Worth noting, korrespondent.net has compiled its Invasion of Ukraine series into separate months, beginning May 9th, 2023. Linked in the title.
[Korrespondent] 21:32 This year’s elections in the Russian Federation are “explosive” due to border fighting and shelling. Even Putin decided to vote online. Read more in the material Songs and Explosions.
20:55 Greece has joined the Coalition for Demining Ukraine, Defense Minister Nikos Dendias said. In total, there are already 20 NATO member countries in this coalition.
20:04 The Cabinet of Ministers approved the location of the National War Memorial Cemetery in the Kiev region. It will be created on two sites in the Gatno community of the Fastovsky district.
19:18 In Odessa, the number of deaths as a result of a Russian missile attack has increased to 20, the State Emergency Service reported. The head of the OVA, Oleg Kiper, noted that as a result of the attack, gas and electricity utilities in the city were damaged, leaving 535 subscribers without power supply.
18:21 The G7 issued a statement in which it once again called on third parties, including Iran, to immediately stop material support for “Russia’s illegal and unjustified aggressive war against Ukraine.” The statement said that the supply of Iranian ballistic missiles to Russia would increase regional destabilization and would be a significant escalation of Tehran's support for the war in Ukraine. “If Iran decides to provide ballistic missiles or related technology to Russia, we stand ready to respond quickly and in a coordinated manner, including through new and significant measures against Iran,” the G7 countries warned.
18:16 At the end of February, French President Emmanuel Macron did not rule out that NATO troops would be sent to Ukraine in the future. Later, Paris tried to clarify the president's words and soften the reaction to them. However, on the evening of March 14, Ukrainian Telegram channels spread news from France News 24 about the alleged transfer of regiments of French troops to Romania for deployment in Odessa. Read more in the material Western troops in Odessa: fake or reality.
18:07 Zelensky said that he held important military meetings today. In particular, I heard Syrsky’s report on the situation in the Avdeevsky direction and other key sectors of the front; held a meeting with a wide range of military and intelligence services, at which they identified the enemy’s most vulnerable spots - “those where we can cause him the greatest harm, and will do so.”
Another meeting is with representatives of the Cabinet of Ministers, the defense industry and other departments for the production of high-tech drones. “Ukraine has such weapons, but they must become more long-range, massive and powerful. We have determined the appropriate tasks and deadlines. Not a single Russian terrorist attack should go unanswered,” the president emphasized.
17:59 The Russians fired S-300 missiles at Zolochev, Kharkov region, said Oleg Sinegubov, head of the OBA. As a result of the strike, the premises of the dormitory and the emergency medical aid station were destroyed. The premises of the Zolochiv hospital were also damaged. Two ambulance vehicles were destroyed and two more were damaged. No people were hurt.
17:40 Scholz said after a meeting with Macron and Tusk that the proceeds from frozen Russian assets will be used to purchase weapons for Ukraine. The Chancellor also assured that the EU will purchase more weapons on the world market and increase its own production. At the same time, he emphasized that the countries that support Ukraine “are not in a state of war with Russia.” In addition, the Chancellor announced the creation of a coalition within the Ramstein format to supply Ukraine with long-range artillery.
Macron, in turn, said that France, Germany and Poland agreed “never to provoke an escalation in Ukraine.”
17:08 In Odessa, the number of those injured as a result of the Russian strike increased to 73, 16 people were killed, said the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Igor Klimenko. According to him, there are losses among the National Police personnel.
16:50 As a result of a missile attack in Odessa, former first deputy mayor Sergei Tetyukhin was killed, said the mayor of the city Gennady Trukhanov. Also, as a result of the strike, the former head of the patrol police of the Odessa region, Alexander Gostishchev, was killed. After the full-scale invasion, he became the commander of the Tsunami battalion.
16:23 The number of victims as a result of the Russian missile attack on Odessa has increased to 16, another 55 people with injuries are in the hospital, said the head of the OBA Oleg Kiper.
16:04 In Russia they claim shelling and bombing of “polling stations” on the left bank of the Kherson region. In particular, there were shellings in Kakhovka and Brilevka, and there were casualties. And in Skadovsk, near the “precinct”, an improvised explosive device planted in a trash can exploded.
