Thursday, March 14

Russia’s war against Ukraine

A woman hugs her cat near a fire truck after a Russian missile attack on March 13, 2024 in Kryvyi Rih. On the evening of March 12, Russian forces launched Kh-59 missiles at the city. (Yurii Tynnyi/Suspilne Ukraine/JSC “UA:PBC”/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

Media: Ukrainian drones attack 3 oil refineries in Russia, airfield in Voronezh Oblast. Oil refineries were allegedly attacked in Ryazan, in the cities of Kstovo, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, and Kirishi, Leningrad Oblast, Ukrainska Pravda reported, citing an unnamed source in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).

Russian oil refinery partially shuts down after drone attack. Certain “technological facilities” of the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in Rostov Oblast have shut down after an overnight drone attack, Rostov Oblast Governor Vasiliy Golubev said on Telegram on March 13.

Syrskyi visits front line, says Russia failed to occupy new settlements. Commander-in-Chief’s statement came after the Russian Defense Ministry claimed on March 12 its troops had captured the village of Nevelske in Donetsk Oblast, which Dmytro Lykhovii, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Tavria Group, denied.

Anti-Kremlin militia says fighting ongoing in 5 Russian settlements. Fighting between anti-Kremlin militias and the Russian army is taking place in five settlements near the Ukrainian border, Oleksii Baranovskyi, a fighter with the Freedom of Russia Legion, said on air on March 13.

Putin: Cross-border incursion by Russian anti-Kremlin militia ‘attempt to interfere in elections.’ Putin claimed the goal of the reported breakthrough was “to get a trump card for the exchange of territories in possible negotiations” and to create an “information effect.”

Russia says it will not participate in Switzerland peace talks even if invited. Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office, suggested in February that representatives from Russia might be invited to the scheduled talks.

Your contribution helps keep the Kyiv Independent going. Become a member today.

Justice minister: Ukraine willing to accept loans if necessary to secure US aid. “If this sort of discussion will delay the process of the provision of financial assistance, then let’s put the discussion aside and take whatever is given,” Justice Minister Denys Maliuska said.

Ministry: Ukrainian hackers disrupt transport services in Russian cities. Hackers of the IT Army of Ukraine targeted the Russian government and local portals, disrupting the fare payment system in Moscow and Kazan public transport, the Digital Transformation Ministry said on March 13.

Defense Ministry: Military not expecting immediate mobilization of 500,000 men. The military is not expecting 500,000 men to be mobilized immediately, and this figure is a general estimation that will be adjusted depending on the situation at the front, the Defense Ministry said in a comment to the Financial Times (FT) on March 13.

Governor: 5 children returned from Russian captivity. Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said that 35 children have been returned from Russian captivity in occupied parts of Kherson Oblast since the beginning of 2024.

Poll: 70% of Ukrainians have friends or relatives with front-line experience. As many as 70% of Ukrainians have friends or family who have fought or are currently fighting at the front line since February 2022, according to a poll by the Sociological Group Rating and the Veterans Affairs Ministry published on March 13.

Survey: Ukrainians spend 66% of budget on food, mandatory expenses. The survey also found that Ukrainians spend a fraction of what other residents of other countries spend on non-essential expenses.

Read our exclusives

‘Abandon all hope:’ Ukraine’s wounded warriors compare military medical system to the Inferno

The Kyiv Independent interviewed dozens of veterans, military personnel, and civilian volunteers helping the military. They describe a military medical system that’s fundamentally broken on every level, no matter where you are, no matter how you’re injured.

Illustration: Karolina Gulshani

Ukraine war latest: EU ambassadors approve $5.5 billion for Ukraine defense fund in 2024

EU ambassadors have agreed on a top-up of 5 billion euros ($5.5 billion) for the European Peace Facility (EPF) in support of Ukraine’s defense needs in 2024, the Belgian Presidency of the EU Council said on March 13. The EPF has been a key tool for Ukraine since 2022.

Photo: Monika Skolimowska / Getty Images

Human cost of war

Update: 49 injured, 5 killed in Russian attack on Kryvyi Rih. Governor Serhii Lysak said on March 13 that ten adults were still in the hospital, five of them with severe injuries. Seven children were also hospitalized, all with moderate injuries.

