By The Related Press
BERLIN — German authorities are contemplating whether or not to prosecute individuals who use the “Z” image to indicate assist for Russia’s assault on Ukraine.
Russian troops in Ukraine have painted the letter Z on the aspect of autos and it has been adopted by some in Russia as an emblem of assist for what the Kremlin describes as a “particular navy operation” within the neighboring nation.
A spokesman for the German Inside Ministry stated Monday that safety providers are conscious the image can also be getting used at rallies in Germany.
The spokesman, Marek Wede, instructed reporters in Berlin that the letter can beneath sure circumstances be thought-about an indication of assist for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“The Russian assault on Ukraine is against the law and whoever publicly approves of this struggle can thereby turn out to be criminally liable,” Wede stated.
He added that federal authorities welcomed bulletins by some German states to research whether or not particular person cases of the “Z” use represent legal acts.
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KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR:
— Ukraine seeks face-to-face talks with Russia to safe peace “at once”
— Holocaust survivors flee from Ukraine to Germany for security
— Ukrainian welders flip donated autos into military transport
— Ukraine struggle threatens meals provides in fragile Arab world
— The Oscars have second of silence, and a plea, for Ukraine
— ‘My private tragedy’: Ukrainians brace for an assault on Odesa
— Go to https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine for extra protection
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OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:
LJUBLJANA, Slovenia — Slovenia says it has reinstated a diplomatic consultant in Kyiv and reopened the nation’s embassy in Ukraine.
The ministry says Slovenia’s embassy in Kyiv reopened on Monday after the arrival of the interim cost d’affaires Bostjan Lesjak. Slovenia’s ambassador to Ukraine stays in Rzeszow, a city on the Polish-Ukrainian border.
Slovenia’s transfer comes after Prime Minister Janez Jansa urged European Union international locations to revive their presence in Kyiv in assist for Ukraine. Jansa visited Kyiv this month together with the prime ministers of Poland and the Czech Republic.
He stated on Twitter on Monday that “we're again.” Jansa provides that “the Slovenian and European flags flutter once more in entrance of the Slovenian Embassy in Kyiv.”
Slovenia’s International Ministry stated that Lesjak stated upon arrival that the town was abandoned, and that alarms and detonations may very well be heard within the distance.
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LVIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne has quoted the mayor of Mariupol as saying that round 160,000 individuals stay within the besieged port metropolis, and that a “humanitarian disaster” would ensue if extra evacuations aren't potential.
Vadym Boychenko stated Monday that Russian forces had been stopping civilians from evacuating from the town and had been turning again some who tried to make it out.
The town, which had a pre-war inhabitants of greater than 400,000, has seen a few of the worst circumstances since Russian forces invaded Ukraine on Feb.24. Russian forces have pounded the town, and scores of civilians have been unable to flee, with no entry to necessities and lower off from communication with the shelling of cell, radio and TV towers.
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MOSCOW — The Kremlin has voiced concern about U.S. President Joe Biden’s remark concerning the Russian President Vladimir Putin and stated it'll rigorously comply with his rhetoric.
Capping a four-day journey to Europe Saturday, Biden stated of Putin: “For God’s sake, this man can not stay in energy,” phrases the White Home instantly sought to downplay.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov instructed reporters Monday that Biden’s assertion “undoubtedly causes alarm.” He added that the Kremlin will rigorously monitor the U.S. president’s statements.
Peskov stated beforehand that “it’s lower than the president of the U.S. and lower than the People to resolve who will stay in energy in Russia.”
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MOSCOW — Russia’s international minister says the presidents of Russia and Ukraine may meet for talks solely after the important thing components of a possible deal are negotiated.
Sergey Lavrov stated Monday that “the assembly is important as soon as we've got readability relating to options on all key points.”
Lavrov’s feedback comply with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s assertion that he’s prepared to debate Ukraine’s neutrality and safety ensures with Russian President Vladimir Putin to safe peace “at once.” Zelenskyy added that solely a face-to-face assembly with Russia’s chief may finish the struggle.
Russian and Turkish negotiators are set to carry one other spherical of talks in Istanbul, Turkey on Tuesday to attempt to draft an settlement.
Talking in an internet interview with Serbian media, Lavrov alleged that Ukraine solely wish to “imitate talks” whereas Russia wants particular outcomes that may be secured by the international locations’ leaders.
