Putin fires Shoigu's deputy - and now relies on "Butcher of Mariupol"

Created: 2022-09-25Updated: 2022-09-25 08:51

By: Magdalena Fürthauer, Bettina Menzel, Stephanie Munk, Andreas Schmid, Fabian Müller

Simultaneously with sham referendums in parts of Ukraine, Putin is ordering the partial mobilization of the Russian armed forces.

The country is now seething.

The news ticker.

• USA

  does not want to recognize

  Russia's annexation referendums

  : Biden speaks of new sanctions

• German federal government for the

  admission of Russian deserters

  : Union opposes.

• Chechnya's ruler

  railed against Russian deserters: "Coward, traitor and second-class citizen"

• This

  news ticker on the Russia-Ukraine negotiations

  is constantly updated.

Update from September 24, 7.30 p.m .:

China has asked Ukraine and Russia to make diplomatic efforts and limit the war before the UN General Assembly.

"We call on all parties concerned to prevent the crisis from spreading," said China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi in the ongoing general debate in New York.

A peaceful solution is necessary.

Talks are needed between Moscow and Kyiv.

The "legitimate security concerns of all parties" must be taken into account.

Putin fires Shoigu's deputy - and now relies on "Butcher of Mariupol"

Update from September 24, 1:10 p.m

.: Exactly seven months after the start of the Ukraine war, Deputy Defense Minister Dmitry Bulgakov was fired in Russia.

He is Sergei Shoigu's deputy.

Officially, the Ministry of Defense justified the step in a statement on Saturday with the transfer of Bulgakov "to another post".

His successor is to be Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev, who previously headed the national center for defense management.

Mizintsev is also known abroad: he was held responsible for the heavy attacks on the southern Ukrainian port of Mariupol, which was captured by the Russians at the end of May.

According to Ukrainian sources, thousands of civilians were killed and much of the city was destroyed during the week-long siege.

In Great Britain, Mizintsev, also known as the "Butcher of Mariupol", is therefore on a sanctions list.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (l) and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.

© Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP/dpa

Update from September 24, 11:30 a.m

.: The Russia referendums in eastern Ukraine are underway.

Apparently the dead can also vote.

According to the Russian military administration, the voices of dead people or soldiers engaged in combat also count in the Luhansk Oblast.

"A resident of Alchevsk at the front or in captivity or even dead will also vote somehow," the newspaper

quoted the local Russian administrator Serhii Haidai as saying.

"Perhaps," says Haidau, "the voice will be counted telepathically."

USA does not want to recognize Russia's annexation referendums - Biden speaks of new sanctions

Update from September 24, 8:18 a.m .:

US President Joe Biden threatened Russia on Friday with further tough sanctions in the event of annexations after the “referendums” in Russian-controlled areas in Ukraine.

"The United States will never recognize Ukrainian territory as anything other than part of Ukraine," Biden said.

"Russia's referendums are a farce - a pretext for attempting to annex parts of Ukraine by force in a flagrant violation of international law," the US President said.

In such a case, the USA and its allies would implement “quick and tough” economic measures.

On Saturday, Russia continued the "referendums" on the annexation - despite sharp international protests.

On the second day of voting, pro-Russian officials continued to go door-to-door to collect votes in the separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine's Donbass, as well as in the southern Ukrainian regions of Kherson and Zaporizhia.

Polling stations are not due to open until Tuesday, the last day of voting.

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Ex-oligarch warns the West: In this scenario, "Putin will be at the NATO border tomorrow"

Chechnya's ruler railed against Russian deserters: "Coward, traitor and second-class citizen"

Update from September 23, 9:05 p.m

.: The ruler of the Russian region of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, has insulted Russians who do not want to go to war against Ukraine as cowards.

On Friday he turned against conscientious objectors in his Telegram channel, as the dpa reports.

The 45-year-old wrote there: "You know, you are nothing more than a coward, traitor and second-class person." The Chechen is repeatedly referred to as the bloodhound of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Rejection of violence, war or even the political leadership of Russia are just excuses, Kadyrov writes according to the newspaper.

However, Chechnya itself is not taking part in the mobilization.

Enough volunteer units from the Russian republic have already been ordered to the Ukrainian front.

Meanwhile, many are puzzling over the missing point seven in Putin's partial mobilization.