Russian attack on Sumy kills 2 people, injures 8. The body of a resident was removed from the rubble in the afternoon, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service reported.

Russian attacks on Sumy Oblast kill 1, injure 2. Shelling from a helicopter killed one resident of Velyka Pysarivka and wounded two others. The village was also hit with airstrikes, which caused over 30 explosions.

Governor: Russian attack on residential building in Myrnohrad kills 2, injures 5. “Among the wounded, one person is in serious condition and three are in moderate condition,” Donetsk Oblast Governor Vadym Filashkin said.

General Staff: Russia has lost 426,870 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022. This number includes 980 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

International response

EU ambassadors agree on $5.5 billion for Ukraine defense fund in 2024. EU ambassadors have agreed in principle on 5 billion euros ($5.5 billion) in defense assistance for Ukraine in 2024 within the framework of the European Peace Facility (EPF), the Belgian Presidency of the EU Council said on March 13.

Politico: Scholz, Macron to meet in Berlin to ease tensions over Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron is set to meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to “reduce tensions” between Paris and Berlin over Ukraine, Politico reported on March 13.

EU removes sanctions against Yandex co-founder Volozh. The EU sanctioned Arkady Volozh in June 2022, arguing that Yandex promotes pro-government narratives and is complicit in Russia’s war against Ukraine. Volozh resigned as CEO of Yandex after being sanctioned.

Bloomberg: European Investment Bank in talks on investing in EU defense sector. The European Investment Bank (EIB) is in talks to invest in defense companies amid heightened urgency to scale up Europe’s defense industry, Bloomberg reported on March 13.

EU Parliament proposes additional safeguards for European farmers in Ukraine trade deal. The parliament’s amendments are meant to reinforce “safeguards for EU farmers in case of a surge in Ukrainian products.” The changes were backed by 347 members of the parliament (MEP), with 117 voting against it and 99 abstaining.

Media: EU to propose restrictions on Russian, Belarusian grain imports. European Commission will present a proposal next week on restricting Russian and Belarusian agricultural imports, Polish news outlet RMF24 reported on March 13, citing an anonymous EU diplomat.

French Senate supports bilateral security deal with Ukraine. The French Senate on March 13 overwhelmingly supported a security deal between Paris and Kyiv after it was approved by the parliament’s lower chamber a day earlier.

Austria expels 2 Russian diplomats. Austria has expelled two Russian diplomats over actions “incompatible with their diplomatic status,” the Heute newspaper reported on March 13, citing the Austrian Foreign Ministry.

NATO, China discuss war in Ukraine at military staff talks. NATO and China held their eighth annual military staff talks on March 13 in Beijing, where the two delegations discussed global and regional security issues, including Russia’s war against Ukraine.

In other news

Media: Ukrainian journalists deported from Poland after investigating trade with Russia. Two journalists of the Rayon.ua.in news outlet were detained in Poland and deported while reporting on a trade on the Russian-Polish border, the news outlet said on March 13.

Customs Service: Polish protesters resume blockade at Krakovets crossing with Ukraine. Polish protesters resumed blocking cargo vehicles at the Korczowa-Krakovets border crossing with Ukraine at 11 a.m. on March 13 after suspending the protests there on March 9, Ukraine’s Customs Service said.

Lawmaker Dubinsky fined over corruption-related offense. Controversial lawmaker Oleksandr Dubinsky was found guilty of an administrative offense and fined for exerting pressure over the investigation of his corruption case, according to the National Agency on Corruption Prevention’s statement on March 13.

RFE/RL: Head of former Russian anti-war presidential candidate’s campaign arrested. Boris Nadezhdin’s team posted pictures of the court ruling on Telegram, which said that the charge stemmed from a message that Igor Krasnov sent on the messaging app that contained the rainbow flag emoji.

Navalny’s ex-chief of staff Volkov vows to continue his work after hammer attack, blames Putin. Leonid Volkov said that he had been hit 15 times with a hammer, and his arm had been broken in what he called a “characteristic gangster greeting from Putin.”

Want to get the news faster? Follow our website: kyivindependent.com.

Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Francis Farrell, Kateryna Denisova, Nate Ostiller, Martin Fornusek, Elsa Court, Abbey Fenbert, and Olena Goncharova.

If you’re enjoying this newsletter, consider joining our membership program. Start supporting independent journalism today.