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Ukraine updates: Zelenskyy praises Germany’s ‘determination’
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Ukraine’s president thanked German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for providing air defense systems to protect cities from Russian strikes. Meanwhile, the US is to announce an aid package worth $300 million. DW has the latest.
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Volodymyr Zelenskyy shaking hands with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz
Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he spoke to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on a phone call and thanked him for providing air defense systemsImage: Ina Fassbender/AP Photo/picture alliance
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has praised the “determination” of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in providing aid to the war torn country.
Zelenskyy, in his nightly video message, said he spoke to Scholz by phone and thanked him for providing air defense systems that were crucial in saving the lives of many Ukrainians from attacks by Russia.
“And I thank Olaf, Mr. Chancellor, for his personal determination, which in many ways becomes the determination for all of Europe,” he continued in the video message.
“The Russian terror must be defeated every day and every night, in the skies of every Ukrainian city and village,” he said.
Germany’s initial hesitance to provide military aid to Ukraine drew flak. But Berlin has since changed its stance and has started providing Ukraine with heavy battle tanks and air defense systems.
Zelenskyy said the air defense systems were key to his defense policy. He said that so far Germany has provided the Ukraine military with aid worth €3 billion ($3.21 billion).
Putin blames Ukraine for Moscow drone attack
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Here are some of the other developments concerning Russia’s war in Ukraine on Wednesday, May 31:
Russian governor says Ukrainian drone sparks refinery fire
The governor of Russia’s Krasnodar region says a drone was the likely cause of a fire that broke
out at the Afipsky oil refinery.
Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said on the Telegram messaging app that the fire was soon extinguished and there were no casualties.
Meanwhile, Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said Ukrainian forces had shelled the Russian town of Shebekino, damaging buildings and setting vehicles on fire.
On Monday, Gladkov said two industrial facilities in the town, some 7 kilometers (4.5 miles) north of the border with Ukraine, had been hit. The governor on Saturday said he himself had come under artillery fire when trying to enter the town.
Russian officials say five killed in Luhansk
Russian administrators in Ukraine’s Luhansk region say at least five people were killed and 19 wounded in a nighttime bombardment that they blamed on Ukraine.
“The strike on the village of Karpaty by Ukrainian armed groups… killed five and wounded 19,” the Russian security authorities posted on Telegram.
They said a poultry farm and temporary accommodation for workers were damaged in the attack on Karpaty, 35 kilometers (22 miles) west of Luhansk city.
Russia, Ukraine evade watchdog’s rules for protecting Zaporizhzhia plant
Rafael Grossi, the chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has proposed five principles to prevent damage to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant that has been occupied by Russian-backed forces.
“There should be no attack of any kind from or against the plant, in particular targeting the reactors, spent fuel storage, other critical infrastructure, or personnel,” Grossi said at the UN Security Council in New York.
However, both Ukraine and Russia have not committed to the proposed guidelines.
Russia said it will do all it can to protect the power plant, but it did not commit to the proposal.
Ukraine, on the other hand, said the principles “must be complemented with the demand of full demilitarization and deoccupation of the station.”
Repeated military encounters near Zaporizhzhia, which is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, have stoked fears of a nuclear disaster.
The UN nuclear chief this week described the situation at Zaporizhzhia as “extremely fragile and dangerous.”
The six units of the power plant have been shut down but the nuclear material must continue to be cooled. Grossi also asked for external power supply for the plant.
Missile hits Zaporizhzhia apartment building
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Ukraine is working with BAE to produce weapons: Zelenskyy
Ukraine is collaborating with major British defense company BAE Systems to set up a Ukrainian weapons production unit, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
“It is indeed a massive manufacturer of weaponry, the kind of weaponry that we need now and will continue to need,” Zelenskyy said in a video after holding talks with senior BAE officials, including Chief Executive Charles Woodburn.
“We are working on establishing a suitable base in Ukraine for production and repair. This encompasses a wide range of weaponry, from tanks to artillery,” he added.
Earlier in the day, he said that both the parties had agreed to open a BAE office in Ukraine.
US set to announce new aid package worth $300 million
The United States is expected to announce a new aid package this week that will total up to $300 million and include weapons for drones, US officials said.
The new aid package comes at a crucial point in the war. On Tuesday, unmanned aircraft attacked Moscow, with the Kremlin blaming Kyiv.
Ukraine, however, did not make any direct comment about the attack.
The White House said it did not support attacks inside of Russia and that it was still gathering information on the incident.
The attack came after Russia captured the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut after a 9-month battle.
US officials have said the incident would not affect the aid package. They also did not provide more details about the drone ammunition reportedly included in the aid package.
EU announces sanctions over Moldova destabilization
The European Council has announced sanctions against seven politicians and businessmen with Moldovan or Russian citizenship.
The EU alleged the individuals attempted to destabilize the Republic of Moldova on behalf of Russia through indirect actions like planning violent demonstrations or unauthorized capital exports.
The sanctions imposed travel bans to and through the European Union.
“Moldova is one of the countries most affected by the consequences of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. There are serious, intensified and persistent attempts to destabilize the country,” said EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell.
The legal framework for such sanctions was created by the EU in April at Moldova’s request.
‘By defending itself, Ukraine is defending Moldova’
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mf/nm (dpa, AP, Reuters)
