PUTINS KRIEG: Vorbereitung für Offensive abgeschlossen - Wo schlagen Ukrainer zu | WELT Reporter

Hello and a very warm welcome here at Welt

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. Today we deal with the floods in Italy. Of course, we focus again on the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine. But for the better, we start from a completely different threat. starting in North Korea where Kim Jong-un periodically tests the crime scene with missiles and even nuclear weapons, what exactly happens and then only a few people know that North Korea has isolated itself from the rest of the world. The border between North Korea and South Korea. is the most militarized in the world and that was exactly where Chancellor Scholz traveled after the conclusion of the G7 and was accompanied by our editor-in-chief Jan Philippert, shows behind-the-scenes information of the Chancellor's trip and was even able to On the official plane accompanying the Chancellor himself landed on North Korean territory in Soul, the capital of South Korea.

Around 22 million people live in the large metropolis. The journalists accompanying him get off. The red carpet is rolled out. In the back of the plane, for the first time on a long trip, the Chancellor is accompanied by his wife Britta Ernst. The South Korean Trade Minister receives the German guests. The soldiers line up. Chancellor and his wife, a German car is ready to continue the journey. The Chancellor's entourage is accompanied by numerous South Korean security forces. Our car trip from Seoul, the capital of South Korea, to the South Korean border takes only 90 minutes and every kilometer.

Cover tension rises here on the bus, if we can look at North Korea from there. Hardly any other country on earth has been so embarrassed by the outside world and the terrible dictator Kim Jong-un since Kim Jong took power in 2011. North Korea has become increasingly threatening on its own. Last year, the dictator carried out at least 95 missile tests, a record. In March 2022, North Korea tested the Horst Song 17 missile, its most powerful ICBM to date, with a range of 15,000 kilometers, it could reach any city on the US mainland and Kim Jong-un is also pushing the development of missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

All attempts to dissuade Pyongyang from its dangerous course have so far failed, according to the loving 2019 talks between Kim Jong-un and then-US President Donald Trump on the inter-Korean border, in the sand of this border Now we can see buildings approaching. There are hardly many rice fields along the road. An employee of the German embassy explains to us. rules for the joint security area (JSA for short). Then the column approaches the destination. I'm really excited to see what's in store for us, so to be completely honest, it's a little surreal to experience this right now, then there we are in North Korea.

See the soldiers here, they explained to us beforehand that they are all there. They must have a black belt in judo, they must wear sunglasses so that the North Koreans cannot read the emotions on their faces, and they must all be at least one meter tall. 78 North Korean soldiers are no longer directly here since the coronavirus pandemic. Olaf Scholz was the first federal chancellor in 30 years to have a picture of the Enerko border in this blue barracks after the armistice agreement between North and South. Korea was negotiated in 1953. Under international law, the two states are still at war.

A true peace treaty was never concluded on either side of the 38th parallel. Korea is divided into two states, there are more than a million soldiers facing each other. The border with North Korea now passes right here at this point, which means that at this very moment, with this passage, I am entering North Korea. It's really a surreal feeling, we're actually physically in it right now. Right now in the North. Korea we leave the demilitarized zone and cross the country 250 kilometers long and 4 kilometers wide. The final destination of the trip is the official residence of the South Korean president.

At a joint press conference with John, the Federal Chancellor reports. His trip to the internal border of Korea was very, very moving for me and he reminded me that Germany and Korea know exactly the brutal experience and that they both know that it can be better understood on the Korean peninsula. In this sense, Mr. Chancellor. and we will work closely on the nuclearization of North Korea, sending a clear message that North Korea has nothing to gain from illegal provocations. Symbolism is particularly important at this meeting of heads of state so that photographers get good pictures and we shake hands. twice to say goodbye at the airport, a bomb-sniffing dog checks our luggage, and then the government plane named Konrad Adenauer is ready to board.

It was a brief detour to North Korea, but it was worth it because this visit has shown us that freedom and. A unified country cannot be taken for granted, and despite the current focus on Russia and China, North Korea demonstrates that there is also a significant nuclear threat emanating from here that should not be left out of the global public's view. and our focus now is Back on the move, our chief

reporter

Steffen Schwarzkopf had the exclusive opportunity to visit the Ukrainian army maneuvers and showed him with astonishing precision how an attack should proceed. The Ukraine attack is massive.

