Press digest – Ukraine

27th day of the 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

📌82.5 thousand sq.kms is the total area of the territories in Ukraine mined by the Russian occupation forces. Estimated area of hazardous areas (suspected and confirmed areas contaminated with explosives) is calculated by the Association of Sappers of Ukraine with the mine action operator Demining Solution.

📌 Every hour, an air raid alert is announced almost throughout the whole Ukraine. Sirens sound in Kyiv, Volyn, Cherkasy, Khmelnitsky, Zhytomyr, Rivne, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, Lviv, Odesa, Chernivtsi, Zakarpattya, Kirovohrad regions, as well as in Dnipro and Kryvyi Rih.

📌Russian occupiers fired on a store in Severodonetsk, specially targeting civilians who went out for food.

📌During the seventh air alert on Monday evening in the Rivne region recorded 4 missile strikes from the air. The Armed Forces of Ukraine coped with three missiles. Possible damages and destruction from the fourth missile are specified.

📌In Kramatorsk, the Russian occupiers used phosphorous ammunition. Oleksiy Biloshitskyi, the first deputy head of the Kyiv patrol police, posted a video on Facebook confirming Russia’s use of weapons banned by international conventions.

📌A 96-year-old Boris Romanchenko died after a Russian air strike on a residential building in Kharkiv. During World War II, he went through the Buchenwald, Peenemuende, Dora-Mittelbau, and Bergen-Belsen concentration camps, and did his best to ensure that Nazi crimes were not forgotten.

📌Russian occupying forces fired at gas stations in the Ship area of Mykolaiv. A fire broke out. Three men died, and one woman was injured.

📌Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, according to preliminary data, 117 children have died and 155 children have been injured. It is currently impossible to establish the actual number of children affected by the Russian invasion due to the fact that the occupying forces are actively fighting in Ukrainian cities.

📌Russian troops opened fire on a children’s hospital in Severodonetsk. Children, their mothers and staff were evacuated in time.

📌In the temporarily occupied Kherson, the Russian military used tear gas to disperse a peaceful rally. When the smoke cleared, some Kherson residents returned to the square.

📌Russian aircraft dropped two heavy bombs on Mariupol today. The city suffered even more damage. Artillery battles also continue in the city.

📌During March 21 in Severodonetsk, Rubizhne, Lysychansk, Popasna, Novodruzhesk, Toshkivka as a result of Russian shelling there were more than two dozen fires in high-rise and residential buildings, burned outbuildings, garages, schools and infrastructure. Also in Severodonetsk occupiers opened fire on children’s hospital therefore there was a roof fire. Rescuers evacuated 7 children and 15 adults, including 8 doctors.

📌The humanitarian situation in Chernihiv is difficult, the suburbs are completely destroyed by Russia, — said Ombudsman Lyudmila Denisova. Half of the citizens left the city, and of the remaining 130,000, many were sick and infirm.

📌In Brovary, Kyiv region, Russian aircraft fired artillery at the city. One of the shells hit the plant, damaging seven buses and outbuildings. According to preliminary data, there are no victims.

📌Russians fired on Obolon district in Kyiv. Two buildings and a truck caught fire. The fire was extinguished in two hours, according to preliminary data, one person died.

📌In Pavlograd, Dnipropetrovsk region, Russian aircraft destroyed the Pavlograd-2 railway station with a missile strike. Destroyed railway line and tracks. 15 freight cars derailed during the bombing. A man died. Traffic through the station is suspended indefinitely.

📌Russian military kidnapped three Israeli citizens in the temporarily occupied Melitopol: Tatiana Kumok and her parents Vera and Mikhail Kumok.

📌Famous photojournalist Max Levin, who was on the front line, disappeared near Kyiv. Intense hostilities broke out in the area where he was for work. Levin collaborated with Reuters, BBC, TRT World, Associated Press, LB.ua, Hromadske. His photos were published by Wall Street Journal, TIME, Breaking news Poland, EU AGENDA, World news, ELLE, TV-24, Radio Bulgaria and others.

RUSSIAN CONTEXT

⚠️As a result of the invasion of Ukraine, the Russian economy will shrink by 8% in 2022, and the 1998 default cost the country a 5.4% reduction in GDP. This assessment was provided by the rating agency Fitch.

