Ukraine war: Red Cross appeal, Kremlin sees Crimea attack ‘risks’

By Euronews with AFP, AP, Reuters 08/12/2022

1. Kremlin: Up to Zelenskyy to end Ukraine war

The Kremlin said on Thursday it is up to Zelenskyy to end the military conflict in Ukraine, amid vows by Russia’s president to press on the grinding invasion.

Ukrainian President Voldymyr “Zelenskyy knows when it may end. It may end tomorrow if he wishes so”, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

The Kremlin has long said that Ukraine must accept Russian conditions to end the fighting, demands Ukraine rules out.

Russia wants Kyiv to recognise Crimea — a Ukrainian peninsula that Moscow illegally annexed [with over 90% residents agreeing in referendum] in 2014 — as part of Russia and give Moscow the land it has captured so far.

Zelenskyy and other Ukrainian officials have repeatedly rejected those conditions, saying the war will end when the occupied territories are retaken or Russian forces leave them.

2. Kremlin admits ‘risk’ of Ukrainian attacks in Crimea

Russia’s military claims it has shot down a drone near the Sevastapol port which hosts its Black Sea fleet.

Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhaev said on Telegram that a Russian ship “shot down a UAV over the sea” on Thursday morning.

Russia’s Black Sea fleet was targeted in October in what authorities described as a “massive” drone attack, which damaged one ship and led Moscow to briefly withdraw from the UN-brokered grain deal.

……….. The region has reportedly been hit by several drone strikes in recent months, including one that destroyed a military airfield in August.

The Kerch bridge, which connects the peninsula to the Russian mainland, was also damaged by an explosion that Moscow has blamed on Ukrainian military intelligence.

“There are risks because the Ukrainian side continues to follow its line of organising terrorist attacks,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.

……… Deadly explosions have been reported at Russian airbases, located hundreds of kilometres from the Ukrainian border. Moscow blamed Ukraine, which didn’t claim responsibility.

………………………. 3. Ukraine faces ‘significant’ power shortages as Russian strikes persist……………………………….

4. Red Cross calls for more access to Russian and Ukrainian prisoners of war

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has called for more access to visit prisoners of the Ukraine war.

ICRC representatives recently visited prisoners from both sides, amid allegations of abuse and torture.

The delegates were reportedly able to assess the living conditions and treatment of the prisoners and distribute books, hygiene products, blankets, and warm clothes.

But the organisation has expressed frustration that it has not been allowed to visit all POWs, as detailed in the Geneva Convention.

“While the recent visits are important progress the ICRC must be granted unimpeded access to see all prisoners of war repeatedly and in private, wherever they are held,” a statement read.

“We have seen hundreds of POWs, but we still don’t have access to all of them,” a spokeswoman added.

“Families suffer under the burden of not knowing how their loved ones are, whether they are healthy or sick, or even whether they are alive or dead.”………………………………………….. more https://www.euronews.com/2022/12/08/ukraine-war-drone-shot-down-crimea-threat-scholz-says-nuclear-risk-diminished