1. Many young men are fleeing from fear of military service in Russia - there are already discussions about asylum for conscientious objectors in Germany
Already in the first days of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, tens of thousands of Russians fled their homes, many in protest at President Vladimir Putin's policies.
After the partial mobilization announced yesterday by Putin, for which up to 300,000 reservists are to be called up, this withdrawal movement is now intensifying.
People flee military service mainly to those countries that Russians are still allowed to enter without a visa.
In addition to Turkey, this includes Armenia.
There are reports of long queues of cars at the border crossings from Russia's borders with Kazakhstan and Mongolia.
Enlarge image
Anti-war demonstration in Moscow
Photo: dpa
My colleague Şebnem Arsu and my colleague Maximilian Popp got an impression of how great the panic is that was triggered by the partial mobilization among many people in Russia.
One of the men who has now left Russia is a blond, 21-year-old from Saint Petersburg, who gave SPIEGEL information at Istanbul Airport on Wednesday evening.
For fear of repression against his family, the man does not want to give his real name.
"I woke up and saw the news about the mobilization in my Telegram channels," he says.
"It was a very strange feeling." (Here's the full story.)
According to the Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, initially only men who have already served or have military experience should be called up.
Students are exempt.
Videos were already circulating on social media on Thursday showing recruits boarding buses.
The regime's decision sparked anger among many people in Russia.
In at least 38 Russian cities, citizens took to the streets in protest on Wednesday.
They chanted »No to war!«.
According to activists, more than 1,300 demonstrators were arrested.
With his decision to call in part of the reserve, Putin broke an unspoken two-decade pact between his regime and the Russian people, a Russian journalist wrote on Twitter.
The regime has promised the Russian citizens: you can go on with your life as normal while we do whatever we want on the international stage.
That no longer applies.
"In almost all countries, Russians are only allowed to stay for a few weeks as tourists," write the two SPIEGEL colleagues.
"In Germany, politicians have therefore already called for Russian conscientious objectors to be granted asylum."
I refused military service myself when in Germany you still had to have your conscience examined for it.
And I have great sympathy for young people who would rather leave their country than be forced to go to war.
By the way, also when these young people come from the Ukraine.
Read the full story here: "You make no exception for anyone"
2. In the Ukrainian war zone, there is hardly any progress for either side - a protracted war of attrition could be imminent in the winter
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev today threatened that Russia was prepared to use nuclear weapons in the Ukraine war.
Like the day before incumbent President and warlord Vladimir Putin, Medvedev has now announced that all weapons in Moscow's arsenal could be used to defend areas that Russia sees as accession areas.
In his Telegram channel, Medvedev wrote that Russia is not afraid of "retired idiots with general boots" and "talk about a NATO attack on Crimea."
The Western establishment and all NATO citizens in general must understand that Russia has chosen its own path.
"There's no turning back."
I remember my student days when many Germans were concerned about the danger of nuclear weapons being used in a possible conflict between the superpowers and demonstrated against armament through the so-called NATO double-track decision-making process.
I also took part in the demonstrations at the time.
Almost four decades later, the war in Ukraine seems to have reawakened the fear of a nuclear catastrophe in the German population – so far, they have mainly feared the possible consequences of a nuclear power plant shelling.
In a recent survey commissioned by the Federal Office for Radiation Protection, 63 percent of those surveyed stated that they were very worried about the risk of possible radioactive contamination from nuclear power plants after an accident.
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Combat medic Oleksandr behind the front lines
Photo:
Igor Ishchuk / THE MIRROR
My colleague Walter Mayr reports from the war zone in Ukraine that many people there are concerned about the coming weeks.
"We don't have enough artillery, so we can't destroy the occupier's war equipment," says an experienced Ukrainian fighter in Walter's report.
"As long as that doesn't change, we won't really make any progress here." How will things continue?
»The only certainty is that winter is coming.«
Military experts are also assuming a protracted war of attrition, which could literally become a “frozen conflict” during the cold season.
At least in the area on the southern front of the war, from which my colleague reports, the Ukrainian advance hoped for by many is making slow progress.
“The Russians have massively fortified their only notable conquest west of the Dnieper since March, arming them with up to 30,000 men, including elite troops,” he writes.
The offensive of the Ukrainian armed forces appears to have faltered.
Read the whole report here: Fear of the »Frozen Conflict«
And here is more news and background information on the war in Ukraine:
"We are worried and unsure":
You know what the consequences of protesting against Putin's regime can be - and you do it anyway.
Why did Russians now venture onto the streets in many cities?
215 Ukraine fighters against 55 Russians - and a Putin confidante:
Russia has handed over more than 200 people to Ukraine, including defenders of the Mariupol steel mill.
In return, Kyiv released politician Viktor Medvedchuk, an ally of Putin.
The exchange in the video.
Defense Ministry applies for 700 million budget for Ukraine aid:
The military aid for Ukraine has an impact on the budget of the defense department.
The government now wants additional money for this – otherwise there is a risk of “damage to the reputation of the Federal Republic”.
Find all the latest developments on the war in Ukraine here: The News Update
3. The federal government will now also nationalize the Gazprom subsidiary Sefe - it is still unclear how expensive the measures to secure the gas supply will be
Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz has repeatedly spoken out publicly against state funding for the Leipzig gas company VNG.
Scholz obviously did not want to release the state of Baden-Württemberg, as the owner of the parent company of VNG, EnBW, and thus the Green Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann from responsibility.
Enlarge image
Photo: Fabian Bimmer / REUTERS
Nevertheless, as my colleague Gerald Traufetter reports today, in order to protect the gas importer VNG, the federal government will now nationalize the former Gazprom Germania, which is now called Securing Energy for Europe (Sefe) and is already under federal trusteeship.
