Ukraine Conflict Updates: 15:36 Ukrainian Ambassador Slams AfD for Downplaying Russian War Crimes
"15:36 Ukrainian Envoy Accuses AfD of Minimizing, Downplaying, and Denying Russian War Atrocities"
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Following criticism of the AfD as a clearly right-wing extremist party, Ukrainian Ambassador Oleksii Makeiev has raised concerns over its proximity to Russia. As a diplomat, he respects internal decisions of host countries. However, he expresses his concern that the AfD fails to clearly condemn Russia's brutal war of aggression and advocates for friendship instead. "The Russians are raping, torturing, and killing. The AfD is trivializing, downplaying, and denying it," the ambassador asserted.
15:01 Drone Takedown: Ukrainian soldiers from Group 13 of the Ministry of Defense utilized a Magura marine drone last Thursday to successfully shoot down a Russian Su-30 fighter jet over the Black Sea. This marked the first worldwide instance of a combat aircraft being destroyed by a marine drone. The aircraft caught fire and plummeted into the sea near the port of Novorossiysk.
14:29 Threats from Medvedev: Dmitri Medvedev, Vice-Chairman of the Russian Security Council threatened Ukraine if they attacked Moscow during the celebrations of World War II victory on May 9. He warned that the capital Kyiv might not survive May 10. Despite Putin's offer of a three-day ceasefire, President Zelenskyy had called for a 30-day truce, which Putin had already ruled out.
14:02 Motorcycle Charge: In Kupiansk, Ukrainian drones thwarted a Russian attack by motorcycle troops, according to Ukrainian border officials. The forces attempted to storm Ukrainian positions, but drone attacks destroyed ten motorcycles and two off-road vehicles, indicating a new combat tactic employed by Russia in the Ukraine war.
13:33 Casualties Rise: Kharkiv suffers heavy casualties as 51 people were injured following a Russian drone strike. Among them is an 11-year-old child. The regional prosecutor's office reported that 12 locations in four districts of the city were targeted, causing fires and damages to residential buildings, civilian infrastructure, and cars.
13:09 Land Resources: Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann views Ukraine's deal with the USA on raw materials as an important step in the fight against Russia. If Putin attacks areas where the Americans want to mine rare earths, it would indirectly amount to an attack on the US.
Economy & Politics
First Meeting Since Row: Zelensky and Trump Hold Productive Talk The leaders had a fruitful encounter following their recent disagreement in Rome. Zelensky shared that he and Trump agreed a 30-day ceasefire would be a good initial step towards peace in the Ukraine war. Sanctions also came under discussion, with Trump's response being "very strong" according to Zelensky, without further details.
12:40 Zelensky Warns Heads of State About Calling to Moscow President Zelensky has cautioned foreign leaders about attending the Moscow victory parade to mark the 80th anniversary of WWII. He stated that the safety of visitors could not be guaranteed due to potential Russian dangerous actions such as setting fires, explosions, and then blaming Ukraine.
12:11 Casualty in Air Strike: A man lost his life following a Russian air strike in Kupiansk. Several residential buildings were destroyed. In Sumy, two people were injured due to two guided bombs hitting the city, according to investigators.
11:37 Praise for Meeting with Trump: Ukrainian President Zelensky described his meeting with Trump during the Pope Francis' funeral as the best meeting held between the two so far.
Politics
10:53 Russia Advances on Two Fronts Russian forces have captured new territories in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions, according to military reports.
10:25 Emergency Declared in Novorossiysk: Authorities in Novorossiysk have declared an emergency as a result of a Ukrainian drone strike. Initial reports suggest that two adults and two children were injured.
09:49 UN Condemns Kharkiv Attack: The United Nations humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine has condemned Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure, including those in Kharkiv.
09:16 Overnight Attacks: The Ukrainian air force reports that Russia launched 183 drone attacks and two ballistic missiles overnight, with 77 drones being shot down and 73 more crashing without causing damage.
08:42 Buffer Zone in Sumy: The Russian Ministry of Defense aims to establish a "buffer zone" in the border areas of the northern Ukrainian region of Sumy. Ukraine has gained a foothold in Kursk but remains concerned about a possible Russian advance on Sumy.
08:06 Controversial Book Foreward: Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov penned a foreword for a monograph questioning Lithuania's language and statehood, accusing the government of having pro-Nazi ideology.
06:52 Assassination Attempt on Prominent Blogger: The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) accuses the Russian intelligence of staging an assassination attempt on a prominent Ukrainian blogger. The blogger was only slightly injured, while the suspected assassin was detained.
