war | Dmitry Medvedev: “All of Ukraine will burn”

Day 346 since the beginning of the war: The US sends new weapons, including long-range missiles. Allies are still holding back on Leopard deliveries. All information in the news blog.

1:11 p.m.: The Ukrainian port city of Odessa has been without electricity since Saturday morning after a major accident in the power supply system. “At one of the high-voltage substations that supply the city of Odessa with electricity, a transformer failed this morning, which was being repaired after being damaged by Russian attacks,” said the energy supplier Ukrenerho on its Telegram channel on Saturday.

According to Ukrenergo, the situation in the surrounding area is better, and the power supply is secured in most districts. The Odessa region is one of the areas hardest hit by Russian missile attacks. “All high-voltage substations in the region suffered damage,” Ukrenerho said. Although the damage could be partially repaired by backup devices, there are significant limitations in the power supply. Sudden, widespread power outages occur again and again. In addition to the port, there are numerous important industrial enterprises in Odessa.

12:55 p.m.: According to top Russian politician Dmitry Medvedev, the delivery of modern weapons from the USA to Ukraine will only trigger further retaliatory attacks by the Russian military. That applies to the nuclear doctrine, Medvedev told journalist Nadana Fridrichson, who published the quotes on her Telegram channel. “All of Ukraine that remains under Kiev’s rule will burn,” Medvedev said in the written interview.

Medvedev is the deputy chairman of the powerful National Security Council, which is headed by President Vladimir Putin. Former President Medvedev is one of the most vocal supporters of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which began almost a year ago.

12:41 p.m.: Attorney General Peter Frank has spoken out in favor of a criminal investigation of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine at international level. “Whether by the International Criminal Court or a special tribunal is ultimately a decision of the international community,” he told the “Welt am Sonntag”. But ultimately they want to hold state leaders accountable, “that is, those who made the political decision to start a war and the people who implement this decision at the highest military level.” Frank goes on to say: “In my opinion, that speaks for a reappraisal on an international level.”

11:51 am: According to information from Moscow, Russia and Ukraine have carried out the largest number of prisoner exchanges since the beginning of the year. “During a difficult negotiation process, 63 Russian soldiers were withdrawn from the territory controlled by the Kiev regime,” the Russian Defense Ministry said on its Telegram channel on Saturday. Ukraine later confirmed the exchange and return of 116 prisoners.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the freed soldiers received medical and psychological care. They could also have already contacted their relatives. Among those released were people from a “sensitive category” whose release the United Arab Emirates mediated, the statement said. The ministry did not specify whether these were high-ranking officers, mercenaries or spies. Meanwhile, the head of the presidential office in Kyiv, Andriy Yermak, gave more detailed information about the Ukrainian prisoners. 114 soldiers and non-commissioned officers plus two officers were released.

10:48 am: Portugal will deliver Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, according to Prime Minister Antonio Costa. “We are currently working on being able to hand over some of our tanks,” he told the Lusa news agency on a trip to the Central African Republic. “I don’t know how many tanks will be sent (to Ukraine), but that will be announced in due course.” Portugal is in talks with Germany to get parts from the Portuguese inventory to repair some unserviceable tanks.