Ukraine updates: Poland accuses Russia of war crimes
President Andrzej Duda says Russia’s crimes in Ukraine must be punished, accusing Moscow of targeting civilian facilities.
The live blog is now closed, thank you for joining us. Here are the updates on the Russia-Ukraine war from Wednesday, April 5:
The live blog is now closed, thank you for joining us. Here are the updates on the Russia-Ukraine war from Wednesday, April 5:
- Poland’s President Andrzej Duda says Russia has committed war crimes in Ukraine that must be punished.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin told new US Ambassador Lynne Tracy that the United States was responsible for a dramatic deterioration in relations in a televised speech at the Kremlin.
- French President Emmanuel Macron said China had a “major role” in finding a path to peace in Ukraine due to its close relationship with Russia as he kicked off a three-day visit to Beijing.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in neighbouring Poland for an official visit to a close ally that has galvanised support for Kyiv.
- The US has unveiled a new military assistance package worth $2.6bn for Ukraine, including three air surveillance radars, anti-tank rockets and fuel trucks.
What will change as Finland joins NATO?
Finland joining NATO means the alliance’s direct border with Russia will more than double.
Security analyst Samir Puri believes this changes things along the Finland-Russia frontier – and raises the stakes for security in Europe.
Zelenskyy: Poland to help form coalition to supply warplanes to Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Poland will help form a coalition of Western powers to supply warplanes to Ukraine, as it did with battle tanks.
The Ukrainian leader, in a speech on a square in Warsaw, said that Russia would not defeat Europe while Ukraine and Poland are standing “shoulder to shoulder”.
Ukraine says situation at the front is completely under control
Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Malyar says the situation at the front was “completely under control” despite repeated Russian attempts to take Bakhmut and other cities in eastern Ukraine.
Malyar wrote on Telegram that Ukrainian soldiers were repelling dozens of attacks a day around Bakhmut, Lyman, Avdiivka and Marinka.
Poland’s President Duda says Russia committed war crimes in Ukraine
Polish President Andrzej Duda says Russia has committed war crimes in Ukraine which must be punished.
“[Ukraine] could not be intimidated even though the targets of attacks are civilian facilities, hospitals, kindergartens … these are war crimes that must be brought to justice and the criminals must be punished,” Andrzej Duda said.
The Polish leader made the claim during a visit to Warsaw by his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Allianz will not renew Nord Stream 1 insurance policy
Insurer Allianz says it does not intend to renew a policy for the Nord Stream 1 project when it expires in late 2023.
Allianz said it was part of an insurance consortium that provided coverage for the pipeline’s four European-based minority shareholders.
“The policy will expire in late 2023, is not currently up for renewal, and Allianz does not intend to renew this policy,” it said in a statement on its website.
World Aquatics sets up task force to explore Russia, Belarus readmission
World Aquatics said it has established a task force to explore the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international competition as neutrals, adding that it supports the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) stance on the matter.
The IOC issued recommendations last week for athletes from Russia and Belarus to return to international competition since their ban last year following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow calls a “special military operation”.
“The World Aquatics Bureau approved the establishment of a task force to explore a potential pathway for athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport to participate in future international aquatics events as individual neutral athletes,” the body said in a statement.
Table tennis, fencing, judo and taekwondo are among the Olympic sports which have readmitted athletes from the two countries as neutrals.
Latvia brings back conscription in response to Ukraine invasion
Latvia’s parliament has passed legislation that will reintroduce mandatory military service in response to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Military service is to be gradually reintroduced from the middle of this year onwards, initially on a voluntary basis. It will become compulsory as of next year.
“Since Russia’s brutal large-scale attack on Ukraine, we have been living in a new geopolitical reality,” Defence Minister Inara Murniece said.
Latvia had abolished compulsory military service in 2007, transforming its armed forces into a professional army supported by a volunteer force.
The Baltic country shares a border with Russia as well as Belarus, one of the Kremlin’s allies.
Russia says it will ignore media lobbying for release of arrested US reporter
Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova says Moscow will ignore a letter from media groups urging the release of a US reporter accused of spying because they have not shown the same regard for a Russian pro-war blogger killed by a bomb.
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was detained in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg last week and remanded in custody for two months in a closed court hearing, to protests from the United States, the European Union and his employer and fellow journalists.
“Why on earth should we issue a reaction to the letter if we see their absolute hypocrisy?” Zakharova said.
She said Vladlen Tatarsky had also been a journalist, “but I haven’t seen any reaction, either collective or individual, from any of those who signed this letter. And if I’m honest, this appeal has completely lost any significance for me.”
Western intelligence agencies involved in ‘sabotage’, says Putin
Putin says there was reason to believe Western intelligence agencies were involved in what he said were sabotage and “terrorist acts” carried out by Ukraine.
