Updated on 06/07/2022 at 06:16
- Ukraine accuses Russia of more missile attacks.
- Ambassador Melnyk denies claims he is downplaying the Holocaust. Meanwhile, reporting requirements for recruits in Kyiv are causing problems.
- An overview of what happened during the night and a view of the day.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated his call for the delivery of modern missile defense systems in the war against Russia. The leadership in Kyiv will not relax its efforts to obtain enough of these weapons, he said in a video message on Tuesday. Meanwhile, further rocket attacks were reported from Ukrainian sites. Wednesday marks the 133rd day of war in Ukraine since the Russian invasion began in late February.
Protection from missile attacks depends on partner countries
Zelenskyy said that Russia again attacked targets in the country. Some of the rockets were shot down by Ukrainian air defense forces. Creating protection against rocket attacks before the end of this year is an extreme challenge for the state. “But fulfilling this task is not just up to us, but also our partners’ understanding of our basic needs.”
Ambassador Melnyk defends himself from accusations
After days of silence, Ukrainian ambassador Andriy Melnyk denied the accusation that his remarks about Ukrainian nationalist Stepan Bandera played down the Holocaust. “Anyone who knows me knows that I have always condemned the Holocaust in the strongest possible terms,” Melnyk wrote on Twitter on Tuesday. The charges against him are “absurd”.
The “Bild” and the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” reported, citing Ukrainian sources, that Melnyk should be recalled and transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kyiv. The 46-year-old could become deputy foreign minister in the fall, Bild wrote.
Zelenskyy criticizes army leadership
After sharp criticism of the reporting requirements for recruits, Zelenskyy reprimanded the military leadership. At the next staff meeting, the 44-year-old demanded that the Defense Minister, Chief of Staff and Army Commander-in-Chief give him a detailed report. “I promise people that I will clarify the matter and ask the General Staff not to make such decisions without me.” Army Commander-in-Chief Valeriy Zalushnyi and the General Staff had previously announced that recruited Ukrainians would need permission to leave the point of denunciation. After criticism on social media, it was said that this was only necessary to leave the government district. The basis is a 1992 law.
Updated on 06/07/2022 at 06:28
In the Donetsk region, which together with Luhansk forms industrial Donbass, the Ukrainian armed forces moved into new defensive positions.
Ukraine wants to join the OECD
Ukraine wants to join the organization of OECD industrialized countries. Prime Minister Denys Schmyhal announced on Tuesday via the Telegram news service that he had submitted a corresponding request on behalf of the country. Ukraine’s membership of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is “one of the cornerstones of successful reconstruction and development” in Ukraine, he said. Even before the war, Ukraine was considered one of the poorest countries in Europe in terms of per capita income.
Read too: All current information about the war in Ukraine on the live ticker
ruble collapses
After months of appreciation, the Russian ruble fell sharply on the Moscow stock exchange. The Russian national currency lost about ten percent against the dollar and the euro on Tuesday. Extrapolated to the last three trading days, the loss was around 20%, according to the RBC news agency. At the end of the trading day, the dollar cost more than 61 rubles, the euro more than 63 rubles. During the day, major currencies were sometimes even more than 62 and 64 rubles, respectively. This is the highest level since early May. However, the ruble is still significantly more expensive than before the start of the war in February.
Arrested basketball player Griner writes to Biden
Basketball player Brittney Griner, who is being held in Moscow, personally asked US President Joe Biden for help. The 31-year-old man’s environment distributed excerpts from a letter on Monday (local time) when the US national holiday was celebrated. The White House acknowledged receipt of the letter. Griner has been in Russian custody since February 17 on drug charges and his trial began last Friday. Pretrial detention was last extended until December 20.
Anyone can participate in surveys conducted by the Civey Opinion Research Institute. However, only responses from registered and verified users are included in the result. They must provide personal data such as age, place of residence and gender. Civey uses this information to weight a vote according to the presence of socioeconomic factors in the general population. The company’s surveys are therefore representative. More information on the method can be found here, more on data protection here.
This will be important on Wednesday
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) answers questions from parliamentarians in the Bundestag. Among other things, it was supposed to be about the war in Ukraine and its effects on Germany, including inflation and gas shortages. An online press conference with Federal Minister for Development Svenja Schulze (SPD) addresses the question of what town twinning can do to support Ukraine. (hub/dpa)
Updated on 7/4/2022 at 2:40 pm
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the continuation of the Russian military offensive in Ukraine after the capture of the Luhansk region. “Military units, including the Eastern and Western Groups, must carry out their tasks in accordance with the approved plans,” Putin instructed Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.