03/30/2022 08:24 (act 03/30/2022 08:41)
A Russian tank destroyed in Ukraine. ©REUTERS/Oleg Pereverzev
Russian forces bombed the Starokostiantyniv military airport in western Ukraine, completely destroying the fuel depots.
“We have been under rocket fire since the first day of the war, but today … the attack was very serious and caused significant damage,” the city’s mayor, Mykola Melnychuk, said on Facebook on Tuesday. As a result, the city’s entire fuel supply was destroyed.
Blog LIVE: Russian troops bombed military airport
As Ukrainian and Russian negotiators traded in Istanbul on Tuesday, the war in Ukraine continued unabated. According to Ukrainian sources, seven people were killed and another 22 were injured in a Russian attack on the regional administration in the southern Ukrainian town of Mykolaiv. More than 40 rockets landed on residential areas in the capital Kiev region in 24 hours, the military government said on the Telegram online service.
Biden doubts Russia’s announcement that it will contain fighting
US President Joe Biden reacted cautiously to the Russian announcement that it would significantly reduce hostilities in northern Ukraine. Biden told the White House that he did not want to evaluate the statements until he saw “the actions” of the Russian military. “Let’s see if they implement what they propose.” Until there is real change, pressure on Moscow with “tough sanctions” will continue and the Ukrainian military will continue to be supported, Biden said.
US Defense Department doubts Russian withdrawal
The US Department of Defense also sees the Russian announcement that it will significantly reduce combat operations in northern Ukraine as a tactical maneuver and warning of a new military offensive in other parts of the country. Despite the Russian statement, one should not “deceive oneself,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said on Tuesday. The Ukrainian military leadership also sees the withdrawal of Russian troops north of Kiev as just a regroupment.
So far it has only been observed that “a very small number” of Russian troops are moving away from the capital north of Kiev, the US Defense Department spokesman said. “We are not prepared to believe the Russian justification that it is a deduction.” It is possible that the soldiers will only be withdrawn there to be deployed in another part of Ukraine, such as the contested eastern region of Donbass. “We believe this is a repositioning, not a withdrawal, and that we should all be prepared to anticipate a major offensive against other parts of Ukraine,” Kirby said.
Pro-Russian uprisings in Donetsk
Pro-Russian insurgents in Donetsk want to consider making eastern Ukraine part of Russia. The first task is to completely dominate the region, said Denis Puschilin, leader of the self-proclaimed People’s Republic of Donetsk. After that, a decision will be taken on the question of Russia.
Russian forces failed to capture Kiev
Russian forces have “failed” in their attempt to take Kiev and are in defensive positions in the face of Ukrainian counterattacks. Russia may continue to fire missiles at Kiev from afar, Kirby warned. “The threat to Kiev is not over,” Kirby said. The US “is not convinced” that the threat situation for Kiev has changed significantly as a result of the Russian announcement. Kirby declined to comment on how many troops Russia is withdrawing from positions near Kiev. “What I can say is that the vast majority of forces gathered near Kiev are still there,” he said.
Ukrainian military leadership sees ‘troop withdrawal’ as a rotation
The Ukrainian military leadership also saw the “so-called troop withdrawal” more like a rotation of units. The Ukrainian general staff announced on Wednesday night that this was also intended to create a false image of the allegedly discontinued plan to encircle Kiev. The Russian military withdrew some units from the areas around Kiev and Chernihiv, the situation report said. But there are indications that these units will be deployed elsewhere in eastern Ukraine.