Foreign Minister Baerbock sends a clear message to dictator Putin. Meanwhile, fighting continues in eastern Ukraine. More information in the news blog.
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Humanitarian stay in Germany for around 2,000 Russian citizens
6 o’clock: Since Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine began two years ago, around 2,000 Russian citizens and their family members have received a visa for Germany due to an individual risk. As can be seen from an answer from the Federal Government to a written question from MP Clara Bünger (Left), such a residence permit has been issued to 2,035 people from Russia for international law or urgent humanitarian reasons since the beginning of 2022.
According to the answer available to the German Press Agency, an average of almost 190 Russian men between the ages of 18 and 45 recently applied for asylum in Germany every month. Only a small proportion of them were recognized as entitled to asylum. According to the information, the adjusted protection rate for male Russian applicants belonging to this age group was 10.5 percent in January of this year, after around 25 percent in the previous year and almost 40 percent in the period between the start of the war on February 24, 2022 and March 31 December 2022.
The adjusted protection rate only refers to those foreigners whose asylum applications have been examined for content by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bamf). So-called formal decisions, for example because someone has withdrawn their application or another EU country is responsible for their procedure, are not included here.
More than 300,000 Ukrainians have left Germany again
5.35 a.m.: By mid-February, almost 1.143 million Ukrainian refugees were recorded in the so-called Central Register of Foreigners, around 80,000 fewer than a year ago. Of these, around 682,000 were female and around 458,000 were male. Around half of the refugees live in North Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria or Baden-Württemberg. Almost 350,000 of all refugees were minors. According to the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs, almost 219,000 children and young people from Ukraine are currently admitted to schools in Germany.
Around 321,000 refugees who came to Germany after the war no longer live here two years later. How many of them returned to Ukraine and how many now live in another country is not statistically recorded.
Baerbock to Putin before the G20 meeting: The world will not be forgotten
4:55 a.m.: Before a meeting of the group of leading and emerging economic powers (G20), Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock recalled Russian President Vladimir Putin’s responsibility for the global consequences of the war of aggression against Ukraine.
“If Putin believes that after two years the world will eventually forget who is responsible for the war in Ukraine and its dramatic global consequences, he is wrong,” said the Green politician on Tuesday before departing for deliberations G20 foreign ministers in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
“We will never abandon the basic principles of the United Nations and stand firmly by Ukraine’s side – for as long as necessary and until its people can live in peace and freedom again,” the Federal Foreign Minister added to Putin.
Report: Western parts found in North Korean rocket
4.15 a.m.: The remains of a North Korean cruise missile found in Ukraine contain components from companies based in the US and Europe, according to a report. The missile made in North Korea contained more than 290 electronic parts that did not come from the country, according to the report published on Tuesday by the CAR organization, which tracks the delivery of weapons and other military material to conflict areas. Here you can read more about it.
Russia: 200,000 tons of grain delivered to African countries
3:50 a.m.: Russia says it has completed the delivery of 200,000 tons of free grain to six African countries that President Vladimir Putin promised in July. 50,000 tons each went to Somalia and the Central African Republic, and 25,000 tons each went to Mali, Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe and Eritrea, Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev said in a conversation with Putin, according to the Kremlin. Poorer countries in Africa in particular rely on grain deliveries from Ukraine. After the invasion of Ukraine, Russia promised to replace grain deliveries to Africa.