06:15 Stronger Air Defence Needed: President Zelensky strongly condemned the continuous Russian drone attacks on his country and urged the international community to step up their efforts in strengthening Ukraine's air defence. "As the world delays decisions, almost every night in Ukraine becomes a nightmare that costs lives," he said.
04:53 F-16 Training Equipment Approval: The US State Department has approved the potential sale of training and maintenance equipment for F-16 jets to Ukraine for $310 million. This could include aircraft modifications, upgrades, flight training, maintenance, spare parts, repairs, and software.
01:44 Scores Injured in Drone Attack on Kharkiv: Over 44 civilians were injured in a massive drone attack on Kharkiv, according to the mayor. The targets included residential buildings, shops, and civilian infrastructure.
00:21 Possible Sanctions on Russia: Unofficial reports suggest that US officials are preparing new economic sanctions against Russia, should President Trump decide to apply pressure on the Moscow government. The measures would primarily target the banking and energy sectors, including Gazprom.
23:09 Kharkiv Suffers Powerful Drone Attack: Kharkiv is attacked by combat drones. The assault has resulted in explosions in several districts and at least 35 injured.
22:01 Zelensky Criticizes Russia: President Zelensky criticized Russia for hindering and blocking talks, preventing the conclusion of a full and lasting peace. All partners are tired of the Russian manipulations, according to Zelensky.
21:18 Conversation with the British Foreign Secretary: British Foreign Secretary David Lammy had a conversation with US Vice President JD Vance regarding peaceful solutions for the Ukraine conflict. Both reaffirmed their determination to end Russia's invasion and maintain a united front against Russian aggression. Lammy accused Putin of stalling peace talks for too long.
20:32 Casualties from Ukrainian Drone Attack: At least eight Russian firefighters have been injured in an attack by Ukrainian combat drones in eastern Ukraine, according to Russian reports. These reports cannot be independently verified.
19:48 Kupiansk Bombings: Russian air forces shelled the city of Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region. After several attacks, rescuers recovered the body of a dead man from the rubble of a house. Efforts are ongoing to rescue another potential victim.
18:59 Students Lured by Fake Scholarships: Fighters from Togo captured in Ukraine had joined Russian forces under the false pretense of scholarships. The Togolese government encourages vigilance over such schemes.
Read all previous developments here.
Source: ntv.de, lve/lno/ino/dpa/rts/AFP
- Ukraine Conflict
- Ukraine
- Military
- Military Deployments
- Russia
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- Attack on Ukraine
- Volodymyr Zelensky
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- Wars and Conflicts
- War CrimesWhile the search results do not directly shed light on the reasons behind the Ukrainian Ambassador's criticism of the AfD, it's important to note the ongoing tensions and concerns between Ukraine and Russia, as well as Ukraine seeking international support for its stance. The AfD's stances or actions toward Russia's military aggression in Ukraine could potentially play a role in the Ukrainian diplomats' perspective on the party's appropriateness in their host country's internal affairs.
- General Concerns: Ukrainian diplomats are often concerned about the support or ambiguous positions from influential political entities and governments that could undermine efforts to maintain a united international front against Russian aggression.
- Specific Reactions: If a party like the AfD, known for its controversial stances, may have expressed views that could be seen as sympathetic to Russia or insufficiently supportive of Ukraine, this might raise concerns among Ukrainian officials who seek to maintain broad international backing in their struggle against Russian aggression.
Without specific information linking the Ukrainian Ambassador's concerns directly to the AfD's stance, it's difficult to provide detailed reasons. However, generally, any perceived lack of support or ambiguous positions from influential political entities would likely cause concern for Ukrainian officials seeking to maintain broad international backing against Russian aggression.
- The Ukrainian Ambassador expressed concern about the AfD's proximity to Russia, as they see the party's failure to clearly condemn Russia's brutal war of aggression as trivializing and downplaying its war crimes.
- Despite the AfD's controversial stance, Ukrainian government officials might favor robust support from international entities to maintain a united front against Russian aggression.
- The continuing war between Ukraine and Russia highlights the importance for international partners to clearly express their support for Ukraine and unequivocally condemn Russia's war crimes, such as rape, torturing, and killing.
- To bolster Ukraine's position in the ongoing conflict, the Ukrainian President Zelensky is seeking stronger international support, especially in the form of strengthening Ukraine's air defense against Russian drone attacks.
