Sunday, March 3

Russia’s war against Ukraine

A group of women undergo a military training in Kyiv, organized by Ukrainian non-governmental organization Valkyrie, to take part in Ukraine’s ongoing defense, on March 2, 2024. Women learn tactical moves, how to work with weapons, and how to administer first aid. (Gian Marco Benedetto/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Air Force: Ukraine downs another Russian Su-34 jet. The destruction of the jet is the latest in a recent uptick of downed Russian planes. This list includes 12 Su-34 fighter bombers, two Su-35 fighter jets, and a rare A-50 military spy plane. Another A-50 aircraft was downed a month prior.

Syrskyi dissatisfied with some brigade commanders, hints at personnel changes. Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi on March 2 said he was forced to make “personnel decisions” regarding some eastern front commanders whose actions “threaten the life and health” of their soldiers.

Bloomberg: Ukraine may get first shells found through Czech-led initiative ‘within weeks.’ As Kyiv faces critical ammunition shortages due to U.S. assistance being stalled in Congress, Czech President Petr Pavel said last month at the Munich Conference that Prague had identified 500,000 155 mm shells and 300,000 122 mm shells outside Europe.

Allies’ ‘political games’ limit Ukraine’s defense, Zelensky says after Odesa attack. “Ukraine asked for nothing more than necessary to protect lives. When lives are lost, and partners are simply playing internal political games or disputes that limit our defense, it’s impossible to understand. It’s unacceptable,” Zelensky said.

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UK Defense Ministry: Russia likely grounds its A-50 aircraft fleet. Russia has likely stopped flying its A-50 early warning and control planes in support of operations in Ukraine after the downing of the second aircraft, the U.K. Defense Ministry said in its March 2 report.

Traffic shut down on Crimean Bridge amid reports of explosions. Authorities announced that vehicle traffic was blocked on the bridge at around 3:40 a.m. local time. Earlier in the night, local Telegram channels reported that residents heard sounds of explosions near an oil depot in Feodosia.

Russian governor claims ‘aerial targets’ destroyed over Gulf of Finland. Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency said that restrictions had been imposed on the departure and arrival of planes at Pulkovo Airport from around 7 to 8 p.m. local time.

St. Petersburg governor reports damaged buildings amid drone attack claims. The governor’s statement comes amid claims spread on Russian Telegram channels that Russia’s second-largest city came under a Ukrainian drone attack.

Read our exclusives

The economic toll of 10 years of Russia’s war against Ukraine in charts

Russia’s 10-year aggression against Ukraine has caused widespread and sure to be long-lasting damage to the country’s economy and demographics. The Kyiv Independent has visualized the various impacts of Russia’s war in charts.

Image: Lisa Kukharska / The Kyiv Independent

West’s response to Macron comments reveals discord, weakness

French President Emmanuel Macron was left on his lonesome by his fellow European allies after saying that the possibility of sending Western troops on the ground in Ukraine should not be “ruled out” in the future.

Photo: Gonzalo Fuentes/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Human cost of war

Death toll of Russian attack against Odesa rises to 8. The death toll of a Russian drone attack against Odesa on March 2 has risen to seven as two more bodies were found in the rubble, the State Emergency Service reported.

Governor: Russian attack kills 1 in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Russian forces struck the village of Prymorske in southeastern Zaporizhzhia Oblast, killing one person, regional governor Ivan Fedorov said on March 2.

Russian attack on Kherson Oblast village kills man. Russia launched an attack against the village of Stanislav in Kherson Oblast on March 2, killing a 54-year-old man on the street, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.

Russian attacks kill 4, injure 13, including children. Russian attacks against Ukraine on March 1 killed at least four civilians and injured at least 13, with children reported among the casualties, regional officials said on March 2.

General Staff: Russia has lost 415,640 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022. This number includes 960 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

This Week in Ukraine S2 E8 — How 10 years of Russian occupation changed Crimea

International response

Germany investigates leaked recording of alleged discussion on missile supplies to Ukraine. In that recording, the interlocutors allegedly discussed the possibility of Ukraine using Taurus missiles to strike targets such as the Crimean Bridge and mentioned that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had not approved the transfer yet. They also said that Ukrainian soldiers could be trained to use the missiles.

PACE president, US ambassador condemn Russian strike on Odesa. “We must continue to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s barbaric war,” U.S. Ambassador Bridget Brink said.

Finnish minister calls on West to find funds ‘immediately’ to boost arms supplies to Ukraine. “Funds to support arms for Ukraine must be found immediately,” Hakkanen noted, saying that “Europe has not realized the seriousness of the war through the eyes of history.”

Slovak FM meets Lavrov in Turkey. Slovakian Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar met with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Turkey on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Antalya, Turkey, on March 2.

Lithuania announces deadline for Russian-registered cars to leave country. According to Lithuanian Customs, drivers of vehicles with Russian license plates must apply for Lithuanian registration, or leave the country “and the entire territory of the European Union” by March 11.

In other news

Hungarian parliament speaker signs off on Sweden’s NATO bid. Hungarian parliament speaker Sandor Lezsak has signed off on Sweden’s accession to NATO after Hungary’s legislature ratified it earlier this week, Reuters reported on March 2, citing the parliament’s voting records.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Martin Fornusek, Asami Terajima, Teah Pelechaty, Katya Denisova, Oleg Sukhov, Abbey Fenbert, and Olena Goncharova.

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