Wednesday, March 13

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Ukrainian soldiers of 79th brigade are seen in the front-line city of Vuhledar in Donetsk Oblast on March 12 as Russia-Ukraine war continues. (Wolfgang Schwan/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Russia claims it has taken control of Nevelske in Donetsk Oblast. The potential loss of the village, which has not been confirmed by Ukraine, would create the possibility for Russian forces to attack the embattled city of Krasnohorivka.

Russian anti-Kremlin militia break into Russia, claim to occupy villages. The Freedom of Russia Legion and the Siberian Battalion crossed the border into Russia from Ukraine on March 12 to conduct combat operations, according to the Russian anti-Kremlin armed groups.

Kyiv to receive $6.5 billion in EU transitional financing under Ukraine Facility. Based on the newly signed agreement, Ukraine’s state budget should receive 4.5 billion euros ($4.9 billion) in transitional financing in March and the remaining 1.5 billion euros ($1.6 billion) in April “after the European Commission evaluates the completed indicators.”

Governor: At least 2 years required to de-mine Ukrainian-controlled territory in Kherson Oblast. Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said that only 1/3rd of the territory in Kherson Oblast liberated from Russian occupation has been surveyed. More than 150,000 mines or other explosives were discovered in this area alone, he added.

Minister: Ukraine to mass-produce robots to ‘minimize human involvement on battlefield.’ Ukraine plans to mass-produce mobile robots capable of mining, demining, operating attack drones, evacuating wounded soldiers, and transporting ammunition, Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced on March 12.

Poll: Vast majority of Ukrainians against Russian as official or state language. The poll reflects changes in Ukrainians’ perception of the Russian language outside the domestic sphere since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Zelensky signs law on allowing soldiers to preserve reproductive cells for free. Ukrainian soldiers will be able to preserve their reproductive cells for free, allowing them to have children in case of death or injury, according to a law signed by President Volodymyr Zelensky on March 12.

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Vatican says Russia should take first steps toward negotiations with Ukraine.

The first condition for peace in Ukraine is for Russia to cease its hostilities, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, said on March 11.

SBU uncovers pro-Russian disinformation group connected to Moscow-linked Ukrainian church. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) neutralized a pro-Russian disinformation group in Kyiv whose members included a senior cleric of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP), the SBU’s press service said on March 12.

Russia summons Swiss ambassador over parliament’s motions to funnel frozen Russian assets to Ukraine. “In the case of the practical implementation of such plans by Bern, retaliatory measures by the Russian side will be inevitable,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said on its official Telegram channel.

Russian media: Russian Il-76 military transport plane crashes in central Russia, 15 reportedly killed. The confirmation came after Telegram channels shared videos of a plane on fire in the sky. The 112 Telegram channel claimed that all eight crew members and seven passengers died in the crash.

Russia claims it downed Ukrainian drones over 7 regions. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Russian air defense shot down two drones over Moscow Oblast, one over Leningrad Oblast, seven over Belgorod Oblast, 11 over Kursk Oblast, one over Bryansk Oblast, one over Tula Oblast, and two over Oryol Oblast.

Read our exclusives

Ukraine war latest: Russian anti-Kremlin militia break into Russia, claim to occupy villages

The Freedom of Russia Legion and the Siberian Battalion crossed the border into Russia on March 12 to conduct combat operations, according to the Russian anti-Kremlin armed groups. The Legion claimed it had taken control of the village of Tyotkino in Russia’s Kursk Oblast. 

Photo: Getty Images

What do we know about the ‘Siberian Battalion’ that reportedly crossed into Russia?

The Siberian Battalion was the third unit established by Ukraine for Russian nationals who want to join the fight against the Kremlin. The battalion was meant primarily for ethnic minorities coming from Siberia, including Buryats, Yakuts, Tuvans, and others.

Photo: Maxym Marusenko/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Inside the electronic warfare arms race that could shape course of war in Ukraine

When Ukraine received Excalibur artillery shells in March 2022 from the U.S. shortly after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, it was immediately the military’s weapon of choice.

Photo: Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images

The man who refuses to leave his museum-like house in front-line Chasiv Yar

 In the small town of Chasiv Yar, just several kilometers away from the eastern front of Russia’s war in Ukraine, a rare house has remained intact. Most of the residents have fled to safer areas.

