A view of a building in Kiev damaged by a drone these days.
(Photo: dpa)
Kyiv, Odessa, Moscow After the European solidarity summit in Moldova, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy sees Russia’s defeat in the ongoing war coming closer. Thursday’s meeting with leaders was best used to mobilize aid to Ukraine and force the defeat of the “terrorists,” Zelensky said in his evening video message, broadcast in Moldova after the new European Political Community summit (EPG) had been recorded. The time is near when Russia will be held accountable for its killings, he said.
Zelensky met several heads of state and government in Moldova, who pledged further help to Ukraine, which was under attack from Russia. “We are preparing new decisions for the defense of Ukraine, including anti-aircraft defenses, fighter jets and our ground advance,” he said.
A package of security guarantees on the way to NATO and a peace summit to implement Kiev’s proposals for an end to the war are also being prepared. A core demand of Zelensky’s peace plan revolves around the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine. Russia rejects that.
President Volodymyr Zelensky talks to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (left).
(Photo: IMAGO/ZUMA Wire)
Kyiv in the focus of further airstrikes
Meanwhile, Russian attacks on Ukraine continue. Authorities in Kiev reported two different waves of attacks on the capital on Friday night. “There are explosions in the city. The air defenses are working,” said Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko in a statement. Minutes later he adds: “More explosions in the city”. Earlier, according to official websites, air raid alarms were raised across Ukraine due to Russian missile attacks.
Fighting in Russian border region of Belgorod
The situation also remains tense in the Russian region of Belgorod, which borders Ukraine. According to official information from Moscow, the Russian military “destroyed” more than 50 fighters as well as armored vehicles and military equipment after new attacks from the Ukrainian side in the border area. The “Kiev regime” fired on the city of Schebekino, where there is also a border crossing for vehicles, on Thursday, the Defense Ministry said in Moscow. In the afternoon, the ministry announced that it had prevented fighters from breaking through. The information could not initially be independently verified.
People who fled the region spoke of “devastating destruction” in the city, of which Russian state television only shows a fraction. Video showed the roof of a long block of flats on fire. The region has been shaken by attacks that have killed and injured for days.
But the Russian border regions are now also complaining about increasing shelling.
(Photo: via REUTERS)
Once again, the “Russian Volunteer Corps” and the “Freedom of Russia” Legion claimed responsibility for the attacks. They wanted to bring freedom, peace and tranquility to Russia, said the fighters serving on the side of Ukraine. The Ukrainian government says it has nothing to do with the attacks.
Russia launched a war of aggression against Ukraine more than 15 months ago and is shelling the neighboring country’s territory every day. Dead, injured and severe destruction are part of everyday life in Ukraine. But the Russian border regions are now also complaining about increasing shelling from the Ukrainian side.
Scholz gives Ukraine little hope of joining NATO quickly
Chancellor Olaf Scholz meanwhile gives Ukraine little hope of a quick invitation to join NATO. The SPD politician made it clear on Thursday evening after the summit meeting in Moldova that there is no guarantee that the country will be admitted quickly, even after the Russian war of aggression has ended. “There are very clear criteria for membership,” said Scholz. According to him, this also means that a country has no border conflicts.
Regarding the question of possible other security guarantees for Ukraine after the end of the war, Scholz said that these must be such that the country is safe from the risk of an attack and is stabilized at the same time. In addition, the security guarantees must not only be taken seriously by Ukraine, but also by everyone else. Scholz did not become more specific. There could still be different development opportunities, he said.
Selenski had previously called for a “clear invitation” for his country’s NATO membership at the alliance summit in July in Lithuania. “We need peace. Therefore, every European country that borders Russia and doesn’t want Russia to tear it apart should be a full member of the EU and NATO,” he said at the summit. The only alternatives are open war or a cruel Russian occupation.
This is how the Handelsblatt reports on the Ukraine war:
Zelensky complains about problems with bomb shelters in Kiev
In his video message, President Zelensky emphasized that apart from military aid from abroad, Ukraine itself must do more to ensure the security of its citizens. He reiterated demands that a sufficient number of bunkers must be accessible everywhere. “The situation like last night in Kiev, when people came to the shelter and it was locked, must never happen again,” he stressed. It is the duty of the municipalities to ensure that the shelters are open around the clock.
In Kiev, Mayor Vitali Klitschko ordered the opening and controls after a breakdown on Thursday. “It hurts to see negligence in these commitments. It hurts to see the dead,” Zelenski said. Those responsible should be held accountable.
According to authorities in Kiev, three people were killed in new Russian rocket attacks, including a nine-year-old child. Zelensky accused Russia of continuing its “terror” on International Children’s Day.
What will be important on Friday
Against the background of the Russian attacks on Ukraine, the Baltic Sea countries are meeting in Wismar to discuss how the resilience of the democracies in the Baltic Sea region can be strengthened. Germany will hold the presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States until the end of June. Russia’s membership in the regional organization founded in 1992 was suspended at the beginning of March last year. As a result, Moscow announced its withdrawal in May 2022. Before the attack on Ukraine, the Council was one of the rounds in which concrete cooperation on technical issues with Russia was possible.
More: You can find the latest developments in our news blog on the Ukraine war