CONFLICTSUKRAINE
Ukraine updates: Germany says Patriots delivered to Kyiv
Published 3 hours agoPublished 3 hours agolast updated 28 minutes agolast updated 28 minutes ago
The Patriot system is used to combat enemy aircraft, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. Meanwhile, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. DW has the latest.
https://p.dw.com/p/4QH2h
Germany has delivered a Patriot defense system to Ukraine, according to an official German government website.
The Patriot system is used to combat enemy aircraft, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.
The US and Germany each agreed to provide Kyiv with one of the systems.
German press agency dpa cited a German military source as saying that Ukrainian soldiers received training by Germany and the US in a NATO country where joint drills were held.
Here are some of the other notable developments concerning Russia’s war in Ukraine on Wednesday, April 19:
Ukraine reports overnight drone attack in Odesa
Ukrainian authorities reported an overnight aerial drone attack on the southern port of Odesa early on Wednesday, but said there were no immediate reports of casualties.
“At night, the enemy carried out an attack by UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles] of the Shahed-136 type on the Odesa region,” Yuriy Kruk, head of the Odesa district military administration, said in a statement on Telegram.
Kruk said that air defenses had shot down most of the incoming drones but that some civilian infrastructure was hit.
“According to preliminary information, there were no casualties,” he said. “Measures are being taken to contain the fire, units of the State Emergency Service and other structures are working on the scene.”
The Shahed-136 is a small Iranian-made self-detonating drone that can be programmed to fly into targets carrying a payload of explosives. Western intelligence agencies believe it is in fairly widespread use in Ukraine following reports last November of a shared manufacture deal.
International sanctions on high-tech equipment have limited Russia’s capacity to replace its own drones once they’re shot down. Many underlying technologies in Russia’s more advanced weapons systems rely on imported materials.
The Black Sea port of Odesa was a popular holiday destination before last February’s invasion and has been bombed several times during the war. In January, the UN’s cultural agency UNESCO labeled the historic old city center as a World Heritage in Danger site.
Brazil’s Lula condemns Russian invasion
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has voiced his condemnation of Russia’s “violation of territorial integrity.”
He went on to say that Brazil defends “a negotiated political solution to the conflict.”
The comments come after a recent trip to China, during which Lula accused Washington of “encouraging the war” in Ukraine and urged for outside mediation between Kyiv and Moscow. On Monday, Lula met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Brasilia.
“Brazil is parroting Russian and Chinese propaganda without looking at all the facts,” US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said of Lula’s comments on Monday.
On Tuesday, Lula’s foreign policy adviser, Celso Amorim, called criticism of the Brazilian president’s position on Ukraine “absurd.”
“We have several points of convergence (with Russia), but at various times Brazil condemned… the invasion of Ukraine,” he said.
Zelenskyy, Putin visit troops
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Russian-installed Donetsk leader meets with Belarus’ Lukashenko
The Russian-installed leader of Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, Denis Pushilin, has met with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko to discuss trade.
Ukraine called the meeting a “blatantly unfriendly act” on the part of Belarus. It urged Minsk to cease “destructive steps” and said it was recalling its ambassador to Belarus.
Belarus is a close ally of Russia and served as a staging ground for the start of the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Pushilin said he was interested in importing quarry equipment, tractors, buses, building products and furniture. His region was ready to export grain to Belarus, he said, and would continue sending sunflower seeds.
Switzerland reiterates refusal to allow arms exports to Ukraine
Swiss President Alain Berset has reaffirmed Switzerland’s refusal to allow countries to deliver Swiss arms to Ukraine.
Berset made the comments following a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Berset said: “You can’t ask us to break our own laws.”
He said that Swiss neutrality laws prevented Bern from providing military support to either side of the conflict.
“It is important that we stick to the rules and adapt them if necessary,” he said.
Germany, Denmark and Spain have requested an exception to allow them to export Swiss arms to Ukraine, which Switzerland says would contravene its War Material Act.
Swiss President Alain Berset shakes hands with German Chancellor Olaf ScholzSwiss President Alain Berset shakes hands with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz
Swiss President Alain Berset met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin, with Ukraine on the agendaImage: Kay Nietfeld/dpa/picture alliance
Scholz said he hoped that Switzerland would change its policy on the export of Swiss arms to Ukraine.
“We know that Ukraine needs support with weapons and munitions and therefore there have been several requests from Germany,” he said.
“We have acknowledged the decisions taken so far and are following the very lively debate in Switzerland closely and hope that something happens there.”
sdi/wd (AFP, dpa, Reuters, AP)
