War in Ukraine: Ukrainian railway boss calls for more connections to Europe

by time news

Die Ukraine will more rail traffic with their neighboring countries to the west. “We have made our decision: We are going to Europe,” said the head of the state railway Olexander Kamyshin of the German Press Agency in Berlin. “Ultimately, we need real integration into the European infrastructure.” New rail routes to neighboring countries and more freight capacity via European ports are necessary.

Millions of Ukrainians fled the war, said Kamyshin. “People will want to stay mobile between countries.” During the war and beyond, demand will remain high. In the past few months, connections to Moldova, Romania and Poland have therefore been expanded. “Despite the war, we built 50 kilometers of new tracks. And we are building more, by the end of the year it will be twice as much.”

Oleksandr Kamyshin, Chief CEO of the State Railways of Ukraine

Source: dpa/Carsten Koall

It is also necessary that Reinforce freight corridors via European ports. Ukraine Railway exports 1.5 to 2 million grains a month. “We could do 5 to 7 million tons a month,” Kamyshin said. However, the European freight corridors and seaports would have to be developed in order to bring more Ukrainian grain to the Middle East, North Africa and China again.

Kamyshin called on European railways to do joint business. “We’re under fire, we need guns, financial help and all the rest. But ultimately, we’re an enterprising nation.” Ukraine has millions of tons of cargo that could go to Europe. European railways expected additional income. “This is the best way Europe can help us: buy from us and do business with us.”

The state railway Ukrzaliznytsia is considered the backbone for traffic in the country, which was shaken by the Russian war of aggression. Routes and train stations are always targets of attacks. According to Kamyshin, the company has lost 244 employees. Damaged and destroyed sections of track would be repaired as quickly as possible so that localities can be supplied again, the rail boss said. “Pace is our path to victory.”

DWO_AP_Ostukraine_Gebiete_1909-01

The current situation in Ukraine

Source: Infographic WORLD

According to the CEO, he is often on the road himself near the front or in recaptured areas and also accompanies mine clearance and repair work there. “It would be difficult for me to send employees to places I wouldn’t go myself.” On his first trip abroad since the beginning of the war, Kamyshin is visiting the Innotrans rail technology trade fair in Berlin this Tuesday and Wednesday.

Ukraine is taking its case to the UN

Ukraine is taking its complaint about the Russian war of aggression to the highest stage of world public opinion United Nations General Assembly. It is an important day and he is preparing his subsequent speech via video link, said President Volodymyr Zelenskyj about the start of the UN general debate in New York on Tuesday. “There will be important signals from our state,” he announced in a speech distributed from Kyiv on Monday evening.

The Ukrainian head of state is scheduled to speak on Wednesday – exceptionally via video link instead of at the lectern of the General Assembly. Russia had tried to only allow Zelenskyj to speak in the foreseeable, unlikely event that he would have come to New York in person. The member states rejected this condition with a majority, so that the Ukrainian head of state is now involved.

Ukraine War - Kyiv

Volodymyr Zelenskyj, President of Ukraine

Quelle: dpa/Ukrainian Presidential Press Off

Zelenskyj also discussed the issue with his military leadership on Monday Ukrainian counteroffensive, which has been running since the beginning of September. A campaign for rapid accession to Russia was launched in the Moscow-controlled separatist regions of Luhansk and Donetsk. Tuesday marks the 209th day since the Russian invasion began.

Selenskyj with his military: Quick action is necessary

After consulting with his military officials, Zelenskyy said the Ukrainian forces had them Situation in the liberated areas near Kharkiv in the east firmly under control. He thanked individual army brigades, but also the SBU secret service, whose leadership he replaced in July. In the meantime, the SBU is making sure “that the occupiers can’t stay anywhere on Ukrainian soil.”

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At the same time, the head of state called for quick action: speed is important in stabilizing the liberated regions, in normalizing life there and in advancing the troops. Support from abroad must also keep up with this pace, he demanded.

