• It is the 741st day of the war in Ukraine.
• 43 countries have called for an investigation into Navalny's death.
• The Bundeswehr's espionage and investigations: Read the article by Mara Gergolet.
• The Polish Prime Minister has called for a European ban on wheat from Russia and Belarus.
12.37 p.m. – Borrell: “The EU is in danger, we need a common defense policy”
“Europe is still in danger, the war is on our borders and it is a war that does not seem to be ending soon and that is why we must strengthen our production capacities and move from an emergency mode to a medium and long-term vision period.” to support Ukraine. This was said by EU High Representative Josep Borrell when presenting the European defense strategy. “Europe does not have a Pentagon, so we need to combine the way member states respond, we need a common defense policy.”
12:21 p.m. – Kiev: “This year we will produce 2 million drones”
Ukraine will produce two million drones this year, Deputy Minister of Strategic Industry Hanna Gvozdyar told United News, Rbc-Ukraine reported. Gvozdyar noted that the army's needs are much greater than the country's financial capabilities can cover. “And even together with our partners it would be difficult for us. However, we are working in this direction. Now we are increasing the production of drones. In terms of production, we go well over a million. And I am sure we will reach the 2 million threshold this year.”
11:58 a.m. – Kiev: “Dead and injured in attack on patrol ship Kotov”
The naval drone attack on the sunken Russian patrol ship Kotov caused “dead and injured people,” Kiev Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate representative Andrii Yusov told Radio Svoboda, Ukrainska Pravda reported. “There are dead and wounded,” Yusov said. However, there is a possibility that some of the crew could be saved. We know that the enemy has called more than ten ambulances to the nearest part of the mainland and the rescue operation is still ongoing.” According to RBC-Ukraine, the patrol ship has a crew of 28 people.
11:53 a.m. – Shoigu: “Strengthened defense in the West in response to NATO”
In response to “NATO's growing military potential,” Russia has launched initiatives to increase its deployment in the strategic northwest and western sectors. This was said by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, citing the Interfax agency.
11.10 a.m. – German soldiers intercepted by Moscow, Pistorius: “The leak is the fault of the officer who was in Singapore”
(by Mara Gergolet, Berlin correspondent) According to German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, the conversation between high-ranking Bundeswehr officers was intercepted because one of the participants did not follow secure procedures. German communication systems are and will remain secure if used correctly, said the minister. According to internal investigations, an “error in the individual application” made the leak possible. Pistorius (SPD), who was traveling in the Nordic countries, spoke to journalists.
The minister doesn't name any names, but the soldier in Singapore was Brigadier-General Frank Gräfe. He was in Singapore for an arms fair and by February 19, the city had turned into a haven for soldiers and spies. It is likely that the Russian trap was set in his hotel room.
Pistorius says the government wants to react with caution and continue to investigate the case. To this end, preliminary disciplinary investigations have been initiated. But for now there are no consequences for anyone.
10:56 a.m. – Filorussi: “Kiev is sending huge forces to defend Rabotino”
Ukrainian forces continue to send reinforcements to Rabotino in the Zaporizhzhia region and are also deploying units of the Azov Battalion to resist the Russian advance on this village, which Kiev troops recaptured last August as part of their counteroffensive. This was stated by Vladimir Rogov, a member of the pro-Russian authority in the part of the region controlled by Moscow forces. This is reported by the Tass agency. According to Rotov, the arriving troops “go on attack without any combat training,” stating that Rabotino is completely destroyed and both sides are increasing artillery fire near the settlements of Zherebyanka and Pyatikhatki, northeast of Vasilyevka.
10:44 a.m. – Kiev: “The Russians wanted to arm the Kotov corvette with missiles”
The Russians wanted to install an anti-aircraft missile system on board the patrol ship “Kotov”, which was sunk last night by Ukrainian forces in the waters of occupied Crimea: Andrii Yusov, representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty from Kiev , as Ukrinform reports. “Such attempts have already been made. The fewer such ships they have, the fewer anti-aircraft missile systems they will have installed, which means more opportunities for the Ukrainian security and defense forces.”
