Ukraine Invasion: Part 55

[MagicFox]

We're on 55. Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦 That last one went quickly!

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UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

The EU is increasing pressure on Russia. Sanctions now cover almost 2,400 individuals and entities in response to Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The measures include freezing assets, banning travel to EU countries, and prohibiting access to funding or resources from EU nations.

The G7 countries welcome Ukraine's commitment to a temporary ceasefire. If Russia refuses to accept it, new sanctions and oil price caps will be imposed, according to a joint communiqué following the G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Charlevoix.

Mark Carney was officially sworn in as Canada's Prime Minister.
He had previously pledged continued support for Ukraine.

❗️Austria will allocate 5 million euros to Ukraine for demining agricultural land and 2 million euros to support the Grain from Ukraine program during Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger’s visit to Kyiv on March 14.

Foreign Minister Sybiha announced the preparation of a team to monitor the ceasefire with Russia during a joint press conference with Austrian Federal Minister for European and International Affairs Beate Meinl-Reisinger.

Engineered by international and Ukrainian volunteers for Ukraine’s 3rd Regiment of Special Forces, this fixed-wing drone has been repurposed as a "mothership" for FPV kamikaze drones, enhancing their range and connectivity. Acting as both a carrier and signal relay, the drone can deploy multiple drones mid-flight, allowing precise, agile attacks. Volunteers also experiment with AI integration. https://t.me/United24media/29915

On the night of March 15, the occupiers struck a lyceum [school] in Bogodukhiv, Kharkiv region, with drones. The attack caused a fire that spread across 500 square meters. While rescuers were extinguishing the flames, two more strikes followed.
Four civilians were injured, suffering an acute stress reaction.

Hospital in Zolochiv, Kharkiv region after UAV attack

Kyiv Post Telegram Highlights

Relations with Russia would be normalized eventually after the war in Ukraine, but now's the time to pressure Russia into negotiations — NATO Secretary General Rutte

Making limited headway on the battlefield, Russia is shifting tactics — preparing to fight its next battle at the ballot box, by attempting to push as many of its proxies in Ukraine’s parliament as possible.
www.kyivpost.com/post/48939

Vladimir Putin: Psychiatrist Ken Dekleva, after 5 years in Moscow studying him, reveals new insights on his leadership, potential moves, and White House strategies—with Trump's role in the mix.
D

Putin called on Ukrainian soldiers in Kursk to surrender.
Let us remind you what Russian captivity really means. Look at those who return—broken, barely alive. Bodies scarred by torture. Eyes that have seen HELL. Putin isn’t offering life. He’s offering a slow, agonizing death.

“It was a little bit sarcastic,” Trump says about his promise to end Russia’s war against Ukraine in 24 hours.

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

Trump expects more information on a possible Ukraine ceasefire by next Monday, March 17.
The U.S. president did not directly answer questions about potential measures if Russia refuses to halt hostilities but stated that “it would be bad news for the world.”

⚡️ Ukraine’s NATO membership is no longer under consideration, – Secretary General Rutte
In an interview with Bloomberg TV, Rutte was asked whether Trump had indeed taken Ukraine’s NATO membership off the negotiating table.
He responded with a firm “Yes.”

Ukrainian General Staff: Reports of alleged encirclement of Ukrainian units in the Kursk region are false.
The General Staff stated that the Defense Forces have regrouped, withdrawn to more advantageous defensive positions, and are carrying out their assigned tasks.
They also noted that reports of encirclement are being fabricated by Russia for political purposes and to exert pressure on Ukraine and its partners.

Ukraine is running out of missiles for Samp-T air defense systems – media
According to Corriere della Sera, Ukrainian authorities have been requesting at least 50 Aster-30 missiles from Italy and France for several weeks.
However, the Italian government is hesitant to make a decision, as its own stockpile is nearly depleted, leaving only strategic reserves untouched. France has larger reserves but is also facing supply constraints.

❗️Overnight, Russia attacked energy facilities in Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions.
The damage is significant, leaving part of the population in these regions without electricity. Energy workers are already on-site working to restore power.

