Press digest – Ukraine

29th day of the heroic resistance of Ukraine against Russian military invasion

One month of the WAR

https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/956

DESTRUCTION AND LOSSES

📌 During the month of Russia’s war against Ukraine, 128 children died and more than 172 were wounded. Children suffered the most in Kyiv region – 64, Kharkiv region  – 43, Donetsk region – 43, Chernihiv region – 32, Mykolaiv region – 24, Kyiv – 16, Zhytomyr region – 15, Kherson region  – 15 and Sumy region – 14.

📌 In Mariupol, an 11-year-old Ukrainian rhythmic gymnast Katya Dyachenko, who has repeatedly won international competitions, died when a shell hit a residential building. The girl and her parents were trapped.

📌As a result of bombings and shelling, 566 educational institutions were damaged, 73 of them were destroyed. More than 230 schools and 155 kindergartens were damaged and destroyed. In addition, more than 40 children’s facilities were destroyed, including medical facilities, art schools, sports facilities, and libraries.

📌Russian occupiers in Chernihiv shelled the area of one of the city’s food enterprises. As a result of the shell hitting the engine room, the main ammonia pipeline and one tank were damaged.

📌On March 23, Russian troops carried out artillery strikes on the city of Kharkiv. Units of the occupying forces failed to carry out active offensive operations.

📌 During the month of the full-scale war in Kharkiv, the Russian occupation forces destroyed 1,143 buildings, 998 of which were residential buildings. The mayor of Kharkiv Igor Terekhov reported about it.

📌In the Donetsk direction, Russian troops are shelling units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the vast majority of directions. The main efforts are focused on capturing the settlements of Rubizhne, Severodonetsk, Popasna, Verkhnotoretske, Maryinka and Mariupol.

📌On March 23, Russia intensified the activity of its aviation, making more than 250 flights. That is 60 more than on March 22. The main target of Russian aviation remains military and civilian infrastructure in Kyiv, Chernihiv and Kharkiv regions. In addition, missile strikes and phosphoric bombings took place in Luhansk Oblast, with 31 buildings damaged or completely destroyed in the region. Including 23 buildings: 10 high-rise buildings and 13 private ones.

📌The UN said 3.5 million people have fled Ukraine after Russia’s large-scale invasion. The largest number of people went to Poland, as well as many of our compatriots in Romania and Moldova.

📌Occupiers massively capture and deport Mariupol residents to Russia. About 15,000 people, a third of all residents of the city’s Left Bank district, were deported illegally. The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reminds us that the forced relocation of civilians to the territory of the aggressor state, in particular, children, is a gross violation of international humanitarian law and proof of Russia’s behavior as a terrorist state. In addition, a tough Russian propaganda machine is operating in the temporarily occupied city. The occupiers are announcing with a loudspeaker that Zaporizhia is no longer accepting refugees and that Odessa has already been taken. In addition, the Russians in the village Nikolske emphasizes that the only possibility of evacuation is by bus to Rostov and that Ukraine has abandoned them at will. All this is deliberate misinformation of the Russian occupiers in order not only to disrupt the evacuation process but also to deliberately turn the people of Mariupol against their own country. The evacuation to Zaporizhia is underway, and Ukraine is waiting for everyone.

📌Russia is preparing another fake. A group of Russian propagandists arrived at the captured Chernobyl nuclear power plant to make a “movie” about the work of the station. The goal is to convince the IAEA of the “normality” of nuclear terrorism and to hide the real state of radiation leaks and environmental pollution. The occupiers have been holding the territory of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and all those who have been there captive for almost a month.

📌In the temporarily occupied Melitopol, the Russian military bypasses every school and persuades teachers to start the educational process in Russian on April 1 according to an incomprehensible program, the legitimate Ukrainian mayor Ivan Fedorov informs.

📌Occupation troops seize and destroy Ukrainian literature and history textbooks in the libraries of the temporarily occupied territories of Luhansk, Donetsk, Chernihiv and Sumy regions. For this purpose, Russian units of the “military police” were involved.

📌In the occupied territories, in particular in the cities of Melitopol in the Zaporizhia region and Henichesk in the Kherson region, the Russian occupiers are trying to put the Russian ruble into circulation. Thus, Russia’s economic strategists are trying to include the occupied territories in their own monetary and currency orbit, which should complicate Ukraine’s interaction with its citizens and to demoralization and reconciliation with the occupation.

📌Russia committed 148 crimes against journalists and media in Ukraine during the month of the war. Five journalists were killed, seven were injured and one went missing. At least six cases of Russian hostage-taking and ill-treatment of journalists have been reported. In addition, the occupiers fired on 10 TV towers, which are civilian targets, causing the complete or temporary disappearance of TV and radio broadcasting in eight regions of Ukraine. Also, at least 70 regional media outlets were forced to close due to threats from the Russian occupiers, seizure of newsrooms, inability to work under temporary occupation, lack of opportunities for printing and distribution, and so on.

