The dark season has begun in Ukraine – with temperatures dropping to minus 25 degrees. Millions of citizens are exposed to the freezing cold in bombed-out houses: without electricity, without water, without windows. Germany therefore expects a large number of refugees in the coming weeks. The United Nations estimates that more than nine million Ukrainians are currently in need of assistance.
Nearly seven million people are on the run in Ukraine. More than a million people are in poorly heated public buildings such as schools or gyms. Putin’s army’s barrage of missiles destroyed about 40 percent of power systems. Sometimes tens of millions of people were without electricity. Particularly affected: the regions of Odessa, Kiev, Vinnytsia and Sumy.
Russia is increasingly focusing on electricity and thermal power plants
“Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to terrorize the civilian population in his neighboring country,” German Ambassador to London Miguel Berger told British TV channel Sky News on Sunday. Russia has been waging an offensive war against Ukraine since February and has recently been increasingly attacking electricity and combined heat and power plants.
“We are very concerned because these attacks on energy infrastructure could force many people to leave Ukraine in freezing temperatures,” the diplomat said, adding: “We expect a further influx of refugees in the coming weeks.” no reason for optimism that the war can be ended diplomatically, Berger continued.
The president of the European People’s Party (EPP), Manfred Weber, also expects a significant increase in the number of refugees this winter. “I’m afraid we’re going to see a dramatic winter of displacement,” Weber told the Welt am Sonntag, referring to “the destruction of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure by the terror regime of Russian President Vladimir Putin.”
“Germany is currently sleepwalking into a new migration crisis”
“We have to be prepared for the fact that a large number of Ukrainians will come to the EU this winter – and many of them to Germany,” Weber said. Germany is not prepared for this situation and is “sleepwalking into a new migration crisis”.
Escape route across the Mediterranean Sea
In view of the escape route across the Mediterranean to Italy, the EPP leader proposed joint patrols of German and Italian officials at the EU’s external borders there. According to Weber, those who have fled without a visa, passport or reason for asylum should be returned immediately.
“And I strongly advocate the establishment of diplomatic zones in African countries, with the consent of the respective government, where asylum applications can be lodged and asylum checks carried out by EU officials.” That spares the migrants a dangerous sea journey and dries up the smugglers’ criminal activities, Weber said.
Source: Krone
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