Press digest – Ukraine
25th day of heroic resistance of Ukraine against Russian military invasion
Every morning, starting March 17, a nationwide minute of silence has been declared throughout Ukraine at 9:00am Kyiv time.
“We will remember the Ukrainians who gave their lives, all the military, civilians, and children” (c) President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy
DESTRUCTION AND LOSSES
📌The Russian army is turning the occupied settlements into concentration camps, starving civilians. Residents of Mariupol are dying of hunger. The occupiers do not allow humanitarian goods with food, medicine, and necessities. Chernihiv is suffering from a humanitarian catastrophe — there is no electricity, no heat, no water. The occupiers did not allow 14 trucks with humanitarian aid to enter the Kherson region. The cars had medicine, baby food and survival items.
Depriving civilians of food and medicine is torture and a direct violation of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights.
Source: Ombudsman Lyudmila Denisova
📌On March 19, the Russian military dropped bombs on the art school №12 in Mariupol, where about 400 Mariupol residents were hiding — women, children and the elderly. The building was destroyed, and civilians are still under the rubble.
📌During March 19 in Rubezhnoye and Severodonetsk, Russian shelling killed three people, a woman and two children, and destroyed 24 houses.
📌 The Russians fired from a tank on a house for the elderly in Kreminna in Luhansk region. 56 people were killed and some were injured.
📌The Russians announced another wave of mobilization in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and raised the age limit to 65.
📌Russian terrorist forces are massively using the uniform of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to carry out subversive and discrediting actions by Russian saboteurs. This is a violation.
📌As a result of the shelling by Russian aircraft on the night of March 19-20, five people died in Kharkiv, including a nine-year-old boy.
📌The blockade and shelling of the hero-city of Mariupol continues.
📌In Energodar, the Russian occupiers kidnapped First Deputy Mayor Ivan Samoidyuk. The mayor of the city Dmitry Orlov reported about it.
📌 On March 20, a 10-floor residential building and 2 private cars caught fire in Kyiv due to falling shell fragments. According to Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko, 6 people were injured and no one was killed.
📌At least 45 educational institutions have been destroyed or damaged in the Kyiv region since the beginning of a full-scale Russian attack on Ukraine.
📌President Putin is sending to Ukraine representatives of the indigenous peoples of Dagestan: Avars, Dargins, Kumyks, Lakts, Lezgins, Nogais, Rutuls, Tabasaran, Tsakhurs. Dagestan ranks first in Russia in the number of soldiers killed in the invasion of Ukraine, the Dagestan government reports at least 200 killed contractors. The Center for Strategic Communications of Ukraine believes that this aspect should be brought to the attention of the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
📌Due to the failures in the offensive, Russia switched to more destructive artillery – “Dagger” and “Bastion” are used against peaceful cities. “Russia is also panickingly looking for manpower reserves pulling everything from the Pacific and begging the CSTO countries [including Kazakhstan, Armenia, Uzbekistan],” said Mykhailo Podoliak, adviser to the President’s Office.
📌 Signs of preparation of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus for direct invasion of the territory of Ukraine have been recorded. Russian troops resumed air reconnaissance and shelling of positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with the use of army aircraft and artillery.
📌On Sunday, March 20, regular groups of militants began arriving in Ukraine, linked to Yevgeniy Prigozhin, a Russian propagandist and owner of the Group Wagner close to Putin. The Central Intelligence Agency of Ukraine said that the main task of the criminals is to
eliminate the top military and political leadership of Ukraine – President Volodymyr Zelensky, Head of the Office of President Andriy Yermak, Prime Minister Denis Shmygal.
RUSSIAN CONTEXT
⚠️86% of the Russians support a potential attack on the EU. Among the EU countries — Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary. This is evidenced by a survey from Activegroup.
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⚠️ Russian President Vladimir Putin and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu plan to involve minors in the war against Ukraine, according to the order “Organization of involvement of members of the military-patriotic public movement “Yunarmy” (Young Army) in a special operation in Ukraine” signed by Shoigu. Yunarmy is a radical military organization under the Russian Defense Ministry. The members are children from 8 years old. As the Russian occupiers lack manpower, the Kremlin is considering involving minors in the war, as well as making proposals for their training. Gennady Zhidko, the head of the main military-political department of the Russian Armed Forces, is in charge. Similar actions were noted by Germany during the Second World War. High school students served in units of the Hitler Youth. And from 1944 to 1945, 150,000 underage girls were recruited into Hitler’s army.
⚠️11 Belarusian diplomats left Ukraine. This was the last group of Belarusian diplomats.