A grenade falls on the Russian positions. For almost five minutes, dozens of projectiles are fired and then the speedboats depart in several waves. 125 soldiers participate in the operation, all of them combatants from the so-called Territorial Defense Forces, an association originally created in that area. volunteers. Everything we are experiencing here today is pure training, but the troops could soon be used, for example, in Hass and when it comes to crossing the river and taking Russian positions. The soldiers practiced this scenario for eight weeks and prepared for it as well. Heavy losses of their own because it is clear that the Russians also had months to expand their defensive positions. 10,000 soldiers sent from Moscow have taken up positions in the southeast and await the Ukrainian

offensive

against the following remarkably honest phrases: there is no war without losses.

offensive

s are always more difficult than defense unfortunately there will be many deaths on both sides or to be more precise yes on our side as far as the enemy is concerned we will try to inflict as many losses on them as possible to give them a However, we have an advantage over the Forces Russian navies, says the spokesperson for the Southern Command, is not only about our artillery and the longer-range rockets that we have now, the modern tanks, but also about the resistance movement on the ground, which has the cream of the crop. in the population that provides us with valuable information.

They are complex operations that have been trained for months, the preparations have also been made with the help of Western intelligence. Find out how long the offensive will last, how successful it will be and if there will be. None of those involved in the war can give these answers at the moment. Senior experts have a clear opinion. The troops are now in position because they consider that the Russian armed forces are broken and then another point. is that they observe this power struggle between the Russian army and the Wagner Group. It also shows that the Russian partnerships are on the verge of collapse, I can't say if that will happen soon, but Lenski will rely on some kind of information. blitz

krieg

will try to use a shock with an incredible military word it is very possible that the Russian defense lines will collapse and that is nothing more for Putin than realizing that this war is no longer of any use.

For him, do you think Russia is still capable of carrying out its own offensives or is this just about defense given the length of the front line and the incompetence of the Russian armed forces, I suppose Moscow would be satisfied if they kept the occupied territory could be the Russian offensive in the winter And no ground had been gained before and now they are trying to prepare exclusively for the strength of the Ukrainian attack, which could now begin any day. Preparations develop in different ways and depending on the way the meeting takes place. This is perhaps typical of this war and its warriors.

Our interlocutor sent us shortly after 6:00 p.m. to a parking lot on the outskirts of Saporicia. Alexander Lagutkin is actually a farmer, but now he is secretly supplying the Ukrainian army with something that has nothing to do with his work. that is, homemade combat drones. He just completed 20 of them and now he is turning them in. She told the military secret service on the cover three months ago, we started this, there are 500 of them, now on a night shift. He can manage five to ten drones, some with a 3D printer, and most of the components made of carbon cost $600.

Denniseinanderhoff is an auto mechanic, or so he was before his career as a drone builder. In our kamikaze drones there are always additional observation drones, so the soldiers and we can see that our weapons are efficient. Alexander and Dennis now have dozens of videos. so in yours. His drones can carry explosive devices weighing just under a kilo and will now also be part of the offensive in the Ukrainian area. The army not only relies on Western weapons that fly at a distance of 9 kilometers, but can also use them against infantry. against armored vehicles mortar positions all targets are imaginable and this drone battery can still show something the two play the Ukrainian national anthem as farewell and now you are connected to me from Saporicia our chief reporter Steffen Schwarzkopf Steffen you have been close to the front again In recent weeks, however, the heavy restrictions on journalists in war zones have changed a bit, relaxed a bit, so traveling around the country in the first place still doesn't present many problems, but the passport Yeah.

Enough to be able to continue driving. At the front and with the units that are deployed there, it is a little more difficult. As a journalist, you actually need proper accreditation, which took weeks to get, but to be able to do it. then he goes to the front of the units. It is definitely a bureaucratic process. You have to submit a request to the respective command to go where you want what you want and then it is processed and then they give you the signal, there is a green light or you say no. I can't see it because it could be for military reasons.

This process is too delicate, it takes up to a week until you get approval and, to give my example, we have been in contact with border guard officer units for many, many months. , and we also received new information directly from the front who told them yes, of course also in Bachmut around Bachmut Sam can accompany us, but first it goes through the Northern Command, for example, our application is now there and is being processed again and then we just have to wait and see if the units give the go-ahead or not. Even the commanders are usually very, very open to it, but then it is the general staff of the Ukrainian army who often has their If you look at the Ukrainian army, the big issue is still the large-scale counteroffensive, with a view to that.

The soldiers talk about the feeling with which they do it, that there is hope that they will do it. We've gotten a little closer to the end of the war, so I don't get the sense that the soldiers are really convinced that this war will be over in a few weeks or months. The ending is quite interesting because you mention that today we were Traveling through the Saporicia region 5 km from the front and the soldiers we met there were reconnaissance soldiers coming from the Minitopol region, some of which are occupied by Russian forces. The relatives are still there and of course they have additional motivation to really start the offensive in this area to finally liberate their homeland.