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BEIJING — China says the U.S. ought to take significantly Beijing’s issues about punishing financial sanctions towards Russia.
China, which has what it calls a “no limits” partnership with Moscow, has strongly objected to the sanctions, saying they may worsen the worldwide financial outlook with out bringing an finish to the battle.
International Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin stated at a every day briefing Monday that China and different nations consider “individuals of all international locations don't have any accountability to pay for geopolitical conflicts and nice energy video games.”
“The issue now isn't about who desires to assist Russia bypass sanctions, however concerning the regular financial and commerce relations between international locations, together with China, and Russia have been unnecessarily broken,” Wang stated.
“We urge the U.S. to take China’s issues significantly when coping with the Ukraine challenge and relations with Russia, and to not injury China’s respectable rights and pursuits in any method,” Wang stated.
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THE HAGUE, Netherlands — European Union judicial coordination company Eurojust says it has helped Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine to ascertain a joint investigation workforce to probe struggle crimes, crimes towards humanity and different crimes dedicated in Ukraine.
The Hague-based company stated Monday that the three nations signed an settlement on Friday establishing the workforce. Eurojust says it offered authorized and technical assist.
Eurojust says the principle goal of the workforce is to “assist the gathering of proof and its swift and safe change between companions, in addition to the transmission of knowledge and proof.”
Eurojust provides that the workforce will assist the three nations cooperate with Worldwide Felony Court docket prosecution workplace, which additionally has opened an investigation in Ukraine.
Throughout the first month of Russia’s struggle towards Ukraine, Polish prosecutors stated they'd collected some 300 witness testimonies from refugees pouring over the border.
Joint investigation groups assist nations pool assets and information throughout complicated worldwide investigations. The Netherlands and different international locations arrange such a workforce to research the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airways flight MH17 over jap Ukraine.
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THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Dutch brewing big Heineken says it's pulling out of Russia amid Moscow’s ongoing struggle towards Ukraine.
The corporate stated Monday that its enterprise in Russia “is now not sustainable nor viable within the present surroundings. Because of this, we've got determined to depart Russia.”
It stated it's looking for an “orderly switch of our enterprise to a brand new proprietor in full compliance with worldwide and native legal guidelines.”
Heineken will proceed to pay its 1,800 employees in Russia by the tip of the 12 months. The corporate says it is not going to revenue from the sale of its Russian operations and expects to take a 400 million-euro ($438 million) cost because of this.
Amid worldwide outrage and sanctions that adopted Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, the Netherlands-based brewer halted new investments and gross sales to Russia and ended manufacturing, gross sales and promoting of its Heineken model beer there.
The corporate stated Monday that it continues to “hope that a path to a peaceable end result emerges within the close to time period.”
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ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s protection ministry says navy groups are working to disable a second naval mine that was detected floating off Turkey’s Black Beach.
On Monday, the ministry stated Underwater Defence Groups that had been dispatched to the positioning off the coast of Igneada, close to the border with Bulgaria, had managed to safe the mine and had been now working to “neutralize” it.
On Saturday, authorities closed the Bosporus — the landmark waterway between the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara — to site visitors as a precaution because the Turkish coast guard responded to studies of a drifting mine-like object which was later “neutralized.”
The sighting of the explosive units follows warnings that mines laid on the entrances to Ukrainian ports may break away in heavy climate and cross the Black Sea.
On March 18, Turkey issued a Navtex alert advising ships to maintain a “sharp look out” and report any potential mines that had drifted from ports reminiscent of Odesa.
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GENEVA — The Workplace of the UN Excessive Commissioner for Human Rights says it has recorded 1,119 civilian deaths and 1,790 individuals injured since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.
The UN company stated Sunday most casualties had been attributable to use of explosive weapons with a large influence space, together with shelling from heavy artillery and multiple-launch rocket methods, and missile and air strikes. It stated it believes precise figures are “significantly larger,” given delays in acquiring data and in corroborating the studies.
Of these killed, 224 had been males, 168 girls, 15 ladies and 32 boys. The intercourse of one other 52 kids and 628 adults has not but been decided.
