heute journal vom 23.02.2024 "Zwei Jahre Ukrainekrieg" mit Christian Sievers live aus Kiew (english)

Vorspann LONGING FOR BEAUTY PRIMA BALLERINA ON ART IN WARTIME And now, the "heute journal", live from Kyiv with Christian Sievers. Krieg in der Ukraine: Die Menschen sind müde Good evening to everyone. Tonight, we're live from the capital of Ukraine, where a memorable night is about to begin. Exactly two years ago was the last evening before the Russian invasion of this country and the beginning of a war with terrible consequences to this day. In view of this date, we'll look at the current situation and future prospects, here, in a place that stands for the will to persevere, and also the need for distraction and everyday pleasures in wartime life. The National Opera in Kyiv performed Verdi's "Don Carlos" today. The performances always start in the afternoon and are sometimes interrupted by air raids. But they do take place. We'll take a closer look later. We begin this evening with a journey through the country, now beginning its third year at war. A country that is determined to hold out, and at the same time, is weary and exhausted. With every kilometre eastwards, there's more military personnel on the road. It's a wild mix: many rickety lorries, little modern equipment, soldiers in private cars. Heading towards the front, fear rides shotgun. Heading back, little more than hope remains. People are tired, but no one is giving up. Everyone fights to the last, because everyone knows that if the cancer in Moscow continues to grow, Ukraine and the Ukrainians will cease to exist. Up to this point and no further: Anyone going past Pokrovsk must be in uniform. It resembles an army camp, a supply post to buy camouflage, mobile phones and a hot meal. Russia's army is stationed just 35 kilometres in this direction. Where will they hit next? Here, a young girl was just killed as the result of a missile strike. The air raid siren is constant. Hardly anyone sleeps well these days, and no one knows how long this will last. Raisa Poradyk is 86. She lives alone with her cat. She knows her city's precarious peace won't last forever. She says, "I was born during World War II. I don't want to die now." I wasn't scared when the war started. But now, as the Russians get closer, it goes straight to my heart. "I laugh, so as not to cry", goes a Ukrainian poem that they all know and take to heart. Her brother, a journalist and poet, died in the east fighting Russia's army. 730 kilometres further west, in the country's interior, his poems live on. His sister sold everything she had to open a bookshop, in remembrance. He wanted to have an English-style bookshop. Neat and beautiful, and painted in this navy blue colour. He even chose the colour. -This was his favourite colour. So you fulfilled his dream, posthumously. It was important to me. It helps us keep on living. Finding solace between the covers of a book. The shop sells classics, current works by authors now on the front, plus Thomas Mann, Remarque and Orwell. All of which have sold out several times over. The bookshop was an immediate success. It's a way to create distraction, yet the pain is ever present. Everyone who works here has lost a loved one. We are not afraid. You're past fear. I mean, we've experienced so much and survived. I would like... I wish and I hope that life after death exists, and... I'd like to think that my brother and I will share many beautiful moments in another life. That this is not the end. "So many die", says the young bookseller. "What good is the country without its people?" Two years of war. Its traces are everywhere, even when they're not immediately visible. Long roads lead towards Kyiv. The distances are vast, taking ten or eleven hours to drive. The contrasts are hard to grasp. In the cities, bars and restaurants are full of laughing people. In one, Ivan Perchekliy gushes about Ukrainian wine. Small producers are getting better and better and more original, even now. As deputy head of the Ukrainian Sommelier Association, he fought to keep Russia's wine experts from taking part in international competitions. On the day after, he was defending another front. We met him again in a trench on the outskirts of the capital. Unfortunately, it's also a constant battle with myself. This isn't my natural environment, just as it isn't for most people. But I try to put my own needs aside. After months fighting in the battle for Bakhmut and a serious wound to the face, he's now training for the next mission. "I'll always keep fighting", he said, even if he doesn't know exactly how. In this respect, he is just like his country. Jahre Krieg: Ukraine-Hilfen und der Westen "The Russians are firing at us, and we have nothing with which to respond." That's what I heard repeatedly from soldiers on the front in the east. The big question that people here are asking themselves as they look ahead to another year of war: What about support from the West? Directly after our programme this evening, the ZDF "Politbarometer" has