🇨🇦 Canada has contributed an additional €33.4M to Ukraine’s Energy Support Fund, raising its total to €40.1M.
Ukraine’s Energy Ministry says part of the funds will go toward solar power systems to help sustain energy supply in the healthcare sector.

U.S. intelligence reports cast doubt on Putin’s willingness to end the war against Ukraine.
Intelligence assessments, including those published earlier this month, suggest that the Russian leader has not abandoned his maximalist goal—domination over Ukraine, The Washington Post reports.
One classified assessment, circulated among members of the Trump administration and dated March 6, states that Putin remains determined to maintain control over Kyiv, according to a person familiar with the document.
It is unclear whether Trump was personally briefed on the intelligence report. However, the source noted that this type of information is traditionally brought to the president’s attention.

Former Siemens Executives to Stand Trial in Germany for Exporting Turbines to Occupied Crimea
EU and US sanctions prohibit Western companies from supplying electricity or energy-related equipment to Crimea. However, in 2017, Siemens delivered turbines to two power plants that Moscow was constructing on the peninsula.
At the time, Siemens stated that it had supplied the turbines to a Russian contractor under the assumption that they would be installed at power plants in Russia and claimed it was unaware of the plan to send them to Crimea.
Last year, Hamburg prosecutors charged four German nationals and one Swiss-French citizen in connection with the case. Now, the court has decided to proceed with the trial against two of them, while charges against the other three have been dropped.

The number of injured in the attack on Kryvyi Rih has risen to 12.
Among the victims are two children—a two-year-old and a 15-year-old boy.
The regional military administration (RMA) reported that six people were hospitalized with traumatic brain injuries, contusions, and lacerations.

Overnight, air defense forces destroyed 130 Russian drones, while 38 decoy drones failed to reach their targets
In total, Russia launched 178 UAVs at Ukraine, including strike drones like Shahed and decoy drones.

Apols if already posted www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/mar/14/north-sea-collision-master-of-solong-container-ship-charged-with-manslaughter

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-march-14-2025

Key Takeaways:

• ISW has observed no geolocated evidence to indicate that Russian forces have encircled a significant number of Ukrainian forces in Kursk Oblast or elsewhere along the frontline in Ukraine.
• Putin seized on a statement by US President Donald Trump about the supposed encirclement of Ukrainian forces in Kursk Oblast to distract from his recent rejection of the US-Ukrainian ceasefire proposal.
• Kremlin statements following Putin's meeting with US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff on March 13 underscore Putin's rejection of the US-Ukrainian ceasefire proposal and continued unwillingness to engage in good faith negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.
• Russian forces marginally advanced towards the international border in Kursk Oblast on March 14, but Ukrainian forces still maintain limited positions in Kursk Oblast.
• Consistent Ukrainian strikes against Russian air defense assets are reportedly allowing Ukrainian long-range drones to increasingly penetrate the Russian air defense umbrella in deep rear areas, including in Moscow Oblast.
• The Ukrainian military reorganized the Ukrainian 3rd Separate Assault Brigade into the 3rd Army Corps, further showcasing Ukraine's force efforts to transition to a corps structure.
• Ukraine's European allies continue to provide military assistance and technical support and demonstrate interest in strengthening bilateral cooperation.
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced in Toretsk, and Russian forces recently advanced in Toretsk and near Siversk and Pokrovsk.

From The Times today, I sincerely hope if Trumps team are going to blithely sign away the occupied areas to russia that there is an enforceable agreement to allow all those Ukrainians who want to live in a free Ukraine out of the occupied areas before a buffer zone descends.

