No ceasefire, no rapprochement: In the Ukraine war, even after a high-level attempt at conciliation, there is still no sign of peace. The situation on Thursday evening.
Moscow speaks of false reports, the European Union of a “terrible war crime”: According to Ukrainian information, a Russian attack on the building of a maternity clinic in Mariupol on Wednesday killed three people, including a child – this caused great international outrage.
The Kremlin firmly rejects the Ukrainian account. This was also the case on Thursday afternoon, when the foreign ministers of Ukraine and Russia met for talks for the first time – who had little positive to report after their meeting in Turkey.
The most important messages at a glance:
Ukraine horrified by attack on maternity hospital – Russia denies
Ukrainian reports of an allegedly targeted attack by Russian troops on a maternity clinic in Mariupol have sparked global outrage:
-
“There are few things more depraved than targeting the vulnerable and helpless,” wrote British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
-
US President Joe Biden’s spokeswoman Jen Psaki spoke of the “barbaric use of military force against civilians”.
-
The European Union has condemned the Russian attack as a “horrible war crime”.
The building was apparently shot at on Wednesday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported three civilians killed and 17 injured. Ukraine blames Russia. Moscow rejected this and spoke of “fake news”. Selenskyj called Russian information a lie, according to which ultra-radical fighters were stationed there. Information from both sides could not be independently verified. According to the city, there were new air raids on Mariupol on Thursday: bombs were dropped near a residential building and the Technical University near the center was hit.
Ministerial meeting unsuccessful
Even after an attempt at conciliation at a high level, there is still no road to peace in sight. A meeting between Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Turkey did not bring any significant progress. Two weeks after the start of the Russian attack on the neighboring country, it was not possible to agree on at least a temporary ceasefire or even further escape corridors. This also applies to the port city of Mariupol, which has been surrounded by Russian troops for days, and where, according to the city administration, the situation is becoming increasingly dramatic.
Selenskyj is scheduled to speak to the Bundestag via video link next week
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to speak via video link at a session of the Bundestag next week. Such an appointment is “in preparation”, the AFP news agency learned from parliamentary circles. As the “Spiegel” reported, citing information from the Bundestag administration, the connection is expected to take place on Thursday.
Evacuations, just not in Mariupol
In Ukraine, the evacuation of civilians from besieged towns has continued. About 2,000 people were rescued from the city of Izyum in the east of the country, said the head of the Kharkiv region, Oleh Synyehubov, on Facebook. The city of Sumy in the northeast should once again be the focus of the evacuations. Residents have already boarded the minibuses provided, government officials said. Numbers were not initially mentioned.
However, rescue operations in the port city of Mariupol on the Azov Sea failed again. “Mariupol remains completely blocked for both the evacuation of people and humanitarian aid,” said Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk, according to the Ukrinform agency. “It is the fourth day that we cannot deliver water, medicine or food.” Several attempts to rescue the residents had to be abandoned. Both sides blamed each other.
UN Human Rights Office documents deaths of 549 civilians in Ukraine
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has documented the deaths of 549 civilians in Ukraine since Russia invaded on February 24 and up to midnight on Wednesday. The day before there were 516. Among them were 41 minors, as reported by the Geneva office. The office also had verified information about 957 injured people. The day before it was 908.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, always emphasizes that the actual numbers are certainly much higher. Employees often need days to check the number of victims. The High Commissioner only reports death and injury figures that it has independently verified itself.
US warns against Russian use of weapons of mass destruction
The US government has warned of a possible Russian use of chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine. By spreading misinformation, Moscow wants to pave the way for further escalating the unjustified war of aggression in Ukraine, warned US President Joe Biden’s spokeswoman Jen Psaki. Russia follows a clear pattern of behavior – either to use weapons of mass destruction itself, or to fake an attack by the Ukrainians in order to construct a justification for continuing the war, Psaki wrote. Psaki’s comments came after allegations by Russia that Ukraine is developing nuclear or biological weapons.
… and more background on the Ukraine war
Source: Stern
David William is a talented author who has made a name for himself in the world of writing. He is a professional author who writes on a wide range of topics, from general interest to opinion news. David is currently working as a writer at 24 hours worlds where he brings his unique perspective and in-depth research to his articles, making them both informative and engaging.
