Pope Francis has provoked fury by suggesting in a television interview that Ukraine should find “the courage to raise the white flag”.

"This injudicious comment reminded me instantly of the man once described as Hitler’s Pope," writes Tim Luckhurst, Principal of South College at Durham University in the UK.

"As Pope Pius XII, Eugenio Pacelli led the Catholic Church throughout the second world war. However, while Hitler’s determination to eliminate the Jewish people was brought to his attention, he did not publicly condemn it. Freedom of practice for German Catholics mattered more."

https://t.me/lachentyt/39772

It's long been understood that the war in Ukraine will likely be a long and hard one, determined as much by production, supply, economics and political will as well as the skill and sacrifice of those fighting it.

But despite that realisation, the transition of the war into its third year of full-scale fighting still represents a bitter milestone, and while the front has seen some movements recently and the year is likely to see a number of offensive actions - at a strategic level, the lines are moving at a glacial pace, and often only when the supply situation allows.

By popular vote - today we're going to look at where the war in Ukraine stands in 2024. We'll explore ammunition production and supply, the economic health of the countries involved, some of the trends in terms of the way the fighting is evolving and put together what predictions we can for the coming months.

Patreon: /perunau

Italy plans to withdraw its air defense system, SAMP/T Mamba, from Slovakia, replacing the American Patriot air defense system. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico received a message from the Italian government about the withdrawal, citing the need to deploy it elsewhere.

Fico raised concerns about protecting nuclear power plants and other strategic targets in Slovakia. Previously, Slovakia provided military assistance to Ukraine, including a Russian S-300 missile defense system and temporary deployment of US Patriots.

However, under Fico's new government, Slovakia refused the 14th package of military aid to Ukraine, citing the need to maintain its defense capability. Fico emphasized not obstructing private defense companies' exports and affirmed military-technical cooperation with Ukraine during a meeting with Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

The GUR confirms that a railroad bridge over the Chapayevka River in the Samara region of Russia has been blown up. Due to damage to the tracks, trains cannot use it anymore.

More pictures, although you have to go to twitter :( raging545

Please use your browsers built in function to translate and read the full article in english:

Olaf Scholz, the German Chancellor, is facing a significant challenge surrounding the Taurus missile, a 5-meter-long, 1.4-ton precision-guided cruise missile of the Bundeswehr. Initially, it was an internal political dispute within the coalition on whether to deliver the missiles to Ukraine. However, since Scholz broke his silence on Taurus last week, the issue has gained international attention, with accusations of indiscretion and a leaked conversation among Bundeswehr officers adding to the complexity.

In a conversation initiated by Luftwaffeninspekteur Ingo Gerhartz, details about Taurus were disclosed, including the potential quantity of missiles for delivery and their estimated cost. The situation has raised concerns about Germany's security, as the leaked information could pose risks given the country's vulnerability to Russian intelligence. Additionally, the controversy has strained relations with allies, particularly the UK, following Scholz's public explanation for rejecting Taurus delivery to Ukraine and allegations of Germany's inability to handle target guidance independently.

The British government denied Scholz's claims, but the leaked conversation indicated the UK's involvement in supporting Ukraine with missile guidance. The situation has heightened tensions, with some viewing Scholz's statements as an abuse of intelligence information. There are also accusations of the Chancellor providing false information regarding the necessity of German involvement in Taurus deployment.

Despite these challenges, Scholz and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius are adopting a defensive strategy, urging unity against Russian President Vladimir Putin's alleged eavesdropping. The government characterizes the situation as absurd Russian propaganda. While the opposition may exert pressure, Scholz appears unlikely to reverse his decision on Taurus delivery, fearing it would be seen as a response to the surveillance and potentially escalate the situation. Overall, the delivery of Taurus missiles to Ukraine seems increasingly improbable in the aftermath of recent events, aligning with Putin's interests.

The article discusses parallels between historical America First isolationists' stance during World War II and contemporary America Firsters' views on Ukraine.

It highlights the skepticism among some politicians, like Sen. Tuberville and Donald Trump, regarding Ukraine's chances of success against Russia.

The author argues that such isolationist attitudes play into Putin's hands by conveying a sense of inevitable triumph for Russia. Despite initial doubts, Ukraine has shown resilience and strength, with increased nationalism and popular support.

