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The situation in the morning: Putin and the firefighters

2022-08-11T03:50:56.816Z


Some European leaders want Russians to be banned from traveling. The Ukrainians like to stick out the middle finger. And: The British Conservatives really have a problem. This is the situation on Thursday.


Should Russians still be allowed to travel?

It is just one of the many intolerable side effects of Russia's already intolerable war of aggression against Ukraine: the idea of ​​Russians vacationing and enjoying themselves somewhere in Europe while their president wages an aggressive war.

Above all those who support the war and the actions of the Russian President and have little sympathy for their neighbors - there are quite a few, as my colleague Christian Esch recently described in an impressive and touching way.

Not only, but above all, this is unbearable from the Ukrainian point of view.

War supporters lounging on beaches while Ukrainian children flee to basements during air raids?

An interesting debate could now begin as to

whether Russians should still be granted tourist visas

.

Two women are driving this debate forward: the heads of government of Estonia and Finland, Kaja Kallas and Sanna Marin.

Kallas wrote on her Twitter channel: »Stop issuing visas to Russians.

Visiting Europe is a privilege, not a human right.

Air travel from Russia is suspended.

This means while Schengen countries issue visas, Russia's neighbors bear the burden (Finland, Estonia, Lithuania - only entry points).

It is time to end tourism from Russia - now.«

I understand this tweet like this: you don't want to be used as a transit country on the way to other European countries, for people who despise Europe and its values.

Her Finnish colleague had previously shifted up a gear: "It's not right that Russians can lead a normal life, travel in Europe and be tourists while Russia is waging an aggressive, brutal war of aggression in Europe." It shouldn't be that clear, at least legally be.

What should happen to the tourist visas that have already been issued, which are often valid for several years?

The Latvian Foreign Minister had already made a similar statement and made it clear that humanitarian visas were not at issue.

In fact, many Russians come to Finland.

Since the corona restrictions were lifted in mid-July, the country has apparently seen a rapid increase in tourists, and bus companies in St. Petersburg are again offering trips to the neighboring country.

Finnish airports serve to circumvent the European flight ban from Russia.

Whether it can be implemented or not – the discussion could pick up speed, as it touches the moral sensibilities of many people.

Communications professional Volodymyr Zelenskyy must have been aware of that when he brought up the travel ban for Russians in a recent interview with the Washington Post.

It is important, said the Ukrainian President, that the borders be closed - for all Russians, including those who have left their country and are against the war.

Russians, according to Zelenskyj, should live in their own world.

A hard, a cold, but from his point of view an understandable sentence.

Personally, I find the idea of ​​Russian opponents of the war, members of the opposition or just young students or those who are anxiously silent no longer getting a "just in case" visa oppressive.

Maybe it ends up being more of a symbolic debate,

because most Russians can't afford to travel to Europe anyway, or obviously don't have a "foreign passport," as I've now learned.

And yet: Since the beginning of the year, Russians are said to have applied for almost 60,000 Finnish visas.

A tourist visa is easier to obtain and doesn't mean you're leaving your home country forever - not everyone makes the decision to make the decision.

Being able to enter as a tourist at any time can buy you valuable time.

At the end of August, the EU foreign ministers want to discuss this at their meeting in Prague.

  • "There's something bad that's deep in people": How Putin's war changed my Moscow 

You can find more news and background information on the war in Ukraine here:

  • That happened at night:

    According to new satellite images, at least seven Russian warplanes were destroyed in the explosions in Crimea.

    A brewery fire is causing concern in Donetsk.

    And: Selenskyj announces revenge.

    The overview.

  • What is behind the alleged attack in Crimea?

    Crimea is a popular vacation destination for many Russians.

    Now Ukraine has apparently devastated a Russian air force base there in a spectacular blow.

    It may not have been the last attack. 

  • "The situation can quickly become unmanageable during war":

    For the second time since the start of Russia's war against Ukraine, the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant has been shelled.

    A plan to secure the facility is urgently needed – in the interests of both sides. 

  • What children miss the most.

    The doll, the dog, grandma and grandpa: if you flee to another country, you have to leave a lot behind.

    What is particularly missing?

    Photographer Rebecca Hoppé asked Ukrainian children in Hamburg to paint it.

Playing with fire deserves a middle finger

Speaking of Russian tourists.

They like to travel to Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula on the Black Sea, which their president has occupied since 2014.

They weren't looking too bad on Tuesday when it suddenly detonated within sight of the chic white beach beds - a suspected attack on a Russian air force base.

This wasn't just a little reminder of what their government just further north is doing to the country right now while they're basking in the sun;

it was also a success for the Ukrainian side that should not be underestimated (which it does not want to have been - the statements on this have so far been combative to contradictory).

Many tourists obviously left in panic, some in tears because it was so beautiful here.

In addition to the fact that the Ukrainians could presumably hit a Russian military installation, the psychological warfare of the Ukrainians is interesting.

