Ukraine Invasion: Part 39

[MagicFox]

38 filled up quick. Welcome all to 39 🇺🇦

Oh dear god.

In haste

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-march-28-2023

Key Takeaways

• Wagner Group forces have likely taken the AZOM industrial complex in northern Bakhmut and continue to make gains within the city.
• Russian and Ukrainian sources speculated that Lieutenant General Sergei Kuzmenko will replace Colonel General Rustam Muradov as Eastern Military District (EMD) commander.
• Wagner Group Financier Yevgeny Prigozhin may be using his influence in Russia’s mainstream media landscape to present himself as a potential contender in Russia’s 2024 presidential elections.
• High-ranking Russian officials continue to set domestic conditions for a protracted war.
• The cost of Russia’s war in Ukraine is likely continuing to consume a substantial portion of the Russian Federal Budget.
• Russian forces continued ground attacks along the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line.
• Russian forces continued offensive operations in and around Bakhmut and along the Avdiivka-Donetsk City frontline.
• Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian forces conducted localized ground attacks in Zaporizhia Oblast.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree removing the upper age limit for Russian National Guard (Rosgvardia) servicemen serving in occupied Ukraine until January 1, 2026.
• Russian occupation officials continue efforts to expand Russia’s bureaucratic and administrative control of occupied areas of Ukraine.
• The Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on March 28 Belarus’ intent to host Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus as Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on March 25.

ISW assesses that Russian forces have advanced into an additional five percent of Bakhmut in the last seven days and that they currently occupy roughly 65 percent of the city.

Bloomberg reported on March 28 that Russia has classified an unprecedented one-third of its entire budget expenditures and noted that classified spending as of March 24 is twice as high as it was during the same period in 2022.[21] Bloomberg also found that Russian defense and security spending is the second largest budget category after spending on social programs.[22] Bloomberg concluded that the classified share of the Russian budget will account for nearly a quarter of all expenditures for the whole of 2023 and will be due to an increase in expenses classed as “other expenses in the field of national defense.”[23] Russian outlet RBC relatedly reported on March 28 that the Russian Ministry of Finance plans to submit a proposal to reduce the number of federal state institutions subordinate to federal authorities in order to increase the efficiency of budget expenditure management.[24] Such expenditure manipulations suggest that Russia is trying to cut spending in a variety of spheres to support increased defense spending, further responding to costs associated with the war and setting conditions for a long war.

Interesting comments about Zelenskyy saying losing Bakhmut could force him to compromise with Putin

I always wondered if Crimea was the bargaining chip. Putin's way out and Zelensky's compromise.

It makes no sense whatsoever. I think he's just trolling the Russians. Or trying to convince them to keep wasting their resources there so they can't be deployed in one of the areas where they'll go on the offensive.

Kyiv Independent Telegram

⚡️Official: Over 4,000 Ukrainian orphans forcibly moved (https://kyivindependent.com/official-over-4-000-ukrainian-orphans-forcibly-moved-by-russia/)by Russia.

⚡️Ministry confirms deportation of over 19,000 Ukrainian children [non-orphaned] (https://kyivindependent.com/ministry/) to Russia.
Russian forces have unlawfully transferred or deported 19,514 Ukrainian children to Russia, violating the Geneva Conventions, the Reintegration Ministry reported on March 28.

VOA: US favors hybrid tribunal (https://kyivindependent.com/voa-hybrid-tribunal/) to punish Russian war crimes.

Former Motor Sich President Vyacheslav Bohuslayev impeded the delivery of a combat helicopter to the Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate in April 2022, Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) wrote on March 28.

Steven Pifer: Russian nukes in Belarus - much ado about little? (https://kyivindependent.com/steven-pifer-russian-nukes-in-belarus-much-ado-about-little/)
“The reality is that, even if Russian nuclear arms are actually placed in Belarus, that would not increase the military threat to Ukraine or to NATO,” writes Steven Pifer, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, in his recent op-ed for the Kyiv Independent.

⚡️Russian Defense Ministry to increase weapons production (https://kyivindependent.com/russian-defense-ministry-to-increase-weapons-production-seven-fold/) 'seven fold’. [ sooo ... nice peaceable nation, eh?]