DEFENSE UPDATES
📌According to the poll by “Rating”, 93% of Ukrainians are confident in the victory of Ukraine: 72% are absolutely sure that Ukraine will win the war with the occupiers, 21% – rather confident. Every day, Russian troops suffer enormous losses – almost 15,000 Russian soldiers have died in this war.
📌Estimated losses of the Russian Federation Army in Ukraine:
📌During March 19 and 20, the Armed Forces of Ukraine liquidated the Deputy Commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet for Military and Political Affairs, Captain 1st Rank Andriy Paliy. Another colonel, deputy head of the engineering troops of the Western Military District of the Russian Federation, was also killed near the town of Izyum.
📌During their stay in Ukraine, Chechen Kadyrov militants lost hundreds of fighters and returned to Grozny on March 13. They were taken out of the territory of Kyiv region through Belarus and then evacuated to Chechnya by air, the SSU said in an interview with Radio Svoboda. At the same time, Ramzan Kadyrov recently announced that he was sending a thousand more of his fighters to Ukraine.
📌The commandant’s office of the Russian city of Belgorod is investigating 10 servicemen of the 138th Motorized Rifle Brigade who took part in the attack on Kharkiv. Due to heavy losses of the unit, they refused to take part in hostilities and incited the rest to return home.
📌The head of the 652nd group of Information and Psychological Operations of the Russian terrorist forces was severely reprimanded for his weak work on the establishment of the so-called “Kherson People’s Republic”. The Kremlin leadership is not satisfied with the fact that due to popular opposition there is not even a conditional demonstration “picture”.
📌The command of the Russian Black Sea Fleet is urgently replacing 130 contract defenders of the 810th Marine Brigade with paratroopers of the 7th Airborne Assault Division. The question of their further service is decided by the FSB.
📌From the combined detachment of the 331st Guards Parachute Assault Kostroma Regiment of the Occupiers, which took part in the fighting in the Kyiv direction, one soldier survived, and he is in hospital.
📌Residents of the temporarily occupied cities of Kherson, Kakhovka, Energodar, and Berdyansk went on peaceful demonstrations against the occupying troops of the Russian Federation. In Berdyansk, about 10 activists were detained by Russian troops.
📌The Ministry of Health of Ukraine has banned the sale and use of 39 medicinal products, manufacturers and / or applicants of which have a legal address and / or address of place of business in the Republic of Belarus.
📌NACP has formed a database for the SSU of 245 people who may be traitors to Ukraine. The list includes officials who promote the enemy and share its ideology. People who cooperate with the enemy, spread hostile propaganda, undermine the defense capabilities and state sovereignty of Ukraine.
📌 Russia has not been able to gain an advantage in the sky, which significantly suspended its attack. The Ukrainian military is effectively defending the airspace with the help of aircraft and air defense forces, – said the British Defense Ministry.
📌Western intelligence estimates that the total number of dead and wounded Russian soldiers in the war in Ukraine reaches one thousand per day. At the same time, Ukrainian intelligence suspects that the number of Russian casualties may be even greater. Some analysts believe that Russia has already used the most combat-ready units in the war against Ukraine. And most of the losses fell on them, not on additional reserves, which have not yet been brought to the battlefield. Even if Russia recruits or mobilizes reservists, it will reduce the overall combat effectiveness of the troops.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/03/20/russia-ukraine-military-offensive/
📌Photo of the day
Hundreds of local residents stand on their knees along the road to honor a fallen Ukrainian Hero who is being returned home for burial. Even in times of active hostilities, Ukraine is saying goodbye to the fallen soldiers and volunteers who are defending it.
HUMANITARIAN CORRIDORS AND EVACUATION UPDATES
📌On March 19, 8 humanitarian corridors out of 10 agreed were launched. 6,623 people were rescued.
📌More than 4,000 Mariupol residents managed to leave for Zaporizhia.
📌The humanitarian cargo could not be delivered to the cities of Kherson region. Russian troops blocked the movement of the Ukrainian humanitarian column under the auspices of the Red Cross.
📌According to intelligence, along the route of the humanitarian corridor from Kharkiv agreed on March 20 in the territory temporarily uncontrolled by Ukraine, it is planned to prepare Russians for the capture of the humanitarian column with mining.
President Vladimir Zelensky’s daily statements
📌 President Zelensky said in an interview with CNN that he was ready to negotiate with Putin. But warned that in case of failure, the struggle between the two countries would lead to a “third world war.” “There are compromises that Ukraine cannot reach in negotiations with Putin. In particular, it concerns territorial integrity and sovereignty. “
📌President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the Swiss parliament on March 19 and called for a complete freeze on the assets of those involved in a full-scale war against Ukraine.
