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Ukrainian soldiers at a Russian tank near Kyiv
Photo: THOMAS PETER / REUTERS
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Estonian Prime Minister: West should send Ukraine offensive weapons
1:55 a.m .:
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has asked the West to also send offensive weapons to Ukraine.
“Estonia decided back in January to help Ukraine in every way: humanitarian, financial, with weapons – including offensive weapons.
Now it is important that Putin does not win this war under any circumstances," Kallas told the newspapers of the Funke media group and the French newspaper Ouest-France.
"We have to support Ukraine with everything we have." It was unclear which weapons Kallas meant in detail.
Asked whether Soviet-made MiG-29 fighter jets should also be delivered to Ukraine from Poland, Kallas replied: “Absolutely.
I see a strong will in Europe to help the Ukrainians.
That changed completely on February 24, especially in Germany.« The USA had already generously supported Ukraine with weapons before the Russian invasion on February 24.
“The question, of course, is: is America directly interfering in the war between Russia and Ukraine?
President Joe Biden obviously doesn't want that," Kallas said.
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The Estonian head of government was alluding to the Polish government's controversial offer on Tuesday to hand over MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine with a stopover at the US base in Ramstein in Germany.
The US government reacted with surprise and great skepticism to Poland's advance and immediately rejected it.
Russia could understand such a step as an escalation.
The USA and NATO could thus be directly involved in the war, it was said in justification.
Kallas also warned against ignoring Putin's threats to heighten the alert of his nuclear forces.
The Russian president is playing "on the keyboard of our fears," but: "I wouldn't rule out the possibility that the Kremlin chief might also have a nuclear option."
Zelenskyy: "This is sheer terror from experienced terrorists"
1:34 a.m .:
The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj said in a television speech that it was “sheer terror from experienced terrorists” that civilians were not allowed to leave the surrounded Ukrainian city of Mariupol.
Efforts to bring food, water and medicines to the city failed as Russian tanks attacked a humanitarian corridor, Zelensky said.
The Russian Defense Ministry earlier said it would call a ceasefire on Friday and open humanitarian corridors from Mariupol, Kyiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Mariupol and Chernihiv.
Pentagon: Russian soldiers encircle towns in Ukraine
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Lavrov after two weeks of war: "We did not attack Ukraine"
1:14 a.m .:
According to the Pentagon, the Russian military is trying to surround Ukrainian cities – including the capital Kiev.
"Kharkiv and Chernihiv, Mariupol -- we see this effort to encircle and surround," a senior US defense official said Thursday.
This is also observed around the capital Kyiv.
According to the official, the Russian soldiers came from several directions.
"So what we're seeing are these different lines of advance towards Kyiv." But Kyiv is much larger than the other cities and is heavily defended.
The Russian armed forces had advanced further in the past 24 hours and could have gained an estimated five kilometers, it said.
But that is not so much in relation to it.
"As I said, Kyiv is well defended and the Ukrainians are putting a lot of energy (...) to protect their capital," the official said.
At this point in time, no statement can be made as to how long it will be before the Russians can properly invade Kyiv.
In places, the Russian soldiers are around 15 kilometers from the city center.
Parliament: Russians shell Ukrainian research reactor
12:45 a.m .:
According to the Ukrainian parliament, Russian soldiers fired on an institute in the city of Kharkiv that has a nuclear research reactor.
A hostel caught fire near the institute, the parliament announced.
Fighting in the area continued.
Moscow announces daily flight corridors from Ukraine to Russia
12:36 a.m .:
The Russian military has announced the establishment of daily escape corridors from Ukraine to Russia.
"We officially declare that humanitarian corridors in the direction of the Russian Federation (...) will now be opened unilaterally every day from 10 a.m. (8 a.m. CET)," said Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev on Thursday evening.
In addition, Moscow offered the Ukrainian side the evacuation of civilians from Kyiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Mariupol and Chernihiv to other Ukrainian regions, it said.
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Kyiv should agree to the relevant routes by 3 a.m. Moscow time (1 a.m. CET) on Friday morning.
In addition, craftsmen from the Schytomyr region should be granted access to the former Chernobyl nuclear power plant so that they could repair the damaged power lines, Moscow said.
According to observers, the humanitarian situation is now catastrophic, particularly in the port city of Mariupol on the Azov Sea.
Several attempts to get people to safety have failed in the past few days.
Russia and Ukraine blamed each other for sabotaging civilian exits and breaking agreed ceasefires.
Vitali Klitschko: »This war affects everyone in Europe«
0.22 a.m .:
Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko and his brother Wladimir were guests at the Würzburg City Council meeting on Thursday, according to media reports.
If you think that war is somewhere far away, then that's a big mistake.
This war is affecting everyone in Europe,« said Kiev's mayor, according to the »Mainpost«, and: »The key to winning this war is unity.
We all have to fight Russia together, force Russia to leave Ukraine and stop its aggressive policies.”
Klitschko, who has been mayor of Kyiv since 2014, reaffirmed the will of the Ukrainians to resist aggression: »We have no other way.
We will not flee our homes.
We will fight for our values, for our families, our homes, our European future.
But we need the support of our friends: we need humanitarian aid, financial support and weapons.« At the same time, both Klitschko brothers expressly thanked them for the support they had already provided.
Ambassador: Germany's position on arms deliveries is cowardly
12:06 a.m .:
The Ukrainian ambassador in Berlin, Andriy Melnyk, has sharply criticized what he sees as the German government’s hesitant attitude towards arms deliveries to Ukraine.
The clear cancellation of the delivery of MiG-29 combat aircraft from Poland is very disappointing for the Ukrainians, he said on Thursday evening in the ZDF program "Markus Lanz - An Evening for the Ukraine".
"It is indeed a cowardly decision - not only by the Americans, but also by the Germans." Germany said no to planes and no to tanks for Ukraine.
In view of the Russian war of aggression, tanks are also defensive weapons.
cop/AFP/dpa/Reuters