- Merz Levels Accusations of War Crimes Against Moscow following Poltava Incident
CDU Faction Leader Friedrich Merz has levied accusations of war crimes towards Russia, following a rocket assault on Central Ukrainian city of Poltawa. This assault led to a significant loss of lives and injuries. Merz declared, speaking to the German Press Agency in Berlin, "This is not standard warfare. This is another grave war crime inflicted upon the innocent civilian population of Ukraine." The city's school and infrastructure were targets once more, with focused attacks on the energy infrastructure, similar to incidents in preceding days.
As reported by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, at least 41 individuals were killed, and over 180 were injured in this Poltawa assault. Zelenskyy confirmed that two ballistic missiles struck the campus of a university and a nearby hospital. Due to the number of fatalities, this attack is considered one of the deadliest since the commencement of the Russian invasion nearly three years ago.
Merz expressed, "Perhaps now, even some critics will comprehend the true nature of this situation. This is not merely a war between Ukraine and Russia, but rather a breach of international law, a Russian aggression against an unthreatening people." He emphasized, "We have delayed our actions for far too long, and our aid came too late." Now, Merz opined, "We find ourselves in a position where we should aid Ukraine even more. However, the will to do so appears to be lacking."
Merz expects Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) to openly confront those who persist in believing that "surrender and diplomacy can solve this issue." Merz further stated, "This crisis will only be resolved when Putin recognizes the futility of further military action. He is still quite a distance from that realization."
When questioned about supporting the use of weapons supplied by the West on Russian soil, as urged by Zelenskyy, Merz responded, "Unnecessarily, Ukrainian defense capabilities have been restrained. This should not have been the case from the start." Ukraine must be empowered to "effectively defend itself and strike the Russian military's supply lines on Russian soil." Merz warns, "If it does not do so, it will enter this conflict with limited capabilities."
The European Union, in response to the escalating situation in Ukraine, has strongly condemned Russia's actions and imposed sanctions on several high-ranking Russian officials involved in the conflict.
Friedrich Merz, in his appeals to the European Union, emphasized the need for more robust support towards Ukraine, stating, "We cannot afford to stand idly by while the European Union watches the Ukrainian struggle against Russian aggression."
