Press digest – Ukraine
13th day of heroic resistance of Ukraine against Russian military invasion
DESTRUCTION AND LOSSES
📌During the 13 days of the war, the Russian invaders have already caused more damage and committed more crimes than in 10 years in Afghanistan. This is an act of aggression unprecedented in more than 80 years.
📌Due to the humanitarian crisis and the blockade of Mariupol by the Russian military, a 6-year-old child died of dehydration in a destroyed house. The invaders cynically deprived almost half a million people of water, light, heat and communications. And this is one of the many horror stories from Mariupol, resisting the 8th day of the blockade.
📌 In the Nikolaev region on 8 March, on the Kirovograd highway H-14, Russian troops shot down a minibus marked with the signs of the “red cross”, which was used by teachers of a family-type orphanage. As a result of the shelling, at least three teachers were killed, and 2 more were seriously injured.
📌 The invaders completely destroyed the existing hospital in the city of Izyum, Kharkiv region. The patients had to escape from the rubble and shelling.
📌 The Russian army fired on an evacuation bus near the village of Lyutezh in the Kiev region. At least 3 people are injured.
📌 Around 22:00 local time on 7 March, Russian invaders blew up an oil depot in the Zhytomyr region.
📌In the early morning of 8 March, Russian aircraft dropped aerial bombs on Sumy. As a result of the explosions, residential buildings were destroyed, about 30 people died, including 2 children.
📌In all, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, Ukrainian regions, constant air alerts triggered for the third day in a row.
📌Over the past 24 hours, as a result of missile and bomb attacks by the Russian army in Mariupol, the building that housed the Consulate General of Greece and the office of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission was damaged. The buildings of the honorary consulates of Slovenia, Azerbaijan and Albania in Kharkov were also destroyed. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine strongly condemns the shelling by the Russian Federation armed forces of diplomatic institutions in Ukraine.
📌According to preliminary estimates of the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine, Russia caused damage to the transport infrastructure of Ukraine in the amount of about 10 billion dollars.
DEFENSE UPDATES
📌Status update on humanitarian corridors and evacuations as of 15:00 local time:
⚠️The evacuation from the city of Irpin to Kyiv continues. More than 3,000 people have been evacuated, work continues.
⚠️The evacuation from Sumy, which started at 10 am, is going according to plan, the evacuation convoy of 39 buses is moving towards Poltava.
⚠️ Evacuation buses left Zaporozhye towards Mariupol. A humanitarian cargo was also sent.
⚠️According to the Head of the Chernihiv Regional State Administration Vyacheslav Chaus, the evacuation from Chernihiv is taking place in separate groups for the second day. It is not yet possible to organize a humanitarian convoy due to possible provocations by the Russian side.
📌Estimated losses of the Russian Federation Army in Ukraine:
📌78% of Ukrainians believe in the victory of Ukraine over Russia in the war:
✅The level of trust in President Volodymyr Zelensky has grown significantly since the beginning of Russian aggression against Ukraine and has reached almost 80%.
✅78% of Ukrainians are confident of victory over Russia.
✅75.3% of respondents have already helped the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Territorial Defense Fighters or volunteers in the last week. This is unbelievable.
✅43.6% are ready to endure the inconveniences and problems associated with war to ensure peace in Ukraine for as long as it takes.
📌During the 12 days of the war in the western sections of the border, 167 thousand Ukrainians returned to Ukraine, 80% of which are men of military age. The vast majority of Ukrainians are returning to join the Joint Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and Territorial Defense to defend against the Russian invasion.
📌Since the beginning of the war, Ukrainian Railways has transported 3383 tons of humanitarian cargo by passenger cars and dispatched 256 freight cars.
📌A peaceful demonstration against the Russian army was held in the temporarily occupied Oleshki, Kherson region. Unarmed people forced out the armed forces of the Russian Federation.
📌According to the forecasts of the American bank holding Morgan Stanley & Co, Russia may default in April, unable to make payments on its external debt.
📌 The United States is imposing a ban on all imports of Russian oil and gas, said US President Joe Biden.
