Ukraine's membership in NATO has to be considered after the war with Russia ends, the Czech
Republic's president-elect, Petr Pavel, said in an interview.
Speaking with Ukrainian media, the retired general and former senior NATO commander said
that Ukraine has "done its homework" on common values, long-term interests, and technical
interoperability with the alliance. However, admitting Ukraine now, would make NATO a party
to the conflict, which may lead to nuclear war, he said.
Nevertheless, he added that he believes Ukraine deserves to be considered as a new NATO
member for meeting alliance standards and defending commonly-held values. He added that
the Ukrainian military, which are probably "the most experienced of all," would be a big asset.
Pavel said that the subject of Russia's war was a significant issue for Czech voters, as more than
half of the Czech population sees Russia as a real threat.
He cautioned against being overly optimistic, saying it's important to help Ukraine win this year
but also be prepared for alternative outcomes, in which the war drags on longer.
Russians are increasingly pressuring civilians and raiding their homes in the occupied parts of
Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.
Russians have set up a torture chamber in the city of Vasylivka in the occupied part of
Zaporizhzhia Oblast, the General Staff reported.
Torture locations have been found in multiple formerly occupied areas after they've been
liberated, such as the city of Kherson and Kharkiv Oblast.
The General Staff also reported that in occupied parts of Donetsk Oblast, "law enforcement"
would be conducted in accordance with Russian laws.
Avdiivka, a city in eastern Donetsk Oblast, has been under heavy Russian fire over the past day.
Russian forces launched attacks on the city's civilian infrastructure using missiles, multiple
launch rocket systems, and tanks, according to Kyrylenko.
One civilian was injured when a Russian missile struck the Avdiivka Coke Plant. The injured has
been hospitalized, Head of the Avdiivka City Military Administration Vitalii Barabash told
Suspilne news outlet.
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#russia
#russiaukrainewar
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