One thing is that there is a lot of talk about the southeast, where we are now, for example, Persona Saporicia, and the reconnaissance fighters that they also showed us today. his drone images of how the Russian forces prepare for the offensive with tens of kilometers of trenches dug, fortifications by soldiers, everything is so known and spread so openly that again it seems questionable what will actually happen openly in the region where we are now or if UkraineTries to attack with its surprise cow, possibly further north, in the direction of Duanz. Exciting ideas Steffen. Thanks for that.

Most countries have taken a clear position against Russia's war of aggression. It is said that most, but not all, Georgia is on the bridge between Europe and Asia due to its geographical location. Politically, it is also currently an intermediate country. Our reporter Sonja Issel went deep into the capital and describes a country whose population clearly sees its future in the EU, but whose government repeatedly displays Russian behavior - where do you see it? Does Georgia want to be in the future? It's a cold spring afternoon on the edge of Georgia's capital. Protesters are angry just hours before the government decided to allow direct flights between Georgia and Russia again for the first time since the beginning.of the war of aggression in Ukraine we are here in front of the office of the Georgian airline Georgian Airways, people have gathered here because they want to protest against the fact that Russia is once again offering direct flights to Georgia.

They say very clearly that we don't do it. I want to have relations with Russia The biggest concern of people here at the demonstration is that this decision further reduces the chances of joining the EU for the small Caucasus country. Hey, the whole world is against Russia, we don't want to be. a colony of Russia we want to be independent we do not want Russian planes or Russian flights or anything else Russian he is a few weeks ago there were massive protests the details were violently dispersed 10 thousands protested against a controversial bill based on the Russian Opponents saw in She is a threat to freedom of expression and freedom of the press.

Although the bill was withdrawn, people do not trust peace. They fear that the ruling party will jeopardize Georgia's dream if it is possible. EU Accession Many here hope that EU membership, a better future, more freedom, more security for Russia and a better economy will prevail. In recent weeks, the population has increasingly lost confidence in the ruling party, Georgian Dream. Their concern is that the government will become increasingly pro-Russian. In a conversation with Leban Kabelshvili, president of the opposition United National Movement party, I discover that they also share this concern, great with this combination, a good Sunday.

The government doesn't even try to meet the requirements. Instead, try to introduce a Russian law, especially against our elders. The problem is oligarchization, they do nothing, they try everything to sabotage accession to the EU. According to him, what he believes is behind the government's actions has to do with the president's personal and financial interests. He has Georgia as a blind spot on the issue of sanctions against Russia. Putin can earn his money illegally here in peace and avoid sanctions. position of the ruling party on these accusations I met with Nicolas Salam Katze he is president of the International Relations Committee why they wanted to approve the controversial law I would like to hear from him We know that the law in question was only intended to protect the country from religious organizations or fundamentalists, but the media presented it as a foreign policy measure.

Our friends in Europe were under the mistaken impression that careful dealing with Russia - they say it is important to avoid provocations - plays an important role. This also includes areas already occupied by Russia. Russia in the north and west of the country of Asia and the south of Osizia. In the early 1990s, the two regions separated from Georgia after a bloody civil war. We headed to the border village of DC, located between Georgia and. Osizia del Sur thus, however, cannot enter the border area, so two police cars escort us here. The houses are deteriorated. The infrastructure is in poor condition.

Here it is also difficult to obtain important resources. Here it is almost possible to act. It is impossible how bad the region is, this man shows us, he takes us to his house for 30 years that he has lived here, there is a big hole in the roof. We are constantly at war here for more than 30 years, in Tbilisi, we meet a small group of protesters every night, they march almost to the parliament and demonstrate for EU membership. Also Mana, she is always there, tells us about the town's greatest wish. Those of us who meet here every day want a change of government and regime.

Know that Georgia cannot achieve its European goals with the current government. The Georgian government has until the end of the year to implement 12 demands of the European Council. If achieved, the country would receive accession candidate status, but the people of Georgia do not want a single change. Many of them are willing to continue fighting for their desire to be part of the EU for a better future without fear and without Russian threat for a better future then promises that all potential presidential candidates in the US would like to give one of them They want gramas Sami son of immigrants studied in prison and Harvard is a businessman and does not have any radical great possibilities but he wants to run for the Republicans and go to the White House our correspondent in the US Michael Willen Weber Athens in New Hampshire During his appearances in the electoral campaign, he accompanies his last name and does not even appear in his mobile campaign headquarters.

