Negotiations – Round 4. Another round of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia Delegations took place in the virtual format. General priorities remain unchanged – peace, ceasefire, immediate withdrawal of troops and security guarantees. The day ended with a technical pause and the negotiations will renew today.
Cities under the attack. Shelling of civil infrastructure continues. For the second day raw missiles hit three apartment blocks in different parts of Kyiv. Russian troops shelled 15 municipalities in the Donetsk region. At least 2 people were killed and at least 37 objects of civilian infrastructure were destroyed. Since the beginning of the war, Russia has destroyed about 600 residential buildings in Kharkiv. Peaceful rallies in Kherson region continue; on Monday citizens of Bilozerka went at the peaceful rallies against Russian occupants. In Rubizhne, Luhansk region, occupiers destroyed a children’s boarding school, a city hospital, and four people were killed. Due to the airstrike at the TVand radio tower close to Rivne the day before, 19 people were killed.
Prosecution and abduction of public officials by Russian troops continue. Yesterday, the house of the secretary of Kherson council was set on fire. The Russian military abducted a priest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Patriarchy church directly from his house in occupied Berdyansk. He was arrested and taken in an unknown direction. Mayor of Melitopol, previously kidnapped, is kept as a hostage in occupied Luhansk.
Humanitarian situation: The Russians began to let people out of Mariupol and a “green corridor” was finally launched, says an adviser to the Mayor of Mariupol. Around 160 private vehicles managed to leave the city. However, the humanitarian aid has not managed to reach the city again, being blocked in Berdyansk. Since the beginning of the war, more than 2100 people have been killed. However unofficial numbers say it is close to 20 000 as the precise numbers are impossible to calculate due to the ongoing shelling. More than 400 people were evacuated from Severodonetsk, Lugansk region. The humanitarian corridor will be launched again in the Sumy region.
Foreign policy: Prime Ministers of the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Lithuania and Ukraine signed the Joint Declaration. “Warsaw and Vilnius emphasize that Ukraine must immediately receive the status of an EU candidate country and become a member of the EU under the accelerated procedure,โ – the statement said. Chairman of the Saeima of the Republic of Latvia addressed a letter of support to Ukraine confirming support of Ukraine’s aspirations for EU membership. The Parliament of the Republic of Estonia (Riigikogu) has adopted a decision calling on the UN member states to close the Ukrainian sky from the Russian aggressor. This is the first decision from the parliament of a country that is a member of the EU and NATO. Israel expressed their readiness to undertake mediator roles between Ukraine and Russia, said Andrii Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine. The International Court of Justice will announce its Order on the provisional measures on Russia’s war against Ukraine on Wednesday, March 16th.
Polish-Belarus border: Since the weekend activists of the Ukrainian community in Poland have begun a protest blockade of the sanctioned goods movement to the Russian Federation and Belarus. In this way, the trucks try to stockpile and bring to Russia and Belarus the goods that have been affected by the sanctions, and their business owners had to suspend the activities in the countries. Therefore, more than a 15-kilometer queue of trucks with Russian and Belarusian license plates formed on the Polish-Belarusian border.
Energy security: Russian troops maintain nuclear safety at the risk. One day after the repair work was completed at Chornobyl NPP, the Russian military again damaged power lines supplying Chornobyl NPP and Slavutych town. Later in the evening, IAEA informed that the power supply was again restored. Staff at the Chornobyl NPP can no longer continue maintenance of safety-related equipment due to their physical and psychological fatigue after working non-stop for nearly three weeks. Russian troops blew up part of the ammunition on the site of the captured Zaporozhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. The explosions took place near the ruins of the training center and power unit โ1. Read more about the nuclear threats at the comment of the UA energy expert.
Russian troops destroyed a wastewater treatment plant in Vasylivka, Zaporizhzhia oblast. Currently, a major restoration of the structure and equipment of the sewage pumping station No. 1 is required. Return waters from the city now enter the Dnipro without any treatment, which carries a significant environmental threat.
Sanctions. Global sanctions against Russia Continue. The EU has presented the fourth sanctions package. Ban will touch Russian steel and iron, an export ban on luxury goods including cars worth more than 50,000 euros ($55,000), and a ban on investments in oil companies and the energy sector. Additionally, it will target luxury goods including caviar, certain wines, cigars, leather suitcases, diamonds, some electronic goods, certain musical instruments and even equipment for billiards and bowling, among other goods.
Previously, the Central Bank of the Bahamas has banned accountable financial institutions from conducting transactions with Russians and Belarusians subject to Western sanctions. American shoe and clothing manufacturer Vans is shutting down. German equipment manufacturer Bosch has stated that it has stopped supplying products to Russia.
Agriculture: Ukraine, often called the โbreadbasket of Europeโ, regardless of the ongoing war, farmers are preparing for a new agriculture season. The overall needs of Ukrainian farmers are met by 84%, in plant protection products (PPE) – by 55%, seeds – by 78%, the most critical shortage of fuel for agricultural machinery, but the situation is already being resolved at the level of top officials, says the Minister of Agriculture. It is hard to predict further good supply, as it all depends on the military situation in the country. The main risk comes from the Russian troops trying to destroy both civilian infrastructure and agricultural machinery.
At the moment, Ukraine provides the EU with 57% of its maize imports, 42% of rapeseed and 47% of sunflower. But with the blockade of the Black seaport, the further export supply chain is under question. Therefore the EU is currently discussing possible ways of overcoming disruption.
Check the map of Ukrainian agriculture export directions.
Support animals. Currently the number of zoos across Ukraine are without provision supply for animals. Kharkiv zoo is currently at the point of total disaster, as the city is under constant shelling. Volunteers risk their life finding provision and taking care of the animals. Find out how to support animals following the link.
Statistics.
- The current estimated number of people impacted in Ukraine is 18 million, of which 6.7 million are internally displaced. Nearly 3 million people have fled the country, according to WHO.
- General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced the total estimated losses of the Russian military as of 6 a.m., March 15, 2022: troops – more than 13,500, tanks โ 404, APV โ 1,279, artillery systems โ 150, MLRS – 64, anti-aircraft warfare systems – 36, aircraft โ 81, helicopters โ 95, vehicles โ 640, light speed boats โ 3, fuel tanks โ 60, UAV operational-tactical level โ 9.
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