The article emphasizes the importance of continued U.S. aid to Ukraine for its survival against Russia's ongoing aggression and the potential consequences if aid is cut off.

It also provides insights into the military dynamics, economic challenges for Russia, and the critical role of U.S. aid in determining Ukraine's fate.

Hello friends ! 💛 💙 💛 💙 💛

I hope I'm not spamming your community, please redirect me if it's inappropriate.

I'd like to invite you to participate in Lemmyvision, a Eurovision-like Song Contest for Lemmy communities around the world ! I'd love for people across Lemmy to participate, and I hope it will bring people together through our diverse taste of music, so join us if you'd like to discover new music and culture from around the world!

TLDR

• From right now and until April 1st, discuss with your country's community on Lemmy about a song that released in your country, to send and share to the Fediverse.
• On April 1st, voting will begin, where you will rank your favourite songs. Any song not submitted by this date will not be featured.
• On April 8th, results of everyone's favourite songs will be published.

There's a lot of info I posted on this post and the dedicated community on !lemmyvision@jlai.lu, stop by if you have any question, this will be the community for updates and results, make sure to subscribe if you'd like to stay in the loop.

Thanks for your time, hope to see you there! ❤️ 🇺🇦

https://t.me/bratu_yakovlevy/11635

There is an important question for the command of the 1st battalion of the 70th regiment of the Russian Armed Forces...

How are you doing? Why don’t you inform your higher management about your 200 and 300? Are awards more important than personnel and officers?

The officers gathered at 16:00 and began to discuss their vile plans for the Zaporozhye region...

Khaimars said hello to you and said that there is no need to gather on Ukrainian soil!

We are waiting for the reaction of the command and please cancel the awarding of the commander of the 70th regiment.

It should be a shame...

BROTHERS YAKOVLEVI✅

https://t.me/MykolaOleshchuk/221

March 4, 2024. The occupied Kherson Region. Hitting an enemy object with a guided aerial bomb.

🔥 Burn in hell, orcs!

Thanks to the pilots✈️ Air Force for successful combat work!

➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖

🇺🇦 Commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Mykola Oleschuk

Cross-posted from: https://feddit.de/post/9650190

[Warning: The podcast contains potentially distressing content.]

The day President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion, Feb. 24, 2022, Russia unleashed a brutal assault on the strategic port city of Mariupol. That same day, a team of AP reporters arrived in the city. Vasilisa Stepanenko, Evgeniy Maloletka and Mstyslav Chernov kept their cameras and tape recorders rolling throughout the onslaught. Together, they captured some of the defining images of the war in Ukraine. Stepanenko and Maloletka talk with guest host Michael Montgomery about risking their lives to document blasted buildings, burned-out cars, enormous bomb craters and the daily life of traumatized civilians. As Russian troops advanced on Mariupol, the journalists managed to escape with hours of their own material and recordings from the body camera of a noted Ukrainian medic, Yuliia Paievska. The powerful footage went viral and showed the world the shocking brutalities of the war, as well as remarkable acts of courage by journalists, doctors and ordinary citizens.

Next, we listen to audio that’s never been publicly shared before: phone calls Russian soldiers made during the first weeks of the invasion, secretly recorded by the Ukrainian government. AP reporter Erika Kinetz obtained more than 2,000 of these calls. Using social media and other tools, she explores the lives of two soldiers whose calls home capture intimate moments with friends and family. The intercepted calls reveal the fear-mongering and patriotism that led some of the men to go from living regular lives as husbands, sons and fathers to talking about killing civilians.

In Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv, Russian soldiers left streets strewn with the bodies of civilians killed during their brief occupation. Kinetz shares her experiences visiting Bucha and speaking with survivors soon after Russian troops retreated. In the secret intercepts, Russian soldiers tell their families about being ordered to take no prisoners and speak of “cleansing operations.” One soldier tells his mother: “We don’t imprison them. We kill them all.”

