Europe Top Stories World Ukraine Reports Territorial Gains near Bachmut NonoMay 16, 2023028 views According to reports from Kyiv, the Ukrainian armed forces have reclaimed territory surrounding the city of Bachmut from the Russian army in recent days. The Kremlin keeps the extension of the grain agreement open. Follow all developments in the live blog. World Council of Churches Secretary-General Visits Moscow Jerry Pillay, the Secretary-General of the World Council of Churches (WCC), plans to visit Moscow this week and meet with Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill. The trip is taking place at the request of the WCC’s own Central Committee, as announced by the WCC in Geneva. WCC representatives had previously visited Ukraine. Through encounters and dialogue, bridges towards peace and reconciliation are intended to be built, and military conflicts, war, and violence brought to an end. Moscow and Kyiv Agree to African Mediation Initiative South Africa, along with five other African countries, intends to mediate in the war against Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have agreed to receive a peace mission comprising African heads of state in Moscow and Kyiv, as announced by the office of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. The presidents of Zambia, Senegal, Congo, Uganda, and Egypt will also participate in the mediation. Ramaphosa stated that he informed UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres about his plans, and Guterres welcomed the initiative. Further details about the planned talks were not disclosed. Zelensky had previously stated that he would only consider a peace agreement once Russian forces completely withdraw from Ukrainian territory. Russian Troops Allegedly Conduct Evacuation Exercise at Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant According to Ukrainian sources, an exercise to evacuate the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant has commenced in the Russian-occupied south of Ukraine. Additional military units have been sent to the plant site, stated a representative of the Ukrainian power plant operator, Enerhoatom, to the Associated Press. The facility remains heavily mined. The Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant is the largest in Europe and was occupied by Russian forces at the beginning of the war. Prior to the conflict, approximately 11,000 people worked there. Currently, according to Enerhoatom, there are still 3,100 employees and their families at the facility, with an additional 2,900 working in the nearby city of Enerhodar. Ukraine Reports Territorial Gains near Bachmut According to Deputy Ukrainian Defense Minister Hanna Maliar, Ukrainian armed forces have reclaimed around 20 square kilometers of territory surrounding the eastern city of Bachmut from the Russian army in recent days. She stated on Telegram that Russian forces have made “some” advancements in the city of Bachmut itself and that intense fighting continues. Selenskyj Reportedly Invited to Arab League Summit Saudi Arabian King Salman has reportedly invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the Arab League Summit on Friday. According to diplomatic sources, Zelensky is expected to attend the summit in the Saudi city of Jeddah as a guest of honor. Zelensky’s participation offers an opportunity to discuss a resolution to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, as mentioned by Arab diplomats in Riyadh. Possible avenues for negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv could be discussed. There is no confirmation yet from Kyiv. EU Seeks to Soften Eleventh Round of Sanctions According to a new draft, EU member states aim to soften the planned eleventh round of sanctions against Russia concerning third Russian Parliament Votes to Withdraw from Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty (CFE Treaty) The Russian Parliament has voted in favor of withdrawing from the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE Treaty). The decision was unanimously made during a plenary session, as stated on the Parliament’s website. The withdrawal was justified as being in the interest of national security, according to Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, who announced the decision on his Telegram channel. The CFE Treaty sets limits on the deployment of heavy weapons in Europe, including battle tanks, armored combat vehicles, heavy artillery, combat aircraft, and helicopters. Russia was one of the signatories of the agreement in 1990 but largely suspended its implementation in 2007. Since 2015, a year after the annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, Russia has also ceased participating in the meetings of the consultative group. The legislative initiative to terminate the CFE Treaty was introduced by Russian President Vladimir Putin in the parliament last week. Russia Claims to Have Destroyed “Patriot” Air Defense System with Hypersonic Missile The Russian military claims to have successfully destroyed a “Patriot” air defense system, supplied by the West, during its attacks in Ukraine. According to the Ministry of Defense in Moscow, this was achieved using a hypersonic missile called the “Kinzhal,” as reported on its news portal, Zvezda. The attacks also targeted Ukrainian combat units and ammunition depots. Prior to this, Ukraine had stated that its air defense had intercepted all 18 missiles fired by Russia, including six hypersonic “Kinzhal” missiles. Important European WHO Office Moves from Moscow to Copenhagen Against the backdrop of the Russian war in Ukraine, the European office of the World Health Organization (WHO) for non-communicable diseases is relocating from Moscow to Copenhagen. The Danish Ministry of Health announced this on Monday evening, citing Russia’s aggression and the unacceptable invasion of Ukraine as the reasons for the move. “Given Russia’s aggressiveness and the unacceptable invasion of Ukraine, we cannot have such an important office based in Moscow,” said Minister of Health Sophie Løhde in a statement. Moscow Allows Sale of VW Plant in Russia for €125 Million According to media reports, the Volkswagen Group has received approval in Moscow to sell its assets in Russia for €125 million to the Russian car dealer Avilon. The request was reportedly approved by the government commission for control over foreign investments, as reported by the Interfax news agency, citing negotiation sources. VW had been active in Russia for many years and opened its own factory in Kaluga, about 200 kilometers southwest of Moscow, in 2007. In the spring of 2022, following the start of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, VW, along with other Western automakers, halted production in Russia. Ukrainian Commander Describes Bachmut as “Mouse Trap” for Russians The commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, has described the besieged city of Bachmut as a “mouse trap” for Russian troops. “The Wagner mercenaries crawled into Bachmut like rats into a mouse trap,” said the 57-year-old during another visit to the front lines. Through “active defense,” Ukrainian units have launched counterattacks in multiple sections near Bachmut. “The enemy has more resources, but we are destroying their plans,” said the Lieutenant General, who then awarded several soldiers with medals. Prior to this, Ukrainian army units northwest and southwest of Bachmut had pushed back Russian forces by several kilometers. Roth: Over 1,300 Cultural Institutions Attacked in Ukraine According to German Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth, over 1,300 cultural institutions such as libraries, archives, and museums.