Life inside occupied Ukraine: Putin, purges and propaganda

The president says Russia and the land it's seized will be 'together for ever'. On the ground, life behind enemy lines is brutal by Jack Clover. A shadow has fallen over the River ­Dnipro, which now divides the Ukrainian and Russian-controlled areas in the war-ravaged region of Kherson. On the north bank, the Ukrainian side, civilians struggle on despite ­incessant drone and artillery strikes, but at least their plight is known to the outside world. From the other side, ­besides the boom of the Russian guns, there is ominous silence. “The corpses are still lying there,” a witness said. “No one is clearing them up. They’ve been there for two years now. The stench is unbearable.”It is difficult to independently verify reports from within occupied Ukraine. But a picture of life there can be formed by speaking to civilians in Russian-held areas, Ukrainian officials and people who have re-cently left. Details of some people’s identities have been withheld to protect them from Russian reprisal. Putin’s executioners: Before the war, the warm Kherson ­region was famed for its watermelon, fishing on the Dnipro delta and a national park where flamingos stopped to nest before flying to Spain or Tunisia for winter. Now it is known as one of the Ukrainian areas that has suffered the most from conflict and occupation. After the initial invasion, Russian troops were pushed across the river and out of the city of Kherson. The city’s puppet governor, installed by President Putin, was forced to flee. Across the river, Russian soldiers ­operate as a law unto themselves. “They shoot, burn, loot, kill, rape. Every day something happens. I don’t even know what could be worse,” one witness said. “If they didn’t like someone, they just shot them, that’s it,” they said, referring to a number of incidents in recent months. “So many civilians were just shot in their cars — children, old women, everyone. Cars are burning and people are burning alive.” There have been claims of rape by Russian soldiers in recent weeksOne witness reported extrajudicial killings of children. “Sixteen or seventeen years old, no older, just boys,” they said. “They came to their homes and executed them. I saw it with my own eyes.” When the Nova Kakhovka dam was destroyed by suspected Russian sabotage on June 6, 2023, the floods were devastating. Hundreds of people are believed to have drowned. Nearly two years later, the occupying Russians have made little effort to clear the debris. Much of the nearest town, Oleshky, and the surrounding area, remain in ruins. “No one cleaned up ­anything,” a witness said. “They just left everything. The locals tried to clean, but even then, [it was] under the barrel of a gun.” Multiple sources have confirmed that corpses from the disaster remain unburied two years later. Russia said that only 59 people had died in the floods, but independent reporting based on health worker testimony ­suggests that the toll was between 200 and 300. Among the dead were civiliansand Russian soldiers. “Piles of corpses, thousands of them,” a witness said. “They don’t bury them — whether it’s their own or others, they just dump them all together and no one cares.”Mysterious deaths: On January 18 this year Sergei ­Makarenko, a businessman who had been loyal to the Russians, stepped out of his home in a village in an occupied part of the Zaporizhzhia region to see why the street lights had gone out. He turned them back on at a roadside switchboard and returned inside. The following night, the street fell dark again. This time, when Maka­renko stepped outside to check, he was killed: a single bullet to the heart. Even when civilians live away from the front line, relatively safe from shelling and air attacks, they live in fear. “What didn’t happen in the pre­vious three years of occupation but has emerged now is mysterious deaths that have been occurring ... among the collaborators,” said Stanislav Zakharevych, the head of an occupied district of 11 villages in the south of the Zaporizhzhia region. He now works in exile in the Ukrainian-held regional capital. The first mysterious death was a man nicknamed “the goat herder”, Zakharevych said, who had been installed as the deputy head of a village council under the Russians before he was sacked late last year. Shortly afterwards, the goat herder was found hanged. In December, two collaborators were killed in a collision with a civilian fuel truck. Suspicion grew when, weeks later, four Russians and a local assistant were killed in another collision with a civilian fuel truck. A “black terror” descended when Makarenko was shot trying to fix the lights, Zakharevych said. The Russian authorities were determined to find the culprit. They went from village to village detaining people and beating them in the street, he said. At the end of February, whole villages were closed and security ­services went door to door checking whether residents had Ukrainian phone numbers or apps, or were ­communicating with officials in Ukrainian-held territory. It is not clear who was behind the fuel truck deaths. Ukrainian partisans have worked behind the lines and have targeted pro-Russian collaborators. But Zakharevych believes the spate of killings suggests a dispute between the Russian authorities and local businessmen, rather than an operation by those loyal to Kyiv. Perhaps Makarenko did not pay a bribe on time, he suggested. He has noticed a similarity with the tactics of the early Soviet secret police, the NKVD, who carried out Stalin’s purges in the 1930s. “First they get rid of the pro-Ukrainian population ... then the second stage begins. [They] eliminate those who first helped them.”Repression and torture: In another echo of Stalin’s repressions, thousands of Ukrainians are being held incommunicado in Russian jails, subject to torture and inhumane conditions. Many are civilians from occupied territories. Some were arrested as long ago as 2014, when parts of Ukraine were first seized by Russians or pro-Kremlin separatists. In Melitopol alone, one of the larger cities in the Zaporizhzhia region still under Russian control, Ukraine estimates that more than 1,000 political prisoners are being held. From Zakharevych’s relatively small district, he says, more than 70 locals are in captivity, including twelve women and three children. One man, born in 1990, was tortured to death, he says. “His skull was fractured, his bones were twisted out of their joints and there were black marks from electric shock. The [official] conclusion was that he died of a heart attack.” Ukrainian prosecutors are investigating disturbing reports of sexualised torture, of both PoWs and civilians. ­Anna Sosonska, who oversees the ­prosecution of conflict-related sexual violence, said: “Unfortunately, there is a very clear picture of what has been ­happening in occupied territories. Russia organises a system of sexual ­violence, sexual