RUSSIAN CONTEXT

⚠️ Volunteer participants in Russian propaganda.

⚠️There was one more blockade from Roskomnadzor. This time, the list includes the news aggregator News.Google. The agency said, quoting: “the service provided access to” materials with “inaccurate socially significant information about the course of a special military operation.” We remind that earlier in the Russian Federation had already blocked Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. Roskomnadzor recently accused YouTube of “terrorist” actions and demanded that Google stop spreading threats against Russians who support its president’s actions. According to recent polls, more than 71% of them are in Russia.

⚠️ For a long time, Russia has been investing in building a network of pro-Russian organizations abroad to create the illusion of supporting Russia’s actions in Europe. Now pro-Russian protests are taking place in Europe:

❗️Pro-Russian protest in Serbia with separatist slogans about Crimea and Kosovo.

❗️Pro-Russian protest in Bulgaria. The action was organized by the pro-Kremlin Party Vodrodzhennya. Protesters demanded not to supply weapons to Ukraine.

❗️Pro-Russian protest in Armenia to support Putin’s actions.

❗️Pro-Russian protest in Syria also to support Putin’s actions.

⚠️The military commissariats of the Smolensk region are actively concluding contracts with soldiers. Soldiers returning from business trips in Syria are also being recruited to replenish the Russian occupation forces. There is also a practice of recruiting mercenaries recruited by Russian private military companies.

⚠️In unrecognized Transnistria, Russians are spreading rumors about the involvement of Transnistria in the war with Ukraine.

⚠️During the last two weeks, more than 20 enterprises of the military-industrial complex of the Russian Federation have completely or partially suspended their activities due to lack of components and parts. In particular, the production of aircraft missiles at the Russian research and production enterprise “Vympel” was suspended.

⚠️ Russia’s largest charter airline is shutting down due to sanctions. Azur Air has operated flights from 40 cities in Russia to 29 international tourist destinations. In turn, Russia has recently stated that it refuses to return to Western lessors more than 500 aircraft worth $20 billion.

DEFENSE UPDATES

📌Estimated losses of the Russian Federation Army in Ukraine:

📌 The Armed Forces captured one of the most powerful electronic warfare stations of the Russian army. It is capable of detecting and blocking various radars at a distance of up to 300 km and will now work in favor of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

📌Units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine attacked large landing ships stationed in the port of Berdyansk. As a result, a fire broke out on a large landing ship of project 1171 with the subsequent detonation of ammunition (enemy losses are being clarified). The large landing ship Orsk of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation was also destroyed, the Ukrainian Navy reported.

📌In the north of Ukraine, the column of support of the Russian occupiers was partially destroyed and partially captured by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

📌10 Ukrainian servicemen and 19 civilian sailors return home after the captivity. Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said that today, by order of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, the first full-fledged exchange of prisoners of war took place. 10 of our servicemen were taken out of the 10 captured occupiers. Also, today 11 civilians sailors were sent to the Russians, who were rescued from a sunken ship near Odessa. As a result of this exchange, 19 Ukrainian civilian sailors are returning home from the rescue ship “Sapphire”, which was captured by the occupiers while trying to take the Ukrainian military from the Snake Island. 

📌Even in the temporary Russian occupation, the city of Energodar for 19 days drops and burns Russian occupation flags and raises Ukrainian ones over state institutions. 

📌A retired colonel of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia was found in Transcarpathia. At the end of 2021, the man moved to Ukraine. He publicly renounced the citizenship of the aggressor state and destroyed his uniform and documents issued to him in Russia.

📌The world’s largest transport aircraft Mriya, which was destroyed by Russian aircraft on February 27 in an attempt to take control of Gostomel Airport, is planned to be rebuilt at the expense of the international aviation community and foreign investors. To this end, Antonov creates the International Revival Fund An-225 “Dream”.

CYBER-RESISTANCE AND DIGITAL VICTORIES

📌On the night of March 24, Anonymous hacked the Central Bank of Russia and promised to publish more than 35,000 files within 48 hours, including secret deals.

📌American company Grammarly stopped working in Russia and Belarus – blocked access to users. This is an online service that uses AI to help you write texts in English.

📌Clarivate has stopped operations in Russia and Belarus. An independent American database management company is closing its office in Russia. The company owns information systems, including Web of Science, which was previously restricted to users in Russia and Belarus.

📌Incredible support from EpicGames. The American video game development company has already raised more than $50 million to help Ukraine. The collection lasts until April 4.

