live blog
Loud ARD capital studio Federal states and the Federal Ministry of the Interior want to discuss how to deal with Ukrainians subject to military service in Germany. Ukraine reports drone attacks again. All developments in the live blog.
According to information from Moscow, the Russian army has captured another village in eastern Ukraine. The Defense Ministry said troops had “completely liberated” the village of Ocheretyne in the Donetsk region. The town is around 15 kilometers northwest of the industrial city of Avdiivka, which Russia took control of in February.
After the capture of Avdiivka, Moscow’s troops gained further ground and in places advanced several kilometers deeper into Ukraine. The military repeatedly reported the capture of smaller villages in the area. Ukrainian army chief Oleksandr Syrsky admitted last week that his troops had withdrawn from a total of three towns in the Donetsk region.
Russia’s recent attacks on utility infrastructure have caused more than $1 billion in damage, according to the government in Kiev. Energy Minister German Galushchenko said that since the attacks were still ongoing, the amount would increase. The attacks were primarily aimed at thermal and hydroelectric power plants as well as the power grid. “The system is stable for now, but the situation is complicated,” explains the minister. Favorable weather conditions made it possible to rely on wind and solar power.
Since the end of March, Russia has increased its targeting of energy infrastructure facilities almost daily. This has led to power outages in many regions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has praised the role of the head of the local Greek Catholic Church, Major Archbishop Svyatoslav Shevchuk, in defending the country against Russia. In a congratulatory letter published by the Rome-affiliated church on Sunday on Shevchuk’s 54th birthday, the head of state wrote: “Many thanks to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, which, under your guidance, informed the world about the war against our country and the heroic resistance of the Ukrainian people people informed.” He also thanked him for all the prayers for the soldiers, the entire people and the victory of Ukraine.
According to Ukrainian reports, two people were killed and six others injured in Russian attacks on eastern Ukraine. In Pokrovsk, two people were killed and a house was damaged in rocket attacks, said the governor of the Donetsk region. In Kharkiv, the number of injured increased to six, according to the local governor. This also includes a girl born in 2015.
Conflict parties as a source
In the current situation, information on the course of the war, shelling and casualties provided by official bodies of the Russian and Ukrainian parties to the conflict cannot be directly verified by an independent body.
On the Orthodox Easter Vigil from Saturday to Sunday, Moscow Patriarch Kirill I called for prayers in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow for the Russian government, for Russia’s army and for all those who “lose their lives defending the fatherland.” . According to the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, the country is going through “difficult, perhaps fateful trials.” In his sermon, the patriarch called for an end to the Russian-Ukrainian war. “May the Lord end this murderous war,” said Cyril I. Unlike January 2023, he did not call for a ceasefire.
On the occasion of Orthodox Easter, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the population with a video message and appeared confident of victory. Ukrainians should pray for each other, Zelensky said in the video that shows him in front of St. Sophia Cathedral in Kiev: “God wears a badge with the Ukrainian flag on his shoulder. With such an ally, life will definitely triumph over death.” Zelensky called for prayers for the soldiers at the front and stressed that the will of Ukrainians cannot be broken. “Ukrainians only kneel in prayer,” Zelensky said. “And never from invaders and occupiers.”
Although the Ukrainian Air Force said it was able to shoot down almost all Russian drones last night, falling debris apparently caused damage in several regions of the country.
According to media reports, several people were injured and private houses were damaged in the city of Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine. According to officials, falling debris also damaged several buildings and triggered fires in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
Believers in Orthodox Christianity are celebrating Easter these days. Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz took this as an opportunity to recall the stressful situation for many families and relatives in Ukraine and to once again promise the country long-term support.
8:32 a.m
Hesse’s Interior Minister: Little chance of replacement papers for Ukrainians subject to military service
Ukrainian men between the ages of 18 and 60 living abroad should register with the military. That’s why Ukrainian passport offices have stopped issuing documents to them for two weeks and are calling for them to return home. A number of people have applied for replacement documents in Germany.
According to information from ARD capital studios The states and the Federal Ministry of the Interior will discuss on Tuesday how to deal with this. Several states confirm that a “uniform federal solution” is being sought. The aim is to make a decision at the interior ministers’ conference in June at the latest.
The issuing of replacement papers must be examined, said the Hessian Interior Minister Roman Poseck, CDU, in the “Report from Berlin”. However, there are many things that speak against it: “I’m skeptical because I don’t see that the conditions for this exist. Ukraine is not an unjust state.” The background is that such replacement documents are only issued if an application in the home country appears unreasonable.
Germany needs to think about how it can help Ukraine recruit enough personnel for the military, said Poseck. Ukraine has an understandable interest in registering all men of military age. It is important to “support Ukraine’s defense readiness,” said Poseck. At the same time, Germany wants to remain a safe haven. Poseck spoke of a “dilemma”.
Ukrainian air defense shot down 23 of 24 Russian attack drones during the night. The Air Force announced this on the short message service Telegram.
Map of Ukraine, hatched: territories occupied by Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin took part in the central service in Moscow for Orthodox Easter. At mass in the main church, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, Putin crossed himself several times and joined the congregation in the Easter greeting.
The service was led by the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill. The close ally of Putin and supporter of the war in Ukraine asked in his prayers for the protection of Russia’s “sacred borders,” according to state news agency Tass.
Russia has put Ukrainian President Zelenskyj on a wanted list. According to Russian information, Ukraine once again bombarded the Crimean peninsula with ATACMS missiles.