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Ukrainian soldiers in the Donetsk region (March 5)
Photo: STRINGER / REUTERS
What has happened in the past few hours
Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin wants to investigate video footage that allegedly shows the killing of a Ukrainian prisoner of war by Russian soldiers.
The recordings may be evidence of a war crime, Kostin said on Telegram.
Russia systematically ignores international rules.
Sooner or later Moscow will be punished for this behavior.
A video had previously been published by an Internet portal in which a man in a Ukrainian uniform shouted "Glory to Ukraine" and was then allegedly killed with several shots.
The authenticity of the video could not initially be verified by an independent party.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also condemned the alleged shooting of the Ukrainian prisoner of war.
"Today a video surfaced of the occupiers brutally killing a fighter who bravely said the words 'Glory to Ukraine'," Zelenskyy said in a video message on Monday evening.
He assured that the perpetrators would be found and punished.
The identity of the Ukrainian soldier is not yet known.
That says Kyiv
Zelenskyy emphasized the unity of the military leadership in Kiev in the battle for the city of Bakhmut in the east of the country.
After a meeting with generals, he said in his video message that the unanimous decision had been made not to back down but to reinforce the troops.
"The Ukrainian Armed Forces defend every part of Ukraine and will continue to do so." The time will come when every town and village of the Ukrainian state will be liberated.
Zelenskyy tried to counteract the impression that there are different opinions in the leadership of Ukraine on further military action in Bakhmut.
There is a lot of disinformation, he said.
Western experts also said it might be better to abandon the iconic city and use resources elsewhere.
Bakhmut, where, according to Ukrainian sources, only a few thousand of what used to be more than 70,000 residents still live, has been contested since late summer.
The city is the main part of the line of defense between Siversk and Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast established after the Russian conquest of Sieverodonetsk and Lysychansk.
If the city falls, the Russian troops will have access to the major cities of Slovjansk and Kramatorsk.
With this, a complete conquest of the Donetsk region is approaching.
humanitarian situation
According to the government, Ukraine has brought back 307 children from the territories occupied by Russia.
Among them is an eight-year-old boy who was recently reunited with his grandmother.
This was announced by the country's human rights commissioner, Dmytro Lubinets, on Telegram.
Ukrainian authorities estimate that more than 16,000 children have been trafficked to Russia since the war began a year ago.
Russia has denied previous claims that it forcibly relocated Ukrainians.
The Ukrainians were voluntarily evacuated from Ukraine.
The Russian Defense Ministry said in mid-August that 3.5 million people had been brought to Russia by then, including more than half a million children.
International reactions
During a visit to Kiev, SPD party leader Lars Klingbeil and SPD faction leader Rolf Mützenich assured Ukraine of continued support from Germany.
"Our solidary support continues a year after the beginning of the war," said Klingbeil on Monday in the ZDF "heute journal".
This was the main message in the talks with Zelenskyy, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and other politicians.
Klingbeil and Mützenich had surprisingly arrived in Kiev on Monday morning.
Talks with Ukrainian government officials, Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko, the Speaker of Parliament and other politicians were marked by "deep gratitude," said the SPD leader, referring to German support for Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression.
»And today we made a clear commitment: This path will continue without restriction.«
At the meeting with Zelenskyy, the supply of weapons and the Leopard 2 tank as well as bottlenecks in the supply of ammunition were discussed.
In addition, questions of energy security and the situation of Ukrainian refugees in Germany were discussed.
In the discussion about the extent of military support for Ukraine, Mützenich in particular repeatedly expressed reservations and emphasized the need for diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.
For this he was sharply criticized in Ukraine.
Arms deliveries to Ukraine
According to US House of Representatives Jason Crow and Adam Smith, Ukraine is demanding the delivery of internationally banned cluster munitions.
These are bombs that release a variety of other smaller bombs that can be used to cover entire areas.
According to the information, the Ukrainian army wants to use the cluster munitions against the attack waves of Russian soldiers and mercenaries.
economic consequences
According to the US, the price cap for Russian oil is having an effect.
"I think the best thing about this mechanism is that it works and that Russian oil and Russian products are traded below the price cap," US Energy Commissioner Amos Hochstein said on the sidelines of an energy conference in Houston.
The group of seven most influential western countries, G7, the European Union (EU) and Australia introduced the price cap for Russian oil shipments by sea on December 5th.
They set the price at $60 a barrel to sanction Russia for invading Ukraine.
On February 5, the G7 and its allies imposed a price cap on Russian fuel sales.
According to rating agency Scope, lower revenues from oil and gas exports will increase the hole in Russia's state budget this year.
What is happening today
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is visiting NATO partner Lithuania.
The SPD politician also meets soldiers from the Bundeswehr.
As a reaction to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, Germany has had a combat brigade ready to defend Lithuania since the autumn of last year.
Several hundred German soldiers from the brigade are currently training with the Lithuanian armed forces in the “Griffin Lightning” exercise.
jok/dpa/Reuters