After apparently agreeing in Moscow to portray the explosions - no joke - as the result of violating

fire safety regulations

, the Ministry of Defense in Kiev said: Indeed, the fire safety regulations, you shouldn't smoke when explosives are nearby material lying around.

The reference to fire protection by the Ukrainians reminds me - or rather: the attitude behind it - of the attempted and initially successful capture of Snake Island.

You remember, this small but geostrategically not entirely insignificant rock off the Romanian coast.

The response of the Ukrainian soldiers on the island to the request from the direction of the Russian warship to surrender or otherwise be bombed was: "Russian warship, go f**k yourself." The radio message went around the world at the time.

An outstretched middle finger against superiority, then as now.

What's wrong with the conservative soul?

Since the more or less voluntary resignation of Boris Johnson, the British prime minister, the Tories have been looking for a new leader who will then also become the new head of government.

They are up against each other: Secretary of State Liz Truss against former Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, whose resignation in early July also marked the end of Johnson's political career.

But let's be careful: for now.

Because by the looks of it, Johnson is already being badly missed.

My colleague Jörg Schindler is currently traveling around the country to listen to the so-called hustings, i.e. those campaign events at which Truss and Sunak have to present themselves to Tory members and solicit support.

There should be a total of twelve such hustings before the Tory members are called to vote in early September.

Today, Truss and Sunak are based in Cheltenham,

about 150 kilometers north-west of London.

What Jörg reports about the meetings can only shake you - after all the illegal lockdown parties, the lies and the lack of seriousness.

He was particularly amazed at how upset Tory members were about Johnson's fall: "Almost all the Conservatives I spoke to on the spot think Johnson is a brilliant prime minister" who was chased out of office by "over-ambitious party friends and hate media". – because of a few »trivial misconduct«.

But maybe that's just the British black humor you hear so much about?

  • Boris Johnson: The Last Days at Downing Street 

Here's the current quiz of the day

The starting question today: Which European capital had the most rainy days in 2018?

loser of the day...

... for me is the German Interior Minister

Nancy Faeser

because she regrets a photo that shows her on her trip to Kiev with Mayor Vitali Klitschko, among others, smiling with a glass of champagne in her hand.

Faeser went to Ukraine with her cabinet colleague, Labor Minister Hubertus Heil, at the end of July to meet Ukrainian politicians and talk about aid for reconstruction.

The said photo was taken in the residence of the German ambassador.

As a result, some CDU members and Twitter and some CDU members on Twitter were outraged, and that obviously left an impression on Faeser.

The photo was "not appropriate," she now said.

Regrettably, it became even more fragmented: "We were invited to the ambassador's and the Mayor of Kiev Vitali Klitschko in the evening and ultimately chose the same drink as him," she added apologetically, throwing herself in the dust.

I wonder how the mayor of the attacked city received this "remorse."

What would have been the alternative?

For example: Mr. Klitschko, sorry, it's war with

you

, so I'm much more affected than

you

and don't drink with you?

Rarely has a glass of sparkling wine been more political than this one on the ambassador's balcony.

You have to see him, see above, as an outstretched middle finger towards the aggressor – and maybe even pull out that one at home from time to time, at least internally.

The latest news from the night

  • Christian Lindner defends tax plans as "socially balanced":

    The Minister of Finance has promised massive tax cuts - which are particularly beneficial for top earners.

    There was also criticism from coalition partners.

    Lindner now rejected them.

  • Iranians in the US accused of plotting to assassinate John Bolton:

    A member of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard is said to have ordered the assassination of Donald Trump's former security adviser - for $300,000.

    Now the man has been charged.

    Iran responded immediately.

  • Disney is catching up with Netflix with streaming services:

    By the end of June, 221 million people had subscribed to Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+.

    Disney is catching up with the streaming giant Netflix – and immediately announces a price increase.

The SPIEGEL + recommendations for today

  • Who saves gas in Germany - and who doesn't:

    Germany will consume significantly less natural gas in 2022 than in previous years.

    But not everyone saves at any price.

    Because the crisis enables some companies to do lucrative business.

  • »A false accusation almost always destroys existence«:

    Statement against statement: In the case of sexual offenses it is not always clear who is right.

    The criminal lawyer Arabella Pooth on the difficulty of reconstructing the truth and the difference between "criminal" and "morally questionable".

  • Henning Baum throws up in the Eurofighter:

    RTL mobilizes and sends its "last cop" and "King of Palma" to various units of the armed forces.

    Somewhere between Top Gun and therapy session.

    With quite short strong moments.

  • »Those who remain calm are more likely to get rich«:

    Why invest in equities every month when new risks are emerging every week?

    Many who build up wealth through a savings plan are currently considering taking a break.

    Five reasons why it's worth staying stubborn right now.

I wish you a good start into the day.

Yours Özlem Topcu

Source: spiegel

All news articles on 2022-08-11

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