It is not the first time that Pope Francis has condemned the invasion of Ukraine, but the words chosen are particularly strong. During his prayer, Saint Peter’s Square in the Vatican, Sunday, October 2, the sovereign pontiff of Catholics “begged” Russian President Vladimir Putin “to stop, also out of love for his people, this spiral of violence and death”. He also said he deplored the annexation proclaimed by Russia of four regions which it partially occupies in Ukraine, a decision which he recalled was “contrary to international law”.
Zelensky threatens the Russians and hopes to retake other towns. “Until y’all fix the problem” of Vladimir Putin, “you will be killed one by one, becoming scapegoats”, launched the Ukrainian president to the address of the Russian people, in a speech on social networks on Saturday evening. He promised that“even more” Ukrainian flags, synonymous with territories taken back from the Russian army, would fly in the east of the country “in the coming week”. The town of Lyman, recaptured by Ukrainian soldiers on Saturday, is “completely rid” Russian troops, rejoiced Zelensky on Sunday.
Ramzan Kadyrov calls on Russia to use nuclear weapons. The leader of the Russian republic of Chechnya said on the social network Telegram on Saturday that the Russian army should resort to “more drastic measures” to regain the ascendancy in Ukraine, “until the declaration of martial law in border areas and the use of low-power nuclear weapons”.
The bodies of 24 civilians discovered near a recaptured town. The governor of the Kharkiv region said 13 children and a pregnant woman were among the dead found near Kupyansk after the city was recaptured on Thursday. The bodies, sometimes charred, were discovered in vehicles on a road. According to this Ukrainian official, they were civilians trying to flee who were shot and killed by Russian soldiers. A pro-Russian separatist leader attributed the deaths to the Ukrainian army on Thursday.
Symbolic visit of a German minister to Ukraine. Christine Lambrecht, Minister of Defense, went to Odessa, a trip that had not been announced beforehand. It’s the first time she’s been to Ukraine since the invasion began. kyiv, which has repeatedly criticized Germany for its lack of support, is asking for battle tanks, equipment that no NATO country has so far provided to the Ukrainian army. Christine Lambrecht has not made any announcements on this subject.