Russia-Ukraine updates: German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock arrives in Kyiv

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has made an unannounced visit to Kyiv, arriving on Saturday morning.

It is her second visit to Ukraine since Russia invaded.

Baerbock said her presence in the country is intended to show “that we will continue to stand by Ukraine as long as it takes — with the delivery of weapons, as well as humanitarian and financial support.”

Baerbock said her visit was meant to counter potential war fatigue in Germany. 

“It’s clear to me, (Russian President Vladimir) Putin is banking on us growing tired of sympathizing with Ukraine’s suffering,” she said. “He believes he can divide our societies with lies and blackmail them with energy supplies. And, that he can drain us of the energy to defend ourselves against this brutal attack on all of our values.” 

But Putin’s calculation was wrong, she said. “Because all of Europe knows that Ukraine is defending our peaceful order.” 

Baerbock traveled by a special night train to Kyiv from Poland on Saturday night, accompanied by a small delegation. 

She plans to meet with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, among others, although her exact schedule has been kept secret for security reasons.

Baerbock last visited Ukraine in May — a visit that included a trip to Bucha, where Russian soldiers allegedly committed civilian massacres and war crimes.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Kviy two days ago, where he promised more than $2 billion (€2 billion) of additional military aid for Ukraine and its neighbors.

Here’s a look at some of the other major news stories from Russia’s war in Ukraine on September 10. 

Moscow admits losses

In a rare acknowledgment of losses on the Russian front line, a Moscow-installed regional official said on Friday that previously Russian-held territory in the east has changed hands after a Ukrainian counteroffensive.

“The enemy is being delayed as much as possible, but several settlements have already come under the control of Ukrainian armed formations,” Vitaly Ganchev, head of the Russian-backed administration in the Kharkiv region, said on state television.

This was confirmed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who said his troops have recaptured more than 30 towns and villages in eastern Ukraine’s Kharkiv region. He added that fighting in the eastern Donbas region and the south continued unabated.

Zelenskyy said that the Ukrainian forces were carrying out active engagements in several areas. “They are doing so successfully,” he said in a video address on Friday.

Russia-backed administration claims it is trying to evacuate civilians

Vitaly Ganchev said his administration was trying to evacuate civilians from cities including Izium.

Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to President Zelenskyy, said in a YouTube video that the Russian defenders in Izium were almost isolated.

Videos released by Ukraine showed troops well inside territory that was previously held by Russia, including the city of Kupiansk, previously more than 50 kilometers (31 miles) inside Russia’s front line.

Western military experts say that this development could be a sign of turning tides and essentially mean the disruption of the Russian supply lines to the east.

“We see success in Kherson now, we see some success in Kharkiv and so that is very, very encouraging,” US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in Prague.

Russia meanwhile said that reinforcements are enroute to Kharkiv.

Ukraine investigates allegations of war crimes

Ukrainian officials exhumed two bodies in the village of Grakove as part of an investigation into possible war crimes by Russian troops, according to the AFP news agency.

Ukrainian officials exhumed two bodies in the village of Grakove as part of an investigation into possible war crimes by Russian troops

The exhumation in the Kharkiv region was carried out by Ukrainian officials and the regional police in the presence of journalists.

Village resident Sergiy Lutsay told journalists that he was forced to bury the two bodies by Russian soldiers towards the beginning of the Russian invasion in February. He added that the unidentified victims looked to be in their 30s.

The prosecutor’s office will proceed with the case after the autopsies are done.

Situation at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant becoming unstable

The situation at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is increasingly becoming critical as fresh shelling near the facility caused a blackout severely compromising its safety, the UN atomic watchdog said on Friday.

Reports said Russian troops controlling the Zaporizhzhia station killed two staff at the facility

“Shelling has caused a complete blackout in Energodar (town) and compromised the safe operation of the nearby Zaporizhzhia (plant),” International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi said on Twitter.

“This is completely unacceptable. It cannot stand,” he added.

Meanwhile, reports emerging from Europe’s largest nuclear power facility say that Russian troops controlling the station killed two staff at the Zaporizhzhia facility and detained and abused dozens of others.

“Two people were beaten to death. We do not know where abouts 10 people are now, they were taken (by the Russians) and after that we have no information about their whereabouts.” Petro Kotin, the head of Ukraine’s nuclear energy agency said Friday.

He added that about 200 people had been detained.

“The Russians look for pro-Ukrainian people and persecute them. People are psychologically broken,” he said.

A 14-member mission sent by the IAEA last week in its report called for “the immediate establishment of a nuclear safety and security protection zone” around the plant as it faces an “untenable” situation.

ss/aw (Reuters, AFP, dpa)

Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/russia-ukraine-updates-german-foreign-minister-annalena-baerbock-arrives-in-kyiv/a-63076187?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf