Updated on 12/01/2022 23:21
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyj sees a threat to Ukraine in the Russian Orthodox Church: his country must also remain independent in the religious field.
- The Moscow Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church has traditionally had a strong influence in Ukraine, and Moscow Patriarch Kirill supports Putin.
- Meanwhile, the EU is hoping for China to mediate. The day at a glance.
The Ukrainian
At a meeting of the National Security Council, numerous facts were revealed about connections between religious groups and the aggressor state Russia came up, said Zelenskyj. Therefore, the parliament should draw up a law banning religious organizations from having links with centers of influence in the Russian Federation. In addition, the leadership of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church should be checked for connections to the Moscow Patriarchate by means of a religious expertise.
Moscow’s Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill supports Kremlin chief’s war
In addition, the structures must be reformed and the authorities given new powers so that the interests of Ukrainians and the state are protected, the President stressed. “With this and other decisions, we will guarantee Ukraine’s spiritual independence.” Russia, on the other hand, accuses Ukraine of restricting freedom of religion.
EU Council President Charles Michel is urging China to assume a mediating role
In the Ukraine war she hopes European Union on China as an intermediary. EU Council President Charles Michel urged Beijing on Thursday to exert influence on Russia to end the war. China’s head of state Xi Jinping promised a “constructive role”. But quick diplomatic successes are not in sight. Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov again verbally attacked the West and defended the massive attacks on electricity and energy networks in Ukraine, for which his country is internationally pilloried.
China has never openly condemned the February 24 Russian attack on Ukraine, but has backed Russian President Vladimir Putin. Most recently, however, the Chinese head of state Xi had criticized nuclear threats from Moscow, which was understood as a slight distancing.
Chinese head of state Xi promises “constructive role”.
During a visit by EU Council President Michel in Peking Xi now said, according to state television, that peace talks are necessary. China supports the EU to step up its mediation and lead the creation of a balanced security architecture in Europe. China wants to continue to play a “constructive role in its own way”.
EU Council President Michel said that as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China bears a special responsibility: “We are turning to China to influence Russia and try to convince Russia to respect the UN Charter and Ukraine’s sovereignty.”
French President Emmanuel Macron still considers negotiations with Kremlin chief Putin to be possible, as he told US broadcaster ABC. But he added: “A good peace is not a peace that is imposed on Ukrainians.” The US sees no willingness to negotiate in Moscow for the time being. “We currently have no indication that Putin would be willing to negotiate,” said the US ambassador in DeutschlandAmy Gutmann, the “Saxon Newspaper”.
Habeck stands by arms deliveries – and still quarrels
Federal Minister of Economics
Germany recently supplied Ukraine with Gepard tanks and a modern Iris-T air defense system to ward off the Russian war of aggression. Ukrainian head of state Volodymyr Zelenskyy hopes that Patriot air defense systems will also come from Germany. Such a decision by Berlin would be “historic,” said Zelenskyj on Wednesday evening.
Stoltenberg: “Don’t underestimate Russia”
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called on Germany to consistently strengthen the Bundeswehr. At the same time, aid for Ukraine must be continued and increased. “We shouldn’t underestimate Russia,” said Stoltenberg in Berlin. “Russian missiles and drones continue to fall on Ukrainian cities, civilians and critical infrastructure, causing great human suffering as winter begins.”
Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov defended such attacks on the Ukrainian energy supply in Moscow. “This infrastructure supports the fighting power of the Ukrainian armed forces and the nationalist battalions,” he said, claiming that Moscow’s actions are aimed at minimizing the number of civilian casualties. The USA and NATO acted similarly in Iraq and in the Yugoslav war.
Lavrov also lashed out at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), criticizing its observers in eastern Ukraine in particular for being partisan. “The spirit and letter of the OSCE Charter have been destroyed,” he said. Poland had previously denied the Russian minister entry to an OSCE meeting in Lodz.
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock countered Lavrov’s allegations. At the start of its war of aggression against Ukraine, the Russian regime may not have just hoped that it would Kyiv in a few days, but also that the OSCE will “fly apart,” she said. However, this was a big mistake.
Ukraine sees “missile break”
After the Russian rocket attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, millions of Ukrainians have been cut off from electricity and heat supplies and, in some cases, from water supplies in recent weeks. At the same time, dozens of people were killed by Russian rocket attacks in Ukrainian cities.
President Zelenskyy said on Wednesday that despite efforts to get repairs done quickly, six million Ukrainians were still without power. “The situation in the capital and in the Vinnytsia, Lviv, Odessa, Khmelnytskyi and Cherkasy regions remains very difficult.”
According to Ukrainian estimates, Russia is currently on a “missile break” in order to prepare new massed attacks. On the one hand, the Russian side is checking which targets are to be attacked, on the other hand, the effects of previous attacks are being evaluated, said Vadim Skibizki, a representative of the Ukrainian military intelligence service. In addition, new missiles would be prepared for use. “This will need time.” (dpa/cgo)
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In the region around the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, the Russian army is repeating a fatal mistake in its war strategy. This is the result of an analysis by military experts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).