The Ukrainian General Staff said Russian troops fired on civilian objects in 24 locations on Monday. The cities of Kramatorsk, Avijivka, Zaporischschja and Mykolaiv were mentioned, among others. The leadership of the Russian-led separatists in Donetsk reported an attack by Ukrainian artillery that killed 13 people. The information could not be independently verified.

Separatists want rapid accession to Russia

In view of the advance of Ukrainian troops in the east, Moscow’s governors are agitated in the separatist regions of Luhansk and Donetsk, a campaign for rapid accession to Russia Ahead. In the People’s Republic of Luhansk, a so-called civil chamber appealed to the local leadership to hold a referendum on the annexation soon. A little later, in the People’s Republic of Donetsk, the Citizens’ Chamber followed with the same request, as reported by the Russian news agency Tass. The people in the Cherson region are also demanding a referendum, said the head of administration Kirill Stremoussov, appointed by Russia.

preparations for such referendums have been running for a long time both in the separatist republics and in the areas newly conquered by Russia. In Cherson, they were initially postponed to November 4 because of the Ukrainian advances.

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A terrible task: exhumation in the forest near Isjum

The People’s Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk have been controlled from Moscow on a very small scale since 2014. But when there was pressure to join Russia, Moscow reacted cautiously. This time, support for the desire to join came from the Russian parliament. “It should happen quickly, that’s the will of the people,” said MP Viktor Vodolatsky from the Kremlin’s United Russia party. The referendums should take place before late autumn.

The Ukrainian head of administration for Luhansk, Serhiy Hajdaj, expressed the assumption that the annexation of the Moscow regions should provide the basis for a general mobilization. Presidential adviser Mykhailo Podoliak wrote on Twitter that possible referenda would not change the fact that Donetsk, Luhansk and the Crimean peninsula, which Russia had annexed for years, belonged to Ukraine under international law.

Germany sends more howitzers

Ukraine aims for their defensive struggle four more tank howitzers from the Bundeswehr receive. The Ministry of Defense announced on Monday in Berlin that the delivery would be initiated immediately. The Panzerhaubitzen 2000 are heavy artillery pieces with a range of up to 40 kilometers. The delivery should also include an ammunition package. The number of artillery pieces supplied by Germany would thus increase to 14.

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Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov thanked the howitzers as well as other Mars II multiple rocket launchers and Dingo personnel carriers. Berlin had promised to deliver them last week. Ukraine is also demanding main battle tanks and armored personnel carriers from Western countries such as Germany. However, the federal government has so far blocked this.

Applause and criticism for Alla Pugacheva’s anti-war statements

After her criticism of Russia’s war of aggression, there were not only applause for the Russian pop singer Alla Pugacheva. In her homeland she is now under pressure. “These poets, harlequins and jugglers just need a chance to sing and dance, to sneer and vulgarly smart-shit,” complained the head of the Russian President’s human rights commission, Valery Fadeyev. The Russian rap singer Timati, who is close to the Kremlin, complained about the alleged lack of patriotism of Pugacheva, who is considered a superstar in Russia. The Kremlin itself did not comment on her statement.

Russian pop singer Alla Pugacheva in an archive photo from 2009.

Russian pop singer Alla Pugacheva in an archive photo from 2009

Source: Grigory Sysoyev/ITAR-TASS/dpa

Pugacheva (73) had complained that Russian soldiers were dying for “illusory goals”. Russia is internationally ostracized by the war. Yulia Navalnaya, wife of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, shared the critical words on Instagram. Other show greats also attested to the singer’s admirable courage and honesty. The German rock star Udo Lindenberg (76) expressed solidarity with his “long-time friend and colleague”.

That will be important on Tuesday

of Russia President Vladimir Putin is not flying to New York for the UN general debate this year, where his Ukrainian counterpart Zelenskyy will address the General Assembly via video link. Instead, Putin will welcome new foreign ambassadors to Moscow on Tuesday. He usually uses such appointments in the Kremlin to comment on the international situation.

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