📌The German telecommunications company Deutsche Telekom has announced that it will stop developing software in Russia.

📌Weatherford International suspended supplies and immediately halted any new investment or introduction of new technologies in Russia.

NEGOTIATIONS PROCESS UPDATES

🖇 “The Russians are trying to turn the war into a partially “protracted phase”, – Mykhailo Podolyak. The adviser to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine sees the reason for such actions as the high losses of personnel and equipment.

HUMANITARIAN CORRIDORS AND EVACUATION UPDATES

📌On March 24, more than 100 residents were evacuated to safe places from several “hot spots”, including Avdiyivka, Ocheretyany, Vugledar.

President Volodymyr Zelensky’s daily statements 

📌On March 24, Volodymyr Zelensky addressed NATO leaders. Main theses:

🖇It feels like we are in a gray area. Between the West and Russia. But we protect all our common values ​​with you;

🖇To save people and cities, Ukraine needs unlimited military assistance. Without restrictions, Russia uses all its arsenal against us;

🖇The worst thing about war is not having clear answers to requests for help. I do not blame NATO. I just want you to know: the Alliance can still prevent Ukrainians from dying from Russian strikes;

🖇You [NATO] can give us 1% of all your planes and tanks. Volley fire systems, anti-ship weapons, air defense equipment;

🖇The only thing I demand is that you never tell us again that our army does not meet NATO standards. We have shown how much we can give to common security in Europe and the world. NATO has yet to show what the Alliance can do to save people.

📌Also on March 24, the President of Ukraine addressed the representatives of the G-7 talking about the horrors of the occupier in Ukraine:

🖇It is better now to support Ukraine with the weapons we really need, than have to look for weapons for other countries as well in the future — Georgia, Moldova, the Baltic States, Poland, Central Asia. The sooner it happens, as we ask, the sooner there will be peace in Eastern Europe. It is in our best interest. It’s in your best interest. This is in the interests of all democracies. Freedom must be armed. Life must overcome death.

📌 ”I am grateful to everyone who works in support of Ukraine, in support of freedom. But the war continues. Terror against civilians continues. It’s been a month! So long! It breaks my heart, all Ukrainians and every free person on earth. That is why I ask you to oppose the war!”

📌 ”The Russian state collects taxes from its citizens to make them poorer. To use this money to spread propaganda on TV, isolate the country’s citizens from the world and be able to govern. Russians, if you can leave the country to avoid paying your taxes, do it. ”

📌Ukraine asked to close the sky, asked to give weapons. Ukraine asked for support. Ukraine is asking together not to allow Russia to break someone. Ukraine has lasted many times longer than Russia expected. And Ukraine is waiting for help.

📌Photo of the day

Protective structures for the monument to Volodymyr the Great in Kyiv.

PUBLIC AND BUSINESS SUPPORT

✅On March 27, the international charity concert-telethon Save Ukraine – #StopWar will take place. Daha Braha, The Hardkiss, Jamala, Go A, Monatik, Imagine Dragons, Nothing But Thieves, Fatboy Slim, Craig David, Salvador Sobral and others will support Ukraine.

📌Czech theaters joined the action “Light for Mariupol”. In particular, the inscription “ДІТИ (CHILDREN)” made of candles was lit on the square in front of the National Theater in Prague.

📌Bon Jovi posted a video of Odesa residents building fortifications in the city to his song It’s my life and signed: “This is for those who defend their land …”.

📌Vera Farmiga, a Hollywood actress of Ukrainian descent, read Vasyl Symonenko’s poem “Люди — прекрасні (People are Beautiful)” in the Ukrainian.

📌 “I wanted to jump for them”: track and field athlete, Olympic champion Gianmarco Tamberi from Italy dedicated a medal to Ukraine at the World Championships. Also, on his right hand was a sticker with the Ukrainian flag and inscriptions of the names of two Ukrainian high jumpers: Bohdan Bondarenko and Andriy Protsenko.

📌 “Yulia’s Dream”: the Department of Mathematics of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology opens a program for students from Ukraine in memory of the deceased Kharkiv resident Yulia Zdanovska.

📌 Aria Stark, English actress Macy Williams, said in her Instagram that she joined other cultural figures in the west of London who supports Ukraine.

📌New York Mayor Eric Adams took part in the ceremony of raising the American and Ukrainian flags in Manhattan. During the event, the Ukrainian singer from the group KAZKA sang the Ukrainian national anthem live.

📌 Mothers’ marches calling for “Save children of Ukraine” have already taken place in Warsaw, Berlin, New York, Melanie, Vienna, Munich, Atlanta, Larnaca, Paphos and Limassol. Women go to the main squares of cities with posters, photos of destroyed Ukrainian cities and dolls in bloody sheets.