some very interesting figures on what Germans think about this. A report from Florian Neuhann on the current situation. "As long as it takes." This has been the promise to Ukraine for the last two years. We will support Ukraine for as long as it takes. The chorus of the West has one refrain: For as long as it takes. -For as long as it takes. For as long as it takes. -For as long as it takes. What do they have say about that? The last Ukrainian soldiers are leaving the Ukrainian city of Avdiivka. They lacked what would have been necessary for defence. In Ukraine and in the West, confidence is waning. Last week in Munich, the Danish prime minister addressed the Ukrainian minister of foreign affairs. We should have supported you much more from the beginning. Ukraine cannot win without weapons. Words are simply not enough. Shortly before the war's second anniversary, the questions are becoming more fundamental. Questions about the prospects for Ukraine and a possible new world order. After World War II, two superpowers dominated the world, the USA and the Soviet Union. After 1990, the end of the Cold War, one country remained. Today, the situation is reshuffling itself. China, Russia and India are striving for power, in some cases brutally. The EU is trying to find its place. We are currently in a situation where there is a kind of gap between an eroding order and another that has not yet come into its own. "Gaps" like these, which have occurred from time to time in history, are characterised by many wars, and above all, intense wars. But anything is still possible, including Ukrainian successes such as the last major one in November '22, the recapture of Kherson. Those looking for an optimistic interpretation should talk to the head of NATO. Most experts were worried that Russia would take control of Kyiv just a few days after the invasion. That was a major strategic defeat for Putin. It motivates me and hopefully many others to continue supporting Ukraine. For as long as it takes? A few weeks ago, the US president formulated it differently for the first time: We will continue to support Ukraine... ...for as long as we can. It is the honest version of this promise, and from the Ukrainian perspective, the bitter one. Jerin: "Die Lage ist schwierig, aber stabil." I'm joined by the deputy head of Ukrainian military intelligence. Yevhen Yenin, good evening. -Good evening. You're responsible for national intelligence. If you look at the current situation on the front, what does Ukraine have to prepare for at the beginning of this third year of war? The situation is currently difficult, but stable. There are no major movements or advances by either side on the front. But the enemy is increasing pressure on some sectors to take certain regions and improve their own position. For our part, we are doing everything we can to improve the situation for ourselves and do more than just defend our positions. Do you really have insight on what goes on behind the walls of the Kremlin? Do you have spies on the inside, for example? Do you think you know what Vladimir Putin is up to? Let's put it this way: We know what we need to know. There it is, the knowing smile of the secret service agent. You are also responsible for espionage operations in Russia and in the Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia. It's said you're also responsible for assassination missions. Do you think you can turn the tide at the moment? Naturally, I can't reveal any details of our activities. All I'll say is this: Our activities and the activities of Ukraine's military intelligence, surely make the enemy feel that danger lurks for him everywhere, both on occupied territory and on his own. The enemy must know that he will be destroyed. Many, many people on both sides are dying in this war. I've spoken to many people in Ukraine who've wondered... how this can go on. They asked what happens if they have a country, but no people to live in it. What would you say to these people, these citizens of Ukraine? Our history is one of sacrifice. After all, the Ukrainian people have struggled for centuries for their own existence. In all that time, we have made sacrifices. The criminal in Moscow has tried in various ways to destroy our people. We survived it then, and I hope we will survive it now. Yevhen Yenin, deputy head of Ukrainian military intelligence. Thank you very much for joining us today. -All the best. We recorded that conversation in front of the opera, right here in the heart of Kyiv this evening. Now we're back in this wonderful hall. Let's take a look at other important news today. Here's Hanna with the news summary. Good evening from me as well. The Bundestag has decided to partially legalise cannabis. 