Ukraine updates: Diplomat condemns German peace appeal
Ukraine's ambassador to Germany has criticized an appeal by former prominent members of Germany's Social Democrats that urged a cease-fire with Russia. He reiterated Kyiv's call for total Russian withdrawal from Ukraine. Ukraine's ambassador to Germany has criticized an appeal by former prominent members of Germany's Social Democrats that urged a cease-fire with Russia. Oleksii Makeiev argued that the appeal functioned to conceal Russian war crimes and Moscow's responsibility for the invasion. Meanwhile, an intelligence update by the British Defense Ministry claims that non-combat issues, including alcohol consumption, have been the cause of many deaths among Russian troops in Ukraine. Ukraine's Sports Minister Vadym Huttsait also reiterated his calls for Russian athletes to be excluded from the Olympics and other international competitions. Poland has also expressed interest in increasing its involvement in nuclear deterrence as part of the NATO military alliance.
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Ukraine's ambassador to Germany has criticized an appeal by former prominent members of Germany's Social Democrats that urged a cease-fire with Russia. He reiterated Kyiv's call for total Russian withdrawal from Ukraine.
Ukraine's ambassador to Germany, Oleksii Makeiev, has criticized calls for a cease-fire with Russia in an interview with Germany's dpa news agency.
The diplomat was responding to a peace appeal made by formerly prominent members of Germany's Social Democrats (SPD), which currently heads Germany's coalition government, and former labor leaders.
The appeal, titled "Make Peace!", called on Berlin to join Paris in appealing to countries, including Brazil, China, India and Indonesia, to mediate a cease-fire.
Earlier this year, Beijing published a list of 12-point set of proposals on resolving the conflict in Ukraine. China has avoided condemning Russia's invasion in an effort to position itself as a neutral mediator, while also vowing a "no limits" partnership with Moscow.
"[A cease-fire in Ukraine] would be a necessary step to end the killing and to sound out opportunities for peace. Only then can the path be paved towards a joint security order for Europe," the "Make Peace" appeal said.
"This appeal for peace is not an April Fool's joke," Makeiev told dpa. "It's pure cynicism with respect to the many victims of Russian aggression."
Makeiev argued that the appeal functioned to conceal Russian war crimes and Moscow's responsibility for the invasion. He asserted that peace can only be achieved if Russia withdraws troops from Ukrainian territory.
Here are some of the other notable developments concerning Russia's war in Ukraine on Sunday, April 2:
An intelligence update by the British Defense Ministry claims that non-combat issues, including alcohol consumption, have been the cause of many deaths among Russian troops in Ukraine.
"While Russia has suffered up to 200,000 casualties since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a significant minority of these have been due to non-combat causes," it said.
It cited a Russian Telegram news channel report of "extremely high" incidence of crimes and deaths linked to alcohol consumption among Russian soldiers.
"However, with heavy drinking pervasive across much of Russian society, it has long been seen as a tacitly accepted part of military life, even on combat operations," the UK ministry said.
Other non-combat issues claiming the lives of Russian troops included poor handling of weapons, road accidents and hypothermia, according to the report.
Ukrainian Sports Minister Vadym Huttsait says that Moscow's invasion has killed 262 Ukrainian athletes.
The minister said that 363 sports facilities in Ukraine have been destroyed over the course of the war.
The Reuters news agency said that it could not independently verify the claim.
Huttsait also reiterated Kyiv's calls for Russian athletes to be excluded from the Olympics and other international competitions.
"They all support this war and attend events held in support of this war," Huttsait said.
The International Olympic Committee has recommended the return of Belarusian and Russian athletes as neutral players without a flag or anthem, a proposal bitterly opposed by Ukrainian authorities.
6 killed in Russian shelling near Bakhmut — Ukrainian official
Six civilians have been killed and eight injured in Russian shelling in the eastern Ukrainian settlement of Kostiantynivka, said Andriy Yermak, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's chief of staff.
The town, which lies 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) from the embattled city of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, had a population of around 70,000 before the start of Russia's invasion in February 2022.
Yermak said that "massive shelling" by Russian forces had damaged 16 apartment buildings, eight private houses, a kindergarten and an administrative building in the town.
The Reuters news agency said it could not verify the reports of casualties.
Polish security official Jacek Siewiera said that Poland could consider increasing its involvement in nuclear deterrence as part of the NATO military alliance in an interview for the German Press Agency (dpa).
Siewiera is a security advisor to Polish President Andrzej Duda. Last October, Duda also expressed interest in expanding Warsaw's participation in NATO's nuclear planning group.
The comments come after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. Belarus borders both Poland and Ukraine.
"Poland would potentially be ready to increase its involvement and cooperation in the framework of NATO nuclear deterrence and assume responsibilities — but deployment of nuclear weapons is something different," Siewiera said.
The US has stationed nuclear weapons in several European countries in a NATO framework known as "nuclear sharing." Poland's involvement has so far been limited.
EU to 'stand against' Russian abuse of UN Security Council — Borrell
The European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said the bloc will work to prevent any abuse of the UN Security Council's presidency by Moscow.
Russia assumed the rotating presidency of the UN body on Saturday.
"Despite being a permanent member of the Security Council, Russia continuously violates the very essence of the UN legal framework," Borrell argued.
"The EU will stand against any abuse by (the) Russian presidency," he declared.
Russia 'biggest force against humanity of our time' — Zelenskyy
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised Ukrainian forces for pushing back Russian troops from areas around the capital Kyiv a year ago.
He said that Ukraine had "stopped the biggest force against humanity of our time."
Ukraine has accused Russia of committing war crimes in settlements near Kyiv such as Bucha and Irpin.
"You have stopped a force that despises everything and wants to destroy everything that gives people meaning," the Ukrainian head of state said.
Temas: Ukraine, Russia-Ukraine War