Foreign policy. President Zelenskyi informed about his conversation with EC President, Ursula von der Leyen: โThe conclusion of the EC on Ukraineโs application for EU membership will be prepared within a few monthsโ. Meanwhile, Mateusz Morawiecki, PM of Poland, announced the โAnti-Putin Shieldโ program. The programme will focus on de-Russification of the Polish and European economies, energy diversification, support for job creation and for farmers.
โUnwelcomedโ. The European Parliament bans Russian and Belarusian diplomats from entering its buildings, says the EP President Roberta Metsola. Also, Bulgaria expels 10 Russian diplomats, followed also by Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia giving 72 hours for Russian diplomats to leave their countries.ย
US-China. U.S. President Joe Biden met for a two-hour video conference with Chinese President Xi Jinpingon warning โthe implications and consequences if China provides material support to Russiaโ. China keeps assuring that it is of no oneโs interest for them to join the war, as well as denied considering support for the Kremlin.ย
Putin on stage. Putin made his first public appearance since the beginning of the war in Ukraine. His appearance was devoted to the eighth anniversary of Russiaโs annexation of Crimea and endorsement of the current war. He addressed a crowd of tens of thousands of Russians at Moscowโs largest stadium. The official Russian polls and the Russian public rally on Friday should be questioned as Russia has a well-orchestrated system of data manipulation, as well as often puts pressure on workers of the national enterprises, however recent survey carried out by a group of independent research organizations shows at least 58% of the public support of Putinโs decisions.ย
Cities under the attack. The General Staff of Ukraine has informed that Russian troops partially succeeded in the Donetsk operational area โ temporarily deprived Ukraine of access to the Sea of โโAzov. Mariupol, Berdyansk are among key port cities having access to the Azov Sea, which connects to the Black Sea and would be a major loss for Ukraine. In Kharkiv, a Russian missile destroyed the premises of the Kharkiv Regional Institute of Public Administration of the National Academy of Public Administration under the President of Ukraine. In Sumy, a warehouse building with paint and varnish products on an area of more than 6,000 square meters caught fire due to artillery shelling. In Trostyents, Sumy region, Russian troops shelled a hospital. In Kyiv, Russian heavy artillery shelled the private residential houses sector in the Sviatoshynskyi district.Kramatorsk, Donetsk region was heavily shelled. Dozens of victims are reported in Mykolaiv after morning shelling and airstrike. Mayor of Mykolayiv reported that air raid alarm systems could not have been launched as the shelling was launched from a close distance, either Kherson or Crimea.ย
Head of the Velykoburlytska amalgamated community has been released from Russian captivity. However, the Secretary of Nova Kakhovka city council remains in Russian captivity for the second day. His wife reports that he is being tortured and being called to change his negative attitude to Russia and ensure a loyal one.ย
Humanitarian situation. The Office of the President informs that 9,145 people were evacuated today via humanitarian corridors โ 4,972 from Mariupol, 1,124 of them were children. Ukrainian ombudsman Denisova informed that 130 people were evacuated from the rubbles of the Mariupol Drama Theatre, while more than 1000 remain there. The Prime Minister of Greece has announced their readiness to rebuild the maternity hospital in Mariupol. The decision is tied to the fact that the majority of Ukrainian Greeks live in Donetsk Oblast especially close to Mariupol.ย
Media under attack. Russian troops continue targeting media representatives who report from the ground. โOur journalist Victoria Roshchyna is held captive by the Russian occupiers. She was reporting from hotspots in Eastern and Southern Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian war. On March 12, we couldnโt contact Victoriaโ, said Hromadske Int. Meanwhile, this week journalists of Ukrainian TV channels (ICTV, 1+1, Nastoyashcheye Vremia) got under the shelling. Follow daily monitoring the situation with media representatives in Ukraine.ย
Business. Since the beginning of the war, more than 220 international businesses left Russia. However, such global companies as Nestle, Danone, Unilever, P&G, Volkswagen, BMW (https://twitter.com/BMW), Mercedes remain operating. Harsh public critiques come to Danone and Nestle. They continue their business with Russia, selling baby and kidsโ food to a country that kills children in Ukraine.ย
Culture. Since the beginning of the war, several Ukrainian artists have been killed by Russian troops. Ukrainian ballet dancer Artem Datsyshyn was caught under fire from Russian invaders in Kyiv. He was heavily wounded and died in a hospital. Renowned actress Oksana Shvets was killedย by a rocket attack.ย
Learn more about Mariupol. Ukrainian streaming service Takflix has released 4 short films made by Mariupol locals in 2017-2021. 50% of ticket sales will be sent to the Mariupol City Council account for the urgent humanitarian needs in the face of the Russian invasion. Watch here.ย
Statistics:ย
- More than 1,080 missiles have been fired at Ukraine by Russia since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, according to the Pentagon.
- In Kyiv since the beginning of the war 222 people have died, including 60 civilians, 4 children. 889 people were injured, including 241 civilians, 18 children.
- Nearly 10 million Ukrainians have been forced to flee their homes, around 6.5 million Ukrainians became internally displaced and 3.2 million left Ukraine.
- General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced the total estimated losses of the Russian military as of 6 a.m., March 19, 2022: personnel โ around 14,400, tanks โ 466, APVย โ 1470, artillery systems โ 213, MLRS โ 72, anti-aircraft warfare systems โ 44, fixed-wing aircraft โ 95, helicopters โ 115, soft-skinned vehicles โ 914, light speed boats โ 3, ย fuel tankers โ 60, operational-tactical level UAV โ 17, special equipment โ 11.ย
Every action counts, no contribution is too small!
- Stop buying from companies, which are still operating in Russia (Nestle, Danone, Unilever) โ by paying them, you fuel the Russian army and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Support your local producers, they would appreciate it.ย
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Thank you for supporting Ukraine! Slava Ukraini! Glory to Ukraine!