404 MPs voted in favour of the controversial bill. 226 voted against it. As of April, adults will be allowed to possess up to 25 grammes of cannabis in public and up to 50 grammes at home. In addition, a maximum of three cannabis plants may be grown. The Bundesrat could still delay the initiative. Another issue in the Bundestag today was the deployment of the Bundeswehr in the Red Sea. The Bundestag has now given the green light for the mission. The frigate "Hessen" is already underway. Its goal is to protect freight ships in the region from attacks by the Houthi militia. The Bundestag also voted in favour of the amended Growth Opportunities Act. However, it remains uncertain whether it will also pass in the Bundesrat on 22 March. The CDU/CSU did not agree to the compromise proposal in the conciliation committee. EU Commission President von der Leyen announced that billions in frozen EU funds will be released for Poland next week. She said this during a visit to Warsaw. Specifically, the sum in question is up to 137 billion euros. Von der Leyen praised the efforts of the new Polish government to restore the rule of law in the country. US Secretary of State Blinken has criticised expansion plans for Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories. New Israeli settlement activities in the occupied territories are not in accordance with international law, he said. Blinken's statements represent a departure from the US position up till now, which dates back to former US President Trump. Austria's former Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has been given a suspended sentence of eight months by the Vienna Regional Court for making false statements. The court considered it proven that Kurz lied to the parliamentary committee of inquiry into the Ibiza affair in 2020. However, the verdict is not yet final. The broadcasting fee for public broadcasters should increase by 58 cents per month as of 2025. This is the recommendation of the KEF commission on financial requirements. The contribution fee would thus rise to 18.94 euros per month. Now, it's up to the federal states to decide. Some minister presidents had already declared months ago that they would not support an increase. Let's take a look at the economy and Ukraine. After a massive slump in gross domestic product in the first year of the war, things improved somewhat in the second. This is also important for the economy in this country. Frank Bethmann, are German companies now investing more in Ukraine again? Yes, they're investing again, especially the companies already there before the war broke out. There are around 25 German production facilities in Ukraine. Bayer, for example, as well as automotive supplier Leoni, manufacture there. Leoni's story is somewhat special. When the war began, company management wanted to end production there. After two years, production is still going on, currently on a three-shift system. Last year, the Federal Republic of Germany issued investment guarantees amounting to 55 million euros. This was primarily used to finance expansion investments in local plants. New German investments in Ukraine remain the exception. Who wants to invest in a country at war, where no one knows what peace might look like? Uncertainty is still a major obstacle to investment. Thanks, Frank, for this assessment. -My pleasure. "Gute Gefühle" am Opernhaus in Kiew We're back in Kyiv on the stage of the National Opera with prima ballerina Anastasia Shevchenko. Ms Shevchenko, good evening. Thank you for joining us. Excepting the first three months of the war, the opera house never stopped running. There was always a programme of opera, ballet and dance. How important is that for the people here, especially in times of war? It's very important. I'm glad we have an opportunity to work and share some positivity with the audiences who come to our performances. It's a difficult time, and I think all of us need moments of positivity right now. At a performance like this, there are many such moments. You can immerse yourself in another world and enjoy the beauty of art. If an air raid siren were to sound right now, for example, what would you do? What happens during an actual performance? When the air raid siren sounds, it means there's acute danger. The entire audience is asked to enter a bunker. The curtain is closed, and all the artists enter a bunker as well. They go to a safe place and wait for the alarm to end. If the alarm lasts too long, the performance has to be postponed. What we strive to do is keep going. That means we try to finish the performance as planned. We want the audience to come back. We'll see you at the end of the programme again. Then, prima ballerina Anastasia Shevchenko will give us a dance performance. Thank you for joining us. Thank you. It's nice to have you here. I'm looking forward to performing for you. Ukraine: Lage an der Frontlinie zu Belarus 1,200 opera visitors fit into this grand space. Currently, only half the seats can be filled, as there's no room for more in the bunker. As is so often the case, a lot of things seem normal here. But as soon as you drive towards the front lines, war is raging. And it determines everything. Katrin Eigendorf accompanied soldiers in the north, on the border to Belarus. The border to Belarus has been enemy