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Pro-Russian fighters near Mariupol: The soldiers from the steel mill could face the death penalty in Russia
Photo: ALEXANDER ERMOCHENKO / REUTERS
On day 83 of the Russian war, which violated international law, the attackers continued their attacks, especially in eastern Ukraine.
However, the defenders continue to report large losses among the Kremlin troops.
Between 1,000 and 2,500 soldiers are still holding out in the Azov steelworks in Mariupol.
How things will continue for them is just as unclear as the situation of the defenders who have been evacuated to Russia.
Kyiv has stopped negotiations with Moscow.
And the Kremlin sees the whole West as a single "enemy state."
The developments at a glance:
military situation
According to the Ukrainian military, they threw back Russian troops in front of the city of Sievjerodonetsk in the east of the country.
"Near the village of Syrotyne, the Russian conquerors suffered losses and retreated," the General Staff said in its situation report.
The Russian troops were also unsuccessful in several other directions.
The governor of the Luhansk region, Serhiy Hajday, also reported successes.
In the suburbs of Girske and Zolotoye, several houses were destroyed by artillery shells.
But the Russians should have withdrawn there too.
"Enemy casualties are high," Hajdaj wrote on his Telegram channel.
The information could not be checked independently.
According to the defenders, eight people were killed in an air raid on Desna in the Cherniv region.
Another twelve were injured.
For its part, Russia's military has reported numerous rocket attacks on various parts of Ukraine.
In the western Ukrainian region of Lviv, Kalibr missiles were used to attack Ukrainian reservists and foreign military equipment, said Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov.
In the northern Ukrainian region of Chernihiv, among other things, military training centers were attacked.
In the east of the country, parts of the railway infrastructure were destroyed in the Kharkiv region and several targets were fired at with rockets in the Donetsk region.
In total, more than 470 Ukrainian fighters have been killed in the past 24 hours, Konashenkov said.
According to their own statements, the attackers also destroyed arms deliveries from the USA and Europe in western Ukraine.
Rockets hit targets in the Lviv region.
Defender of the Azov Steel Plant
Efforts to rescue the last remaining Ukrainian soldiers in Mariupol are continuing, according to information from Kyiv.
"We are working on further stages of the humanitarian operation," Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk wrote on Telegram.
The 52 seriously wounded who were brought out of the Azov steel plant on Monday would soon be exchanged for Russian prisoners of war, she said.
However, the head of the Russian parliament, Vyacheslav Volodin, has spoken out against a general exchange of prisoners.
“Nazi criminals are not subject to exchange.
These are war criminals and we must do everything to bring them to justice,” the Duma chief said at a plenary session.
According to Russian negotiator Leonid Slutski, Russia should consider the death penalty for the steel mill militants.
"They don't deserve to live in the face of the monstrous human rights crimes they have committed and continue to commit against our prisoners," Slutski said.
In Moscow on Tuesday there is talk of 265 fighters - including 51 seriously injured - who are said to have holed up in the steel works until recently and have now laid down their arms.
Kyiv, on the other hand, speaks of 264 soldiers who are said to have been taken to the town of Olenivka, which was occupied by Russian troops.
Contrary to all assurances from Moscow that the detainees are treated well and receive medical care, some observers fear that they could now become victims of ill-treatment and torture.
It also remains to be seen what will happen to the 1,000 to 2,500 soldiers who remain in the factory.
That says Kyiv
Ukraine has suspended negotiations to end the war with Russia for the time being - and only wants to negotiate again after Russian troops have completely withdrawn.
The Ukraine is primarily opposed to a dictated peace on the part of Russia.
"The negotiation process depends on how events in Ukraine unfold," Kiev's negotiator Mykhailo Podoliak said on television.
Podoliak accused Russia of continuing to think in terms of its stereotypes and of not having understood the real situation in Ukraine after 82 days of war.
"They still live in a world where there is supposedly Ukrainian Nazism," Podoliak explained.
There is only a "Russian Nazism".
Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke to Chancellor Olaf Scholz on the phone and discussed the situation at the front.
Accordingly, it was also about a possible tightening of sanctions against Russia and the prospect of peace, Zelenskyj writes on Twitter.
It was "productive talks".
According to government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit, Scholz and Selenskyj have agreed to "stay in close contact."
Moscow says so
The Kremlin has accused the West of waging war against Russia.
“They are enemy states.
Because what they are doing is war,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov during an appearance at an education conference near Moscow.
Peskov said the West was waging a diplomatic, economic and political war against his country.
“But every war ends in peace.
And that peace will be such that our voice will be heard where we are comfortable and safe and standing firmly on our feet.”
The international community
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell speaks of "impressive losses" by the Russian army.
This is subject to the proviso that the relevant information is correct, Borrell said after a meeting of EU defense ministers in Brussels.
"If it's true that Russia has lost 15 percent of its troops since the war began, that's a world record for casualties for an army invading a country." can bear losses.
Finland's parliament has passed an application for the country's NATO membership by a large majority.
MEPs ended a two-day debate on Tuesday.
Neighboring Sweden had already agreed to join NATO on Monday.
According to British intelligence, the Russian armed forces are increasingly relying on "indiscriminate artillery fire."
The Ministry of Defense said, citing the intelligence services, that Russia has only limited possibilities for capturing targets and is also reluctant to take the risk of deploying combat aircraft over Ukrainian-controlled territory.
"In the coming weeks, Russia is likely to continue to rely heavily on massive artillery strikes as it attempts to revive its Donbass offensive."
In the course of investigations into possible war crimes, the International Criminal Court has sent a team of 42 experts to Ukraine.
It is the largest investigative team that the International Criminal Court has ever sent, as chief prosecutor Karim Khanin told The Hague.
Russia does not recognize the court.
You should read this
After more than 200 years of non-alignment, Sweden is trying to become a member of NATO.
This is not an easy decision for the country.
Experts fear that Russia could now cause provocations.
Because the Ukrainians are cutting off the Russians' paths, the offensive in eastern Ukraine is making little progress.
Many soldiers are said to have fallen in an attack.
The Kremlin will probably have to scale back its war aims.
Finland and Sweden intend to submit an application to join NATO later this week.
Turkish President Erdoğan threatens to veto.
His concerns could be an excuse to put pressure on the alliance.
svs/dpa/AFP/Reuters