Update from September 23, 6:25 p.m .:

The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj has appointed a new ambassador to Germany with Olexij Makejev.

The corresponding decree was published on Friday on the website of the head of state.

The 46-year-old career diplomat succeeds the previous ambassador Andriy Melnyk.

Moscow speaks of "hysteria" after mobilization: Citizens should be sufficiently informed

Update from September 23, 5:05 p.m.:

The partial mobilization ordered by Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin for the war in Ukraine is apparently also making waves in Russia itself.

The leadership in Moscow even complained to various news agencies about the "hysteria" in the country.

According to Putin's plan, around 300,000 soldiers are to be drafted.

In view of this call-up of reservists for the war in Ukraine, several thousand Russian men are currently fleeing the country.

There were also several protests.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov is now asking the population to obtain sufficient information.

"It's kind of understandable that for the first few hours after the announcement and even on the first day, there was a hysterical, extremely emotional reaction because there was in fact insufficient information," said Peskow.

At the same time, he emphasized that reservists with certain professions were excluded from forced recruitment.

For example, IT specialists, experts for securing the financial system or employees of the mass media, who belong to the "system-preserving" professions, would not be drafted.

This was also confirmed by the Russian Defense Ministry on Friday.

This also includes editors, publishers, employees of television, radio and newspapers.

The head of the defense committee in the Russian parliament, Andrei Kartapolov, is also reacting to the unrest in the country.

With regard to the flight, he explains that although the law on mobilization prohibits reservists from leaving the country, because it is a question of partial mobilization, the law is not applied.

Travel within Russia and abroad is therefore allowed.

However, he recommends reservists who are unsure to go to the draft station themselves to clarify what is permitted and what is not.

Most recently, it caused a stir that apparently not the generals, but Putin gave direct orders to the front.

Kremlin spokesman assumes rapid annexation after referendums: Russia speaks of “peoples’ right to self-determination”

Update from September 23, 1:32 p.m

.: The Kremlin is assuming a yes for accession to Russia in the sham referendums in the occupied Ukrainian territories.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced on Friday a rapid annexation of the areas.

The procedure for admission can be quick, he told Russian news agencies.

At the same time, Peskov emphasized that attempts by Ukraine to take back the areas would then be interpreted as an attack on the Russian Federation.

Kyiv had already announced such actions (see previous update).

"First of all, we assume that security is guaranteed for the appropriate level of holding referendums," said Peskov.

Russia invokes the “right of self-determination of peoples”.

Neither Ukraine nor the international community recognizes this vote under occupying Russia and armed forces.

At the same time, Peskov made it clear that there is currently no basis for negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv.

President Vladimir Putin said the Ukrainian government had dropped out of the talks and decided to settle the conflict on the "battlefield".

Putin reacted to this, said Peskov.

Russia referendums in Ukraine: Kyiv sees "propaganda show" - and wants to liberate areas

Update from September 23, 1:05 p.m

.: The four annexation referendums in Ukraine are ongoing.

Ukraine sees a "propaganda show" in the Russian-organized referendums in the occupied territories in the east and south of the country.

"Today in the occupied territories there is no legal process that can be called 'referendum,'" Presidential Advisor Mykhailo Podoliak wrote on Twitter.

The "show" only serves as a background for the partial mobilization in Russia.

At the same time, Podoljak said that the occupied areas must be "liberated immediately".

Update from September 23, 10:44 a.m.:

According to British intelligence experts, the Ukrainian army is now putting pressure on the Russian occupiers in areas that Moscow considers crucial for its war goals.

This emerges from the daily intelligence update from the Ministry of Defense in London.

Russia referendums begin: Kremlin plans “Ukraine secession”

Update from September 23, 7:55 a.m .:

Despite international protests, the so-called referendums began in the Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine on Friday.

The separatist areas in eastern Ukraine's Donbass and the southern Ukrainian regions of Cherson and Zaporizhia are affected. 

According to reports from Russian news agencies, voting began at 7 a.m. CEST on Friday morning.

According to this, the so-called referendums will not take place via electronic votes due to the short preparation time, but with paper ballot papers.

Pro-Russian officials will go door-to-door for the first few days to collect votes.

In Donetsk and the Luhansk region - both regions already recognized by Moscow as self-proclaimed "people's republics" - citizens are asked to answer questions about whether they support "the republic's accession to Russia," the Russian news agency Tass reported.