The report stated allegations of many civilian casualties within the besieged southern metropolis of Mariupol and in Volnovakha, Izium, Popasna, Rubizhne and Trostianets had been nonetheless being corroborated and aren't included within the newest totals.
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LONDON — Russian forces have made no important progress prior to now 24 hours amid persevering with provide issues and aggressive resistance from Ukrainian fighters, U.Okay. protection officers say.
Poor morale and a scarcity of momentum have compounded the issues dealing with Russian forces, Britain’s Ministry of Protection stated in its newest intelligence briefing.
Heavy preventing continues round Mariupol as Russian forces attempt to seize the port on the Sea of Azov, which connects to the Black Sea, the ministry stated in a briefing posted on Twitter.
Earlier, the ministry stated Russia was sustaining a blockade of Ukraine’s Black Beach, slicing off maritime commerce with the nation. The Russian navy can also be launching “sporadic” missile strikes towards targets in Ukraine, the ministry stated.
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BEIJING — China’s ambassador to the U.S. says that of all events involved within the Ukraine, solely China has Russia’s ear.
Qin Gang’s feedback to the Phoenix Tv channel, which has shut ties with China’s ruling Communist Occasion, come as Beijing’s tacit assist for Moscow is receiving rising scrutiny from Washington and others.
China has refused to criticize Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and even check with it as such. It has additionally vigorously opposed punishing financial sanctions imposed on Moscow by the West.
Qin stated China was uniquely positioned to assist peacefully resolve what he referred to as “the disaster.”
“Now, all events involved are in severe confrontation with Russia besides China. Solely China has the ear of Russia,” Qin instructed the channel’s “Speak With World Leaders” program in an interview broadcast on Sunday.
Qin blamed NATO’s eastward growth for having provoked Russia. “Russia feels duped by NATO on its eastward growth. It feels threatened and cornered,” Qin stated.
Whereas Beijing claims it's neutral within the battle, Chinese language state media has repeated false and unsupported claims made by Moscow.
Phoenix has itself acquired consideration for embedding a reporter with Russian troops who has produced a gradual stream of pro-Moscow studies.
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LVIV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s priorities on the Ukrainian-Russian talks in Turkey this week shall be “sovereignty and territorial integrity,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy instructed his nation Sunday in his nightly deal with.
“We're on the lookout for peace, actually, at once,” he stated. “There is a chance and a necessity for a face-to-face assembly in Turkey. This isn't dangerous. Let’s see the result.”
This week, he stated, “I'll proceed to enchantment to the parliaments of different international locations” to remind them of the dire state of affairs in besieged cities like Mariupol.
Zelenskyy additionally instructed impartial Russian journalists Sunday that his authorities would think about declaring neutrality and providing safety ensures to Russia, repeating earlier statements. That would come with retaining Ukraine nuclear-free, he stated.
He instructed the reporters that the problem of neutrality — and agreeing to remain out of NATO — needs to be put to Ukrainian voters in a referendum after Russian troops withdraw. He stated that a vote may happen inside a couple of months as soon as Russian troops go away.
Russia shortly banned Zelenskyy’s interview from being revealed. Roskomnadzor, which regulates communications for Moscow, issued the ban Sunday, saying there may very well be motion taken towards the Russia-based media retailers that took half, which included “these which might be international media retailers appearing as international brokers.”
Zelenskyy responded by saying Moscow was afraid of a comparatively brief dialog with journalists. “It could be humorous if it weren’t so tragic,” he stated, in accordance with the Ukrainian information company RBK Ukraina.
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BERLIN — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says that neither NATO nor U.S. President Joe Biden goal to result in regime change in Russia.
Biden stated of Russian President Vladimir Putin throughout a speech on Saturday that “this man can not stay in energy.” The White Home and different U.S. officers rushed to make clear that Biden wasn’t truly calling for Putin to be toppled.
Requested throughout an look Sunday on ARD tv whether or not Putin’s removing is in truth the true goal, Scholz replied: “This isn't the goal of NATO, and likewise not that of the American president.”
Scholz added: “We each agree fully that regime change isn't an object and goal of coverage that we pursue collectively.”
Scholz final month introduced an enormous improve in German protection spending. On Sunday, he confirmed a report by the Bild am Sonntag newspaper that the federal government is contemplating buying a missile protection protect alongside the traces of Israel’s “Iron Dome.”