Poland wants German patriots to stay longer + Russians disagree over “Nazi” justification

Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak has spoken out in favor of keeping the German Patriot air defense systems in Poland for a longer period of time. According to reports from the PAP news agency, he justified this on Friday evening in Ramstein with current developments in Russia’s war against Ukraine.

There are two main arguments for this, he explained: “The war in Ukraine is still going on, so the threat is still real. Secondly, Poland is the main hub when it comes to supporting Ukraine.” Western armaments would be delivered there mainly through Poland. The German Patriots are part of the air defense system necessary for protection.

In his statement, Blaszczak also referred to reports in the German media that German Patriot systems would only remain stationed in Poland until June and in Slovakia until the end of the year.

However, the German Ministry of Defense qualified these reports on Friday. A spokesperson refers to the original plans. Ongoing plans will be coordinated with NATO partners.

The Polish Defense Minister was initially skeptical about the stationing of the German Patriot in Poland. Germany had offered this to Poland in November 2022 after parts of a Ukrainian anti-missile fell on Polish territory, killing two people. Blaszczak initially rejected the offer and suggested stationing the German patriots directly in Ukraine. (sda/dpa)

Russia is struggling to maintain one of its main justifications for waging an aggressive war against Ukraine, Britain said. The Russian state is struggling with consistency in its core narrative that the invasion of Ukraine parallels the Soviet experience of World War II, Britain’s defense ministry said on Twitter on Saturday. Contrary to the Kremlin’s portrayal of Russia wanting to “denazify” Ukraine, the head of Wagner’s private army, Yevgeny Prigozhin, has recently publicly questioned whether there really were “Nazis” in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Russian authorities continue to try to unite the public in their country around polarizing myths about the 1940s, the British wrote. In mid-April, the state news agency Ria Nowosti reported “unique” documents from the archives of the domestic secret service FSB, according to which the Nazis were involved in the murder of 22,000 Poles in the Katyn massacre in 1940. In reality, the forerunner of the secret service, the NKVD, is responsible for this. In 2010, Russia’s State Duma officially condemned Soviet dictator Josef Stalin for ordering the killings.

The alleged liberation of Ukraine from “fascists” and “Nazis” is one of Russia’s main declarations of war. Moscow claims that the Kiev government is controlled by “Nazis”.

Since the start of Russia’s offensive war against Ukraine, the British Ministry of Defense has been publishing daily updates on the course of the war. Citing intelligence information, the British government wants to both contradict the Russian narrative and keep allies in line. Moscow accuses London of a targeted disinformation campaign. (sda/dpa)

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has warned of a nuclear accident due to escalating hostilities around the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine. “I saw clear signs of military preparations in the area when I visited the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant three weeks ago,” IAEA director Rafael Grossi said Friday, according to a statement from the agency. Since then, nuclear experts stationed on site have repeatedly recorded explosions in the immediate vicinity of the plant, the Argentine added.

He was “deeply concerned” about the current situation. The precarious situation requires further pressure so that the facility is not fired upon and not used as a starting point for attacks. Grossi announced that he would continue to negotiate with the Russians and Ukrainians on this matter.

The power plant was occupied by troops loyal to Moscow shortly after the start of the Russian offensive war 14 months ago. After the shelling, the power station had to be supplied with diesel generators several times via an emergency power supply. For safety reasons, the nuclear power plant has now been put into cold operation and the reactors have been shut down. Nevertheless, a nuclear accident in the event of a hit cannot be ruled out.

Fears have increased because of the expected Ukrainian offensive to reclaim its own territory. The Zaporizhia region is considered one of the possible punches. (sda/dpa)

Against the backdrop of the expected Kiev counter-offensive, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj reported on the creation of new military units. “We are also actively preparing new brigades and units that will prove themselves at the front,” the 45-year-old said in his daily video address on Friday. In his meetings with the General Staff, the point is to make all resources available for the liberation of Ukraine from Russian occupation.

“All of us in Ukraine must understand that the main task of the state is to liberate our territories, to bring back our land and our people from Russian captivity.” State resources would primarily be used for this, according to the head of state. The front has top priority, he emphasized.

He also thanked Western partners who are helping Ukraine defend itself as part of the Ramstein format. “Your determination fully corresponds to the real situation and needs on the battlefield,” Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine has been resisting Russian attacks and occupation for nearly 14 months and is largely dependent on Western support for military equipment. On Friday, the Western Allies discussed further aid in Ramstein, Rhineland-Palatinate. (sda/dpa)