Live Blog: Easter Prisoner Exchange and Calls for Determination towards Putin

1:31 p.m

Pope Francis wished the Orthodox Christians a happy Easter today. “Unfortunately, in contrast to the Easter message, the wars continue and sow violence and pain. Let’s pray for the victims of the wars,” he said after midday prayer in St. Peter’s Square. In addition to the war in Ukraine, Francis also recalled the current violent conflicts in Sudan. He prays that the arms will be laid down there, the pope said.

12:24 p.m

The head of the Russian mercenary group Wagner, Yevgeny Prigoshin, has caused a stir with a text about a possible end to the war in Ukraine. Many Ukrainian media in particular referred to a blog entry by the 61-year-old over the weekend, which said: “Today it is necessary for the state power and for society to put some kind of big point behind the military special operation.” Russia’s pro-Kremlin circles still generally refer to the war as a “special military operation.”

Prigozhin went on to write: “The ideal variant would be to announce the end of the military special operation and to declare that Russia has achieved all of its planned goals – and in a sense we have actually achieved them.” Contrary to his previous words, he also wrote that the fighting must continue – and threatened the Ukrainian army: “See you in Bakhmut.” Later he had his press service comment on the first media reports that addressed his alleged demand for an end to the war. The main message of his article was that there must be an “honest fight,” he clarified.

12:01 p.m

By mid-April, the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) had received 337 reports of possible war crimes in Ukraine. This emerges from the response of the Federal Ministry of the Interior to a parliamentary question by the CDU member of the Bundestag Günter Krings, as reported by “Welt am Sonntag”. The information in connection with the Russian war of aggression came, for example, from Ukrainian war refugees or from the German population, it said.

According to the information, the BKA supports the Ukrainian investigators technically by procuring and providing material for the forensic work. In 2022, the BKA procured equipment – for example for securing evidence and documentation – worth more than 11.5 million euros and handed it over to the Ukrainian authorities. The CDU politician Krings called for Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (FDP) and Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) to do more to ensure that people from Ukraine confide in the German authorities. Faeser should offer that the BKA can also work in Ukraine with its own investigators in the future.

11:56 a.m

According to Ukrainian sources, a total of 130 Russian soldiers were released around the time of the Orthodox Easter. “A big Easter prisoner exchange,” wrote the head of Ukraine’s presidential office, Andriy Yermak, on Twitter. “130 Ukrainians are returning.” He also posted photos showing dozens of men with the blue and yellow Ukrainian flag.

The exchange had already taken place in several stages in the past few days, added Jermak. There was initially no confirmation from the Russian side. A total of around 200 Ukrainian and Russian soldiers had already been exchanged around a week ago.

10:29 a.m

Despite the Orthodox Easter, fighting continues in Russia-invaded Ukraine. Two teenagers were killed by Russian fire at night in the southern region of Mykolaiv, said the local military governor Vitaly Kim. In the Zaporizhia region, too, the head of the military administration, Yuriy Malashko, reported a “massive attack” by the Russians. A church was damaged, for example, so that the service had to be canceled. “Nothing is sacred, even on the night of Christ’s resurrection,” Malashko wrote. The information cannot be independently verified at this time.

10:24 a.m

In addition to Ukraine, Russia is also celebrating the second Orthodox Easter since the beginning of the war. Together with Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, Kremlin chief Vladimir attended a service by the Russian Orthodox Church leader, Patriarch Kirill, that night. A little later, the Kremlin published this year’s Easter message. In it he said: “The wonderful, beloved Easter gives hope to believers, inspires good thoughts and deeds and serves to affirm high moral ideals and values ​​in society.”

Putin also praised the Russian Orthodox Church, which “in the face of serious challenges is actively involved in matters of mercy and charity”. Church leader Kirill is internationally regarded as a fervent supporter of Putin’s war – and has repeatedly defended it in the past, among other things in sermons.

09:55 am

According to Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, the G7 countries intend to continue to resolutely oppose Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. “Now it’s a matter of showing (Russian President Vladimir) Putin our determination that he will not achieve his goals through attrition and fatigue,” said Baerbock in Seoul before leaving for Japan for the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in Karuizawa.

As a “continuous crisis team”, the G7 of economically strong democracies opposed Russia’s aggression “one barrier after the other: with winter aid for the people in Ukraine, with the Russian sanctions and the oil price cap. With our support, Ukraine’s Russia withstood the energy war and the winter offensive,” said Baerbock. “At the meeting in Japan we will sharpen our engagement.”

9:40 a.m

Millions of Orthodox Christians all over the world heralded the celebration of Easter that night with large midnight masses. Ukraine is also one of the predominantly orthodox countries. “Heaven sees our faith and firmness. The world sees courage and invincibility. The enemy sees our strength and determination,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on Twitter. And Ukraine will “see the light of victory”.

In Kiev, the Easter celebrations should take place under high security precautions. At night, as usual, there was a curfew until 5 a.m. The Orthodox Churches adhere to the Julian calendar in connection with Easter. The Gregorian calendar applies to both Catholics and Protestants. According to official figures, around 70 percent of the more than 40 million pre-war population in Ukraine are Orthodox or Greek Catholic Christians.

3:39 a.m

The Ukrainian President has called for Volodymyr Zelenskyy to have “effective security guarantees” for his country on the way to NATO membership. This is needed “even before we join the alliance,” said Zelenskyj in his evening video address. In the fall of 2022, Zelenskyy applied for his country’s accelerated accession to the western military alliance. However, a prerequisite for joining NATO is that the candidate must not be involved in international conflicts and disputes over borders. The next NATO summit will take place in Lithuania in July.

2:53 a.m

After Poland, Hungary has also announced that it will no longer import grain and certain other foods from Ukraine. Both governments announced that this was done to protect their own producers. Most recently, extensive deliveries from Ukraine had depressed prices and sales of domestic producers.

In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said the current situation is causing serious damage to local farmers. Therefore, his country is also imposing an import ban on grain and other foods from Ukraine. However, it was initially unclear when this would come into force. It was also said that Hungary was hoping for changes to EU regulations. The abolition of import duties on Ukrainian grain should also be considered.

1:22 a.m

The G7 countries have pledged to Ukraine that they will support the country in the war against Russia for as long as necessary. That’s what his G7 counterparts promised him during the meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank this week in Washington, said Ukraine’s Finance Minister Serhii Marchenko. This is a change from last year, when more pressure was put on Ukraine to agree to an end to the war, Marchenko said. He added that one should be prepared “that this war will last longer than we expected”.

4/15/2023 • 2:21 am