Numerous Easter peace marches were held throughout Germany, drawing thousands of participants who called on the government to put an end to the Ukraine war. The Peace Cooperative Network organized the rallies, which demanded an end to German arms exports to Ukraine and the expansion and rearming of the German military to be rolled back.
Around 1,500 people joined marches in Berlin, while another 1,200 took to the streets in Hanover. Additionally, several hundred demonstrators gathered in the cities of Bremen, Munich, Cologne, Mainz, and Leipzig.
According to Kristian Golla of the Network of the German Peace Movement, “Each additional day of war means more dead and injured. The federal government must finally take action and do everything in its power to bring about a ceasefire and negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.” Golla added that this year’s Easter marches would help build pressure from civil society to prompt the government to abandon its passive stance in negotiations.
The Easter rallies have been held since the 1960s and gained popularity during the 1980s as a means of opposing war and militarization. Despite Russia’s invasion last year representing a “Zeitenwende” or “change of times” for Germany, public opinion on the country’s increased defense spending in the second year of the war remains divided.
31 Ukrainian children return home
An organization in Ukraine has announced the safe return of 31 Ukrainian children from Russia. The chief of Save Ukraine group, Mykola Kuleba, described the children as being “illegally taken by Russians from occupied territories” and expressed gratitude to the heroic mothers who played a pivotal role in bringing them home. According to the rescue group, the children had been deported from the Kharviv and Kherson regions, and their rescue mission was challenging.
The war that began last year has resulted in the forceful deportation of thousands of children to Russia. UN investigators have deemed these forced transfers to be a war crime.
Pro-war Russian blogger’s funeral
A bomb explosion at a cafe in St. Petersburg killed Vladlen Tatarsky, a pro-war Russian blogger, and hundreds of mourners attended his funeral in Moscow. Some attendees wore clothing with the letters Z and V, which represent Russia’s involvement in the war in Ukraine. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner mercenary group, placed a sledgehammer near Tatarsky’s coffin, which became a symbol of the group’s brutality after videos of them attacking prisoners surfaced. Although Tatarsky was not a member of Wagner, he had fought with pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin posthumously awarded him the Order of Courage.
Tatarsky was attending a discussion at a cafe when he allegedly received a statuette containing explosives, killing him and injuring at least 40 people. Russian authorities claimed that supporters of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny assisted Ukrainian authorities in carrying out the attack, but they provided no evidence for the accusation. Darya, a 26-year-old Russian woman, was detained and charged in connection with the explosion.
Ukraine to resume electricity exports to Europe
After a six-month suspension due to Russian missile attacks on the country’s infrastructure, Ukraine is set to resume electricity exports to Europe.
According to Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko, Ukraine’s power grid has been operating without consumption restrictions for almost two months, and without relying on a power reserve.
Halushchenko stated, “The most challenging winter is behind us. The next move is to resume electricity exports, which will enable us to generate extra financial resources for the required rebuilding of damaged and destroyed electricity infrastructure.”
Although Ukraine is authorized to export up to 400 megawatts to the European energy grid, the amount of exports will be determined by Ukrainian consumers’ demands, the minister added.
Despite the conflict, Ukraine continued to export electricity to the European Union and Moldova until Russia began targeting Kyiv’s infrastructure in October.
UK Defence Ministry predicts improved energy situation in Ukraine
The UK Defense Ministry reported in its daily war briefing that Ukraine’s energy situation is likely to improve with the arrival of warmer weather. The ministry also stated that preparations for the upcoming winter have already begun, and that Russian attacks on energy infrastructure have been less frequent over the past month.
According to the ministry, “Russia’s campaign to significantly degrade Ukraine’s unified energy system (UES) during the 2022-23 winter season has probably failed.” Despite ongoing smaller-scale attacks, they are expected to have a lesser impact on the UES.
US Military documents on aiding Ukraine leaked
According to Reuters, the leak of classified US military documents revealing US and NATO aid to Ukraine was believed to be orchestrated by Russia or pro-Russian elements. The incident was blamed on Russia by three US officials.
The leaked documents were labelled as secret and date from February 23, 2023, to March 1, 2023. They offer more detailed information about weapons and equipment delivered to Ukraine than what is usually disclosed publicly by the US.
However, some anonymous US officials have claimed that the documents may have been altered to downplay the number of Russian casualties, based on their own unofficial evaluation which is separate from the official investigation into the leak.
The US Justice Department has launched a probe into the possible leak. However, some officials have speculated that the documents could have been modified or exploited as part of a disinformation campaign.
Zelenskyy insists on Crimea’s return to Ukraine
In a video message shared by his office, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy stated that there is no other option for Ukraine but to regain control of Crimea. He emphasized that international relations can only be restored to a state of respect and order once Ukraine is in control of Crimea and there is freedom in the region.
On Friday, Zelenskyy hosted an official iftar to mark the breaking of the fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The event was attended by military servicemen, officials, and diplomats, and the President expressed his hope that it would become a new tradition.
During the event, Zelenskyy criticized Russia’s treatment of the Muslim Tatar community in Crimea. Many members of this indigenous ethnic minority have fled the region due to fears of persecution, while others remain detained by Russia.
Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude to Muslims for their desire for peace and protection from harm.
Recently, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva proposed that Ukraine should relinquish control of Crimea to Russia as part of a potential peace agreement between the two nations.
More news
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The conflict in Ukraine continues to escalate, with the Ukrainian forces struggling to reclaim territory from Moscow without support from the West. Moreover, the troops are facing a more pressing issue of procuring ammunition to keep their existing weapons functional. This has led to what is called “shell hunger,” and it significantly affects the conduct of the war. DW sheds light on the impact of this problem.
The war in Ukraine has divided Germany’s peace movement, which is grappling with how to respond to the situation. The traditional Easter marches of the movement are losing relevance among younger generations, highlighting a growing divide within the group.