📌 The EU refuses Russian oil and promises to connect Ukraine to its energy system.
📌 Following the US and the EU, the UK also refuses Russian oil. This statement was made public by the Government of the country.
📌The World Bank will provide Ukraine with $723 million to help the Ukrainian Government to continuously provide critical services to the Ukrainian people.
📌Australia has imposed sanctions against the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, 6 high-ranking Russian military personnel and 10 other people who are “of strategic interest to the Russian Federation”.
📌Japan imposed sanctions against 20 Russians, including the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov, First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Sergei Kiriyenko, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Dmitry Kozak and Head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov.
📌The Polish Bank BGK allocated 30 million Polish zlotys (about $6.7 million) to help Ukraine.
Tweet of the day
President Vladimir Zelensky’s daily statements
📌President Zelensky signed a Decree on the withdrawal of the national contingent and personnel who take part in international peacekeeping operations in order to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
📌Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is ready for dialogue with Putin, but not for capitulation.
📌 The heroic defense of Nikolaev, Sumy, Chernigov, Kharkov and Okhtyrka continues.
📌Russia has no successes on earth and in the sky, so they threw their main efforts on the information-psychological war against the population of Ukraine. That is why for the past few days Ukraine has received reports of “city capture” and “advancement”.
📌The Ukrainian army knows what it is doing, and the President and the leadership of Ukraine are making efforts to receive military, diplomatic, economic and humanitarian assistance as soon as possible.
PUBLIC AND BUSINESS SUPPORT
📌Mayor of Lviv Andriy Sadovoy addressed to all confessions around the world to ring the bells every day at 18:00 local time. “The world must know the truth. The truth about Ukraine. We need your help today and every day. Today we are fighting for the whole world.”
📌 The ringing for peace in Ukraine has already sounded in the cathedrals of Great Britain, the USA, Belgium, France, the Netherlands and other countries.
📌Yum! Brands (Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut) is suspending investment and development in Russia; redirecting profit to humanitarian efforts.
📌McDonald’s temporarily closes its 850 restaurants in Russia.
📌Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, it will stop accepting cards issued by Mastercard and Visa in Russia.
📌Coinbase has blocked 25,000 wallets linked to Russians.
📌 Unilever (Dove, Ax, Rexona, Domestos) halts deliveries of products to Russia, stops discontinues exports of products from the Russian Federation and cancels investments in its Russian business.
📌 The national media regulator in Latvia has banned the rebroadcasting of 18 Russian channels linked to Gazprom Media.
📌The Hong Kong Futures Exchange suspend trading futures on the Moscow Currency Exchange.
📌 Telegram founder Pavel Durov supported Ukrainians in the fight against Russian aggression and assured the security of Ukrainians’ private data. “I am for our users no matter what. Their right to privacy is sacred.”
📌 The YouTube video hosting administration has removed the channels of Russian propagandist Vladimir Solovyov.
📌 Cooperation with Russia has been completely or partially ssuspended by 5 world oil and gas giants.
📌Condé Nast publishing house (Vogue, GQ, GQ Style, AD, Glamour) discontinue work in Russia.
📌Victoria and David Beckham stands with Ukraine. “Today, on International Women’s Day, my 7 Fund for UNICEF is setting up an Emergency Appeal to help provide immediate aid to support children’s wellbeing, including medical supplies and safe spaces for families. Please join me in supporting UNICEF in its vital work on the ground and give what you can.” – David said.
📌Every day, the covers of international periodicals are flooded with the topic of Ukraine and, in particular, with our President. He is called the “Leader of the Free World” and the pictures of him are signed: “Zelensky’s courageous behavior before the Russian invasion made him a modern hero for many people.” That’s right, our President is our hero.
📌World stars are also not silent. Hugh Jackman supported Ukraine by posting a video of Zelensky saying that Russia is a terrorist state. The British singer Sting, who has not written anything new for many years, dedicated a song about war and peace to Ukraine.
