Russian leader’s comments on state TV channel follow first anniversary of invasion of Ukraine
. They are part of an apparent attempt to boost popular support for Moscow’s war of choice by recasting it as a necessary and defensive struggle for Russia’s national survival reminiscent of the Soviet Union’s battle against the Nazis.
On Saturday the founder of the Wagner group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said his forces had taken Yahidne and the nearby village of Berkhivka. The latest Ukrainian update cited “unsuccessful” Russian offensives in the two settlements and four others. All were subject to heavy shelling, it said. In his latest message Volodymyr Zelenskiy reaffirmed his commitment to evict Russia from all Ukrainian territory it has stolen including Crimea. Putin annexed the peninsula nine years ago on Sunday using undercover special units nicknamed “little green men”.
On Sunday Germany’s defence minister, Boris Pistorius, said he was increasingly sympathetic to the idea Crimea should be returned. “I am leaning towards saying, yes, Crimea is Ukrainian territory and it therefore has to be given back,” he said in an interview. “But again: this is not a decision that’s up to us to take.”
Speaking to ABC News, the US president, Joe Biden, dismissed Beijing’s plan. “I’ve seen nothing [that] would indicate there’s something that would be beneficial to anyone other than Russia,” he said. “The idea that China is gonna be negotiating the outcome of a war that’s a totally unjust war for Ukraine is just not rational.”
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