⚡️Obudsman: 'Unfortunate' that UN report doesn't highlight positive treatment (https://kyivindependent.com/obudsman-unfortunate-that-un-report-doesnt-speak-on-positive-treatment-of-russian-pows/) of Russian POWs.
A recent monitoring trip of premises for Russian prisoners of war determined that their treatment was in line with the Geneva Conventions, Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets reported on March 28.

⚡️Guardian: Russia pushing for 'forever war (https://kyivindependent.com/guardian-russian-officials-preparing/),' says Peskov.
The Kremlin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told guests at a private party in Moscow that Russia's war will last for a "very, very long time," the Guardian reported on March 28.

⚡️CNN: Military action increases around Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant (https://kyivindependent.com/cnn-rossi-nuclear-plant/), says IAEA head.
Fighting has intensified near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi told CNN on March 28.

⚡️Energoatom: IAEA chief arrives (https://kyivindependent.com/energoatom-iaea-chief-arrives-at-russian-occupied-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-plant/) at Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.

Ukraine war latest: Official says Avdiivka 'being wiped off the face of the earth' (https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-avdiivka-in-donetsk-oblast-facing-erasure-amid-relentless-russian-attacks/)

CBC: Canada to extend a $1.7 billion loan (https://kyivindependent.com/cbc/) to Ukraine.

⚡️ Prosecutor General’s Office records over 76,500 Russian war crimes (https://kyivindependent.com/prosecutor-generals-office-records-over-76-500-russian-war-crimes-crimes-of-aggression-in-ukraine/), crimes of aggression in Ukraine

⚡️ General Staff: Ukrainian military repels (https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-ukrainian-military-repels-57-russian-assaults-over-past-day/) 57 Russian assaults over past day.

⚡️ISW: Wagner Group has likely taken (https://kyivindependent.com/isw-2/) industrial complex in Bakhmut.

⚡️UK Defense Ministry: Ukraine pushes (https://kyivindependent.com/uk-defense-ministry-ukraine-pushes-wagner-troops-back-from-bakhmut-supply-line/) Wagner troops back from Bakhmut supply line.

⚡️Zelensky invites (https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-invites-chinas-xi-jinping-to-ukraine/) China's Xi Jinping to Ukraine.

I agree, I instantly thought this was some sort of trick or lull into false security.

NEW: Latest US assessment for Russian losses in Ukraine puts the figure of Russian dead and injured at over 220,000 personnel, UK Defence Secretary@BWallaceMP
says in a press briefing with his Swedish counterpart who is on a visit to London

Live: Ukraine Telegram

Ukraine plans to launch counteroffensive in April-May, - Ukrainian Defense Minister.
He added that the timing of the offensive is related to weather conditions, and the offensive is planned in several directions.

🇬🇧🇵🇱 Britain and Poland are planning to build two "temporary villages" in Lviv and Poltava regions for Ukrainians who fled their cities because of the war. The British government said that about 7000 people will be able to live in these settlements.

US Secretary of State Blinken believes that calls for a ceasefire in Ukraine could lead to a freezing of the conflict, which would benefit only Russia.

The IOC has recommended that international sports federations allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete in tournaments in a neutral status, but has postponed consideration of their participation in the Olympics.

Peskov told Russian elites at a dinner in December 2022 that the war against Ukraine will last a very long time - The Guardian.

🇫🇷 The French Parliament has recognized the Holodomor of 1932-1933 as genocide of the Ukrainian people.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin believes that Ukraine has a "very good chance" of launching a successful counteroffensive in the spring of 2023 due to the significant depletion of Russian forces and Western weapons.

Ukrainian pilot Denys Kyryliuk was killed during a combat mission
He flew more than 80 combat missions, 70 of them during the full-scale war with Russia.

No electricity shortage expected in Ukraine in the next six months, Ukrenergo CEO says

The Ukrainian army has three strike companies with Ukrainian-made drones ready, says Deputy Prime Minister Fedorov.
He said that the equipment for the Army's drone strike companies was purchased by private donors

Zelensky is convinced that if the Armed Forces of Ukraine do not win the battle for Bakhmut, Ukraine will face increased pressure to find unacceptable compromises with the Russian aggressor.