⚠️Russian aggressors continue to conduct aggressive propaganda work on the need to take part in the war with Ukraine with the personnel of the armed forces of the Republic of Belarus.

⚠️Google began to export employees of the Russian office. According to their sources, the company believes that claims against YouTube could be the reason for the termination of the company’s work in the Russian Federation, writes Bloomberg.

DEFENSE UPDATES

📌Estimated losses of the Russian Federation Army in Ukraine:

📌Units of the Assault Troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on March 21 liberated a village in the Mykolayiv region from the occupiers. Ukrainian paratroopers surrounded the village, seized the occupier’s weapons and equipment, and destroyed their forces. Currently, all that is left of the Russian occupiers is the equipment of the Russian troops destroyed by Ukrainian artillery.

📌Makariv was liberated from the occupiers. During the day, thanks to the heroic actions of defenders, the state flag of Ukraine was raised over the city of Makariv, Russian troops were repulsed.

📌In Okhtyrka district of Sumy region were recorded the facts of disobedience of Russian servicemen. About 300 occupiers refused to carry out the order to conduct hostilities and on 70 units of equipment. They left the area of the operation.

📌The Russian military handed over a tank to Ukrainian soldiers for a reward. According to him, only he remained from the tank crew, the rest fled home, and the commander threatened to shoot under cover of combat losses. “So far, the soldier has received comfortable conditions, and after the war he will also have the opportunity to apply for citizenship.”

📌The Ukrainian military destroyed near Mykolaiv and Mariupol the personnel of divisions of the Marines of the Russian Federation which were preparing for storm of Odessa. “The enemy who was going to attack Odessa was partially destroyed,” said Serhiy Bratchuk, a spokesman for the operational headquarters of the Odessa regional military administration.

📌Above Mykolayiv region, Ukrainian paratroopers shot down a Russian cruise missile and thus saved the city of Kropyvnytskyi from 400 kilograms of TNT.

🔻 In Mykolayiv region, Lviv paratroopers shot down a Russian cruise missile with a shot from the Igla MANPADS.

📌A teacher from Chernihiv rescued 30 children from an orphanage, the youngest was 3.5 years old. After a month with the children in the basement of the city, which is under siege by the Russian occupiers, she managed to evacuate the children to Ivano-Frankivsk by evacuation train.

📌Mykhailo Podoliak: “The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation was forced to officially admit that not 500 people died in Ukraine, but… 9861. That’s a lot. Disastrous for Russian propaganda. And for Russian mothers. And this is only the beginning of the realization of their national catastrophe. In the real world, there are almost twice as many dead Russians…”

HUMANITARIAN CORRIDORS AND EVACUATION UPDATES

📌 Ukrzaliznytsya managed to evacuate about 1,000 Mariupol residents who are currently going to Lviv and Kovel. Another 117 refugees from Mariupol will arrive in western Ukraine tomorrow, March 23.

📌 On March 22, near the village of Mangush in the Mariupol district, “DPR” militants seized a convoy of buses and SES workers who were to evacuate people through a humanitarian corridor.

📌In London, a unique anti-war painting by Banksy CND Soldiers, Unsigned, was put up for charity auction in support of Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital.

PUBLIC AND BUSINESS SUPPORT

📌Swedish corporation SSAB has decided to completely stop the import of iron ore from Russia.

📌 ArcelorMittal SA, the largest steel producer in Europe, has excluded Russian goods from its supply chain.

📌 The French oil and gas company Total Energies announced the suspension of activities in Russia.

📌International rating agency S&P Global Ratings will withdraw credit ratings of all Russian companies and organizations. The decision was preceded by a ban on credit rating agencies assigning ratings to Russia and Russian companies.

📌Basketball Euroleague disqualified all three Russian teams.

📌In London, a unique anti-war painting by Banksy CND Soldiers, Unsigned, was put up for charity auction in support of Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital.

📌 Actors Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis raised $35 million for Ukraine.

📌Pope Francis has donated personal funds to purchase an ambulance for Lviv. The Vatican will buy another carriage.

📌Italian band Maneskin refused a tour of Russia in solidarity with Ukraine.