assault and torture to both Ukrainian PoWs and civilians.” Men are electrocuted or threatened with castration. Women have been raped or abused, she said. In 2022, Zak­hare­vych was detained before being ­returned to Ukrainian forces in a prisoner exchange. “When they took me to the torture chamber, I saw this device,” he said. “It is con­nected by electric current to the toes, to the fingers, to the genitals ... and to the ears. It’s called a ‘tram’. The closer to the head, the worse it gets.”Russification: War and occupation has changed the demographics and economy of the ­regions now under Russian control. Their population has more than halved since the original invasion in 2014, and those who remain are on average older, less educated and more likely to have health problems. In four of the five occupied regions, Russian federal subsidies account for 90 per cent of their budgets.Three years ago, Mariupol, in the ­Donetsk region, was the site of one of the bloodiest episodes of the 21st century. Estimates of the death toll vary from 3,000 civilians (the Russian figure) to many tens of thousands, but the devastation of the three-month ­battle was clear: 90 per cent of the city’s buildings were damaged or destroyed. For those who survived the siege, ­living in garages or in the basements of their bombed-out homes, the new ­Russian authorities promised housing and a pension. Three years on, these promises have not been met for all. Instead, the conquered port city is being rebranded as a seaside destination and a future home for a Russian loyalist population. Since 2022, workers from across Russia, primarily from ­Siberia and the Caucasus, have been encouraged to move to Mariupol and other ravaged cities in occupied Ukraine, ostensibly to rebuild them. Signs were repainted with Russian colours and language. Mobile broadcast units arrived to transmit propaganda. Before the invasion, Mariupol had a population of more than 450,000. ­Nikolai Osychenko, head of the local television channel before the war, ­estimates that up to 40 per cent of the city’s present population are recent Russian arrivals. “They assimilated already in the city, they took their families there, they took their wives, children and grandmothers there,” said Osychenko, who regularly speaks to sources in occupied Ukraine. “For them it is an opportunity to live by the sea.” Newcomers are attracted by com­paratively high salaries of 100,000 ­rubles a month (£895) and mortgage rates of 2 per cent, lower than anywhere in Russia. After being told on state ­television that it is an attractive resort, “Russians are selling their housing in small, depressing towns and going to live there ... they see it as some kind of new happiness,” Osychenko said.Waiting for liberation?: Putin visited the site of new housing projects in March 2023. A few of the high-rises behind him hadbeen built as a showcase, but ­Osychenko estimates more than 10,000 people in the city remain homeless. Water is available only at set times in the morning and evening; a reservoir the city has relied upon since the war started is running dry. “In late 2024 and early 2025, protests began in ­Mariupol, where people come out and say that they have nowhere to live, and appeal to Putin on camera,” Osychenko said. The Donbas region is known for its coalfields and the overgrown slag heaps that dot the landscape like Scythian tombs. Russian-occupied Donetsk produced 2.9 million tonnes of coal in 2022, less than 10 per cent of the 37.8 million tonnes mined in 2013. Large parts of the Donetsk and ­Luhansk regions were occupied by Russian-backed separatists as long ago as 2014. It is hard to assess the politics of those who remained in the occupied terri­tories, given the impossibility of conducting fair polling under the watchful eye of the Russian security services. The Kremlin insists it is saving Russian or Russophile citizens from Ukrainian tyranny. Kyiv maintains it must liberate those in annexed areas. Osychenko, though, estimates that a majority of Donbas residents are ­apolitical. He said they would “say ­directly they don’t care who they live under — under Ukraine, under Russia, under China. As long as there’s food at home and money to live off, that’s all.” A large but vocal minority “love Russia and are willing to endure everything just to be under Russia”, he added. In Crimea, local opinion is also div­ided after 11 years of Russian rule. “There are different kinds of people here. I am not going to idealise things and say 100 per cent of Crimea awaits the return of Ukraine or is sympa­thetic,” one Crimean Tatar journalist still based on the peninsula said. “There are people here who not only support the Russian government but who contributed to the intervention.” “But if we speak about Crimean ­Tatars, who twice in their history, in the Tsarist and Soviet times, were onthe point of vanishing entirely as a people thanks to the actions of Russian government,” she said, “one cannot expect them to truly support the Russian ­Federation.” As Mariupol fell, about 200,000 people fled to Ukrainian-controlled areas, but Maksym Tkachenko, a Ukrainian MP, said that a “terrible” number, about 70,000, returned willingly to live under Russian control. Others are waiting for the Ukrainian army to return, staying put to protect their property, land or livelihoods. “Everyone remembers what it was like, the way it was before 2014,” ­Osychenko said. “So even in Donetsk, here, oddly enough, after ten years there are still a lot of people out there waiting for us.”Indoctrination: Possibly the most subversive of all the effects of occupation is on Ukrainian children. Since 2022, about 20,000 of them have been taken from their homes in occupied areas into Russia ­itself. This, among other war crimes, prompted the International Criminal Court to issue an arrest warrant for ­Putin last year. Under occupation, children are ­beaten for speaking Ukrainian and ­encouraged to join youth organisations that promote Russian values from a young age, said Zakharevych, the council leader from Zaporizhzhia. These begin as volunteering, cleaning up an old lady’s garden, for example, while carrying a Russian flag. They ­finish with big competitions, like one last autumn in Berdyansk, Zaporizhzhia, in which older children learn to fire guns and pilot drones. “They are already preparing these children for real combat conditions,” Zakharevych said. As part of their re-education, children are encouraged to meet “heroes” from the Russian army. In Berdyansk, Russian convicts who had been forced to fight in Ukraine — “men convicted of serious crimes, rape and murder” — were invited into schools to give talks. When pupils come of age, especially boys, they know their fate. Since autumn 2022, men aged 18 to 35 in ­occupied areas have had to perform compulsory military service. The aim is clear: a new generation of troops to fight for Russia against Ukraine, the country of their birth.