British Intelligence: Ukrainian Armed Forces conducted a successful operation near Bakhmut
"One of the key achievements of recent Ukrainian operations is likely to have been the pushing back of Russian Wagner group militants from road 0506," the review says.
This secondary road, which connects Chasiv Yar and Khromove, has become a critical supply line for Ukrainian defenders. Previously, Wagner was located several hundred meters away from it.

Spain will send the first six Leopard 2A4 battle tanks it promised Ukraine right after Easter - El Pais

The Russian ambassador to Stockholm said that Sweden and Finland's accession to NATO would make these countries a "legitimate target" for Russia. Now he is summoned to the Swedish Foreign Ministry.

British traveler Bear Grylls has become the first British ambassador for UNITED24 and will promote the "Rebuilding Ukraine" program, President Zelensky says.

One of the European countries gave Ukraine an air defense system that did not work - it was changed "again and again," Zelensky told the AP.
He emphasized that Ukraine needs 20 batteries of the Patriot air defense system to protect against Russian missiles. According to him, even this may not be enough, because "no country in the world has ever been attacked by so many ballistic missiles."

Japan's Nippon Electric Company has presented an artificial intelligence-based technology for surveying mined areas. They claim that the technology finds mines with an accuracy of 90% and reduces the search for them from years to hours

"The Russian ambassador to Stockholm said that Sweden and Finland's accession to NATO would make these countries a "legitimate target" for Russia. Now he is summoned to the Swedish Foreign Ministry."

He does realise he has just said that NATO countries are legitimate targets, right? Maybe someone in the Kremlin ought to remind him about article 5 of the Washington Treaty and tell him not to be a bloody fool.

I think he meant that in a conflict with Nato, they'd be legitimate targets even if Finland and Sweden hadn't already gotten directly involved.

It's telling that they've never done anything to attack the military supplies that are being gathered in Poland and then transported into Ukraine. So mentioning Finland and Sweden now is just a bit of bluster.

UNITED24 Media Telegram

The issue of the start of negotiations on the EU membership of Ukraine and Moldova will be considered at the summit in December, – Chairman of the European Council Charles Michel

The UN Security Council will hold an extraordinary meeting to discuss Putin's threats to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, — the UN Security Council Secretariat

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi plans to visit Russia "in the coming days" – AP
Grossi noted that he intends to intensify negotiations between Ukraine and the Russian Federation regarding the safety of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP.
"I think a deal is close," he said.– Chairman of the European Council Charles Michel

At least 494 religious buildings in Ukraine were destroyed, damaged, or looted due to the Russian invasion.

⚡️ The USA took first place in the supply of oil to the EU, the share of the Russian Federation decreased from 31% to 4%, — Eurostat.

The US has stopped sharing data about its nuclear forces with Russia, – WSJ
(https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-wont-share-data-on-nuclear-forces-with-russia-46700a50?mod=hp_listc_pos1)A** high-ranking US administration official said that this is only the first step on the part of Washington in response to Moscow's decision to suspend participation in START-I (a bilateral treaty between Russia and the US on the mutual reduction of deployed strategic nuclear arsenals).

The US cannot confirm that Russian air defense shot down a GLSDB missile in Ukraine, the White House says
The day before, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that the Russian air defense system allegedly intercepted such a projectile for the first time.

In two months, hundreds of new graves appeared at the Wagner Cemetery, New York Times journalist Christiaan Triebert reported.
On Maxar satellite images, he showed a cemetery in the village of Bakunsk in the Krasnodar Territory.

Russian President Vladimir Putin undermined the authority of Chinese leader Xi Jinping by announcing the deployment of nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus, – Bloomberg

🦫 Combat beaver: no matter how much our soldiers compete with it, the animal returns to guarding the trenches [funny pictures of soldiers trying to remove a beaver who's decided their trench is a nice place to live - over and over, while it patters back each time]

"Rosneft" cannot build the icebreaker "Russia" because the Russian army bombed the Ukrainian supplier plant, - Russian media [it was of course Ukraine's fault. Somehow.]

The United States imposes sanctions on two Russian aviation-related companies, – the US Department of Commerce.

In Russia, training of strategic missile forces with Yars complexes has begun, — the statement of the Ministry of Defense of Russia.
More than three thousand servicemen and about 300 pieces of equipment are involved in the exercises.
During the exercises, maneuvers are planned in three regions of Russia.
Putin seems to continue to ratchet up the tension with the entire civilized world, using the nuclear threat as his last argument.

