Updated on 08/18/2022 07:20
- 06:27: ➤ Zelenskyy demands the unconditional withdrawal of the Russians from the nuclear plant
- 05:23: Estonia restricted the entry of Russian citizens
- 04:34: Gladbach Farke coach in retrospect: the situation in Russia is “surreal”
➤ Zelenskyy demands unconditional withdrawal of Russians from nuclear plants
Before a meeting with UN Secretary General António Guterres, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy again called for the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. “This must be done unconditionally and as quickly as possible,” Zelenskyy said in his video speech late on Wednesday.
Ukrainian diplomats, scientists and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are working to allow a commission of experts to visit the nuclear plant. “Only absolute transparency and a controlled situation inside and around the nuclear power plant guarantee a return to normal nuclear safety for the Ukrainian state, the international community and the IAEA,” Zelenskyy said.
The situation at Europe’s biggest nuclear plant, occupied by Russian troops, has been worrying the international community for weeks. Bullets continue to fall at the plant site, with Russia and Ukraine blaming each other for the bombing. The visit of an IAEA mission to Zaporizhia will be the subject of Zelenskyy’s meeting with Guterres this Thursday in Lviv. The third participant at the summit is Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (dpa)
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The situation in summary:
Since February 24, Russia has been waging a war of aggression against Ukraine from the air and from the ground. Earlier, President Vladimir Putin had questioned Ukraine’s right to exist as an independent state and recognized the so-called People’s Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine.
Since then, the Ukrainian army has been fighting the invaders to the best of their ability. Thousands of dead are reported on both sides, but the exact numbers of soldiers and civilians have not been independently verified. The fact is: the humanitarian situation in Ukraine is getting worse every day. According to the UN, more than 10.8 million people have fled Ukraine (as of August 15), mostly women and children, as men between the ages of 18 and 60 cannot leave the country.
Map of the military situation in Ukraine. (Notice: This infographic will be updated regularly)
© AFP
The EU and the US reacted with sanctions. They are also supplying weapons to Ukraine, and Germany is also supporting the country with arms deliveries. Ukraine is also expected to receive Gepard-class tanks from Germany. So far, it has been ruled out that NATO will actively intervene in the war.
The other reports as of August 18:
China is sending soldiers to Russia for joint military exercises
China is sending soldiers to Russia for joint military exercises. According to the Ministry of Defense in Beijing, the soldiers will participate in the “Vostok” maneuver as part of a bilateral cooperation agreement with Moscow. According to Russian information, this will take place between August 30 and September 5.
“The aim is to deepen practical and friendly cooperation with the armies of participating countries, raise the level of strategic cooperation among the participants, and strengthen the ability to respond to various security threats,” the Chinese Defense Ministry said. Thus, India, Belarus, Mongolia and Tajikistan also participate in the maneuver.
Western countries have accused China and India of providing diplomatic support to Russia in its war of aggression against Ukraine. The two states did not condemn the Russian war. Beijing has now emphasized that China’s participation in the “Vostok” maneuver was unrelated to the “current international and regional situation”. (afp)
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Estonia restricts entry of Russian citizens
Estonia has tightened its visa regulations for people from Russia and restricted their entry. As of this Thursday, Russian citizens can no longer enter the Baltic country from the EU and NATO with a Schengen visa issued by Estonia. According to an Interior Ministry spokesperson in Tallinn, additional visa controls must take place at the three border crossings into Russia at Narva, Luhamaa and Koidula.
In response to Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine, Estonia had already largely suspended the issuance of visas and residence permits for Russians. With a valid visa, however, it was still possible to enter the Schengen area via the Estonian border by bus or car. This is no longer possible in the future. However, some exceptions apply, for example, to Russians who are resident, have the right to remain or have relatives in Estonia.
Russian citizens with visas issued by other EU members, which apply to the entire Schengen area with its 26 European countries, can also enter the country. Along with its neighboring countries Finland and Latvia, which also border Russia, Estonia is therefore campaigning for a fundamental ban on tourist visas. Germany and the EU Commission in Brussels reject this. (dpa)
Updated on 08/16/2022 at 17:39
At a security conference in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin faced the great adversary, the United States. His policies are prolonging the conflict in Ukraine. Furthermore, visits like Nancy Pelosi’s to Taiwan have plunged the world into “chaos.” (teaser image: Sputnik/Mikhail Klimentyev/Kremlin/Portal)
Gladbach coach Farke in retrospect: Situation in ‘Surreal’ Russia
Looking back, Borussia Mönchengladbach manager Daniel Farke described their interlude in Russia as a “surreal situation”. The 45-year-old signed a contract with FK Krasnodar earlier this year but left the club in March following Russia’s military attack on Ukraine – without ever having seen competitive play. At the time, he could not have imagined the aggressive warfare of the Russians. “Our top experts didn’t predict this development,” Farke said ahead of Gladbach’s Friday game (8:30 pm/DAZN) against Hertha BSC.
His coach Sandro Schwarz was also coach in Russia at the beginning of the year, with Dynamo Moscow. Unlike Farke, Schwarz initially continued to look after his team and only left Russia at the end of May. “Everyone has to put their motives first. This was the right decision for me,” Farke said of his thoughts at the time.
Therefore, there was no contact with Schwarz, who has been working in Moscow since 2020, in the spring. After their activities in Russia ended, both coaches signed Bundesliga clubs, each of which they had disappointed in the previous season. (dpa)
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With material from dpa, Portal and AFP
The tickers of the last few days to read:
Updated on 08/16/2022 at 15:00
Russia defends itself against media reports that the use of nuclear and chemical weapons in the war against Ukraine is in the pipeline. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu stressed: “There is no reason to use nuclear weapons to achieve our goals.”