In a meeting of the Kremlin’s Security Council with the heads of the four Ukrainian regions that Moscow said it had annexed last year, Putin accused Ukraine of committing crimes against Russian administrators, security personnel, journalists and teachers with the help of Western intelligence services.
“There is every reason to say that the resources of third countries, Western intelligence services, are engaged in the preparation of such sabotage and acts of terrorism,” Putin said.
Russia frequently accuses Ukraine of killing civilians with shelling in parts of Ukraine that Russia controls and in Russian border regions close to Ukraine.
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 406
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US looking into ‘wrongful detention’ label for arrested WSJ reporter
The US is working through the process to determine whether Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich’s arrest is “wrongful”, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, adding it would soon be completed.
“It’s something that we’re working through very deliberately, but expeditiously, as well. And I’ll let that process play out,” Blinken said in a news conference in Brussels.
“In my own mind, there’s no doubt that he’s being wrongfully detained by Russia, which is exactly what I said to Foreign Minister Lavrov when I spoke to him over the weekend and insisted that Evan be released immediately,” Blinken said.
The “wrongfully detained” designation means the responsibility for the case would be transferred from the Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs to the office of the Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, raising the issue’s political profile and allowing the government to allocate more resources to securing Gershkovich’s release.
Last week, Russia’s FSB security service said it had arrested Gershkovich and accused him of gathering information about a Russian defence company that was a state secret.
Zelenskyy thanks Poland for its ‘historic help’
Zelenskyy thanked Poland for its “historic” help, saying it should become a key partner in the vast reconstruction effort needed once Russia’s invasion ends, during a state visit to Warsaw.
Warsaw has positioned itself as one of Kyiv’s staunchest allies, leading in persuading sometimes reluctant allies to provide it with heavy weaponry.
President Andrzej Duda awarded his Ukrainian counterpart the Order of the White Eagle, Poland’s highest honour.
“You have stood shoulder to shoulder with us, and we are grateful for it,” Zelenskyy said after receiving the award.
“I believe that these are historic relations, a historic result, and historic strength between our countries.”
Duda said he was confident that Ukraine would emerge victorious from the conflict.
“We have no doubt that your conduct combined with the heroism of Ukrainian soldiers saved Ukraine,” he said
“We have no doubt that your conduct is saving Europe from a deluge of Russian imperialism.”
China seeks to start a dialogue between Ukraine, Russia: Analyst
Einar Tangen, a senior fellow of Taihe Institute, said China wants to start a dialogue between Ukraine and Russia before meeting French President Emmanuel Macron and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen.
“From China’s perspective, you have to engage in dialogue, and right now, since there is none, they want to start one. There are real concerns in Beijing that this thing [war] is going out of control; with nuclear weapons being mentioned, [and] being positioned, this is not the way to go,” Tangen said.
“They’re very concerned that if Russia feels completely backed into a corner, it will strike out if it has no other alternatives.”
From the perspective of China, Tangen explained, the EU is one of the “biggest losers” in the conflict besides the two warring nations but that the bloc is “the most logical partner to begin a process which is about diplomacy, not bombs.”
EU, Russia relations ‘seriously degraded’: Putin
Putin told the EU’s ambassador, Roland Galharague, at a Kremlin ceremony that relations between Russia and the bloc had “seriously degraded” and that the EU had begun a “confrontation” with Russia.
“The European Union initiated a geopolitical confrontation with Russia,” Putin said.
The Russian leader also urged Denmark to support Russia’s proposal to establish an independent international commission to investigate the blasts that ruptured the Nord Stream undersea pipelines bringing gas from Russia to Germany last September.
In his opening remarks, Putin said Russia was open to constructive partnership with every country and would not isolate itself, despite the complex situation in the world.
Relations between Russia and the West were already severely strained before it began what it calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine, but have worsened since then.
US responsible for deteriorating relations, says Putin
Putin told the new US ambassador they were responsible for a dramatic deterioration in relations since Russia sent its armed forces into Ukraine last year.
The ambassador was among 17 who formally presented their diplomatic credentials to Putin at a televised ceremony in the Kremlin.
Putin told new US ambassador Lynne Tracy that US support for a revolution in Ukraine in 2014 had led to the current situation where Russia and Ukraine were in conflict.
He said relations were in “a deep crisis” that was “based on fundamentally different approaches to the formation of the modern world order”.
“Dear Madam Ambassador, I know you may not agree, but I cannot but say that the United States’ use … of such tools as support for the so-called ‘colour revolutions’, support in this regard for the coup in Kyiv in 2014, ultimately led to today’s Ukrainian crisis,” Putin said.
Russia-China nuclear statement amounts to ’empty promises’: NATO chief
Russia’s announcement that it will station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus shows that a Russia-China joint statement amounted to “empty promises”, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s announcement about Belarus came days after Russia and China jointly declared that countries should not deploy nuclear weapons outside their borders, Stoltenberg told reporters at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
He said this showed such statements are “empty promises and what we need to watch closely is what Russia is doing”.