F-16 planes will not help Ukraine at this stage of the war; their transfer will be delayed in any case, — US Defense Minister Lloyd Austin.
The head of the Pentagon added that the United States, together with its partners, is currently working to ensure that Ukraine receives aircraft in the future, not only multi-purpose F-16s but also other models of the fourth generation.

Thanks to the DNA laboratories provided by the USA, identifying the dead now takes 90 minutes, — Acting Head of the National Police Ivan Vyhivskyi.

Cargill, one of the world's largest suppliers of food and agricultural products, will stop exporting grain from Russia, — Russian Media, with reference to sources in the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation

According to the EU representation in Serbia, the aid package includes 19 different electronic devices and parts of the energy infrastructure. Serbia financed the aid, and the EU provided the trucks., — Russian Media, with reference to sources in the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation

Mike Pompeo, former US Secretary of State under Trump, will visit Ukraine next week. He plans to arrive on April 3. Neither his route nor scheduled meetings are known, particularly whether Pompeo will meet with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, – Politico

Serbia sent four trucks with energy aid to Ukraine
According to the EU representation in Serbia, the aid package includes 19 different electronic devices and parts of the energy infrastructure. Serbia financed the aid, and the EU provided the trucks.

In Beijing, there is currently no concrete information regarding a possible meeting between the President of the People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping, and the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, Mao Ning

Ukrainians training on the Patriot air defense system in the US have completed the program and left for Europe, a Pentagon representative told Politico.
"Next stop: Europe for final phase of equipment training and testing."

At least 2,000 Russian officers died in the war against Ukraine, OSINT project KIU, which calculates the losses of the Russian army among the leadership according to open data.

Russian female medics are coerced into sexual services

https://www.thedailybeast.com/russian-whistleblower-says-female-medics-are-being-used-as-sex-slaves-in-ukraine?ref=scroll

Dear God. Amnesty International just lowered itself even further into the black hole of moral bankruptcy

https://twitter.com/amnesty/status/1640747623412908032

The US cannot confirm that Russian air defense shot down a GLSDB missile in Ukraine, the White House says. The day before, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that the Russian air defense system allegedly intercepted such a projectile for the first time.

This would not surprise me at all. During their glide phase, the GLSDB is quite slow and vulnerable to air defense fire. The other side of the coin is that they're cheap as chips (to borrow a phrase), and the Ukrainians likely have them in large numbers now. The M142 Himars launcher can fire six in very rapid sequence to overwhelm any air defenses protecting a high value target. It's good to see that the UAF are field testing them before the offensive.

I think that the GLSDBs and the JDAM-ER munitions are going to play a key role in making up for the lack of air power in the coming offensive.

Today’s RUSI report deserves a read, then a ponder and probably another read.

https://static.rusi.org/202303-SR-Unconventional-Operations-Russo-Ukrainian-War-web-final.pdf.pdf

That’s smart thinking.
Never under estimate Americans.

I’ll wager despite the lack of integrated air cover we will still see shock and awe. Something will be available.

America won’t spend $70 billion without there being a guaranteed return on investment. America is not Russia.

MMBaranova, I, and I think others here, have been muttering for a year or so that the drop onto the airfield right at the start of Russia's debacle may have happened because the Kremlin seriously expected local support from all the people they had been assured their agents had bought, and only found out when that support didn't materialise that their agents had taken the money to pay the insurrectionists every month, and put it into their own back pockets. You don't invade a country by dropping with no support even the crackest of crack troops onto a defended airport.

There was a purge of agents shortly afterwards, too.

This week’s big interview on the Battleground Ukraine podcast is with Karin von Hippel, the RUSU Director General. Well worth a listen.

RUSI sorry not RUSU

@katem98 a small, but very sweet and necessary bit of aid

Finland sent 1,000 baby packages to Ukraine to support families with newborns during the war, reports the Ministry of the Interior of Finland. It contains a set of children's clothes and everything (50 pieces) you need to care for a child in the first year of life.

I might actually now hate Amnesty International. What a load of codswallop whatabouttery. Could not be bothered to watch to the end.