📌Joanne Rowling and Gigi Hadid will donate millions of dollars to help Ukrainian children and the military. The author of the famous “Harry Potter” said that she will add her own funds to the already collected donations and then the total amount will be 1 million pounds ($ 1.3 million). Meanwhile the world-famous model Gigi Hadid has decided to provide financial support to the Armed Forces: in her Instagram she stated that she will donate all her money earned at the autumn-winter 2022 shows to support Ukraine. She noted that human injustice should not be ignored.
📌Demna Gvasalia dedicated the Balenciaga show to Ukrainians and their battle. The designer wanted to cancel the show because of the war in Ukraine, but eventually changed his
mind. The Balenciaga show took place on March 6 at the Paris Fashion Week. T-shirts in the colors of the Ukrainian flag and a letter from the designer were waiting for the guests on the chairs, and the models came out in blue and yellow outfits.
📌Sport is not silent as well! FIFA has allowed foreign players and coaches to suspend contracts with Russian clubs on a unilateral basis. And our Ukrainians are now competing in the 2022 Paralympic Games and holding a “defense” with dignity. Nine medals were won today: two gold, four silver and three bronze! We are proud!
📌Installation against the “special military operation” by artists in Yekaterinburg: «Здравый смысл предупреждает. Специальная военная операция убивает» (“Common sense warns. A special military operation kills”).
INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT OF UKRAINE
📌 World anti-record. Russia has become the most sanctioned country in the world – as of March 8, 5,800 sanctions have already been imposed against the Russian Federation. Bloomberg names the sanctions process “financial nuclear war.”
📌According to the forecasts of the American bank holding Morgan Stanley & Co, Russia may default in April, unable to make payments on its external debt.
📌 The United States is imposing a ban on all imports of Russian oil and gas, said US President Joe Biden.
📌 The EU refuses Russian oil and promises to connect Ukraine to its energy system.
📌 Following the US and the EU, the UK also refuses Russian oil. This statement was made public by the Government of the country.
📌The World Bank will provide Ukraine with $723 million to help the Ukrainian Government to continuously provide critical services to the Ukrainian people.
📌Australia has imposed sanctions against the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, 6 high-ranking Russian military personnel and 10 other people who are “of strategic interest to the Russian Federation”.
📌Japan imposed sanctions against 20 Russians, including the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov, First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Sergei Kiriyenko, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Dmitry Kozak and Head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov.
📌The Polish Bank BGK allocated 30 million Polish zlotys (about $6.7 million) to help Ukraine.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba’s daily statements
📌 “It is unbelievable that the UN could impose the same kind of censorship as Kremlin is enforces in Russia, prohibiting the use of the words “war” and “invasion” among UN employees.” Dmytro Kuleba urged the UN to contest this information, because otherwise the UN reputation will be at stake. Earlier, a number of foreign media reported on the fact of such an interdict, citing UN staff.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba’s daily statements
📌 “It is unbelievable that the UN could impose the same kind of censorship as Kremlin is enforces in Russia, prohibiting the use of the words “war” and “invasion” among UN employees.” Dmytro Kuleba urged the UN to contest this information, because otherwise the UN reputation will be at stake. Earlier, a number of foreign media reported on the fact of such an interdict, citing UN staff.
📌For the Washington Post: The world can do more to help us fight Russia
Russia and Putin must be completely isolated. Russian ambassadors and representatives must be expelled from international organizations. Boycotts and bans on cultural and sporting events must be expanded.
🖇We do see, feel and appreciate the world’s solidarity. The admiration for our people, armed forces and president fills us with pride. But stopping Putin will require resolute and immediate steps.
🖇We need aircraft. We need effective air defense and missile defense systems. We need to protect our skies to stop Russian aircraft and missiles from killing more civilians.
🖇On the sanctions front, Russian state-owned Sberbank needs to be banned from SWIFT.
🖇Countries must stop buying Russian oil, which is now tainted with Ukrainian blood, and ban Russian ships from ports; and the hard currency of Russian financial institutions in the United States, Switzerland, Japan, Britain and the European Union must be frozen.
The words «Never again» must become a rallying cry, a call to action, not a solemn but empty promise.