📌Switzerland supported the sanctions against Russia imposed by the European Union. They were also asked to do so immediately by all Swiss companies that have not yet left the Russian market – not to give a single dollar, franc or euro to a Russian military vehicle to kill our people so that all those responsible for the war against Ukraine could not enjoy their life in Switzerland, real estate in Switzerland, banks in Switzerland.
📌The Council of National Security and Defense of Ukraine has decided, due to the full-scale war, to suspend all activities of 11 collaborating political parties during martial law.
📌Separate units of the occupiers were destroyed by 80-90%. In some places, the front line is simply littered with the corpses of Russian soldiers.
PUBLIC AND BUSINESS SUPPORT
📌One of the largest oil service companies Baker Hughes is stopping investments in Russia due to the war against Ukraine.
📌The German company Bosch is preparing for a complete shutdown of production at Russian plants, including the household goods plant in St. Petersburg. On March 19, the company announced the suspension of truck components to Russia and Russian customers because Russia used its products for military purposes.
📌A charity concert with the participation of Ukrainian stars of classical music took place at the Berlin Philharmonic. The money raised during the concert and from ticket sales will go to humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
📌A charity music concert in support of Ukraine was held in Vienna with the participation of leading Austrian performers. In total, about 810,000 euros were raised, which will be donated to humanitarian organizations that support the Ukrainians.
📌On the facade of the Budapest City Hall, a light show of works by Hungarian artists was presented as part of the Enlightenment project, in which world artists demand peace for Ukraine.
📌The people of Flanders (Belgium) have donated almost 18 million euros in the last two weeks to help the victims of the war in Ukraine.
📌 FIFA donated $1 million to humanitarian aid to Ukraine. In addition, the International Football Federation has sent first aid kits to Ukraine. Earlier, the UEFA Children’s Fund also donated one million euros to help Ukrainian children.
INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT OF UKRAINE
📌Bulgaria will not renew its natural gas supply contract with Russia’s Gazprom amid the war in Ukraine. The contract expires at the end of 2022.
📌57 Polish cities unilaterally terminated cooperation agreements with 48 cities in Russia and 12 cities in Belarus.
📌 Great Britain handed over more than two million units of medical devices and equipment to Ukraine. Also, 21 children with cancer came to Britain for treatment.
📌The Hungarian government sent another humanitarian convoy to Ukraine – 5 trucks with emergency medical supplies, as well as food and hygiene products.
📌The International Committee of the Red Cross in Monaco donated 268 thousand euros worth of medicines and equipment to the Center for Pediatric Neurosurgery in Kyiv.
📌Since the beginning of the full-scale war of the Russian Federation, Croatia has provided Ukraine with almost 115 tons of humanitarian aid, as well as firefighting equipment worth about 60 thousand dollars.
📌The Australian government has banned the export of alumina and aluminum ores, including bauxite, to Russia. Australia aims to limit the capabilities of Russian aluminum companies.
📌The Ukrainian House, a non-governmental organization of Ukrainians in Vilnius, sent three humanitarian aid buses to Ukraine.
📌In Germany, the human rights organization Libereco – Partnership for Human Rights sent 24 tons of medicines for the needs of Ukrainian hospitals.
📌”Switzerland is ready to act as a mediator in the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia,” — said Ignacio Cassis ,the President of the Confederation.
📌Australia will support Ukraine’s energy security by transferring at least 70,000 tons of coal. The country will also allocate 30 million Australian dollars (about $22 million) to humanitarian aid to the civilian population of Ukraine and additional military aid worth 21 million Australian dollars ($15.5 million).
📌Pope Francis visited Ukrainian children at the Vatican Pediatric Hospital. Currently, 19 children who arrived from Ukraine after the start of a large-scale Russian invasion are hospitalized there. They are treated for cancer and neurological diseases, as well as severe injuries from explosions.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba’s daily statements
📌Ukrainian diplomacy is systematically working to ensure that foreign companies cease their activities with the occupying power and immediately withdraw their business from Russia. “We will definitely continue to reveal all the facts of sponsorship of the Russian military machine by foreign companies and put pressure on the immediate exit of foreign businesses from Russia. And in general, any decent international company has no place in Russia, ” said the Minister.
📌Tweet of the day
We do not have a huge territory – from ocean to ocean, we do not have nuclear weapons, we do not fill the world market with oil and gas. But we have our people and our land. For us it is gold.