Photo: Olena Zashko / The Kyiv Independent

Human cost of war

Russia claims killing 234 fighters while thwarting incursion from Ukraine. The Russian Defense Ministry reported on March 12 that Moscow’s military and security forces killed 234 combatants while thwarting a border incursion it blames on Ukraine.

Russian missile attack on Kryvyi Rih kills 3, injures 44. The strike started a fire in a multi-story building. Multiple injuries have been reported, according to Governor Serhii Lysak.

Russian attack near Kupiansk kills 1 civilian, injures 3. Two 46-year-old men and a 38-year-old man were injured and one person was killed, according to Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov’s update.

Russian shelling of Zaporizhzhia Oblast village injures 2. Russia carried out an artillery attack against the village of Huliaipole in Zaporizhzhia Oblast in the afternoon on March 12, injuring two women aged 63 and 77, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported.

Russia strikes Sumy Oblast, injuring 5 children, 1 adult. Russian forces fired at Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy Oblast 82 times on March 12, striking 14 communities. Five children were wounded in the Velyka Pysarivka community, and one man received injuries following Russia’s shelling of Myropillia village, the local military administration reported.

International response

US announces $300 million defense aid package for Ukraine. This is the first package since last December, as U.S. funds for Kyiv have been blocked by disputes in Congress.

Denmark announces new military aid package for Ukraine worth $336 million. The newest package contains Caesar self-propelled artillery systems, self-propelled 120-mm mortars, and associated ammunition. The funds will also be used as part of the Czech-led initiative to purchase artillery shells for Ukraine.

Czech PM: Czech initiative receives commitments for 200,000 more artillery shells.

The Czech-led initiative to provide Ukraine with artillery ammunition received “non-binding commitments” for a further 200,000 shells, in addition to the confirmed purchase of 300,000 rounds, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on March 12, according to the Czech Press Agency (CTK).

FT: EU nears agreement on $5.5 billion defense aid package for Ukraine. EU countries are close to a deal to add 5 billion euros ($5.5 billion) to a fund used to provide military assistance to Ukraine, the Financial Times reported on March 12, citing four unnamed officials briefed on the discussions.

European Commission proposes draft framework for Ukraine’s EU accession talks. The proposed frameworks detail the “principles governing the accession negotiations, (the) substance of the negotiations, and (the) negotiations procedure.”

US House Democrats start gathering signatures to force vote on Ukraine aid. U.S. House of Representatives Democrats began collecting signatures on March 12 to bypass House Speaker Mike Johnson and force a vote on a Ukraine aid bill via a discharge petition, Reuters reported.

Lithuania seizes first car with Russian number plates after change in rules. Lithuania has seized the first Russian-registered car since a change in rules requiring Russian vehicles to be re-registered in Lithuania, Lithuanian Customs announced on March 12.

French parliament supports bilateral security agreement with Ukraine. In total, 372 lawmakers voted in favor of the deal, 99 were against, and 106 abstained or were not present. The far-left France Unbowed party voted against the agreement, while the far-right National Rally party abstained.

Ukraine released its military losses. Why now?

In other news

Hungary hosts Rosatom head on 25th anniversary of NATO accession. Hungary hosted the head of the Russian nuclear energy company Rosatom, Alexey Likhachev, on March 12, the 25th anniversary of Budapest’s accession to NATO.

Navalny’s ex-chief of staff reportedly attacked near his home in Lithuania. Leonid Volkov, who worked as the chief of staff of late Russian oppositionist Alexei Navalny, was physically assaulted near his home in Lithuania, Navalny’s former spokesperson Kira Yarmysh said.

DBR: Criminal case against anti-corruption activist Shabunin in accordance with court’s decision. The State Bureau of Investigation (DBR) had opened a criminal case against Vitalii Shabunin, the head of the board of the Anti-Corruption Action Center, based on a decision of the Shevchenkivskyi court in Kyiv, the bureau’s official told RFE/RL on March 12.

Another 47 Ukrainians evacuated from Gaza. A plane with 47 Ukrainians on board who have been evacuated from Gaza arrived in Moldova, Ukraine’s military intelligence agency reported on March 12.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Teah Pelechaty, Kateryna Denisova, Nate Ostiller, Martin Fornusek, Elsa Court, Dmytro Basmat, and Olena Goncharova.

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