War against Ukraine: That's the situation
Created: 05/13/2022, 05:12
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy awards medals to medical workers in Kyiv.
© Sarsenov Daniiar/Ukraine Preside/Planet Pix via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
The Ukrainian head of state sees a strategic defeat for Moscow.
His adviser even recognizes a "terrible idiocy" on the part of Russia's leadership in many actions.
The developments at a glance.
Kyiv - Barely two and a half months after Russian troops invaded Ukraine, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia's strategic defeat was "obvious."
Moscow's defeat was "obvious to everyone in the world and also to those who still communicate with them (the Russians)," Zelenskyy said in his daily video message.
Only Russia does not have the courage to admit defeat.
"They are cowards trying to hide this truth behind new missile, air and artillery strikes."
Selenskyj criticizes Russian attacks on schools and clinics
The Ukrainian leader has criticized the recent Russian attacks, which hit a school in Chernihiv in the north of the country.
"Of course, the Russian state is in a state where any education only hinders it," said Zelenskyy.
Russian commanders who issued such orders to shell educational institutions were "simply sick - incurable".
In addition, 570 health facilities in Ukraine have been destroyed by Russian attacks since the beginning of the war, including 101 hospitals.
"What's the point?" Zelenskyj asked.
"That's nonsense, that's barbarism." For him, this is a sign of Russia's self-destruction.
Zelenskyi adviser accuses Russian leadership of "idiocy"
Zelenskyi's adviser Oleksiy Arestovych attributes his occasionally incorrect analyzes of the events of the war to the "terrible idiocy" of Russia's political and military leadership.
"I actually consider them to be people with an average mind," Zelenskyi's adviser said, according to a report by the Unian agency.
"But then they do something that would never have occurred to me because it's so stupid."
Russia recently "scraped together" another 15 combat units to throw them into battle.
"In the past five and a half thousand years of military history, no greater idiocy can be found," said Arestovych.
Recently he had not ruled out a new offensive by the Russian army against the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and spoke of a "senseless suicide".
Negotiations for soldiers in Azovstal continue
With international support, the Ukrainian leadership is continuing its efforts to rescue the soldiers at the besieged Azovstal Steelworks in the port city of Mariupol.
"We have opened a new round of negotiations," Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said, according to Ukrayinska Pravda.
Kyiv has given the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross the mandate to hold talks with the Russian side, and Turkey is now involved as a mediator.
more on the subject
Missile attacks while Guterres and Zelenskyy discuss
Amnesty Secretary General: Putin hates Ukrainians
War against Ukraine: That's the situation
The aim is an evacuation in several stages - the first priority is the rescue of 38 seriously wounded defenders from Azovstal.
If this works, “then we move on”.
Among other things, Ukraine is ready to exchange Russian prisoners of war for the wounded from Azovstal.
Employees of the Ministry for Emergency Situations of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic clear away the rubble of the badly damaged theater building in Mariupol.
© Uncredited/AP/dpa
In an interview with the ARD daily topics, one of the fighters described the difficult situation.
"Our lives mean nothing, my life means nothing," said Illia Samoilenko.
At the same time, he had little hope for the future: "It could be our last conversation."
The last Ukrainian defenders have holed up in the sprawling steelworks in the port city.
Russia has so far refused any evacuation and is demanding surrender from the Ukrainians at the plant.
According to Ukrajinska Pravda, Turkey suggested that the Russian military evacuate all Ukrainian soldiers from Azovstal by sea.
They were then to remain in Turkey until the end of the war.
Russian missiles hit Kremenchuk refinery
The industrial city of Kremenchuk in central Ukraine was hit by a series of Russian rockets on Thursday, according to Ukrainian sources.
A refinery was also damaged in the largest attack on the city since the beginning of the war two and a half months ago, said regional military chief Dmitry Lunin, according to the Unian agency.
Ukrainian crowdfunding project raises millions
A crowdfunding project launched by the Ukrainian leadership to support the country has already raised millions in a week.
As Digital Minister Mykhailo Fyodorov announced, donations of 25.8 million dollars (24.4 million euros) were received via the United24 website.
"The support came from 72 countries around the world." The money will now be divided among the ministries to finance the currently most necessary projects.
Ukraine created this state donation platform because of the Russian war of aggression.
Ukraine nationalizes branches of Russian banks
In Ukraine, all branches of the Russian Sberbank and VEB.RF, the former Vnjeschekonombank, will be nationalized with immediate effect.
This was decided by the parliament in Kyiv, as announced by presidential spokesman Andryj Yermak, according to the online newspaper "Dumskaya".
All shareholder rights of the affected banks and their deposits with other Ukrainian financial institutions are now being transferred to state ownership.
What does the day bring?
Chancellor Olaf Scholz is to report to the Bundestag Defense Committee on Germany's position on the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, in particular on arms deliveries.
At their meeting in Weißenhäuser Strand on the Baltic Sea, the foreign ministers of the group of seven major industrial nations (G7) continued their deliberations on the consequences of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine.
The foreign ministers of Ukraine and Moldova, Dmytro Kuleba and Nicu Popescu, are also expected to attend the meeting.
The Agriculture Ministers of the G7 meet in Stuttgart to discuss the consequences of the Ukraine war for global food security.
The Ukrainian Minister of Agriculture Mykola Solskyj is also expected at the meeting at Hohenheim Castle.
Mykhailo Spodarets, professor of Ukrainian literature, gives an online lesson in the basement of his home in Kharkiv.
© Mstyslav Chernov/AP/dpa
After Finland's yes to NATO, the Swedish security analysis on the NATO issue is published.
Until recently, it was unclear whether the analysis would also provide a clear recommendation for or against Sweden's NATO membership.
dpa