The Berlin-based company was in trouble because Russia is no longer pumping gas to Germany, and is thus protected from bankruptcy - and with it the VNG group.
Only on Wednesday did the federal government announce that it would take over almost 100 percent of Germany's largest gas importer Uniper.
The wholesaler Uniper is a supplier for more than 100 municipal utilities and large companies and thus plays a central role in the German gas supply.
Uniper currently has to buy the missing gas on the gas market at high cost.
The federal government's entry into Sefe also serves to rescue the VNG Group, which had applied for state support under the Energy Security Act at the beginning of the month.
The nationalization of the Sefe is to be justified with the safeguarding of national security of supply and therefore no compensation payments from the federal government for the Russian owners are to be provided.
The decision clears the way for further billions in aid, presumably directly from the federal budget or the gas surcharge, if this should start on October 1st.
»The VNG and Uniper groups, which mainly imported gas from Russia and are now getting nothing, have to find replacements for many billions of euros.
Otherwise they literally bleed to death,” says my colleague Gerald.
“Only the state can prevent that.
That could cost 50 billion euros, maybe more.
Less only if the gas price falls.«
Read the whole story here: Bund to nationalize Gazprom subsidiary Sefe
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What else is important today
The USA will soon be the most important LNG supplier for the EU:
How do you replace Russian gas?
LPG will play a major role in the future, and it is likely to come from the USA in many cases.
This is the result of a study that also deals with price developments.
For the first time more Catholics than Protestants in Northern Ireland:
Religion played a central role in the Northern Ireland conflict - now the relationships between the denominations are shifting.
This could be important for the future of the region.
The self-determined decision to commit suicide must be respected:
two years ago, the Federal Constitutional Court underlined the right to self-determined dying – there is still no law regulating euthanasia to this day.
Now the Ethics Council has positioned itself on the subject.
These oat flakes are contaminated with glyphosate and mold:
The magazine "Öko-Test" examined 29 types of oat flakes.
Three quarters of them did well.
My favorite story today: Naked breasts in a water playground
Model at Milan Fashion Week
Photo: Giulio Di Mauro / ANSA / dpa
A Berlin court today explains why it dismissed the lawsuit of a woman who had sued for compensation for discrimination because Berlin police officers had given her the choice of either covering her breasts or leaving a so-called splash pad, a water playground .
My colleague Wiebke Ramm writes that where bare-chested men are tolerated, women's bare breasts do not always have to be accepted.
The verdict was a bit controversial because it seems to go against the spirit of gender justice, and yet it's also a bit plausible.
The court is convinced that the fact that only the 38-year-old woman and none of the men should cover the upper body does not constitute unlawful discrimination. "Because there was a sufficient objective reason for the unequal treatment of the unequal," says the judgment.
Like all people, the plaintiff cannot exercise her fundamental rights "without restrictions" and in doing so disregard the rights and interests of others.
It is about "weighing the constitutionally protected rights of all those affected".
These interests worthy of protection also include »human sexual modesty«.
In a comment on the subject, my colleague Ariane Fries demands: "Finally deal with bare breasts!"
Read the whole story here: Berlin court sees "exceeding the socially accepted tolerance limit"
What we recommend at SPIEGEL+ today
Who is the newcomer to the national team?
Armel Bella Kotchap is the latest discovery by national coach Hansi Flick for the national team.
The young defender is considered a huge talent - but needs to get his attitude under control.
How infections can lead to Alzheimer's:
The neurologist Michael Heneka explains what the immune system has to do with the development of dementia - and why he is worried about the neurological consequences of the corona pandemic.
Seven dirndls and their stories:
It used to be considered uncool, but now more and more people dress up in more or less traditional garb for their Oktoberfest visit.
Here, six women and a drag queen tell what their dirndl is all about.
Trump's tricks:
Donald Trump and his children are said to have misrepresented the values of their real estate for years in order to get cheaper bank loans.
How Dangerous Is the Latest Lawsuit for the Potential Presidential Candidate?
Which is less important today
Enlarge image
Photo:
Joel C Ryan/AP
Whenever, Whatever: Shakira, 45,
a pop singer from Colombia, has spoken out about her split from soccer player
Gerard Piqué
, 35 - and also to allegations of tax evasion by the Spanish authorities.
In an interview with the fashion magazine "Elle", the pop star reported that since the end of the twelve-year relationship with the player who became famous at FC Barcelona, she has suffered greatly from the breakup and feels "broken".
The couple have two sons.
Regarding the allegations by the Spanish authorities that she had evaded taxes totaling 14.5 million euros, the singer said these were "false" and "fictitious".
The tax officials noticed that she "dated a Spaniard with Piqué - and began to drool".
Typo of the day
, since corrected: "She had to leave while shirtless men were allowed to stay."
Cartoon of the Day:
Doesn't it smell a little smoky in here?
And tonight?
Could you watch one of my favorite films, the film »In the Mood for Love«, which is currently being presented in the Arte channel's media library.
My colleague Urs Jenny has described director Wong Kar-wai's 2000 masterpiece as "delirious beauty and visual magic."
The film is a poem of rich color and beautiful music, written by Nat King Cole among others, and is set among refugees in Hong Kong in 1962.
And it tells a strange love story that I never quite understood, even though I've actually seen the film several times.
But that's not important in this case, even Christopher Doyle, the film's cinematographer, said that as far as the plot is concerned, it's enough to know that it's "something about time and space and identity and loneliness".
A lovely evening.
Yours sincerely,
Wolfgang Hoebel
Here you can order the »Situation in the Evening« by e-mail.