9:18 a.m. – Germany, the offensive of Russian spies: “We are in a cyber war.” Moscow wants to divide us”
(by Mara Gergolet, correspondent from Berlin) The next day the tracks lead to Singapore. Perhaps this is where German Air Force Brigadier General Frank Gräfe was intercepted by the Russians when he connected to the Webex platform from his cell phone while sitting in his hotel room to talk to superiors, as in a normal company call . He was in town for an arms fair on February 19, while Singapore was swarming with soldiers and spies. But that connection – if that's where the terrible break in German military leaders' communications came from – was a slight one, a breach of protocols: Webex is not encrypted. While Germany takes 48 hours to understand how this debacle happened – and waits for heads to roll – Russia is celebrating its biggest espionage coup of the war. And try to make it a propaganda success.
8:45 a.m. – Three oil deposits in the Belgorod region are burning
Russian media reported an explosion at an oil depot in the Belgorod region. The building hit by drones burns. But according to the Ria Novosti agency, three oil deposits were affected. Belgorod regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov announced on Telegram that there were no injuries.
8:32 a.m. – Kiev confirms: The patrol ship Kotov has sunk
The intelligence service of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense (Gur) has confirmed that the Russian patrol ship Sergey Kotov, which was hit by naval gifts last night in the waters of Crimea, was destroyed: writes Ukrainska Pravda on Telegram. The mission was carried out in collaboration with the Navy and with the support of the Ministry of Digital Transformation, the statement said. After the attack by Magura V5 naval drones, the ship was damaged on both stern sides. The cost of the (sunk) corvette is approximately $65 million.
7:25 a.m. – NATO's role in Ukraine: weapons, training or direct involvement?
(by Giuseppe Sarcina) NATO intervention in Ukraine. The escalation of war. Vladimir Putin's use of nuclear weapons. French President Emmanuel Macron, who has “not ruled out” sending European soldiers to Ukraine, conjures up worrying scenarios. What would be the unknowns? Let's look at them with the help of two experts: William Taylor, 76 years old, former American ambassador to Ukraine from 2006 to 2009 and then in Kiev as chargé d'affaires in the 2019-2020 biennium; Vincenzo Camporini, 77 years old, former chief of staff of the Italian defense and scientific advisor to the Institute of International Affairs.
7:22 a.m. – Former CIA chief: “Putin will not stop.” Our security begins at the border between Russia and Ukraine.”
(by Federico Rampini) “A new Trump will have more continuity than differences with Biden’s foreign policy.” But unpredictability is a problem. Putin will not limit himself to invading Ukraine. And America will always have to remain in the Middle East.” So says an authoritative and impartial observer, the American General David Petraeus, who led the interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan and was then director of the CIA. I interviewed him for the geopolitical forum “Open Dialogues for the Future” that took place in Udine on March 7th and 8th. Parts of this interview will be broadcast in the second episode of my show “Inchieste da ferme” on La7, the show dedicated to Trump's America. I await some excerpts from his answers.
What are the risks for Ukraine and Europe?
“Vladimir Putin will not stop in Ukraine. Moldova and Lithuania could be next. His ambitions extend far beyond Ukraine. I remind you that when Putin was asked what was the worst event of the 20th century, a century with two world wars, the Great Depression and many other misfortunes, he said that the worst was the dissolution of the Soviet Union. He tries to put the parts of the USSR or the Great Russian Empire back together using a variety of means. We must not be under the illusion that it will stop. That is why we must all support Ukraine, because NATO security begins at the Russian-Ukrainian border, not at the borders of NATO countries. There are many factors that will determine the course of the war, including the results of the next presidential election in the United States.”