15:58 In the morning, the Russians fired at the village of Dolinka, Vozdvizhenskaya territorial community, Pologovsky district, Zaporozhye region, one person was killed, the prosecutor’s office reported.
15:45 In Russia, they report numerous cases of damage to ballots in ballot boxes with paint and brilliant green. And in St. Petersburg, a girl threw a Molotov cocktail at a polling station sign.
15:22 The Russians hit Odessa with Iskander-M missiles fired from Crimea, the Southern Defense Forces reported. As a result of the attack on civilian infrastructure, a three-story building of a recreational facility was destroyed, at least ten private houses, a service station, a low-pressure gas pipeline, ambulances and fire-rescue vehicles were damaged. Rescuers have extinguished the fire and clearing of the rubble continues.
14:49 Serious problems have been recorded in the operation of the electronic voting system in elections in Russia. Ukrainian media report, citing sources, that this is the work of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense.
14:37 The Swedish government has decided to transfer nine Coast Guard jet skis to Ukraine. Jet skis are in demand in Ukraine, and according to coast guard officials, they can be donated to Ukraine immediately.
14:34 The European Commission announced that it has allocated 500 million euros for the production of ammunition, which will allow the European defense industry to increase the production capacity of projectiles to 2 million per year until the end of 2025.
14:11 As a result of a Russian missile attack in Odessa, 14 people were killed, including local residents, a doctor and a rescuer. Another 46 people, including seven State Emergency Service employees, were injured. Tomorrow, mourning will be declared in Odessa and the region, said Oleg Kiper, head of the OBA.
13:33 President of Latvia Edgars Rinkevics supported Macron’s statements: “I fully support Emmanuel Macron: we should not draw red lines for ourselves, we should draw red lines for Russia, and we should not be afraid to stick to them. Ukraine must win, Russia must win ".
13:08 Governor of the Belgorod region Vyacheslav Gladkov said that as a result of the new shelling of Belgorod, one person was killed and two were injured. According to him, ten air targets were allegedly shot down on approach to the city.
12:55 Russian public pages write about an explosion at a polling station in Belgorod.
12:52 The Russians launched a missile attack on Odessa, there were casualties, said Oleg Kiper, head of the OBA. It is known that as a result of the second attack, a paramedic and an employee of the State Emergency Service, who came to the scene after the first explosion, were killed. There are also seriously wounded among the doctors and rescuers. The total number of victims is being clarified.
12:37 Portugal will allocate 100 million euros for the Czech initiative on ammunition for Ukraine from third countries, the country’s Ministry of Defense reported.
12:18 Ukraine has returned the bodies of another 100 dead defenders, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported.
11:56 Recently, information appeared online that the president of the Russian Red Cross is related to a pro-Putin “patriotic” organization, and RKK employees talk about the impossibility of peace with the “Ukrainian Nazis.” In addition, the RKK takes part in military training and exercises for children, who are being taught the ideology of continuing the war against Ukraine. Ombudsman Dmitry Lubinets said that he had already sent a letter to the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent demanding that they condemn such actions and conduct a transparent investigation into the actions of the RKK.
Lubinets recalled that the RKK is part of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, and therefore is obliged to comply with the missions and principles of the movement - in particular, the principle of neutrality.
11:12 The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense claims that Russian “election commissions” will try to increase the number of voters by attracting so-called dead souls to “vote”. In particular, along with existing military personnel, they plan to add to the number of “voters” those who have recently died, gone missing, or been captured. According to the Main Intelligence Directorate, the leadership of the Russian Defense Ministry allowed military personnel taking part in the war in Ukraine to vote even without appearing at the “polling stations” and without having original documents.
10:41 Ukrainian media write, citing sources, that the attack on the petrochemical enterprise First Plant in the Kaluga region was an operation by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense.
10:38 The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that Russian troops allegedly drove out the “Ukrainian landing force” from Kozinki in Belgorodskaya, which was landed by helicopters a kilometer from the border.
10:27 At night, three drones hit an oil refinery in the Kaluga region, damaging the plant’s equipment, reports the opposition Russian publication Astra. Governor Vladislav Shapsha said that four drones were allegedly shot down in the region, there were no casualties or destruction of infrastructure. However, according to journalists, only one drone was actually shot down, and three hit the oil refining equipment of the First Plant petrochemical plant in the village of Polotnyany Zavod. There was a fire and the equipment was damaged. No people were hurt.
