At least 50 people have been killed and hundreds injured in a rocket attack on the city’s train station.
(Photo: via REUTERS)
Berlin After the rocket hit a train station in Ukraine, killing many civilians, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, has called for more arms deliveries to the country. These are currently more decisive than a gas embargo, he explained on Saturday.
The EU, like the United States, had previously blamed Russia for the attack on the train station in Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine, which killed more than 50 people. The EU’s foreign policy spokesman spoke of a war crime.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was again shocked by the actions of the Russian army in the Kiev suburb of Bucha, which she had visited the day before. “My instinct is, if this isn’t a war crime, then what is a war crime? But I am a trained doctor and lawyers must now determine this carefully, ”she said on Saturday morning on the return journey from Kyiv to Poland.
In the afternoon, another top Western politician, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, traveled to Kyiv and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. At an international donor conference for Ukraine refugee aid in Warsaw, donations and loan commitments totaling several billion euros were collected.
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After the US Department of Defense had previously blamed Russia for the missile attack in the eastern Ukrainian city, the EU foreign policy spokesman said in a statement on Saturday that the EU was deeply shocked by Russia’s attack. “This was a brutal, indiscriminate bombing attack on innocent civilians, including many children, who were fleeing fear of another Russian attack on their homes and countries,” the spokesman said. Those responsible for this war crime must be held accountable.
The EU described the attack in Kramatorsk as a war crime.
(Photo: Reuters)
“The atrocities committed by Russian forces in Bucha, Borodyanka and other towns and villages recently liberated from Russian occupation by the Ukrainian army, as well as the brutal attack on the Kramatorsk railway station are part of the Kremlin’s reprehensible tactics of destruction,” it said it further. “The blatant attempts to disguise Russia’s responsibility for these and other crimes through disinformation and media manipulation are unacceptable,” the spokesman said.
>>Read more about this: All developments in the Ukraine war here in the live blog
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby previously said Russia’s official denials after the train station attack were unconvincing. “Our assessment is that it was a Russian attack and they used a short-range ballistic missile to carry it out,” he said. According to Ukrainian sources, more than 50 people died in the attack on Friday and more than 100 others were injured.
In view of the expected Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine, EU foreign policy chief Borrell urged member states to step up their arms deliveries on Saturday. “Put the focus on arms supplies,” he demanded after his visit to Kyiv on his return trip to Poland. “Sanctions are important, but sanctions will not solve the problem of the battle in Donbass.” It is clear: “The war will be decided in the battle for Donbass.”
The term Donbass is sometimes used synonymously for the two Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, which are claimed by pro-Russian separatists. This Monday, the EU foreign ministers will discuss support for Ukraine. There will also be a further restriction on energy imports from Russia.
Borell returned safely to Poland together with EU Commission President von der Leyen after a visit to the Ukrainian war zone. In the afternoon, von der Leyen took part in the donor conference for Ukraine in Warsaw, which brought in more than 9 billion euros.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) said via video message that Germany is providing an additional 425 million euros in humanitarian and development aid for Ukraine and its neighboring countries. In addition, there would be 70 million euros in medical support.
Von der Leyen met Ukrainian President Zelensky in Kyiv on Friday and got an idea of the situation in Bucha, where investigations into war crimes by the Russian army are currently underway. Numerous bodies of murdered civilians were found there last weekend, some tied to the side of the road.
The politician was shocked by what was happening in the Kiev suburb.
(Photo: AP)
Von der Leyen said Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Schmyhal, who accompanied her to Bucha, showed her photos of the atrocities. “People were getting killed in passing,” she said.
“We could also see with our own eyes that the destruction in the city was aimed at civilian life. Homes are not military targets.” Von der Leyen said the EU is now participating in the investigation of the Ukrainians in a joint team.
British Prime Minister Johnson and Austrian Chancellor Nehammer in Kyiv
Zelenskiy met British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Saturday, who had traveled to Kyiv unannounced. A British government spokesman spoke of a “sign of solidarity with the Ukrainian people”. The two wanted to discuss Britain’s long-term support for Ukraine. Johnson wants to present a new package of financial and military aid.
Selenski had previously met Austria’s Chancellor Karl Nehammer. “It’s a wonderful signal that the leaders of European countries are starting to come here and not just supporting us with words,” Zelenskiy thanked him.
More fighting in eastern Ukraine
The attacks by Russian units in the Donbass in eastern Ukraine are continuing, according to Ukrainian sources. Russian troops are focused on taking over the towns of Rubishne, Nizhne, Popasna and Novobachmutivka and gaining full control of the city of Mariupol, Unian agency reported, citing the military situation report of the Ukrainian General Staff on Saturday morning.
Russia’s army confirmed fresh attacks in Ukraine’s Dnipro and Poltava regions. Not far from the south-eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro, a weapons depot was hit with rockets on Saturday night, said the spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry, Igor Konashenkov. In Myrhorod in Poltava, central Ukraine, an attack was directed against an airfield. The Ukrainian side said two people were injured.
Ukrainian President Zelenskiy announced that he would continue to focus on peace negotiations with Moscow. “Unfortunately, we are seeing parallel preparations for an important – some say the decisive – fight in the east of our state,” Zelenski said on Saturday. It’s going to be a tough battle.
Nevertheless, Kyiv is ready to negotiate with Russia “for the time being”. Previously, after the attack in Kramatorsk, he again called for a firm response from the international community. Zelensky called for a total embargo on Russian oil and natural gas.
With agency material.
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