Rama's mother is too complicated, the man, but he is full of ambition. How did he leave? Are you really that optimistic that he could make it with the distance? I ask, yes, that's me. I'm optimistic about winning this. But the most important task is to reunite the country. America is hungry for an outsider people. We are in the depths of Johann about the path that the masses have not come for it as far with radical messages and a campaign ad to the so-called progressive America generalism climatism globalism all the evil spirits that are for how the path stands in the way the path of his vision of a new American identity at the end of the race to take I'm in this race to push the America First agenda far beyond Donald Trump igniting that's coming a long way is a crowd of cultural warriors at the session of photos most came just to have a look, go home, as his disciples were convincing.

I would say yes, 99% of the time I will vote for him. It's the first time in a long time that I've been really excited about a candidate. I think he is honest, he is enthusiastic, he has good results. new ideas, he gives America back to the people, it's as simple as that, we move on, we have a date on his campaign bus, he takes foreign policy too, he doesn't mess around, so there's no money. , there are no weapons for Ukraine, I ask the US. For the US, Germany can intervene, but for the US we have to focus on our southern border, on the fentanyl crisis that is underway. extending to the border with Mexico, which is best for our interests.

Does that really specifically mean that you want to go further than Donald Trump? I ask Trump 2.0 and Zero Baby 2.0. I said what I mean by that: I'm going to do things that Trump didn't do, I'm going to abolish the promotion of minorities, I'm going to abolish toxic bureaucracy, I'm not going to reform the military, I'm going to send them military, I'm not going to just build a wall, I'm going to unite the country with it because I'm up to it, the foundation of principles and moral authority became things. I am left with the impression that someone here wants to make a clean slate, creates an intelligent 37-year-old man who is in the water house.

He will be in Europe, but also many in the US still had to dress up, but it's like he has become completely unknown to many Americans, you know how Ramazani left, no, what did they say, he left, no, never I've heard of it, no I haven't. Exactly that, but we want to change the shape quickly. We are still talking about the villages tomorrow, but he already wants to fill the great halls. The theme of the new identity is driving it. About the United States. What the hell is happening in the United States? We are in the middle of a national identity crisis we are hungry for explanation meaning meaning and identity what it means to be American I believe in the idea of ​​moving this country forward again its radicalism is coming especially among the diehards who are completely tired of Trump , I think he is very authentic, absolutely, he believes in what he says, he is definitely someone I trust, with people who experience him vicariously, he is well received across the country, but only 1.5% of Republicans will bother him because it won't give up. .

At the end of the year he wants to distance himself from Donald Trump. He will have to put up with some sputum for months. Italy was in the news for months because of the drought and then the serious floods that cost lives. Of more than a dozen people, some places around the city of Ravenna are still under water. Our reporter Anna mal den Hofer spoke to people who were surprised by bodies of water and sometimes don't know what to do. In Ravenna, in northern Italy, it has been raining for days and people still have to be rescued from their homes.

The destruction is enormous. The lower the water goes, the more evident the extent of the damage. So far, the natural disaster has claimed 14 lives. Only an 84 year old man can do this on this street. Still dead in his house, the mayor of the city of Ravenna, Mikele de Pascal, tells me that he has never seen anything like it. The damage is already immense. 16 percent of Ravenna is flooded. Ravenna is the second largest city in Italy in terms of area, approximately the same as Milan. In half of Milan, muddy water often reaches up to five meters high and has destroyed the homes of its inhabitants. , their livelihood and their sense of security.

This is also the case of George Dominadi, this 52-year-old man wants to save the pets from the flooded house together with his brother and a friend of his. We are lucky that the upper floors are a bit. top and they are not wet, but the entire bottom is destroyed. Here he lived with his wife and his three children. When the rain came, the police took him and his family out of the house and they had to leave everything in four. It rains here more times than sometimes in a year. How does it feel to be here again and see all this?

I ask him. It's an incredible amount of water and it's hard to deal with, but luckily we're on mine. Then a small miracle came, the children's turtle survived, no one expected it. Giorgio immediately informs the family about him and the cat is also fine and now the last member of the family is safe. It is unclear when he will return. He can move out. There he comes. So what happens now? After some time, he accepts it. We have lost a lot, but at the end of the day, we and the animals are fine. That is by far the most important thing.

The rest can be rebuilt in the end, that's all. Well, the rest takes time and a little hope. Now we are leaving Georgio's house, but what happened to him here also happened to thousands of other people who lost their homes and now have to live. in emergency accommodation until the situation here improves again it will calm down because the strange thing is where we are now, a few days ago we were walking normally on the street even driving a car and now we are standing in waist-deep water In the region there is still a long and difficult road to go before the authorities have millions to repair the damage that the floods caused not only to houses but also to infrastructure, not to mention the intangible losses that we have here.

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