10:09 Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala adjusted his plan for a conversation with allies regarding the initiative to purchase 800 thousand ammunition for Ukraine, having learned that the pro-Russian Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico will also be at the table, reports the Czech publication Aktualne. According to sources, Fiala deleted several details from his speech, fearing that because of Fico, strategically important information could become known in Moscow.
09:24 Russian public pages write about heavy shelling of Belgorod; voting in the presidential elections in the Russian Federation had to be suspended. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported the destruction of seven RM-70 Vampire missiles in the air over the Belgorod region. The Russian Freedom Legion, meanwhile, warns that the election days will be “turbulent.”
09:21 In the Avdeevsky direction, the Russians have been trying to break through the defenses of Ukrainian troops in the zones of three brigades for several days, Syrsky said following a visit to the positions of the Defense Forces. According to him, in the current conditions, the most effective way of conducting defense is the destruction of armored vehicles and enemy infantry assault groups by artillery fire, the actions of armored groups, the complex use of strike unmanned systems of various types, as well as protecting one’s units from enemy drones using electronic warfare in combination with the destruction of control posts enemy UAV missile strikes and artillery.
08:54 The General Staff announced the estimated losses of the Russian Federation as of the morning of March 15:
- personnel - about 428,420 (+580) people,
- tanks - 6758 (+1),
- armored combat vehicles - 12,949 (+11),
- artillery systems - 10,580 (+15),
- MLRS - 1017 (+0),
- air defense systems - 717 (+0),
- aircraft - 347 (+0),
- helicopters - 325 (+0),
- UAV of operational-tactical level - 8254 (+34),
- cruise missiles - 1920 (+0),
- ships/boats - 26 (+0),
- submarines - 1 (+0),
- automotive equipment and tank trucks - 13,993 (+34),
- special equipment - 1711 (+3).
08:38 Over the past 24 hours, 76 military clashes took place at the front, the General Staff reported in its morning report. In particular, the enemy tried 24 times to break through the defenses of Ukrainian troops in the Novopavlovsk direction - in the areas of Krasnohorivka, Georgievka, Novomikhailovka and Vodyanoye of the Donetsk region. Another 20 attacks were repelled in the Avdeevsky direction - in the areas of the settlements of Berdychi, Orlovka, Tonenkoye, Pervomaiskoye, Donetsk region.
The enemy did not conduct offensive actions in the Kupyansk direction. In the Liman direction, the Defense Forces repelled 16 enemy attacks in the areas of Ternov, Yampolevka, Razdolovka of the Donetsk region and Belogorivka of the Lugansk region; on Bakhmutsky - five attacks in the Bogdanovka, Ivanovsky and Kleshcheevka districts of the Donetsk region; on Orekhovsky - seven attacks in the areas of Staromayorskoye, Donetsk region, as well as Rabotino and west of Verbovoye, Zaporozhye region; on Kherson - one attack on the positions of Ukrainian troops.
08:26 One of the victims died in a hospital in the Vinnytsia region as a result of yesterday’s drone strike on a residential building, said the head of the OVA Sergei Borzov. Thus, the death toll increased to two, three people were hospitalized. He also said that there was serious destruction in the Belgorod village of Kozinka, the residents were taken to a safe place.
07:35 In Krivoy Rog, the number of victims as a result of the Russian strike on March 13 increased to 52 - two more people sought medical help. Among the victims are 13 children. 16 people remain in hospitals, said the head of the OVA, Sergei Lysak.
07:09 Air defense at night destroyed all 27 Shahed-type attack UAVs, which Russia attacked from Primorsko-Akhtarsk and the Kursk region, the Air Force command reported. Drones were destroyed within the Kirovograd, Nikolaev, Kharkov, Kherson, Khmelnytsky, Vinnitsa, and Kyiv regions. In addition, the enemy hit seven S-300/S-400 anti-aircraft guided missiles in the Kharkov and Donetsk regions and one X-59 guided aircraft missile in the Poltava region.
04:54 The next, 20th meeting in the Ramstein format will take place on Monday, March 18, at the air force base of the same name in Germany. The meeting will be chaired personally by Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin, said Deputy Pentagon Speaker Sabrina Singh.