territory for two years. Ukrainian soldiers keep a close eye on what's happening on the other side of the river. They're always expecting an attack. Oleh guides me through their positions. He is the deputy commander of the border troops in the north. We've set up a circular defence system. That means the enemy can attack from any side, and we can still defend ourselves. The bridge that once connected Ukraine and Belarus lies in ruins. On 24 February, two years ago, the soldiers blew up the connection. It was a moment of great danger. Russian troops were threatening to advance on Kyiv from here. The situation is tense, even when no shots are fired. They've been monitoring the area with drones for the last six months. We monitor equipment and people. We see groups of saboteurs, not only during the day, but also at night. The drones have thermal imaging cameras. On the side of the road, there are still many reminders that two years ago, this was one of the most important border crossings between Ukraine and its neighbour Belarus. Now, the entire area is mined. I'm only allowed to walk here accompanied by soldiers. It's particularly dangerous for civilians, because it's not clear where it's safe. They don't want to stay in the open long. They've made themselves at home in their underground positions. This is where they live, many for the last two years. How much longer can they keep it up? We are standing on our land, and we are standing firm. We're doing all we can. None of the soldiers on the front is prepared to give up a sliver of our land. They wish for more military support from Western partners, they tell us before we leave. Good evening, Katrin. The situation in Ukraine is truly difficult. It's hard to digest all the different impressions. Bilanz: Zwei Jahre russischer Angriffskrieg Sometimes, it seems like there's no plan. You never know what to expect. You've been reporting from Ukraine for years now, also for ZDF, since the war began. Was it foreseeable that this war would go on for two years, and that it is still not over? I personally didn't expect it. If you look at the prognoses, they were all wrong. At first we thought Ukraine would only hold out a few weeks before it caved to Russia due to their overwhelming military power. Things turned out differently. We saw Ukraine on the upswing. Now, we're experiencing a phase where it's clear that the West supported the country, but not boldly enough. We see Ukraine on the defensive, especially in the east. It's no longer able to defend itself on certain sections of the front. That's unfortunate. It's also bad for morale in the country. This war simply cannot be ended quickly. That's the tragic conclusion we've come to today. What options does Ukraine still have as the war enters its third year? There is no alternative, actually. We like to use the term "war-weary", but Ukraine doesn't have the luxury. They have to defend their country, and I think the majority is determined to defend it. Not just the soldiers, but a very strong civil society, which is taking committed action, with people risking their lives. I think the problem is that it's questionable if Ukraine can continue to sustain this war for a longer period of time. They want to. But without the West's uncompromising commitment, without a supply of weapons, it won't be possible. I've heard people in Ukraine starting to think about their options: If we don't succeed, can we cede land? What are our options to end this war? Katrin Eigendorf, thank you for this analysis tonight. Tonight is the night on which a cruel war began two years ago. It has claimed many lives and demanded the solidarity of an entire country and the world. We have seen a great deal of suffering and tears, but also the will not to lose hope that a future of peace is possible. The longing for comfort is great in this country. This is how Anastasia Shevchenko wants to make her contribution. The prima ballerina of the Ukrainian National Opera will now dance the swan from the "Carnival of the Animals" for us and for her country. With that, the small Ukraine crew of the "heute journal" says goodbye from Kyiv. Welcome to the "Politbarometer". It's a sad anniversary that we will face tomorrow. Two years ago, Russia invaded Ukraine, showing the ugly face of war with brutal violence, including against civilians. How has this affected the attitude of the Germans? The more Ukraine comes under pressure with far too few soldiers, weapons and ammunition, the clearer the support among respondents. 