Yevgeny Prigozhin leads the infamous Wagner Troupe, a private army fighting for Russia in Ukraine.Image: AP / Uncredited
Ukraine blog
February 24 marks the anniversary of the brutal Russian war of aggression in the Ukraine for the first time. Fighting continues to rage fiercely, especially in the east of the country. While NATO continues to support Ukraine financially and militarily, the USA China last accused weapons at Russia to want to deliver. That would mean a further escalation of the war.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden made a surprise trip to Kiev on Monday. With his first visit since the beginning of the war, he emphasized America’s solidarity with Ukraine.
In our news blog you can read all the important developments in the Ukraine war.
February 22nd
8.37 a.m .: Wagner boss Prigozhin complains of “treason” by the Kremlin
Cracks are emerging between the Kremlin and one of its most powerful units in the Ukraine war. The Wagner mercenaries, which took part in Russia’s war of aggression against the neighboring country front fights, raises serious allegations against the Ministry of Defense in the person of its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin.
Prigozhin complained that his fighters were deprived of ammunition and air transport support. The Kremlin has denied this and has now issued a statement saying that attempts to split the Russian army would be counterproductive and would only benefit the enemy.
Even if the Russian government does not name any names here, Prigozhin got the message. He reacted promptly and described the Kremlin’s reaction as “spitting on Wagner”.
12:05 a.m .: According to the BND boss, Putin does not want peace
For peace to prevail in Ukraine, Russia must end its brutal war of aggression and withdraw its troops. However, the head of the Federal Intelligence Service, Bruno Kahl, does not see this or any other possible solution coming.
According to his assessment, Moscow is not signaling any readiness for negotiations. “He’s fine at the moment [Putin, Anm. d. Red.] about looking for the decision on the battlefield and to realize as many advantages as possible there – and then maybe at some point dictate a peace on his terms,” Kahl told the editorial network Germany (RND, Wednesday).
Bruno Kahl (right) heads the BND, Germany’s foreign intelligence service. Image: dpa / Carsten Koall
In addition, Kahl warned in an interview with the RND of Russia’s further potential for mobilization. Around 300,000 soldiers have already been mobilized, but the Kremlin can call on up to a million soldiers.
21st of February
6:36 p.m .: Russia will stick to the “New Start” agreement until the end of the term
According to the government, Russia will continue to adhere to the limitation of its nuclear arsenal under the disarmament agreement, despite the decision announced by President Vladimir Putin to suspend the New Start agreement with the United States. “Russia intends to maintain a responsible approach and will continue to strictly adhere to quantitative limits on strategic offensive arms throughout the life of the treaty”the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday in Moscow.
6:10 p.m .: Biden warns Putin against attacking NATO
US President Joe Biden has warned Russia against attacking a NATO member state and threatened a powerful military response. Referring to the Western Defense Alliance’s duty of assistance, he said on Tuesday evening in Warsaw:
“There is no doubt that the United States’ commitment to our NATO alliance and to Article Five is rock solid. Every member of NATO knows it, and Russia knows it too: an attack on one is an attack on all. It’s a sacred one Oath to defend every inch of NATO territory.”
The US President also opposed statements by Russian President Vladimir Putin that the West wanted to “do away with Russia once and for all”: “The West does not plan to secretly attack Russia, as Putin said today,” stressed Biden.
4:27 p.m .: Berlin is concerned about Putin’s statements
The fact that Putin wants to back away from the “New Start” nuclear disarmament treaty and has agitated against the West is worrying Berlin. A further escalation is feared. “The Russian President is on a path that is very depressing,” said Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) on Tuesday. Everything must be done to ensure the safety of the planet. By this he means in particular the use of nuclear weapons, which should not happen in wars.
Olaf Scholz talks about the security of the planet. Image: Florian Gaertner / photothek.de / imago images
The SPD foreign politician Nils Schmid also rated the suspension of the agreement as a “severe setback”, the Green foreign politician Merle Spellerberg called the step “absolutely worrying”.
11:55 a.m .: Russia suspends the “New Start” nuclear disarmament treaty
Russia now wants to suspend the last nuclear disarmament treaty with the United States, as Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Tuesday. According to Putin, this is not an exit, but a suspension of the so-called “New Start” treaty.
Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered his State of the Union address on Tuesday.Image: IMAGO/ITAR-TASS
He called on the Russian authorities to “stand by for nuclear weapons tests” if Washington were to carry out such tests first. Putin went on to say that nobody should be under the “illusion” that the world strategic balance could be violated.
10:34 a.m .: US government rejects allegations as “absurd”.
The US government has dismissed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s allegations as absurd. “No one is attacking Russia,” US President Joe Biden’s National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, told reporters on Tuesday. The notion “that Russia was in some form of military threat from Ukraine or anyone else” is therefore an “absurdity”. Putin had previously blamed the West for the escalation of the Ukraine conflict.
10.15 a.m .: Putin gives a speech – and blames the West for the war
At 10 a.m., Russian leader Vladimir Putin began his State of the Union address. He agitated against the West and expressed his conviction that Western countries were to blame for the current conflict. “They started the war. We are turning Violence to end it”he said, alluding to the eastward expansion of NATO.
He also draws parallels with the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, which “back then” would have tried to annex areas like the Ukraine. “Everything repeats itself,” he said. The West uses the regional conflict to turn it into a global one. Now they want to “do away with Russia once and for all”.
And further:
“But they are aware that we cannot be defeated on the battlefield. That is why they are waging an information war against us.”
Regarding the current invasion, he said: “We are not at war with Ukraine.” Rather, the country is a prisoner of its new Western rulers, who have driven the country to ruin and “social decay” in recent years. He also says: The more far-reaching the deliveries of the weapon systems go, the further Russia will take this threat away from its own borders. “That’s quite logical.” Putin now wants to “systematically” continue the offensive in Ukraine.
3:05 a.m .: Putin gives speech on the state of the nation
Russian President Vladimir Putin will deliver his State of the Union address on Tuesday. The Federal Assembly meets near the Kremlin. According to the Kremlin, Putin will address the war and the current situation in Russia. In addition, he wants to Business and to social policy to express. Because of the sanctions imposed by the West, the Russian economy is under massive pressure.
US President Joe Biden will also give a speech a few hours later war in Ukraine hold. This is to take place as part of a visit to Poland at Warsaw Castle. In it he should address Putin, who will give his speech a few hours beforehand.
The watson app for your smartphone
2:34 a.m .: Alleged Russian plans to take over Belarus leaked
According to a media report, Russia apparently has plans for a gradual takeover of its neighboring country Belarus by 2030. This is suggested by a document from the Moscow presidential administration reported by the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” (Tuesday edition) and published jointly with WDR, NDR and nine other media had been evaluated.
Accordingly, the strategists of Russian President Vladimir Putin apparently want to infiltrate Belarus politically, economically and militarily. The goal would be a common union state under Russian leadership, as the newspaper reports, citing the document. Western security circles consider the paper to be authentic, according to the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”.
Putin and Lukashenko are allies in Russia’s war against Ukraine.Image: IMAGO / ITAR-TASS / imago images
You can find older news about the war in Ukraine here.
(with material from dpa and AFP)
