Russia is fighting ‘Nazi ideology’ in Ukraine, says Putin
MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin on Friday insisted that Russia was fighting “Nazi ideology” in Ukraine in a phone call with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz .
The Russian president sent troops to the pro-Western country on February 24, saying Ukraine needed to be “demilitarised” and “de-Nazified”.
“Attention has been drawn to the continued violations of international humanitarian law by militants advocating Nazi ideology and using terrorist methods,” the Kremlin said in a readout after the call.
Putin reiterated that Moscow’s military operation was aimed at protecting the Russianspeaking population of eastern Ukraine. Putin also accused Kyiv of “blocking” peace talks.
Scholz has come under fire for arms deliveries to Ukraine deemed insufficient and Germany’s reliance on Russian energy imports.
This was followed by Ukraine’s foreign minister saying his country remains willing to engage in diplomatic talks with Russia to unblock grain supplies and achieve a political solution to the war.
But Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba says his country won’t accept ultimatums from Moscow.
Kuleba told reporters in Germany on the sidelines of a meeting on Friday of top diplomats from the Group of Seven major economies that Kyiv has received “no positive feedback” from Russia. He said the Kremlin “prefers wars to talks”.
Britain adds sanctions
Britain has added Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ex-wife and his alleged girlfriend to its sanctions list over the invasion of Ukraine.
The British government says its latest asset freezes and travel bans target the “shady network” of friends and allies who “owe Putin their wealth and power, and in turn support Putin and his war machine”.
The sanctioned individuals include Putin’s ex-wife Lyudmila Ocheretnaya; former Olympic gymnast Alina Kabaeva, who is “alleged to have a close personal relationship with Putin”, according to the government; and several businessmen who are cousins of the Russian president.
War crimes trial begins
The first trial of a Russian soldier for alleged war crimes since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine has opened in Kyiv.
The 21-year-old member of a Russian tank unit is accused of shooting to death a civilian during the war’s first week. The suspect appeared in a glass enclosure inside a small courtroom in the Ukrainian capital on Friday.
Sgt. Vadim Shyshimarin stands accused of shooting a 62-year-old man in the head. He faces up to life in prison under Ukrainian law.