Germany′s Scholz pledges weapons for Ukraine — live updates | News | DW

• Chancellor Olaf Scholz says Germany to supply Ukraine with anti-aircraft systems and artillery detection radar
• Ukrainian defense ministry advisor Yuri Sak says Kyiv requires more weapons
• Russia says its main goal is defense of Donbas “republics” and claims increased shelling from Kyiv

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Germany will continue to supply state-of-the art weapons to Ukraine — Scholz

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke before his meeting with Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger and reiterated Berlin’s commitment to supply Ukraine with modern weaponry.

“It is clear that Ukraine needs additional weapons for its defense,” Scholz said, adding that Germany has supplied Ukraine with arms since the start of the invasion.

“In this critical phase we are considerably expanding our support: we will supply Ukraine with a state-of-the-art anti-aircraft system and an artillery detection radar, among other things,” the chancellor went on to say.

Scholz said that the arms would be supplied in coordination with European and NATO partners. He added that it was important that Germany and its allies defend “every square inch of NATO territory,” and that Berlin would increase its presence on NATO’s eastern flank.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized Scholz and German officials in an interview with the ZDF broadcaster, and urged Berlin not to prioritize its relations with Russia over Ukraine’s defense.

“We need from Chancellor Scholz the certainty that Germany supports Ukraine,” he said. “He and his government must decide: there can’t be a trade-off between Ukraine and relations with Russia.”

‘Ukraine needs more heavy weaponry’ — defense ministry advisor Sak

Yuri Sak, an advisor for Ukraine’s defense minister, told DW that “Donbas is not lost. The fighting continues.”

“It is very intense fighting. It is very dynamic fighting. And of course, we are outnumbered.”

Sak said that Russian forces have “superiority when it comes to heavy artillery.”

“They are literally barraging the cities and villages of Luhansk region as well as Donetsk region with a view to destroy them,” he added.

Sak said that the “only thing we need now actually is more heavy weaponry from our international partners.”

“If we receive it on time, there will be less suffering.”

“Had we received it before, there would have been less suffering of civilians as well, because we would be able to repel the Russian aggressor more efficiently,” Sak went on to say.

Sak argued that Ukraine needs more heavy weaponry because the ratio of shelling is “absolutely disproportionate” and that Russian forces fire “around 50,000 rounds a day.”

Kremlin says ‘main goal’ protection of Donbas ‘republics’

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted by Russia’s RIA state news agency as saying that Moscow’s main goal was the protection of the self-proclaimed “people’s republics” in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions that make up Ukraine’s eastern Donbas.

“In general, the protection of the republics is the main goal of the special military operation,” Peskov said.

Donetsk separatist leader Denis Pushilin said that there had been increased fighting and shelling in the region, adding that all necessary forces will be involved to counter Kyiv.

Donetsk separatist leader Denis Pushilin claims that Kyiv has increased shelling in Donbas

“All necessary forces, including the allied ones, including the forces of the Russian Federation, will be involved in order to counter the enemy,” Pushilin said.

Russia’s claims about increased shelling in the Donetsk region could not be independently verified.

What happened in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Monday

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to take concrete steps to defend Ukraine.

Luhansk Governor Serhiy Haidai said that the Russian military destroyed all three main bridges in the frontline Ukrainian city of Sievierodonetsk. Haidai said that the Azot chemical plant in the city came under fire from Russian forces.

The Ukrainian government suspended exports of fossil fuels.

Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said that according to the latest intelligence, both Russia and Ukraine were using heavier weapons than before in the most recent stages of the war.

Amnesty International accused Russia of war crimes in the northeastern Ukrainian city in Kharkiv. The organization said that attacks in Kharkiv killed hundreds of civilians.

Russian forces said they struck an arms depot in the town of Chortkiv in Ukraine’s western Ternopil region. Ternopil regional governor Volodymyr Trush said that the strike left 22 people injured.

You can revisit our updates from Friday, June 11, here.

sdi/aw (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)