However, Stoltenberg said NATO had not seen any signs that Russia was following through on Putin’s announcement.
Poland to seek security guarantees for Kyiv at NATO summit
Polish President Andrzej Duda says Warsaw will seek additional security guarantees for Kyiv at a NATO summit in July as he hosted Zelenskyy.
“Today, we are trying to get for Ukraine … additional guarantees, security guarantees, which will strengthen Ukraine’s military potential,” Duda told reporters following talks with Zelenskyy, adding that Poland supports full NATO membership for Ukraine.
Duda also handed over four MiG-29 fighters to Kyiv and said the transfer of four more fighter jets is in the process.
‘Corresponding decisions’ will be taken in Bakhmut: Zelenskyy
Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy says the situation in Bakhmut is really difficult and that the “corresponding decisions” would be taken if Kyiv’s troops’ risk being encircled by Russian forces.
Zelenskyy told a news conference in Poland that protecting soldiers’ lives was the most important thing to him.
China has a ‘major role’ in Ukraine’s peace process – France
France’s Macron says China has a “major role” to play in finding a path to peace in Ukraine during the first speech of his three-day visit to Beijing.
Speaking at a gathering of the French community in Beijing, Macron said France would seek to work with China “in this shared responsibility for peace and stability” in Ukraine.
“China, with its close relationship with Russia, which has been reaffirmed in recent days, can play a major role,” he said.
Speaking to journalists after his remarks, Macron said, “We have decided since the beginning of the conflict to help the victim, and we have also made it very clear that anyone helping the aggressor would be an accomplice in breach of international law.”
Macron is expected to meet his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, on Thursday.
Anyone helping Russia would become an ‘accomplice’: France
French President Emmanuel Macron says that anyone helping the “aggressor”, Russia, in the Ukraine conflict would become an “accomplice”.
Speaking to journalists following his first speech in China after arriving for a three-day visit, Macron said, “We have decided since the beginning of the conflict to help the victim, and we have also made it very clear that anyone helping the aggressor would be an accomplice in breach of international law.”
Turkey will discuss Ukraine war with Lavrov during visit
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu says he will discuss developments in the Ukraine war with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov during his visit to Turkey this week.
Speaking to reporters, Cavusoglu said Ankara is working with the United Nations to solve issues regarding grain and fertiliser exports via the Black Sea.
Cavusoglu added he was concerned about the warring parties’ preparations for further attacks.
Belarus announces military exercises from April 5-7
Belarus says it will hold a military exercise from April 5-7 at the Brestsky training ground near the border with Ukraine and Poland.
“A tactical exercise will be held at the Brestsky training ground with one of the units of the anti-aircraft missile regiment of the Air Force and Air Defence Forces,” the Belarusian Ministry of Defence said in a statement.
It said the unit would have to decide to move and march to a new positional area, deploy the division into battle formations and take up combat duty as part of the exercise.
“The tasks will have to be solved in the conditions of constant active radio-electronic interference, the impact of sabotage and reconnaissance groups and the use of UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles],” the statement said.
Finland accession proves Russia is no longer a ‘political player’: Adviser
Ukrainian presidential adviser, Mikhail Podolyak, says Finland’s accession into the NATO military alliance proves that Russia is no longer a “global political player”.
Podolyak tweeted, “Fast accession of Finland to NATO ultimately nullifies the role of RF [Russian Federation] as a global political player. Next goes mandatory demilitarisation, denuclearisation, destruction of pro-Russian economic and information lobby, self-isolation and hysterical whining of offended propagandists.”
Fast accession of Finland to #NATO ultimately nullifies the role of RF as a global political player. Next goes mandatory demilitarization, denuclearization, destruction of pro-Russian economic and information lobby, self-isolation and hysterical whining of offended propagandists.
— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) April 5, 2023
Turkey, US discuss Sweden’s NATO bid
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has discussed Sweden’s NATO bid and developments regarding Ankara’s purchase of F-16 fighter jets with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.
Cavusoglu met Blinken on the sidelines of a NATO meeting in Brussels, during which alliance members welcomed Finland to the bloc.
Poland’s agriculture minister steps down following protests
Poland’s agriculture minister says he is stepping down following protests by farmers over Ukrainian grain exports, which they say are driving down market prices.
Henryk Kowalczyk said the EU’s recent proposal to extend the duty-free import of Ukrainian grains had prompted his decision to resign.
“It shows very clearly that this basic demand of the farmers will not be met by the Commission,” Kowalczyk told journalists while declining to take any questions.
His resignation comes the day Zelenskyy visits Poland, where he will meet Polish officials and speak to crowds.
According to Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, the imports of grain and other agricultural products from Ukraine will be discussed during the talks.