📌The European Association of Zoos and Aquariums has collected aid of 576 thousand euros for animals affected by the Russian invasion, according to its website. Part of the money intended for the replenishment of stocks has already been transferred to Ukrainian zoos.

INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT OF UKRAINE

📌Photo of the day

The sign on the door of the Embassy of Belarus, London.

📌The Estonian Money Laundering Data Bureau recorded 68 cases of financial sanctions against Russian-registered companies registered in Estonia.

📌The Latvian Road Transport Directorate has blocked the Yandex.Go mobile application.

📌In France, 22 billion assets of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, 856 million euros of assets and property of Russian oligarchs based in France are frozen. Among those, there are 150 million in private accounts, real estate in France worth 539 million euros and two yachts worth 150 million euros.

📌Swiss authorities have arrested an apartment in the mountains belonging to one of the Russian oligarchs.

📌The Danube Commission adopted a resolution to extend the mandate of all employees of the Secretariat, except the representative of the Russian Federation. The relevant decision was initiated by the Ukrainian side. On the eve of the event, Ukraine managed to remove the Russians from participating in all meetings and working bodies of the Danube Commission.

📌The European Commission has started preparing an opinion on the basis of Ukraine’s application for EU membership.

📌Representatives of the Lithuanian Seimas arrived in Kyiv to support Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.

📌The Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Petr Fiala called for further sanctions against Russia to stop its war against Ukraine.

📌The Estonian Money Laundering Data Bureau recorded 68 cases of financial sanctions against Russian-registered companies registered in Estonia.

📌The Latvian Road Transport Directorate has blocked the Yandex.Go mobile application.

📌Swiss authorities have arrested an apartment in the mountains belonging to one of the Russian oligarchs.

📌The European Commission has started preparing an opinion on the basis of Ukraine’s application for EU membership.

📌Representatives of the Lithuanian Seimas arrived in Kyiv to support Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.

📌The Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Petr Fiala called for further sanctions against Russia to stop its war against Ukraine.

📌The United Kingdom provides Ukrainian firefighters with 22 pieces of equipment.

📌The French government has sent a plane with humanitarian aid to Ukraine: among the cargo – blood collection machines, 41 generators, 4.1 tons of baby food.

📌An unprecedented flow of humanitarian aid from Poland continues. Just today 7 cars, 7 trucks, and 9 humanitarian minibuses, as well as 24 ambulances have been sent.

📌EU foreign and defense ministers approved the Strategic Compass – the EU’s first concept in the field of defense and security. Compass provides the European Union with an action plan to strengthen EU security and defense policy until 2030.

📌Joe Biden confirmed that Russia has used hypersonic missiles in Ukraine. The US President said that “Putin is standing with his back to the wall, he did not foresee the scale or strength of our unity, and the more his back supports the wall, the more severe tactics he can use.”

📌The EU will provide Ukraine with an additional 500 million euros.

📌The Solidarity Fund for Ukraine will be one of the main topics during the summits of the European Council and the Group of Seven. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi is coordinating our positions with partners on the eve of important meetings in Brussels. In particular, yesterday he held talks with the Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte and the President of France Emmanuel Macron.

📌The leaders of Great Britain, Italy, the United States, Germany and France discussed a further coordinated response to Russia’s aggression and reaffirmed their intention to support Ukraine in the military, diplomatic and economic spheres.

📌The French association Heureux comme le 5 sent 21 tons of humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba’s daily statements

📌The fifth package of European Union sanctions will not include an embargo on Russian oil and gas. The reason is the unconstructive position of some EU members. Some states urge not to rush to adopt an embargo. The Hungarian Prime Minister has publicly said that his country will never support such sanctions. The fifth package will contain an additional list of people who were involved in Russian aggression and committed war crimes that will be subject to sanctions, as well as additional economic sanctions. Now a team of Ukrainian diplomats is negotiating with countries that oppose the embargo, as peace is at stake not only in Ukraine but around the world.

📌Tweet of the day

What else do the occupiers have to do, how many more people do they have to kill for Western leaders, NATO leaders to respond positively to Ukraine’s request for a no-fly zone or for providing our country with the aircraft we so desperately need?