📌British actor Orlando Bloom posted a photo with the children of Ukrainian refugees on his Instagram page. He said that he is currently in Moldova and together with UNICEF is meeting with families who are forced to leave Ukraine in search of security.

📌Dance for Ukraine took place at the London Coliseum. All proceeds from ticket sales were donated to humanitarian aid to Ukrainians.

📌British actor Oliver Phelps posted a photo on his Instagram page where he poses in a T-shirt with Ukrainian symbols. Phelps bought a T-shirt from the collection of boxer Oleksandr Usyk. The athlete donates the proceeds from the sale of limited items to Ukrainians affected by the war.

📌Two-time Paralympic champion Serhiy Yemelyanov has announced that he wants to sell his gold medal, which he won in Tokyo 2020. The athlete decided to support the Ukrainian army due to a full-scale Russian invasion. He donates the proceeds to the needs of our defenders.

📌Spanish defender of the French football club PSG Sergio Ramos posted a post on his Instagram page about raising funds to help Ukraine. The footballer offered his fans and followers to buy sweatshirts with the inscription “We are all Ukrainians”.

📌The Japanese multinational corporation NEC Group has stopped all future sales of products and services, as well as future investments in Russia. NEC Group will also donate € 500,000 in humanitarian aid to war victims in Ukraine and the surrounding regions.

📌Novaya Gazeta editor Dmitry Muratov says his award will be auctioned to raise funds for Ukrainians fleeing war.

📌Renault suspends Russia’s business and looks at options for AvtoVaz stake. Earlier, the company said it did not plan to leave the Russian market, but the publicity of this position and the global boycott forced the company to change its mind.

📌Rothschild’s Wealth Unit Won’t Accept New Russian Clients — Bloomberg.

📌Western Union has stopped making money transfers in Russia.

📌The Swedish PostNord suspends all mail from and to the Russian Federation and Belarus.

📌The British manufacturer of swimming equipment Speedo has terminated its sponsorship contract with Russian swimmer Yevgeny Rylov, due to his active support of the war in Ukraine. The money that the brand had to pay Rylov will go to the UN Office for Refugees in Ukraine.

 👉Polish citizens have petitioned Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki to close the border to Russian and Belarusian trucks. Activists emphasize that there is no time for politics as people are constantly dying in Ukraine. Russian invaders are committing war crimes every minute. The Republic of Poland may become the next victim of imperial ambitions.

Anyone can sign a petition to close border crossings with Belarus and Russia https://bit.ly/36oTkI0

INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT OF UKRAINE

📌Britain will send another 6,000 weapons to Ukraine, including anti-tank missiles, the Prime Minister’s Office said.

📌Britain has imposed new sanctions on Russia and Belarus. 59 individuals, enterprises and ministries have been restricted, including sanctions against Gazprombank, Rosselkhozbank, Alfa-Bank, SMP Bank, Russian Railways, Sovcomflot, RusHydro, and some defense companies. Herman Gref, the head of Sberbank, and billionaire Oleg Tinkov were also subject to sanctions. The Belarusian Ministry of Defense and the Minsk Tractor Plant were also sanctioned.

📌The transport ministers of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have called on the EU to ban the transport of goods by road to Russia and Belarus and back.

📌The United States has officially recognized the actions of the Russian army in Ukraine as a war crime, Anthony Blinken said in a document published on the State Department website.

📌Today, the UN General Assembly voted in favor of a resolution calling on Russia to provide access to humanitarian aid and protection of civilians through a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. 140 member countries voted in favor of the resolution, 38 abstained and five voted against.

The approved document calls on Russia to immediately cease shelling of civilians and civilian infrastructure, to end the siege of cities and to ensure unhindered access for humanitarian personnel and the delivery of humanitarian aid. The resolution also calls for the protection of civilians leaving the war zone, including foreign nationals, including students, and for their safe and unhindered movement.

📌Joe Biden has called for Russia’s exclusion from the G20. If other members of the group do not agree, the United States will insist on inviting Ukraine to the G20 summit.

📌Tweet of the day 

It’s been a month of our resistance. The heroic opposition of the Ukrainian nation, the Ukrainian people, to the merciless invasion of Russia. It’s been a month of our defense against attempts to destroy us. To raze us to the ground. The original plan of the Russian military forces fell apart in the first days of the invasion. They thought the Ukrainians would be scared. They believed that the Ukrainians would not fight. Well, they were wrong. 

Photo: Salwan Georges, Artem Dorofeev, Vadim Girda, Max Levin, Ricardo Garzia Vilanova, Emre Cailak, Rodrigo Abd, Sergei Supinski