Before an hour
Russia extends key grain deal with Ukraine by 60 days, official says
The Maltese-flagged bulk carrier Zante en route to Belgium crosses the Bosphorus carrying rapeseed from Ukraine after being detained at the entrance to the Bosphorus because Russia pulled out of the Black Sea Grains Agreement November 2, 2022 in Istanbul, Turkey.
Chris McGrath | Getty Images
According to Russia’s deputy foreign minister, quoted by a Russian news agency, a key grain export deal between Ukraine and Russia has been extended by 60 days.
The agreement, officially known as the Black Sea Grain Initiative, has facilitated the export of agricultural products such as wheat, corn and sunflower oil from Ukraine across the Black Sea. At the beginning of the war, a blockade of such exports contributed to global food shortages and rising prices.
The Grains Initiative, brokered by Turkey and the United Nations last July, has enabled millions of tons of agricultural products to be exported from Ukraine, easing shortages elsewhere.
Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko was quoted Tuesday as saying that the deal had been extended on current terms, the state-run Tass news agency reported, but that Russia wanted to make sure all the terms of the deal were met.
Moscow has complained that international sanctions on its logistics, insurance and payments industries continue to hamper its own agricultural exports of grain and fertilizers.
Grushko said that “Russia will make persistent efforts to ensure that all obligations under the agreement are fulfilled,” adding that Russia “will strive to ensure that all these promises and obligations that Russia has regarding the implementation of the second track were given are fulfilled [grain deal]and this is the lifting of all sanctions – direct and indirect – on the supply of agricultural products of the Russian Federation to the international world markets have been completed,” Tass reported.
— Holly Ellyatt
Before an hour
Russian artillery shortage looks set to worsen, Britain says
Russian artillery shortages in ammunition have likely worsened in recent weeks to the extent that “extremely strict rationing of shells is in force on many parts of the frontline,” Britain’s MoD said in an intelligence update on Tuesday.
“This has almost certainly been a key reason why no Russian formation has been able to generate operationally meaningful offensive action recently,” it added.
The ministry noted that Russia is likely already resorting to issuing old stockpiles of ammunition that had previously been deemed unusable.
The ministry noted that a March 3 presidential decree mandated measures for Russia’s Trade and Industry Ministry to circumvent the authority of defense industry managers who fail to meet their production targets.
“Russia is increasingly applying the principles of a command economy to its military-industrial complex, recognizing that its defense manufacturing capacity is a key vulnerability in the increasingly attritional ‘special military operation,'” the UK noted.
— Holly Ellyatt
Before an hour
The fight in the east is tough and “very painful,” says Zelenskyy
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy insisted his forces could win the Battle of Bakhmut in Donetsk in eastern Ukraine amid doubts about whether Ukraine should devote more manpower and resources to defending the besieged city.
“As always, I was in contact with our commanders today, with information [officers]. It’s very hard in the East – very painful,” said Zelenskyy in his nightly speech.
“We must destroy the enemy’s military power – and we will destroy it,” he said, adding that defending settlements large and small, such as Bilohorivka and Avdiivka or Bakhmut and Vuhledar, could determine Ukraine’s future.
Ukrainian soldiers of the 24th Brigade along the front line south of Bakhmut near New York, Ukraine, on March 10, 2023.
Wolfgang Schwan | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
On Tuesday morning, Ukraine’s military said in a Facebook post that Russian offensives around Bakhmut and surrounding towns continued “despite significant casualties.” It added that its forces had repelled more than 100 attacks in the Donetsk region, but noted that Russian forces were relentless in their attempt to capture Bakhmut.
There are doubts about the merits of defending Bakhmut, a city said to be almost entirely surrounded by Russian forces and mercenary units.
Ukrainian military analyst Oleh Zhdanov said Ukraine was suffering losses in reserves it intended to use for planned counter-offensives against Russian forces expected in late spring, noting in an interview reported by Portal that “we could lose everything here, what we wanted to use for these counterattacks.”
— Holly Ellyatt
15 hours ago
Moscow could extend the Black Sea grain deal, but “only by 60 days,” says a Russian official
Farmers are seen harvesting wheat on August 7, 2022 in Druzhkivka, Ukraine.
Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin said at a briefing in Geneva that Moscow may extend its participation in the Black Sea Grains Agreement, but only by 60 days, according to Russian state media RIA Novosti.
The Black Sea Grain Initiative, an agreement negotiated in July between Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations, eased the Russian naval blockade and led to the reopening of three key Ukrainian ports. The deal expires on March 18.
“Our further position will be determined depending on the actual – not in words, but in deeds – progress in the normalization of our agricultural exports, including bank payments, transport logistics, insurance, lifting of the freeze on financial activities and the supply of ammonia to the Togliatti -Odessa- pipeline,” Vershinin said, according to a translation of NBC News.
So far, more than 700 ships have left Ukrainian ports.
– Amanda Macias
10 hours ago
The US defense budget rises to $886 billion, the Pentagon’s biggest demand
A soldier of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army prepares ammunition to fire on Russian frontline positions near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, March 11, 2023 amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Sergey Shestak | AFP | Getty Images
The Biden administration’s proposed fiscal 2024 budget proposal calls for $886 billion in defense spending.
The defense budget is about $1.7 billion to help Ukraine rebuild its critical infrastructure amid the Russian war. The budget will also fund multi-year contracts for missiles and other ammunition to replenish US stockpiles.
The federal budget also includes $63.1 billion for the State Department and USAID.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a separate statement that the proposed funding “will allow us to further advance US national interests, lead the world in addressing global challenges, and continue to support the people of Ukraine.”
– Amanda Macias
19 hours ago
Spain is training Ukrainian military on Leopard 2A4 tanks
Spanish military show Ukrainian soldiers how to use Leopard 2A4 tanks during a training exercise at the San Gregorio military base outside Zaragoza, Spain.
Military aid to Ukraine has stoked tensions within Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s ruling coalition with its junior partner, far-left party Unidas Podemos, urging the government to focus on peace rather than sending arms.
Ukrainian military personnel listen to a briefing ahead of a Leopard 2A4 tank training exercise organized by the Spanish military on Monday, April 13.
Paul Hannah | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Soldiers of the Spanish Armed Forces during a simulation at the presentation of Spanish Armed Forces training for Ukrainian soldiers at San Gregorio Training Center March 13, 2023 in Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain.
Fabian Simon | Europe Press | Getty Images
Spanish military personnel invite on Monday the 13th
Paul Hannah | Bloomberg | Getty Images
A soldier of the Armed Forces watches a simulation on a screen March 13, 2023 in Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain, during training of the Spanish Armed Forces is presented to Ukrainian soldiers at the San Gregorio Training Center.
Fabian Simon | Europe Press | Getty Images
Ukrainian military personnel prepare a Leopard 2A4 tank ahead of a training exercise organized by the Spanish military on Monday, April 13.
Paul Hannah | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Ukrainian military personnel receive armored maneuver training on German-made Leopard 2 main battle tanks at the Spanish Army’s training center in San Gregorio, Zaragoza, March 13, 2023.
Oscar Del Pozo | AFP | Getty Images
Ukrainian military personnel board a Leopard 2A4 tank ahead of a Spanish military training exercise at the San Gregorio military base outside Zaragoza, Spain, Monday March 13, 2023.
Paul Hannah | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Ukrainian military personnel operate Leopard 2A4 tanks during a Spanish military training exercise Monday, April 13.
Paul Hannah | Bloomberg | Getty Images
13 hours ago
Growing skills shortage at Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, says Ukraine
This photo taken on Sept. 11, 2022 shows a security guard standing in front of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Enerhodar, Zaporizhia, amid the Ukraine war.
Stringers | AFP | Getty Images
The Ukrainian military said there was a shortage of skilled workers at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant due to the ongoing war in Russia.
“The shortage of skilled workers who can ensure the vital operation of the nuclear power plant is growing catastrophically,” Ukraine’s military said in an update published on Facebook and translated by NBC News.
The nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest, was captured by Russian forces in the early days of the all-out invasion of Ukraine.
The Ukrainian military also said that “the Russian occupiers employed people without the appropriate training and experience at the nuclear power plant.”
“All of this can lead to unpredictable consequences,” the group added.
– Amanda Macias