live blog
Status: 04.03.2022 01:20 a.m
Russian soldiers are apparently advancing on the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. The US grants temporary protection status to Ukrainians. The developments in the live blog.
1:10 a.m
Access to independent media restricted in Russia
The websites of Facebook and several independent media outlets are partially unavailable in Russia. During the night, the non-governmental organization GlobalCheck and journalists from the AFP news agency discovered access problems on the Facebook websites, as well as the Deutsche Welle, Medusa, RFE-RL and the BBC’s Russian-language service.
The Russian authorities have massively tightened their crackdown on critical voices in the media since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine. The independent radio station Echo Moskvy (Moscow Echo), for example, announced its dissolution on Thursday after being banned from broadcasting for its coverage of the invasion of Ukraine. The independent television channel Dozhd was also banned.
After the invasion of Ukraine, Russian media were instructed to only use official information from the Russian authorities for their reporting. Terms such as “attack” or “invasion” in connection with the invasion of Ukraine are prohibited.
After fleeing abroad: the editor-in-chief of the Russian channel “Doschd-TV” in conversation
3/3/2022 10:54 p.m
12:53 a.m
Russian soldiers are apparently advancing on nuclear power plants
Russian soldiers are apparently advancing on the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. According to the local administration, up to 100 Russian military vehicles are approaching the nuclear power plant near the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhia.
The mayor of the nearby town of Energoda said gunshots could be heard. There are also reports of fires at or near the nuclear power plant. However, this could not be verified at first.
The Ukrainian ambassador Andrei Melnyk told the “Bild” that the nuclear power plant is no longer under Ukrainian control. There was initially no official confirmation of this. Russia had already informed the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna that Russian units had taken control of the area around the nuclear power plant on the Dnipro River.
conflicting 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 conflict parties cannot be directly checked by an independent body.
12:11 a.m
Ukrainians in the US get provisional protection status
The US is granting temporary protection status to Ukrainians in the face of the Russian attack on their country. The regulation is initially limited to one and a half years, as the Department of Homeland Security announced. Ukrainians who are in the USA can stay in the country and do not have to fear deportation.
Russia’s “planned and unprovoked attack on Ukraine has resulted in an ongoing war and senseless violence, and Ukrainians are being forced to seek refuge in other countries,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said. The US is therefore offering support and protection to Ukrainians in the country. The EU states agreed on a common protection status for war refugees from Ukraine on Thursday. This means that refugees from Ukraine can stay in the EU for up to three years without applying for asylum.
12:09 a.m
CDU sets conditions for approval of Bundeswehr special funds
CDU General Secretary Mario Czaja has set conditions for his party’s approval of the special fund of 100 billion euros for the Bundeswehr. The traffic light coalition wants to anchor the special fund in the Basic Law. “The proposal must contain a clear purpose for the 100 billion package. The funds must not be used for deviating, irrelevant investments,” said the CDU politician to the editorial network Germany.
In addition, the CDU wanted to be involved in the specific design of the special fund. Czaja added: “The CDU not only wants to talk about the results, but also about the intermediate steps”. However, the Union is aware of its state-political responsibility and ready to support the necessary amendment to the Basic Law for the 100 billion euro special fund.
12:07 a.m
London emphasizes cooperation with EU
Before attending the meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on the Ukraine war, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss stressed the need for her country to work closely with the EU. “It is crucial that Britain and our allies maintain a strong and united front against Russian aggression and speak with one voice,” Truss said.
In Brussels, the conservative Briton also wants to hold talks in the group of G7 foreign ministers and in the NATO group. Since Brexit, members of the British government have often distanced themselves from the EU in their public statements and emphasized the status of Great Britain as a separate, independent country. Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, however, the tone in London has changed and there is a greater emphasis on solidarity with Western allies.