Day 394 since the beginning of the war: Russia accuses Slovakia of breaching a treaty. Kiev has denied the arbitrary execution of prisoners of war. All information in the news blog.
The most important things at a glance
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The night: Russia accuses Slovakia of breaching the contract
Kiev: Equating the victims with the aggressor Russia is unacceptable
5.49 a.m.: Ukraine has denied UN allegations that, like Russia, it arbitrarily executed prisoners of war without trial. The foreign ministry in Kiev thanked the UN mission to monitor human rights in Ukraine on Friday for their investigations, but warned against any attempt “that could be interpreted as equating the victim with the aggressor.” It is “unacceptable” to blame the “victim of aggression”.
Biden: China has not yet delivered any weapons to Russia
10:59 p.m.: According to US President Joe Biden, China has not yet delivered any weapons to Russia. “That doesn’t mean they won’t do it, but they haven’t done it yet,” Biden said on Friday, referring to fears in Western countries against the background of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
“I don’t take China lightly. I don’t take Russia lightly,” Biden said at a press conference in the Canadian capital, Ottawa. He had “heard for three months” that China would supply important weapons to Russia. “They haven’t yet,” said the US President.
United Nations concerned about executions in Ukraine war
9:39 p.m.: The United Nations is “deeply concerned” about the executions of up to 25 Russian and 15 Ukrainian prisoners of war in Ukraine. That said the head of the UN human rights commission in Ukraine, Matilda Bogner, on Friday at a press conference in Kiev. The crimes were “often committed immediately after being captured on the battlefield,” said Bogner. The UN is aware of ongoing investigations by the Ukrainian side in five cases with 22 victims. However, no convictions of perpetrators are known.
Ukraine’s Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets contradicted the United Nations’ statement that there was no evidence that Russian prisoners of war were killed. Ukraine does not violate the rights of prisoners and abides by international agreements, he told the Telegram news channel. Bogner and her colleagues never addressed the allegations when they met him. At the same time, Lubinets pointed to a large number of Russian war crimes in Ukraine.
On the Russian side, according to the UN, 11 of the 15 known executions were carried out by the Wagner mercenary group. In early March, a video of an alleged execution of a Ukrainian prisoner of war caused widespread outrage around the world.
Nordic countries want to pool air defenses against Russia
5:53 p.m: Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark on Friday announced plans for a united Nordic air defense against a threat from Russia. A corresponding declaration of intent was signed last week at the Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany in the presence of high-ranking US military personnel, they said.
The aim is therefore to act together according to existing NATO requirements. The dovetailing of the air forces was triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Danish air force commander Jan Dam told Reuters. Together, the four countries had as many combat aircraft as a large European country.
