UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights
Russia has doubled its imports of nitrocellulose, which is necessary for the production of artillery ammunition, in particular from American, German, and Taiwanese companies, — The Wall Street Journal.
China also increased its supplies of this compound after the implementation of anti-Russian sanctions by the United States and the European Union, which prohibit exports of any kind to the Russian Armed Forces.
The Czech Security and Information Service has exposed a Russian bribery scheme targeting politicians from six European countries—Germany, France, Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Hungary—on the eve of the European Parliament elections. Czech Deník N and German Der Spiegel report, citing investigation data.
Funding was channeled through the propaganda portal Voice of Europe, which is linked to Viktor Medvedchuk, a Ukrainian state traitor, and Artem Marchevsky, a former producer of the pro-Kremlin TV channel "112 Ukraine."
During a discussion at the "Kyiv StratCom Forum 2024," Vadym Skibitsky, a representative of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, revealed that the Russians have erected over 2,000 communication towers in the occupied territories of Ukraine. Skibitsky highlighted how Russia employs various methods to cut off these areas from accessing accurate information.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda emphasized that NATO's primary objective currently is to aid Ukraine. Lithuania currently allocates 2.75% of its GDP to defense and is prepared to raise this figure in the future. While the president acknowledges NATO's commitment to protecting every inch of the Alliance, he also stressed that Lithuania takes its security seriously
U.S. Defense Ministry spokesperson Ryder mentioned that U.S. Secretary of Defense Austin and Ukrainian Defense Minister Umierov conferred on Ukraine's requirements for artillery shells and air defense. They also discussed the ongoing situation on the battlefield in Ukraine, including Russia's recent missile attacks on Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure.
Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine requires ATACMS missiles with a range of up to 300 kilometers to target occupied Crimea, thereby mitigating the aerial threat from that direction.
In Russia, the Kh-101 air-launched cruise missile underwent modernization, according to Defense Express. The missile now features two warheads, each weighing approximately 800 kg, along with additional elements posing significant risks to humans.
Russians destroy Ukrainian churches and torture priests in the occupied territories, — Institute for Religious Freedom.
Ukrainian religious leaders continue to be imprisoned, tortured, and killed in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. Those who did not agree to collaborate and refused to submit to Russian religious centers are subject to repression.
The Latvian national airline airBaltic will resume flights from Ukraine to Riga, Vilnius, and Tallinn as soon as the security situation allows, and may deploy five of its own aircraft in Kyiv in three to six months after the resumption of flights, says Martin Gauss, CEO of airBaltic.
British intelligence showed the consequences of Ukrainian strikes on Sevastopol on March 24, — one building construction of the communication center of the Russian Black Sea Fleet was damaged.
“Two Ropukha-class landing ships, tanks, and one “Yuri Ivanov” class reconnaissance ship were also damaged in these strikes,” the review says.