Kremlin boss Putin orders the partial mobilization of draft-age Russians and threatens the West and Ukraine with the use of nuclear weapons. Protesters who do not want to be drafted into the war in Ukraine are being arrested en masse. Due to the threats, Kyiv sees the time for more arms deliveries. The 210th day of the war at a glance:
“Don’t want to have to shoot”: More than 1,250 arrests in Russia
During protests against partial mobilization in Russia, the number of nationwide arrests rose to 1,250. That explains the organization OVD-Info, which documents arrests in Russia. Journalists from the AFP news agency observed dozens of arrests in the capital Moscow and in the second largest city St. Petersburg in the evening. At least 50 people were arrested on a shopping street in Moscow city center alone, and a total of around 455 people are said to be in the capital, according to a listing. In St. Petersburg, police round up small groups of demonstrators and then arrest them one by one. There are said to be around 500 arrests there. The demonstrators shout “No to war” and “No to mobilization”. “Everyone is afraid,” says demonstrator Vasily Fedorov in St. Petersburg. “I’m for peace and I don’t want to have to shoot.”
Kuleba: Only answer to Putin’s threats – double support for Kyiv
In the face of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s threats to use nuclear weapons in the Ukraine war, Kyiv has called for more help. “The only appropriate response to Putin’s aggressive threats is to double support for Ukraine,” said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. More sanctions against Russia and more determination to hold Moscow accountable are needed. In addition, Kuleba called for more weapons for Ukraine and more solidarity with his country.
Searches for “tickets”, “plane”, “leave Russia” skyrocket
With the prospect of going to war, there has been a rush for air tickets for international flights in Russia. According to booking site Aviasales, popular in Russia, all direct flights to the nearest ex-Soviet republics of Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are fully booked. Turkish Airlines announced that seats for Istanbul, one of the main hubs for flights to and from Russia, would not be available again until Saturday. According to the Serbian airline, the next AirSerbia flight to Belgrade will only be available again on Monday. Even domestic flights to border towns are in great demand: plane tickets from Moscow to the city of Vladikavkaz on the border with Georgia, for example, now cost over $750 – more than ten times the usual price. According to the online service Google Trends, the search terms “tickets” and “plane” have been entered twice as often as usual in Russia since the early morning.
Zelenskyj: The soldiers are running away from Russia
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the announced partial mobilization in Russia shows that Moscow has problems with its military personnel. “We already know that they mobilized cadets, guys who couldn’t fight. These cadets fell. They couldn’t even finish their training,” Zelenskyy said in an interview with the “Bild” newspaper. They came to Ukraine to die. Russian President Vladimir Putin needs “an army worth millions”, but sees “that his units are simply running away,” said Zelenskyj. Putin wants to “drown Ukraine in blood, but also in the blood of his own soldiers.”
Lambrecht: Ukraine gets tanks from Slovenia and Greece
Even after the announcement of a partial mobilization by Russia, Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht sees no reason for direct deliveries of battle tanks from Germany to Ukraine. “Ukraine will now get tanks delivered very quickly, namely 40 tanks from Greece, 28 from Slovenia, and Germany will then help to close these gaps in the two countries,” said Lambrecht in the evening on the “ZDF Spezial” program. In addition, Ukraine will continue to be supported with “very effective” German weapon systems such as self-propelled howitzers and multiple rocket launchers – “now more than ever”. Lambrecht emphasized that no further training was required for any of these weapons. “It is very important that Ukraine now gets weapons that can be used to fight immediately.”
Scholz and EU see “despair” in partial mobilization
Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the European Union took the announcement of partial mobilization as a sign of “desperation”. With the latest decisions, Russia is “making everything much worse,” said Scholz on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. “Russia cannot win this criminal war,” said the Chancellor. Putin “completely underestimated” the situation from the start. US President Joe Biden also criticized the “irresponsible nuclear threats to use nuclear weapons. A nuclear war cannot be won and must never be waged.” In addition, Russia has “shamelessly” violated the core principles of the UN Charter with the war of aggression.
Zelenskyj: Human lives are saved by delivering tanks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has once again made an urgent appeal to Germany to supply his country with battle tanks. “Give us these weapons,” said Zelenskyj in an interview with Bild TV. “Today, battle tanks mean to us that more lives can be saved,” emphasized the President. Selenskyj did not accept the German government’s argument that it did not want to act alone. “You are an independent state. If you don’t want to give us these weapons, then no offense, you have your opinion. But don’t say: first USA, then Poland and so on.” The Bundestag is also debating support for Ukraine with heavy weapons on Thursday afternoon.
Navalny: Putin “throws Russian citizens into the meat grinder”
During a court appearance, Kremlin opponent Alexei Navalny, who was imprisoned in the penal camp, complained that President Vladimir Putin’s “criminal war” was getting worse and worse. Putin wants to draw as many people as possible into the bloodshed in Ukraine, Navalny said at a hearing about his rights as a prisoner. “In order to prolong his own power, he is tearing apart the neighboring country, killing people there. And now he is throwing a huge number of Russian citizens into the meat grinder,” said Navalny.
Putin announces possible annexation of Ukrainian territories
Putin has announced the possible annexation of Ukrainian territories using mock referendums in the occupied territories. “We support the decision made by the majority of citizens in the Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republics, in the Kherson and Zaporizhia Oblasts,” Putin said. In addition to the self-proclaimed People’s Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine, the Russian-occupied areas of Cherson and Zaporizhia in the south also want a vote on joining Russia. The simultaneous mock referendums are to be held from September 23-27. They are seen as a reaction to the current Ukrainian counter-offensive in the east of the country.
Ukraine reports night Russian attacks on Zaporizhia nuclear power plant
The Ukrainian operator of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant has accused Russia of renewed attacks on the plant. The nocturnal shelling damaged a power line, several transformers in reactor 6 then failed and emergency generators “briefly” started, Energoatom said in the messenger service Telegram. However, the radiation exposure in the plant is at a normal level, and the radioactive emissions into the environment are also below the limit values.
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