Will Russian soldiers and political leaders be prosecuted for war crimes? Montgomery talks with Oleksandra Matviichuk, a Ukrainian human rights lawyer who received a 2022 Nobel Peace Prize. She runs the Center for Civil Liberties in Kyiv, which has been gathering evidence of human rights abuses and war crimes in Ukraine since Russia’s first invasion in 2014. Matviichuk says it’s important for war crimes to be handled by Ukrainian courts, but the country’s legal system is overwhelmed and notoriously corrupt. She says there is an important role for the international community in creating a system that can bring justice for all Ukrainians.

One of the three goals of the European Defence Investment Programme (EDIP) proposal is the step “contributing to the recovery, reconstruction and modernisation of the Ukrainian defence technological and industrial base and progressive integration into the European, thereby contributing to mutual stability, security, peace, prosperity and sustainability.”

For this, Ukraine should be allowed to become a full member of any country-consortium to jointly procure military equipment with other EU member states, have access to EU funds, and VAT-exemption when for joint ownership, the draft text states.

Загальні бойові втрати противника з 24.02.22 по 04.03.24 (орієнтовно)

#NOMERCY #stoprussia #stopruSSiZm #stoprussicism #ВІРЮвЗСУ

| Підписатися ГШ ЗСУ |

Several separate and parallel initiatives — the EU-led ammunition plan, a Czech-led bulk ammunition purchase and a series of bilateral security deals between Ukraine and individual Western countries — should ship at least 700,000 shells over the next couple of months.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said some 15 countries had shown interest in Prague’s initiative, which has identified 800,000 units of urgently needed artillery ammunition for Ukraine on world markets.

Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, the US and Canada have already announced contributions, with more expected around the ministerial in Paris.

“There is hope that we will be able to put together a significant amount of resources,” Tomáš Kopečný, Czech governmental envoy for the reconstruction of Ukraine, said.

"We have already a very good track record with two EU Member States [Denmark, Netherlands], who are very keen on transparency and great public procurement track record and public financing,” Kopečný said, adding, that he hopes other partners will join in the next weeks.

Defence and foreign affairs from more than 20 countries are also expected to meet in Paris this week to discuss their support for Ukraine.

Cross-posted from: https://feddit.de/post/9599428

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said earlier in the week that the Moldovan government "is following in the footsteps of Kyiv" after Transdniestria turned to Moscow to help its economy withstand "pressure" from the Moldovan government, which the Chisinau administration dismissed as a propaganda event.

"Minister Lavrov and the Kremlin regime have no moral right to lecture on democracy and freedom," Moldova's Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued on Saturday.

"A country that imprisons opposition politicians and kills them, unreasonably attacks its neighbours, has nothing to offer the world but blood and pain."

Загальні бойові втрати противника з 24.02.22 по 03.03.24 (орієнтовно)

#NOMERCY #stoprussia #stopruSSiZm #stoprussicism #ВІРЮвЗСУ

| Підписатися ГШ ЗСУ | t.me/GeneralStaffZSU/13539

https://t.me/combatfootageua/13539

https://t.me/MykolaOleshchuk/217

⚡️ Regarding the combat work that I reported an hour ago.

The Eastern Air Command confirms the downing of a fighter-bomber⚠️ Su-34. Unfortunately, only one. We continue to beat the occupier!

🇺🇦 Together to victory!

➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖

🇺🇦 Commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Mykola Oleschuk

https://t.me/MykolaOleshchuk/218

19.00 - the sky is clear!

This is the result of the work of the Air Force!

➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖

🇺🇦 Commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Mykola Oleschuk

Cross-posted from: https://feddit.de/post/9557253

Most recently, on Wednesday, a "congress of deputies of all levels" convened in Tiraspol, Transnistria's nominal capital, and passed a resolution to ask Russia for protection in the face of "increasing pressure" and the "economic war" unleashed by Moldova.

The majority of Moldovans are pro-Europe, many hold Romanian — and therefore EU — passports, and hundreds of thousands work in EU countries.

But Pro-Russian parties, which are financed among others by the Israel-based pro-Russian oligarch Ilan Shor, are waging bitter campaigns against pro-EU President Maia Sandu and the pro-Western government of Prime Minister Dorin Recean. Social media there are also awash with pro-Russian propaganda and disinformation.

A presidential election and a referendum on the country's accession to the EU are due to be held this fall. According to Moldovan Foreign Minister Mihai Popsoi, the authorities are "already seeing attempts to destabilize the situation" in the country.