Energy security. The Russian army has shelled power units of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. It is the largest nuclear power station in Europe. At the moment, fire has been put out and the radiation levels are within the norm and are non-threatening. However, the Russian military remains present at the site and keeps it under their control. If this power plant were to explode, it’s explosion would be 10 times worse than Chornobyl, Foreign Minister Kuleba says. The International Atomic Security Agency (IAEA) has put its Incident and Emergency Centre in full 24/7 response mode. Prior to that, the Board of Governors passed a resolution condemning Russian aggression against Ukraine and demanding that they immediately cease all illegal activities threatening Ukraineโs nuclear facilities. Earlier on March, 3rd, Ukraine had already addressed IAEA stating that the Russiaโs earlier seizure of the Chornobyl nuclear facilities and its personnel has all indications of nuclear terrorism.
Negotiations – Round 2. The Ukrainian delegation participated in the second round of the negotiations with the Russian delegation. The key demands of Ukraine have not yet been met, as stated by Mykhailo Podolyak, the Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President. However, both parties have reached an agreement on the joint organization of humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of civilians, as well as the delivery of food and medicine to the areas of the most severe battles.
Humanitarian crises. Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) of Ukraine addressed the UN, ICRC, European Parliament, national parliaments, etc. to protect Ukraine’s civilian population from armed attacks by Russian invaders. The address included a request for a no-fly zone over Ukraine, the establishment of the humanitarian corridors, bringing the UN peacekeepers. Meanwhile, 1500 women and children were evacuated from Irpin and Bucha, and 500 from Fastiv, Kyiv region, due to the tense situation in the area. Blockade of Mariupol, Donetsk region continues as the city’s critical infrastructure is damaged and there are disruptions in electricity, heat and water supply. Currently, city authorities are waiting for the decision on the โgreen corridorsโ. After three days of resistance against Russian troops, Khersonโs local authorities alert that the city is close to the humanitarian crisis if the situation continues. The mayor of Kherson calls for creation of green humanitarian corridors for people to evacuate the city. Around 40 people were killed, more than 600 people with diabetes need insulin, lack of access to medicine is widespread throughout the entire region.
Airstrikes continue. There are worrying reports that Russians might have pointed multiple rocket-launching systems on the Russian border, in the village of Popovka, towards their own territory, says Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of Foreign Affairs. This might serve as a false flag operation to make Ukraine look like an aggressor. Another airstrike in Okhtyrka, Sumy region hit the city’s thermal power plant and railway station. Kharkiv continues to be under heavy shelling – a number of apartment blocks and the airfield were shelled. Izyum, Kharkiv region is under regular shelling every 90 minutes. Bucha, Kyiv region is under UA control, however later during the day there were 4 hours of shootings. The situation in the city is rather under control, but Russian troops still remain in the neighboring villages. In Kherson, Russian troops seized premises of the TV radio channel โSuspilneโ. Destabilization of the functioning of the national TV and radio stations has the goal to primarily seize and control official channels to spread disinformation. Foreign Minister Kuleba alerts that occupants might stage a demonstration in support of Kherson joining Crimea. Fights for Energodar, Zaporizhzhia region continue. The city remains under UA control, though the Russian troops have entered the city. In Chernihiv, 22 civilians died as a result of another airstrike. This video shows Borodyanka, Kyiv region after the recent battles. Zhytomyr secondary school has been fully destroyed after the morning missile strike.
International community. Ukraine will participate in the urgent NATO meeting on March 4. Minister Kuleba will request NATO countries to provide Ukraine with air defense systems, close the Ukrainian sky and create a more systemic approach towards security. EU interior ministers unanimously supported granting UA refugees immediate protection and rights, namely to live and work within the EU, to have access to social benefits (housing and medical care). Hungary will not veto European Union sanctions against Russia – the unity of the 27-member bloc is โparamountโ amid the war in Ukraine, Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said. Moldova and Georgia, following Ukraineโs lead, have formally applied for the EU membership.
Healthcare. The Ministry of Health of Ukraine has informed that over 500 foreign medical workers expressed a desire to come to Ukraine to provide medical assistance side-by-side with Ukrainian doctors.
Closure of business. Spotify announced the closing of its local office in Russia and limiting its business there overall. Volkswagen has announced halting their production in Russia. Ikea announced the temporary pause of its operations in Russia. Airbnb suspends its operations in Russia and Belarus. See the list of the companies that suspended their business in Russia.
Disinformation. In order to justify a full-scale war, Russia is actively using a specific narrative in social networks and in the media targeting people all over the world. They excuse their aggression as a โliberation initiative for the suffering Donetsk and Luhansk regionsโ. According to Russia, the โsufferingโ there was caused by the so-called Ukrainian “nationalists” and “Nazis.” Russia claims that the Ukrainian military has been attacking Donbas for eight years straight, forcing Russia to start this war. Such narratives always contain references to the deaths of children and elderly people.
They are spreading the fake news concerning the potential discrimination of foreigners in Ukraine. Ukraine is not using foreigners as a “human shield”, states the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. According to Russia’s propaganda, Russians help foreign students “taken hostage by Ukrainian security forces who use them as human shields” to leave Ukraine. This is fake: Ukraine ensures that all foreigners who wish to evacuate have the right to do so.
Ekho Moskvy radio station, one of Russiaโs last remaining liberal media outlets, has been dissolved by its board after coming under pressure over its coverage of the war in Ukraine, its editor said on Thursday.
Academia. Ukrainian scientists call international academia to action – to suspend collaboration with Russia. They are calling for an international boycott of scientific events in Russia, banning Russian researchers from accessing international databases, removing Russian publications from SCOPUS, and ceasing partnerships with Russian publishing houses that receive state funding.
Statistics:
- General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced the total estimated losses of the Russian military as of 6 a.m., March 4, 2022: troops – approx. 9166, tanks โ 251,APV โ 939, artillery systems โ 105, MLRS – 50, anti-aircraft warfare systems – 18, aircraft โ 33 (TBC), helicopters โ 37 (TBC), vehicles – 404, light speed boats – 2, fuel tanks – 60. (Data is being updated constantly. It is difficult to calculate because of the high intensity of hostilities).
Every action matters, no matter how small!
- Call your authorities and people in power to request a no-fly zone over Ukraine.
- There is a need for international doctors. Link for the doctors who want to join Ukraine : https://bit.ly/3Ka5zX9, ukrainemedhelp@gmail.com.
- You can support Ukraine via a list of reliable organizations – Stand For Ukraine.
Thank you for supporting Ukraine! Slava Ukraini! Glory to Ukraine!
Update prepared by representatives of Ukrainian NGOs and experts in human security and democracy, who are in cities all over Ukraine right now. NGOs: Institute for political and information research NGO, World of Communities, Kyiv educational center Tolerspace, U-Cycle NGO (Kyiv Cyclists Association), OpenSpace.Works Cooperative. Experts: Sofia Oliynyk, Maryana Zaviyska, Sofia Bela (culture heritage block), Taras Tymchuk, Marianna Semenyshyn, Uliana Movchan (Disinformation block).
