2:39 p.m
Media, USA accelerate delivery of Abrams tanks
The United States is speeding up deliveries of Tank Abrams to Ukraine by opting to have a refurbished old model that can arrive in Kiev in eight to ten months. This is reported by the Bloomberg agency, citing some sources, according to which the Pentagon’s official announcement is expected shortly. The original plan was to deliver 31 new M1A2 Abrams, which would take a year or two to assemble and deliver. But now the US intends to send the older M1A1 version, which can be taken from army stocks and which will be easier for the Ukrainian armed forces to maneuver.
2:33 p.m
Russia: Memorial executive charged with defamation of army
A senior executive at the Russian NGO Memorial, Oleg Orlov, has been charged with “slandering” the armed forces under the law passed last year and recently updated. The same NGO reports about it
2:28 p.m
Kremlin: “Westerners will not allow Kiev to negotiate”
“European countries, and especially Washington, do not allow Kiev to even think about negotiations with Russia.” This was stated by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov in an interview with state television quoted by Russian authorities. “Now that the masks are off, western countries are showing their wild grins,” the spokesman added.
2:13 p.m
Chinese drones in Moscow, seventy suppliers including a company with a branch in Italy
China has sold to Russia Drones and components for more than $12 million since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine: The New York Times reports, citing official Russian customs data provided by a third-party company. In everything they are about seventy Chinese suppliers in Moscow And Among them is a company with a branch in Italy. “It is difficult to determine whether Chinese drones contain American technology that would violate US regulations, or whether they are legal,” writes the NYT, noting that shipments “often arrived through small middlemen and exporters.” The result, comments the NYT, “is a steady supply of new drones to Russia” destined for the Ukraine front. This is particularly problematic for the US government DJI, the maker of quadcopter drones that have become the symbol of a new way of warfare in the country. According to the newspaper, sales of its drones to Russia have continued, although the company – already a target of US export controls – said it had halted deliveries to Russia and Ukraine. In all, nearly 70 Chinese exporters have sold 26 different brands of Chinese drones to Russia since the invasion. The second best brand was Autel, a Chinese drone maker with branches in the United States, Germany and Italy: Exporters sold nearly $2 million of Autel drones to Moscow, with the latest shipment being delivered last month, the newspaper said. Some experts note that the flow of Chinese drones should be considered the deadliest weapon. Even the meager $12 million in supplies “will dictate what happens on the front lines,” said Cole Rosentreter, chief executive of Canadian drone maker Pegasus, which advised Ukrainians on drone use during the war.
2:08 p.m
Putin Xi meeting: Medvedev, Shoigu, Nabiullina and Lavrov in the Russian delegation
The Russian delegation accompanies the Russian President Wladimir Putin during talks in the Kremlin with the Chinese Xi Jinping includes the Deputy Chairman of the National Security Council Dmitry Medvedevthe foreign minister Sergey Lavrovthat of defence Sergei Shoiguthe governor of the central bank Elvira Nabiullina and the CEO of the Roscosmos space agency, Yuri Borisov. This was announced by the agency Tass.
2:03 p.m
UN, more than 8,000 civilians killed in Ukraine since the beginning of the war
At least 8,317 civilians were killed and 13,892 injured across Ukraine since the beginning of the invasion of Russia in February 2022. This was reported by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (Ohchr) in a statement reported by CNN. Figures are based on information collected up to March 19, 2023. e most civilian casualties were recorded in Donetsk and Lugansk Oblasts, show the Ohchr figures. In the Ukrainian-controlled area there were 6,446 dead and 11,374 injured, while in the Russian-controlled area there were 1,871 civilian dead and 2,518 injured. The UN agency reported that due to intense fighting, data from some locations is being delayed and many are still awaiting confirmation, so “actual figures are significantly higher”. Below are the cities Mariupol in the Donetsk region, and Lysyhansk, Popasna and Severodonetsk in the Lugansk region, “where there are numerous civilian casualties”.
2:01 p.m
Contacted for Zelensky Xi interview but nothing planned
A senior Ukrainian official told CNN that talks are underway with China to organize a phone call between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Discuss Beijing’s proposal for a peace plan for Ukraine. However, “nothing concrete is planned,” the official said. If the conversation were to take place, it would be the first between the two leaders. Xi Jinping is currently in Moscow on his first trip to Russia since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion of Ukraine last year. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that at their first meeting yesterday, which lasted four and a half hours, Putin and Xi discussed China’s “peace plan” without giving further details.
1:56 p.m
Xi invites Putin to third BRI forum
Chinese President Xi Jinping has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to travel to China to attend Third Belt and Road Forum for the international cooperation that Beijing plans to organize by the end of the year. This was reported by Xinhua agency, which reported that when Xi met with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Xi said the invitation came during his informal meeting with the Kremlin leader yesterday. Putin, the Chinese president recalled, attended the two previous forums dedicated to the Belt and the Road, the New Silk Road. Launched by Xi in September 2013.
1:34 p.m
Moscow destroys a drone in a Ukrainian attack in Crimea
A drone strike in northern Crimea, Zhankoi, destroyed Russian missiles aboard a train convoy. This was announced by the Ukrainian Defense Minister this morning. According to Moscow media reports, it is the main rail hub for Russian supplies to the peninsula. According to the Crimean governor, a drone was shot down and a civilian injured by falling debris.
1:26 p.m
Xi Jinping arrived at the Kremlin
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived at the Kremlin to hold fresh talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, covering respective delegations. After the performance of the national anthems in the Great Hall of the Kremlin State Palace, the two leaders retired for a new face-to-face meeting after yesterday’s four-and-a-half hour talk. Only later do the delegations join them. This was announced by the agency Interfax.
