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Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko (archive image)
Photo: Nikolai Petrov / imago images / ITAR-TASS
This article is continuously updated.
Belarus sends more troops to the border with Ukraine
1:42 a.m .:
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has ordered more troops to be sent to the border with Ukraine.
At a meeting of the Belarusian Security Council, he said, according to the state news agency Belta, that "five tactical battalion groups" are to be deployed in addition to "protecting" the border region in the south.
Such units usually consist of hundreds of soldiers with armored vehicles and artillery.
Military helicopters and planes are already stationed in the Gomel, Baranovichi and Luninets regions.
However, the ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin assured that his country would not take part in the offensive in Ukraine.
"It's not our job," he said.
He also advocated stationing additional forces on the western border with Poland to protect Belarus from a possible NATO attack.
"Under no circumstances must we allow an invasion of NATO forces on Belarusian territory, nor can they conduct any operation on our territory," Lukashenko said.
He said he had asked Putin for an additional shipment of Russian S-400 air defense systems to deploy on Belarus' western border.
Belarus already has the air defense system in use in Gomel on the border with Ukraine.
Inspector General Zorn against the reintroduction of conscription
1:32 a.m .:
The Inspector General of the Bundeswehr has spoken out strongly against the reintroduction of conscription.
"Conscription, as we know it, is not necessary in the current situation," General Inspector Eberhard Zorn told the newspapers of the Funke media group.
The Bundeswehr and its tasks have changed.
"For combat in cyberspace, to name just one example, conscripts are absolutely unsuitable," says Zorn.
"We need well-trained, and in some cases even highly specialized, staff to cover the entire range of tasks."
London imposes sanctions on four senior Belarusian military officials
01:22:
London has sanctioned four leading representatives of the Belarusian military for their support of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The British Foreign Office said the chief of staff and first deputy defense minister Viktor Gulevich, as well as three other major generals and deputy defense ministers, were affected.
They would be banned from entering the country and their assets frozen in the UK.
The sanctions will therefore come into effect immediately.
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British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss accused the "regime of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko" of "supporting and actively promoting" the illegal invasion of Ukraine.
There will be economic consequences for this.
Chief of Staff Gulevich accused the Foreign Ministry of conducting joint military exercises with Russia and agreeing to the stationing of Russian troops along the border with Ukraine.
In doing so, he made the Russian attack possible from Belarusian soil.
Two Belarusian military companies were also sanctioned.
Around 1,300 Ukrainian refugees arrive in Berlin by train
1:14 a.m .:
Around 1,300 refugees from Ukraine arrived on Tuesday evening with several trains at Berlin Central Station.
The trains came from Poland, said a spokesman for the fire brigade.
Helpers provided the people at the station with food and drink.
Ukrainian refugees had already arrived in the capital on regular trains during the day.
According to Deutsche Bahn, no further long-distance trains from Poland are expected on Wednesday night.
Since Sunday, Deutsche Bahn has made it possible for refugees with a Ukrainian passport or identity card to use all long-distance trains from Poland to Germany free of charge.
As reported by Deutsche Bahn, up to eight Eurocity long-distance trains run from Poland to Germany every day - all via the Frankfurt/Oder border crossing.
How much does the German economy need Russia?
1:10 a.m .:
Germany’s companies support the sanctions against Russia.
But if imports and exports are not possible, what are the long-term consequences?
See the overview here.
European subsidiary of Russia's Sberbank has to shut down operations
1:07 a.m .:
The European subsidiary of the Russian Sberbank, which is affected by sanctions, has to stop operations.
The Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA) announced that the Vienna-based bank had to end all transactions with immediate effect.
The move came at the direction of the European Central Bank (ECB), which on Sunday determined that Sberbank Europe AG may be facing insolvency due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and massive outflows of funds.
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A reorganization or liquidation of the bank according to the European Bank Reorganization and Resolution Directive is not in the public interest, it said.
Because of the expected economic difficulties, the FMA had previously prohibited transfers, transactions and larger payments.
Billions in aid for Ukraine from the World Bank and IMF
12:56 a.m .:
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank want to provide billions in additional funding for Ukraine in the coming weeks and months.
The war is pushing up commodity prices, which could further fuel inflation, and financial market disruption is deepening, IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva and World Bank president David Malpass said in a joint statement.
Accordingly, the sanctions imposed by the US, Europe and other allies would also have a significant economic impact.
The IMF Executive Board could consider Ukraine's request for emergency funding as early as next week.
Another $2.2 billion would be available through the end of June under the stand-by arrangement.
The World Bank is preparing a $3 billion support package for the coming months.
Kretschmer demands “reasonable relationship with Russia”
0.24 a.m .:
Saxony’s Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer has campaigned to stay in touch with Moscow despite the Russian war against Ukraine.
"A reasonable relationship with Russia is important," said Kretschmer in an interview with MDR Aktuell.
According to the CDU politician, everything will be done to ensure Ukraine's sovereignty.
"But it's also about having an overall opportunity for a future in which you can work and live together." Kretschmer said that the crisis should not be fueled any further.
Also with regard to the dependency on Russian gas supplies, it is right to continue working together with Russia.
»We will only live in peace if we live in peace with Russia.«
Germany's Security Policy Turnaround
12.15 a.m .:
100 billion for the Bundeswehr, weapons for Ukraine: Olaf Scholz announced a radically new security policy on Sunday.
This was preceded by dramatic days and hours.
Log of a historical change of course.
Read more here.
Nike suspends online sales in Russia
0.10 a.m .:
Products from the sporting goods manufacturer Nike can now not be bought in Russia either via the US group’s website or via its app.
Ukrainian MP Lesia Vasylenko wrote on Twitter, referring to Nike, Apple and other companies that these are “great examples of how private corporations can impose sanctions on Russia”.
Belgium closes embassy in Kyiv
0.05 a.m .:
Because of the war in Ukraine, Belgium is closing its embassy in the capital Kiev.
The decision was made due to the changed security situation, the Belgian Foreign Ministry said on Twitter.
The staff have already left the country, the Belga news agency reported, citing the ministry.
Consular support for Belgians will continue to be provided, for example at the border with neighboring countries.
The Belgian embassy was recently moved to the French embassy because of the war.
Other countries such as the USA have already closed their embassy operations in Kyiv.
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