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VIDEO: Jagland doing press-ups in Donetsk

Here's a video of Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe and Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, dropping to the tarmac and doing push-ups while waiting at a checkpoint in Ukraine.

VIDEO: Jagland doing press-ups in Donetsk
Thorbjørn Jagland doing press-ups near Donetsk. Photo: Screen grab/YouTube
The video, uploaded on June 6th, was taken while Jagland was trying to negotiate the release of twelve observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) who had been taken hostage by pro-Russian rebels in Donetsk. 
 
"It was taken in quite dramatic circumstances," Jagland told Aftenposten. 
 
He was travelling into Donetsk alongside Sergei Taruta, the region's official governor and Vladimir Lutin, a Russian official he knows well, in the hope of securing the release of the observers. 
 
But the party was blocked at the border of the rebel-controlled territory, with only Lutin allowed through. 
 
"So we were standing there waiting, while we heard dramatic fighting in the background," Jagland said.
 
"Taruta then asked whether we should do some gymnastics to shorten the wait. And so we did. I had no idea it had been filmed." 
 
The situation ended happily with the hostages being released and delivered to Jagland at the checkpoint. 

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UKRAINE

Germany to support defence of Polish airspace

Germany on Monday said it had reached an agreement to help Poland protect its skies following a deadly rocket strike close to the border with Ukraine.

Germany to support defence of Polish airspace

Berlin would “send Patriot anti-aircraft systems to Poland and support the securing of Polish airspace with Eurofighter (jets)”, Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht said in a statement.

READ ALSO: Germany to buy F-35 fighter jets in military shopping spree

Two people were killed last week when a missile landed in the Polish village of Przewodow, six kilometres (four miles) from the Ukrainian border.

Warsaw and NATO have said the explosion was likely caused by a Ukrainian air-defence missile launched to intercept a Russian barrage, but that Moscow was ultimately to blame because it started the conflict.

Before the deal was agreed, Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said he “welcomed the German proposal with satisfaction”.

Blaszczak said on Twitter he would propose for the systems to be “stationed close to the border with Ukraine”.

Germany has already sent Patriot anti-aircraft units to Slovakia, where Berlin hopes to keep them deployed for longer than currently planned.

The air-defence systems should remain in Slovakia “until the end of 2023 and potentially even beyond”, Lambrecht told the Rheinische Post daily.

“It is our utmost responsibility that NATO does not become a participant in this conflict,” while strengthening its air defences, she said.

READ ALSO: Germany and Spain to train Ukraine troops under EU programme

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