12:13
Russia holds UN meeting on Ukrainian children brought to Russia
Russia plans to hold an informal meeting of the UN Security Council on the so-called “real situation” in early April. Ukrainian children brought to Russia. A topic that came into the spotlight following the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes related to his kidnapping.
The Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Wassily Nebenzia He told a press conference on Monday that Russia had scheduled the council meeting well ahead of Friday’s announcement of the International Criminal Court. Russia holds the rotating presidency of the Council in April. The court in The Hague said it was seeking Putin’s arrest because “he is alleged to be responsible for the war crimea of the illegal deportation of (children) and the illegal transfer of (children) from the occupied territories of Ukraine to the Russian Federation”.
11:10
China: We maintain communication with everyone involved
China maintainsCommunication with everyone involved» in the Ukraine crisis: This is what Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said, without mentioning a possible talk between President Xi Jinping and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky. China will continue to take “an objective and fair position” on the matter and “work with the international community to play a constructive role in political resolution,” Wang added during the daily briefing. “China’s position has always been clear and can be summed up in one sentence, which is to promote peace and talks.”
09:53
Moscow: “Two US bombers intercepted over the Baltic Sea”
This was announced by the Moscow Ministry of Defense yesterday Su-35 fighter he has stopped Baltic Sea two US strategic bombers B-52H on the way to the Russian border: the jet returned after the bombers took off. Interfax reports it. The episode follows the downing of a US drone over the Black Sea on March 14 after being intercepted by Russian warplanes. Moscow said the Su-35 flight strictly complies with international rules on the use of airspace. Russia’s state border is “not allowed,” he stressed.
09:43
Xi on Putin: “We great powers and strategic partners”
Xi Jinping’s decision to visit Russia for the first trip abroad after his re-election as president was dictated by “historical logic” as the two countries are “the greatest powers and strategic partners”. Xi himself said it was quoted by the Ria Novosti agency.
09:39
Xi invites Putin to China
Chinese President Xi Jinping said he invited Russia’s Vladimir Putin to visit China this year. The tax office reports it.
09:37
Xi Jinping meets Russian Prime Minister Mishustin
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived at the government building in Moscow for talks with Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. The Russian media report.
9:00 am
British Intelligence: “Members of the Wagner group get freedom”
Thousands of prisoners who were recruited into the ranks of the Wagner group in Russian prisons and endured the war are expected to be received in the coming weeks grace and freedom. British intelligence recalled that the peak of recruiting volunteers from prisons took place in the autumn, and then they were promised that their sentences would be waived after six months of service.
“Although about half of the prisoners recruited may have died or been injured, there is evidence from Russia that the group (Wagner, ed.) is keeping their promise to release the survivors. The certificates issued to the freed Wagner Group veterans were allegedly confirmed by a decree of President Putin,” notes British intelligence.
Analysts note that Prigozhin appears to have been prevented from continuing to recruit volunteers from prisons, and that this “mass layoff” from the group will aggravate the situation for the Wagner group.
08:55
Hungary blocks EU position on Putin’s arrest warrant
Hungary has blocked a joint statement by EU member states on issuing an international arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Bloomberg reports this citing its own sources, see Ukrinform.
The Budapest veto meant that the head of EU diplomacy, Joseph Borrellinstead issued a statement on his behalf and “acknowledges” the decision of the International Criminal Court (cpi).
08:46
Scholz: “The war could last a long time”
The German Chancellor Olaf Scholz He does not expect the war in Ukraine to end any time soon and affirms that peace is impossible without the withdrawal of Russian troops. “We have to be prepared for the fact that this (war, editor’s note) can take a long time,” said Scholz yesterday at a Rheinische Post event. This is reported by Deutsche Welle. Moscow cannot dictate peace terms in Ukraine, he added. “Ukraine must be able to defend its integrity and independence,” he continued, reiterating – as he said on March 5 – that he sees no possibility of peace without the withdrawal of Russian troops.
08:04
Kiev: Russian missiles destroyed in Crimea
Russian cruise missiles «calibr» transported by train and destined for the Russian fleet in the Black Sea, were destroyed in an explosion in the city of Dzhankoi Crimea. This was announced by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense. Authorities in Kiev, CNN points out, did not directly claim responsibility for the attack, but said it was intended to “further demilitarize Russia and prepare the Crimean Peninsula for liberation from occupation.”
Sergei Askyonov, head of the local pro-Russian authorities, confirmed the attack and the activation of the region’s air defense system and announced – reports the dpa – the shooting down of two Ukrainian drones in Dzhankoi. One person was injured and two buildings were damaged, he added. There is no confirmation from the Russian side that the missiles were destroyed.
07:56
Japanese Prime Minister Kishida on his way to Ukraine
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is on the way to Ukraine. This was reported by the Japanese media and awaited the visit straight from India, where Kishida was with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi for the summit. In Kiev, Kishida will most likely renew Japan’s support for the country victim of Russian aggression in connection with organizing the G7 meeting in Hiroshima scheduled for May. The Japanese prime minister is the only leader of the group of the world’s most industrialized nations who has not visited Ukraine since the conflict began.
The trip to Ukraine took place on a military jet used for public purposes instead of on a government aircraft, NHK reports. The plane took off from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport for India on Sunday evening, three hours ahead of the government plane carrying Kishida in the same direction for the state visit. The jet had a capacity of about 10 passengers to minimize the prime minister’s entourage and control the flow of information. Kishida then boarded a train near Przemysl, Poland, near the border with Ukraine, bound for Kiev at around 1.30am local time. It was the first visit by a Japanese prime minister to a war-torn country since the end of World War II.