In Kherson and Zaporizhia, the question in the vote is whether the citizens agree with "separation from Ukraine" and incorporation "into the Russian Federation".

Update from September 22, 10:29 p.m .:

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj has called on the Russians to oppose partial mobilization in the country.

"Protest!

fight!

Running away!

Or go into Ukrainian captivity!

These are the options for you to survive, ”Zelenskyj addressed the people in Russia who are about to be mobilized on Thursday in his daily video address in Russian.

According to him, 55,000 Russian soldiers have already died in Ukraine.

Zelenskyy also addressed an appeal to the mothers and wives of the draftees.

"Do not doubt that the children of your state's leadership will not take part in the war against Ukraine.

Those who make decisions in your country protect their children.

And your children don't even get buried," he said.

Addressing his own compatriots, Zelenskyy said that the mobilization in Russia is a sign of Ukraine's strength.

With the decision, the war will no longer be just an event from television for the Russians, but will move into real life.

For the Ukrainians, on the other hand, nothing will change, they will continue to fight for the liberation of their country, he was convinced.

Referring to the UN General Assembly, the Ukrainian President stated that Ukraine now has the support of an even wider circle of states in the international community.

Partial mobilization: Ukraine war for Moscow still "military special operation"

Update from September 22, 1:56 p.m

.: Despite the partial mobilization, Russia continues to legally regard the war against Ukraine as a “special military operation”.

The drafting of 300,000 recruits will not change that, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in Moscow on Thursday.

Ukraine-Russia negotiations: Ex-President Medvedev threatens West with nuclear weapons

Update from September 22, 12:20 p.m .:

Russia’s ex-president Dmitry Medvedev is now threatening the West with nuclear weapons – like Putin did in his TV speech the day before.

on his Telegram channel, Medvedev writes

that all the weapons in Russia's arsenal - including strategic nuclear weapons - are being used to defend areas that Russia is now supposed to join via mock referendums.

Russia is not deterred by "retired idiots with general boots," Medvedev continued, and the "talk about a NATO attack on Crimea" is also useless, because Russian hypersonic weapons are faster.

"The Western establishment and all citizens of NATO countries in general must understand that Russia has chosen its own path," writes Medvedev.

"There is no going back."

It is not the first time that the politician, who was once considered liberal, has threatened Moscow's nuclear weapons. A few weeks ago he even warned of the "fall of mankind".

Ukraine-Russia negotiations: Largest prisoner exchange since the beginning of the war - also a Putin-loyal oligarch free again

Kyiv/Moscow – Ukraine on Wednesday announced the largest exchange of prisoners with Russia since the start of the Ukraine war.

215 Ukrainians would be released from Russian captivity, said the head of the Ukrainian presidential office, Andriy Yermak, on television.

"Our heroes are free," he triumphed.

Russia-Ukraine talks: Azov commanders freed in prisoner swap

According to Zelensky, among the released Ukrainians were the commanders of the defense of Mariupol, who had been entrenched in the Azovstal steelworks until mid-May and resisted the Russian invaders.

They came to Turkey in a long-prepared campaign.

The released fighters would stay there "in complete safety" until the end of the war, Zelenskyy said.

Five of the Ukrainian commanders captured in Mariupol are in Turkey under the special protection of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Presidential Office Chief Yermak said.

Russia-Ukraine negotiations: British man sentenced to death among those released

The Moscow-controlled separatists in eastern Ukraine also released ten foreigners.

They were flown to Riyadh through mediation by Saudi Arabia.

These were two Americans, one Swede, one Croat, one Moroccan and five Britons.

British Prime Minister Liz Truss spoke on Twitter of "very welcome news".

Months of uncertainty and suffering had come to an end for the prisoners of war and their families.

Among those released was 28-year-old Aiden Aslin.

The Supreme Court of the self-proclaimed "Donetsk People's Republic" sentenced him to death in a show trial.

British Secretary of State for Health Robert Jenrick announced his release via Twitter.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed that the two released Americans had previously joined Ukrainian troops and been captured in combat.

US citizens should not travel to Ukraine at this time, Blinken warned, but rather support the attacked country in other ways.

Prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia: Erdogan boasts of being a mediator

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the exchange was mediated by Turkey, according to the state news agency Anadolu.

Erdogan called the agreement an "important step" towards ending the Ukraine war.