olaf Scholz. According to the Ukrainian embassy, the brothers Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko will be included in the show. The TV fundraising marathon is to take place simultaneously in Ukraine and be broadcast on television. Admission to the Brandenburg Gate is free. The donations will benefit medical equipment for hospitals in Ukraine.
+++ 07:33 military expert Masala: “It works” for Putin +++
According to political scientist and military expert Carlo Masala, Russian President Vladimir Putin currently sees no reason for negotiations with Ukraine. Masala, Professor of International Politics at the University of the German Armed Forces in Munich, says Putin will only start serious negotiations if he has to fear that he will lose more than he will gain by continuing the war. But that is not the case at the moment. “It’s going well for him. So there’s no incentive at all to get involved in these negotiations.” According to Masala, the most recent military successes of the Russian armed forces in the Donbass in eastern Ukraine can be traced back to two causes: First, the Ukrainians lack heavy weapons. Second, the Russians had successfully changed their strategy.
Read more about this here.
+++ 06:58 Ukrainian military: fighting for Sievjerodonetsk continues +++
According to the Ukrainian military, fighting in the eastern Ukrainian city of Sieverodonetsk continues. Russian units continued their attacks on the city’s territory on Saturday, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces announced on Facebook this morning. “The fighting continues. Read more about the topic here.
+++ 06:20 study: war drives up food prices +++
People in Germany will probably have to pay significantly more for groceries in the coming months. “In Germany, food retail prices are likely to rise by more than 10 percent in 2022,” says retail expert Aurélien Duthoit from credit insurer Allianz Trade, summarizing the results of a recent study. Converted, this corresponds to an average of 250 euros in additional costs per person per year. Despite the recent price increases, retail food prices are far from reflecting the actual rise in food prices over the past 18 months. “The worst is yet to come for households,” warns Duthoit. According to the study, food and beverage manufacturers have increased their prices in Germany by an average of 16.6 percent since the beginning of 2021. The surcharges were strongest for everyday products, including oils and fats (plus 53 percent), flour (plus 28 percent) and pasta (plus 19 percent) – mainly driven by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
+++ 06:15 FDP warns in negotiations about billions for the army to hurry +++
In the struggle for the planned 100 billion special fund for the Bundeswehr, the FDP is pushing for speed. “The special fund must be included in the Basic Law before the summer break, otherwise we will lose a lot of time,” says the FDP parliamentary group’s defense policy spokesman, Alexander Müller. Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced the special fund around three months ago – after Russia’s attack on Ukraine – in the Bundestag. Since an amendment to the Basic Law is to be made for this purpose, the traffic light is dependent on the support of the Union faction. This Sunday evening, representatives of both sides want to continue their negotiations, according to coalition circles. It was previously unclear whether there would be a result or whether negotiations would continue afterwards.
+++ 04:51 reports of dead and injured in Russian attacks +++
According to the authorities, several civilians were killed or wounded in attacks on Ukrainian locations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accuses Russia of “new terror”. In a video speech, he said it was “senseless, barbaric attacks” with rockets and mortars. The Ukrainian army says it has repelled Russian attacks. 33 “occupiers” were killed and six armored vehicles destroyed. The information is not independently verifiable. The city of Sievjerodonetsk in the Donbass was particularly hard fought. According to Luhansk Governor Serhiy Hajdaj, the city is still under the Ukrainian flag. He contradicted reports from Russia that Sievjerodonetsk was completely taken.
+++ 03:04 More than 350,000 Ukrainian refugees registered +++
According to a newspaper report, a few days before the basic security entitlement for Ukrainian refugees came into force, the authorities in Germany registered 352,545 Ukrainian nationals and 12,371 third-country nationals with biometric data. The Federal Ministry of the Interior explains this in response to a request from “Bild am Sonntag”. According to the Federal Employment Agency, as of Friday, 44,000 Ukrainians have registered with job centers looking for work.
+++ 02:08 Zelenskyj: Ukraine will soon be technologically superior to Russia +++
According to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine is approaching the point where it is technologically and attacking superior to Russia. “Of course, a lot depends on our partners and their willingness to provide Ukraine with everything that is needed to protect freedom,” he said in a video message. “I’m expecting good news on that next week.” Selenskyj does not give details. The situation in Donbass is complicated, he continues. The defenders held positions in several places, including Sieverodonetsk and Lysychansk.
+++ 01:24 Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger demands more commitment from the FDP for Ukraine +++
The FDP politician and ex-Justice Minister Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger calls on her party to be “more energetic” on the dominant topic of the Ukraine war and, for example, to advertise louder for more arms deliveries. “It’s not enough that Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann is putting pressure on and fighting for more support.” Party leader Christian Lindner and the ministers should also get more involved and clarify the position of the FDP.
+++ 23:53 Selenskyj calls for classification of Russia as a terrorist state +++
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of a policy of terror. “I will keep reminding the world that Russia must finally be officially recognized as a terrorist state, as a sponsor of terrorism,” Zelenskyy said in a video speech. This reflects the daily reality that Russia has created with its war of aggression against Ukraine “and wants to take it much further to Europe”. “And that has to be enshrined in law.” At the beginning of the week he wanted to contact the participants of the EU special summit in Brussels and then talk about it.
+++ 23:17 Ukraine insists on multiple rocket launchers +++
Ukraine calls on the West to supply advanced long-range multiple rocket launchers to fight against Russia. “If the West really wants Ukraine to win, maybe it’s time to give us MLRS?” tweeted Mykhailo Podoliak, adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. MLRS are US-made artillery systems. They could fire projectiles up to 300 kilometers away, CNN reported on Thursday, citing several officials. The US government is considering a delivery of advanced multiple rocket launchers, it said.
+++ 22:21 Kyiv blames Moscow solely for bottlenecks +++
Ukraine has again emphatically denied Russia that Western sanctions against Moscow are the reason for the current lack of food security in the world. “The only reason for shortages, rising prices and the threat of hunger is that the Russian military is physically blocking 22 million tons of Ukrainian food exports in our seaports,” stressed Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously said that the “flawed economic and financial policies of Western countries” and “anti-Russian sanctions” were to blame for the problems.
You can read earlier developments of the Ukraine war here.