62% say that the European states should supply Ukraine with more weapons and ammunition. Only around one in three is against it. A month ago, opinions weren't as clear-cut. There are clear majorities in favour of increased arms deliveries among supporters of almost all parties. Supporters of the AfD largely reject increased support for Ukraine. Most do not trust Putin's aggressive regime. Around half of those surveyed expect Russia to attack other countries as well. What to do about it? 50% believe that the West can persuade Russia to behave less aggressively through military strength. Slightly more than one in three believe this can be achieved through political concessions. Of those surveyed in East Germany, almost half, and therefore a relative majority, believe that the West should make more concessions to Russia. The Bundeswehr should receive more money, even if this means making cuts in other areas, according to almost more than three-fourths of respondents. Almost a year ago, approval was significantly lower, at 59%. Over 90% think it's important or very important for Germany to be able to defend itself with its European allies and without the aid of the USA. In our list of the ten most important politicians, Defence Minister Pistorius continues to lead the field. The scale ranges from plus 5 to minus 5, according to likeability and performance. Alice Weidel is in last place, minus 2.7, a drop. Christian Lindner with a personal low of minus 1.3, significantly worsened. Olaf Scholz, minus 1.1. Sahra Wagenknecht, also minus 1.1, significantly worsened. Robert Habeck, minus 0.6. Friedrich Merz, minus 0.6, worsened. Ahead of him, Annalena Baerbock with minus 0.5, slightly improved. In third place, Markus Söder, minus 0.3, significantly worsened. Only from second place onwards, does the rating move into positive territory. Hendrik Wüst comes in at plus 0.7. And Boris Pistorius is in first place with plus1.6. At the beginning of the week, the FDP secretary general was still dreaming of a black-yellow alliance. However, the FDP is unlikely to achieve this were new elections held at present. If federal elections were held on Sunday, the SPD would get 15%, as it did three weeks ago. The CDU/CSU would get 30%, minus one point. The Greens 14%, plus one point. The FDP would miss out on re-entering the Bundestag with 4%. The AfD would stay steady at 19%, the Left party 4%, plus one point, and the BSW 5%, minus one point. This would allow both black-red and black-green to form a majority. Two-thirds of respondents believe the traffic light coalition will last until fall 2025. The federal government is fighting against the severely dampened economic outlook. The assessment of those surveyed in the "Politbarometer" is also gloomy. Only 10% believe that the economic situation is good, the lowest level in 14 years. Almost half say the economic situation is partly good, partly bad, and 40% rate the situation as bad. Only 2% believe that things are looking up again, while 28% do not expect any changes. More than two-thirds fear that the economy will go downhill. In order to support the economy, the federal government has presented the so-called "Growth Opportunities Act", which the CDU/CSU has so far blocked in the Bundesrat. Around 60% believe that the government should provide more financial support for the German economy. One-fourth of respondents are in favour of the same level of support. 11% would provide the economy with less financial support. A clear majority in favour of more economic aid. An equally clear majority believe that the support should be financed through cuts in other areas and not through additional debt or tax increases. This was our report on the mood in the country. The graphics and all information on our surveys can be found as always on ZDFtext from page 165 onwards, in the "ZDFheute" app and on zdfheute.de. How the representative polls are conducted by Forschungsgruppe Wahlen, plus information on methodology and quality standards can be found at politbarometer.zdf.de. Thank you for your interest. The next "Politbarometer" will air on 8 March. Up next, after the weather report, is the "heute show". Have a nice evening. Goodbye. WEATHER REPORT Good evening, and welcome to the weather report. The weather has calmed down, and rain and snowfall at higher altitudes in the southeast of Bavaria is gradually subsiding. This low here is moving north, but the next low is already waiting in the wings. It will bring some rain and snow showers tomorrow. There will be rain and some snow in the southeast during the night. This will slowly decrease and then disappear. New, compact clouds bring rain in the southwest and snow at higher altitudes. Otherwise, in the north, expect clear skies, with temperatures as low as minus 3 degrees on the edge of the Alps. It will be much colder in Bavaria, with frost. In the west, it's much milder, with 5 degrees. Tomorrow, expect rain and snow showers in western Germany. There will also be snow in the higher elevations of the western Central Uplands. There will be isolated thunderstorms. These storms will move northwards, and from the south, it will continue to clear up. It will be relatively pleasant to the south, with plenty of sunshine. It will be the warmest in the east, with 12 degrees. In the Alps, it's 6 degrees. In the west, it'll be below 10 degrees, as you can see. There will be more rain on Sunday. But many regions will see sunshine, with 5 to 13 degrees. On Tuesday, it'll be dry throughout Germany. Have a nice evening.