They give 2 sentences to Ukraine and then hammer at the US. I couldn't believe it.

They actually have a serious and accurate point but they're criticising the foothills while ignoring Mount Kilimanjaro in front of their eyes.

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-march-29-2023

Key Takeaways

• Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on March 29 to review strategic and long-term cooperation agreements that will likely intensify Russia and Iran’s bilateral security relationship.
• Wagner Group financier Yevgeny Prigozhin seized on the recent story of the sentencing of a Tula Oblast father for his 12-year-old daughter’s antiwar drawing to promote the Wagner Group’s reputation and ameliorate his own personal image.
• Chechen Republic Head Ramzan Kadyrov’s demonstrative response to an attack on a police station in Chechnya suggests that he may be concerned about the stability of his authoritarian rule.
• Russian authorities arrested Russian National Guard (Rosgvardia) naval department head Colonel Sergey Volkov for corruption-related charges.
• Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov stated on March 27 that Ukrainian forces may be planning to launch a counteroffensive in April or May depending on weather conditions.
• Russian forces conducted limited ground attacks along the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line.
• Russian forces continued offensive operations in and around Bakhmut and along the Avdiivka-Donetsk City front.
• International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi visited the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) for the second time.
• Russian occupation authorities continue to implement measures to integrate occupied territories into the Russian administrative and legal system.
• The Belarusian Ministry of Defense (MoD) reported that planned activities are ongoing to call up those liable for military service for military training and to retrain reserve servicemen in military registration specialties.

Kyiv Independent Telegram

⚡️Poland discusses (https://kyivindependent.com/poland-discusses-creation-of-coalition-to-boycott-2024-olympics/) creation of coalition to boycott 2024 Olympics over Russian participation.

Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said on March 29 that Russia is conducting a psychological operation to undermine Ukrainians' trust in the leadership's decisions regarding the defense of Bakhmut.

⚡️Russia to launch (https://kyivindependent.com/russia-starts-training-on-yars-missile-systems/) drills of Yars ICBM systems.
On March 29, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that strategic military training has begun with the Yars intercontinental ballistic missile system, boasting a stated range of 11,000 kilometers.

⚡️Putin admits sanctions may hurt (https://kyivindependent.com/putin-admits-sanctions-may-hurt-russia-economy/)Russia’s economy.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin admitted that Western sanctions imposed on Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine could negatively affect the country’s economy, as reported by the Russian state-controlled RIA Novosti agency on March 29.

⚡️National Bank of Ukraine revises (https://kyivindependent.com/national-bank-of-ukraine-improves-gdp-forecast-for-2023/) GDP growth forecast for 2023. The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) expects Ukraine's GDP to grow by 1% in 2023, Forbes reported on March 29. The NBU originally forecasted a 0.3% growth in 2023.

⚡️Reznikov: Counteroffensive planned (https://kyivindependent.com/reznikov-counteroffensive-planned-in-several-areas-in-spring/) in several areas in spring.
Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said in an interview with Estonian television channel Err.ee that the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces is planning a counteroffensive in several areas in spring.

⚡️General Staff: Russian assault on Bakhmut continues (https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-ukraine-still-holds-bakhmut/) with 'partial success,' Ukraine still holds the city.
The Russian military has had "partial success" in its ongoing assault on Bakhmut, but the Ukrainian military still holds the embattled city, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on March 29.

⚡️Air Force: Ukraine needs (https://kyivindependent.com/air-force-ukraine-needs-at-least-4-modern-fighting-jets-no-time-to-waste/) 4th-generation fighter jets, no time to waste.

⚡️Wallace: More than 220,000 casualties (https://kyivindependent.com/more-than-200-000-russian-troops-and-mercenaries-killed/)on Russian side.
Over 220,000 Russian troops have been killed or injured since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, U.K. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace told Sky News, citing U.S. intelligence.

⚡️Reuters: Germany to provide additional 12 billion euros (https://kyivindependent.com/reuters-germany-to-provide-additional-12-billion-euros-in-defense-aid/) in military aid to Ukraine.
Germany has approved additional military aid for Ukraine worth 12 billion euros, Reuters reported on March 29. The aid package comprises 3.2 billion euros that will be distributed in 2023, as well as credit lines worth 8.8 billion euros that will be allocated between 2024 and 2032.

