US President Joe Biden started his visit to Poland on Friday. In Rzeszów, 90 km from the border with Ukraine, he visited American soldiers and learned about the possibility of housing refugees. He again called the President of Russia Vladimir Putin a war criminal. At the military level, Russia has recently signaled a change of strategy: the army now wants to focus on “liberating” Donbas in eastern Ukraine, Russia’s deputy chief of staff Sergey Rudskoy said on Friday.
Saskia Etschmaier (text), Viviane Koth (photo), Birgit Samer (video), Harald Lenzer (editing), all ORF.at
The first goals of the military “special operation” in Ukraine have been achieved. This announcement may indicate that Russia may now pursue more limited goals.
At the same time, the Ministry of Defense did not rule out the possibility of an attack on the blocked Ukrainian cities. Together with Slavutych and Chernihov, Moscow announced on Friday that other cities were encircled by Russian troops.
However, Mariupol remains one of the most difficult cities in the war in Ukraine. There are still tens of thousands in the city. It also turned out that around 300 people may have been killed last week in the Russian attack on the Mariupol theater.
The United Nations investigates war crimes
The European Union accuses Russia of committing war crimes in Ukraine. Russia is attacking the civilian population by attacking, inter alia, hospitals, schools and shelters. The UN Human Rights Office also investigates reports of war crimes on both the Russian and Ukrainian sides.
US President Joe Biden wants to find out about the situation during his visit to Poland. He thanked the US soldiers stationed 90 km from the Ukrainian border for their commitment. A speech in Warsaw is scheduled for Saturday.
Debate: What will be the impact of the war?
Russian President Vladimir Putin continues the war in Ukraine despite international appeals and sanctions. How effective are the sanctions? Why is Ukraine so lonely? What is the best way to help refugees? What will be the effects of the war?
Join the discussion at debatte.ORF.at