Ukraine Daily

Tuesday, March 15

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Russia’s war against Ukraine

Two buildings in Kyiv residential areas hit by separate strikes early March 15, according to Ukrainian emergency services. A private home in Osokorky district was hit by shelling just before 6 a.m. Shortly after the strike in Osokorky, an apartment building central Podilsky district in Podil was hit in another strike, causing a fire in the first five floors of the building.

Russians deny humanitarian convoy entry to Mariupol. A convoy loaded with food, water, clothes, and evacuation buses didn’t reach the city, according to Deputy Head of the Ukrainian President’s Office Kyrylo Tymoshenko. The convoy has now been unable to reach the city for three days, he added.

At least 42% of small businesses in Ukraine have ceased operations. According to a survey by the European Business Association, 42% of small businesses have closed, 31% have temporarily suspended work, and only 13% have managed to continue full, unrestricted operations as of March 14. The survey also notes that an estimated 51% of respondents intend to use the state-provided finance assistance amounting to $220 dollars.

Zelensky to address US Congress on March 16. President Volodymyr Zelensky will address the members of the U.S. Congress via a video call at 9 a.m. ET.

Around 600 houses destroyed by shelling in Kharkiv. Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov added that 50 schools and several medical institutions were also hit.

Russia hits Kharkiv with ballistic missiles. Kharkiv Governor Oleh Synyehubov claimed that Kharkiv was hit by short-range Iskander ballistic missile systems stationed in Russia.

Russia has fired over 900 missiles against Ukraine. The announcement was made by a senior U.S. Department of Defense official during a closed-door briefing on March 14.

Zelensky submits a bill to extend martial law for another month. The Ukrainian Parliament stated on March 14 that the proposed extension will start from March 26.

Russian soldiers in Trostyanets take residents to fake evacuation corridors, remove their cellphones, and use them as human shields. Dmytro Zhyvytsky, governor of Sumy Oblast, said on March 14 that Russian forces have also prevented the restoration of electricity and the supply of humanitarian aid to the area.

Ukraine evacuates over 2,000 vulnerable children. As of March 14, the Ukrainian Ministry of Social Policy reports that the children were evacuated from social welfare institutions and orphanages. 60 foster families with 155 children were evacuated as well. However, an estimated 859 children from similar situations have yet to be evacuated.

Shock wave damages facade of the Lukyanivska metro station in Kyiv early on March 15. The station will be closed for transit users until repairs can be undertaken.

Apartment building in Kyiv on fire after Russian overnight shelling. The fire was put out by 6:51 a.m., according to the State Emergency Service. One person has been hospitalized.

Fox News reporter injured while covering war in Ukraine. Fox News reports that its correspondent Benjamin Hall was injured near Kyiv on March 14, although the network is awaiting updates on his condition. He has been hospitalized.

21,500 new Airbnb hosts offer homes to Ukrainians. As of March 14, an estimated 14,000 listings are located in Europe, while 4,000 are in the U.S. Airbnb has also reportedly dedicated $37.6 million to support Ukrainians.

Over 40,000 Syrians have registered to fight for Russia against Ukraine. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a non-governmental group, reported that more than 40,000 Syrian fighters have registered to go to Ukraine to fight, following Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s call for foreign “volunteers” to join Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. No Syrian fighters have left the country as of March 14, the group says.

CNN: Russia requests ready-to-eat meals from China to feed troops. As of March 14, it is still unclear whether China intends to provide Russia with any assistance. According to CNN, this move “raises questions about the fundamental readiness of the Russian military.”

Retired US Army General believes Russia will exhaust ability to fight within ten days. Ben Hodges, former commander of the U.S. Army in Europe, told CBS News that Russia is running out of time, ammunition and manpower as a “quick operation” turned into a war of attrition.

China insists it’s ‘not a party’ in Russia’s war against Ukraine. Despite previous news reports suggesting China was preparing to aid Russia in its war against Ukraine, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi insisted that his country was “not a party” to the war during a phone call with Spanish counterpart José Manuel Albares, according to Chinese state press agency Xinhua.

Kidnapped mayor of occupied Melitopol taken to Russian-controlled Luhansk. According to the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration, Russian forces took abducted Mayor Ivan Fedoriv to Russian-occupied Luhansk, where he is being accused of “terrorism.” Luhansk is a Ukrainian regional capital occupied by Russia in 2014.

The Hague sets date for ruling on Russia’s war. Ukraine is requesting that Russia be ordered to end its war and withdraw troops from the country. The UN International Court of Justice in the Hague will issue a ruling on March 16.

Russian state TV interrupted by ‘No War’ protest. During the “Vremya” news program on Russia’s main TV channel, Maria Ovsyannikova, a Channel One employee, rushed in front of the camera with a poster saying “stop the war, don’t believe the propaganda.” In a pre-recorded video, Ovsyannikova explained that she has a Ukrainian father and was disgusted by the war.

Energoatom says Russian troops set off explosives at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. Ukraine’s state-run nuclear energy company said on March 14 that the explosives had been triggered near the Russian-controlled Ukrainian plant’s main reactor and that further explosions are planned.

The human cost of Russia’s war

Russian forces shoot at evacuating civilians in Hostomel. According to National Police, the first 10 buses of evacuees safely left the town, when Russians opened fire on the next four buses. One woman was killed, two men injured as a result of attack.

False information surrounding death toll in Mariupol circulates online. Mariupol City Council has confirmed that around 2,357 people in the city have died as a result of Russian aggression as of March 14, and that all other estimates are false.

UN: Civilian casualties reach 1,761 since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began on Feb. 24. The United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine said that as of midnight on March 13, there were 636 killed and 1,125 injured civilians. Most of the recorded casualties were caused by the use of explosive weapons, including shelling from heavy artillery and multi-launch rocket systems.

Pregnant woman injured in Russian attack on maternity house in Mariupol on March 9 has died. A photo of the woman being carried on a stretcher after the attack appeared on the cover of the world media. She and her unborn child have died soon after the attack, the Associated Press has learned.

International response

Japan freezes assets of additional 17 Russian oligarchs, government officials. Among those sanctioned are Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg, family members of Russian banker Yuri Kovalchuk, and 11 members of the Russian Duma. As of March 14, Japan has placed sanctions on 61 Russians.

China requests talks between Europe, Russia. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the request on a phone call with his Spanish counterpart José Manuel Albares on March 14, according to Chinese state media. The reason cited was to “set up a balanced, effective and sustainable European security framework.”

Reuters: Biden to meet with NATO leaders as early as next week. According to sources familiar with the situation, an extraordinary session may be scheduled for March 23 amid Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

EU revokes licenses of Russian airlines. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has suspended the license of dozens of Russian airlines, including Aeroflot, S7, Ural, Azur, and others.

UN Secretary-General: Nuclear conflict ‘within realm of possibility.’ United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that Russia’s raising of its nuclear alert level was a “bone-chilling development.”

EU approves fourth package of sanctions. The sanctions will target a new list of oligarchs and companies, credit rating agencies, ban iron and steel imports, investments in the energy sector, and luxury goods.

Ukraine has received over 50,000 tons of foreign humanitarian aid. Deputy Head of the Ukrainian President’s Office Kyrylo Tymoshenko said that aid has been arriving from across the world.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Asami Terajima, Daria Shulzhenko, Oleg Sukhov, Sergiy Slipchenko, Teah Pelechaty, Olena Goncharova, Oleksiy Sorokin, Olga Rudenko, Toma Istomina and Brad LaFoy.

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