⚡️US State Department denies (https://kyivindependent.com/us-state-department-denies-russia-formally-indicated-change-in-nuclear-related-communications/) Russia formally indicated 'change' in nuclear-related communications.
U.S. State Department principal deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel denied on March 29 that Russia had officially suspended all nuclear-related communications, CNN reported on March 29.

⚡️Minister: Croatia hopes to provide Ukraine with Mi-8 helicopters (https://kyivindependent.com/croatia-to-provide-ukraine-with-mi-8-helicopters/)'in near future.

⚡️Ukrenergo: Ukraine signs multilateral emergency assistance agreement (https://kyivindependent.com/ukrenergo-ukraine-signs-energy-agreement/).
The state-owned power grid operator Ukrenergo reported on March 29 that Ukraine can now receive extra technical assistance with electricity, if necessary, from more EU countries through a multilateral emergency assistance agreement.

Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar said on Telegram that there are days in Ukraine's east where the ratio of Russian and Ukrainian losses is "as high as 10 to 1."

⚡️General Staff: Ukrainian military repels (https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-ukrainian-military-repels-57-russian-assaults-over-past-day-2/) more than 60 Russian assaults over past day.

⚡️White House: No evidence (https://kyivindependent.com/white-house/) of 'egregious misconduct' in management of aid to Ukraine.
"We haven’t seen any evidence that there’s been any egregious misconduct when it comes to managing the security assistance that’s gone into Ukraine," White House National Security Council Spokesperson John Kirby said during a press briefing on March 29.

⚡️Top US general says (https://kyivindependent.com/top-us-general-says-6-000-wagner-troops-fighting-in-bakhmut/) 6,000 Wagner mercenaries fighting in Bakhmut.
Alongside Russia’s state-backed mercenaries conducting combat operations are also 20-30,000 Wagner recruits, "many of whom come from prisons," U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley said on March 29, as cited by CNN.

UNITED24 Media Telegram

Bulgaria explained its refusal to participate in the purchase of ammunition for Ukraine
According to the Minister of Defense of the country, Dimitar Stoyanov, the Bulgarian army does not have 155 mm ammunition because it does not use this caliber.
However, Bulgaria's defense ministry recently approved a project to refurbish the national arsenal. It will hand over old ammunition and about 179 million euros to an arms company in exchange for more modern ammo.

NATO said that Russia does not have enough resources to organize an attack on Moldova

The situation around the Zaporizhzhia NPP is not improving; military operations near the station are intensifying, – Director General of the IAEA, Raphael Grossi.

After launching the hotline for reporting corruption in Ukraine, we received 178 calls, said Nicole Angarella, Deputy Director General of USAID.
However, according to her, there was not a single report that referred to a severe criminal offense.

❗️ Switzerland has fully joined the tenth package of EU anti-Russian sanctions since March 29, – a press release on the website of the Swiss government.

Ukraine needs 20 batteries of Patriot air defense systems to protect against Russian missiles, but they have not arrived yet, and even they may not be enough, — Zelenskyy in an interview with The Associated Press.

Ukraine received a grant from the USA of 1.25 billion dollars, which will go to partially cover the costs of the state budget for the payment of pensions, support of programs for assistance to internally displaced persons, provision of salaries for employees of state bodies, the National Emergency Service and higher education institutions, — the Ministry of Finance.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, Ukraine has already received 15.5 billion US dollars in grants from the United States of America.

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, had a telephone conversation with the Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni.
Russia is a threat to global stability, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley said during a hearing on the 2024 fiscal year defense budget before the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday, March 29.

President Zelenskyy took part in the second Summit for Democracy, organized by the United States, which brought together leading democratic leaders.

71 per cent of Japanese people approved of the Prime Minister Kishida's visit to Kyiv, and his rating increased by 5 per cent," the Ambassador said.

Japan allocates $470 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine

In Yekaterinburg, Russia, the FSB detained The Wall Street Journal correspondent Evan Hershkovich, who was preparing a story about Wagner's PMC. He is accused of espionage and gathering information about a private enterprise.

86% of teenagers see their future in Ukraine, — survey
Moreover, 95% of surveyed Ukrainian teenagers believe in the victory of Ukraine in the war.