7:10 a.m. – “A Russian ship destroyed in Crimea”
Ukrainian intelligence said it destroyed a Russian patrol ship, the corvette Sergey Kotov, near the port of Feodosia in Crimea. According to the Telegram channels of the Ukrainian media, some witnesses heard five powerful explosions in the Kerch area around midnight. The Kotov – a recently manufactured Vasily Bikov ship capable of carrying Kh-35 anti-ship missiles and Kalibr cruise missiles – was hit by two Ukrainian drones last September.
6:52 a.m. – Canadian Defense Minister Blair awaits decision on missile deliveries
Canada will soon make a decision on whether to send CRV7 unguided air-to-surface missiles decommissioned by the Canadian Armed Forces and currently stored in the country to Ukraine. This was stated by Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair. “We are currently working on ensuring that this ammunition can be transported safely. Once we have verified this – and it should be a matter of days – we will act as quickly as possible to transfer these resources to Ukraine as quickly as possible,” the minister said. Blair said the Canadian Armed Forces had decommissioned about 83,000 unguided Crv7 missiles and that some were still usable.
6:31 a.m. – Air Force, 18 of the 22 Russian drones launched during the night shot down
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation attacked Ukrainian territory at night with Shahed attack drones. According to the Kiev Air Force, the air defense forces destroyed 18 drones. “During the night, the enemy attacked Shahed with 22 attack drones. “The drones were launched from Balaklava on the temporarily occupied Crimean peninsula,” the Air Force statement said. The southwestern city of Odessa was particularly hit, where a disused health facility and a house with a private pier were damaged, as were some surrounding agricultural fields.
6:16 a.m. – Information leak, NATO countries call on Germany to strengthen security measures
Some of Germany's NATO allies have called on Berlin to step up security measures and be more careful with classified information after Russia disclosed conversations between German Bundeswehr officers about the conflict in Ukraine. Sources from the business information agency “Bloomberg” report that NATO officials have expressed concern about Germany's “apparent negligence” in the management of confidential information.
The sensitive discussions that Russia began revealed the presence of NATO soldiers on Ukrainian territory to support Kiev in the use of long-range precision weapons; German officers also discussed supporting Kiev's plans for a new attack on the Crimean Bridge. The talks also revealed the lack of operational fighter jets available to Kiev and sophisticated weapons systems such as the Storm Shadow missiles still in the arsenals of European countries.
05:48 – Kiev, 44 Russian attacks in the northeast, 11 cities hit
Attacks by Moscow forces on Ukraine's northeastern border with Russia continue. Russian forces attacked 11 communities along the border of Sumy Oblast in 44 separate attacks. This was announced by the regional military administration of Ukraine, as Kiev media reported. At least 220 explosions were recorded in the municipalities of Khotin, Yunakivka, Bilopillia, Myropillia, Krasnopillia, Velyka Pysarivka, Shalyhyne, Esman, Seredyna-Buda, Svesa and Druzhbivka. The town of Seredyna-Buda, home to about 7,000 people before the war, suffered the most attacks, with 67 explosions recorded in the area in the last 24 hours.
4:56 a.m. – Washington Post: Kiev is struggling to mobilize the soldiers needed to stop the Russian advance
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the country's military leaders are failing to reach a political consensus on the strategy to draft thousands of new troops needed to offset Kiev's losses in two years of conflict with Russia and stem the advance of enemy forces in the eastern part of the country. This is what the US newspaper “Washington Post” writes, according to which the Ukrainian government has failed to formulate a clear mobilization plan, although “concern has been growing for months about the serious lack of qualified troops at the front.” The Ukrainian parliament and society are “deeply divided,” the US paper says, and because of this the armed forces are forced to rely on “a hodgepodge of forced conscription initiatives” that “make men panicked about fighting age.” have moved”. : In view of the ban on leaving the country, the latter try to “sometimes go into hiding” in order to avoid the draft and “to avoid certain death in an ill-equipped army”.
12:19 a.m. – Ukraine, traffic blocked on Crimean bridge due to explosions
Traffic on the Crimean Bridge was blocked due to reports of explosions. This was reported by the “Kyiv Independent”.