The people of Ukraine should “know that they can count on our solidarity and our support,” the Greens politician assured on Tuesday when he visited the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv near the Russian border, which was hard hit by the war.
During the visit to Kharkiv, which was initially kept secret for security reasons, Baerbock was accompanied by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Oleksii Makeiev. She is the first German cabinet member to travel to eastern Ukraine and long-disputed Kharkov since the start of Russia’s offensive war.
The city of over one million, which is only a good 20 kilometers from the border with Russia, has recently been the target of Russian attacks.
The aid includes winter aid with generators, fuel and blankets, as well as “other weapons supplies Ukraine needs to liberate its fellow citizens who are still suffering from the terror of the Russian occupation,” Baerbock explained. She visited the country just a few days after the German government’s decision to provide German Marder-type armored cars, which Ukraine had repeatedly requested.
Baerbock highlights Ukraine’s EU prospects
It is important to her that “even in this winter of war, we do not lose sight of Ukraine’s place in our European family,” the minister added. Ukrainians see their future in the EU. The German government wants to make concrete offers so that the country can make progress in strengthening the rule of law, independent institutions, fighting corruption and aligning with EU standards.
Because the airspace above Ukraine is still closed, Baerbock first took a special train from Poland to the capital Kiev at night. From there, along with Kuleba and her delegation, she took the regular Intercity Express 722 to Kharkiv shortly after 07:00 local time. The route is served by modern Korean trains purchased by Ukraine for the 2012 European Football Championship.
After being welcomed by Governor Oleh Synyehubov and Mayor Ihor Terekhov at the railway station in Kharkov, Baerbock first visited a destroyed substation. An employee said it had already been attacked 15 times. The energy supply infrastructure is the main target of the Russian missile strikes that have been going on for months.
Power banks for sick and injured children
In Children’s Hospital No. 16, the pastor – herself a mother of two little girls – met patients and their parents. She brought crayons and power banks as a gift – the Russian attacks often cause power cuts.
A doctor reported on the high quality of the treatment, but also on problems. “The war also affects the souls of children,” she said. The bravest people in the world lived here, Baerbock replied. She also told her daughters. She wants to show the world how strong the people of Kharkiv and especially the children are in facing this war.
The minister also got to see the northeastern district of Saltivka, which had been badly damaged in Russian attacks. In view of the Russian attacks on the infrastructure, she inspected a destroyed boiler installation, visited the boiler room of a school and spoke with employees of a combined heat and power plant. Temperatures in Kharkiv are currently dropping into double digits overnight.
In the boiler room of the school, the minister exchanged views with teachers and students of a school that had already been destroyed on February 27. The school is part of an initiative launched in 2008 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of 1800 partner schools with a special connection to Germany – the so-called Pasch schools.
Kharkiv – one of the most heavily shelled Ukrainian cities
Kharkiv is one of the most war-affected cities in Ukraine. More than 8,000 homes were damaged by artillery and rocket attacks, according to the city government. Almost every house in the Saltivka district was damaged.
But after the successful counter-offensive by the Ukrainians, the inhabitants return here and try to build a normal life despite daily air raid alarms. According to Governor Oleh Synyehubov, some 1.1 million people lived in the city again at the end of December – that’s almost 80 percent of the pre-war number.
Tuesday was the 321st day since the start of the war. Kharkiv Oblast was one of the first regions to be attacked by Russia. After the official end of the ceasefire declared by Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin on Saturday evening, explosions were reported from the Kharkiv region and one person was killed, according to Ukrainian sources. During Baerbock’s visit, there was also an air raid in Kharkiv.
The Russians were never able to settle in the Kharkov region
The Ukrainians showed the minister the Kharkiv regional administration on the central Freedom Square, which was destroyed by Russian missiles on March 1. 29 people were killed in the second largest Ukrainian city. Immediately after invading Ukraine, the Russians briefly advanced to the outskirts of the city.
However, they could not settle there and were quickly pushed out again. They were largely forced to withdraw from the Kharkiv region in September after a Ukrainian offensive pushed the Russians behind the Oskil River.
(SDA)