Apologies for the lack of formatting - I went through it all and put in paragraphs and got rid of unnecessary line breaks but the new app in its wisdom has just done one huge spew of words!

@DesdamonasHandkerchief no to occupation. It is hard to read the Times article and it was nothing to do with formatting. I don't think I got through it. I cannot imagine those who lived through it to tell the tale. @DucklingSwimmingInstructress 's pictures of Russian captivity below.

I have to catch my breath.😓

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-march-15-2025

Key Takeaways:

• Russian milbloggers and Ukrainian officials continue to deny Russian President Vladimir Putin's unsubstantiated claim that Russian forces have encircled a significant number of Ukrainian troops in Kursk Oblast.
• Russian forces continued offensive operations in Kursk Oblast but have not completely pushed Ukrainian forces out of the area as of this publication.
• Ukrainian officials expressed concern about Russian ground operations in northern Sumy Oblast but doubt Russia's ability to conduct an effective concerted offensive operation against Sumy City.
• The Kremlin is likely preparing to intensify a narrative that accuses Ukrainian forces of war crimes in Kursk Oblast in an attempt to discredit the Ukrainian military, erode Western support for Ukraine, and spoil or delay straightforward discussions about the 30-day ceasefire that US President Donald Trump proposed to Putin.
• Russian forces conducted drone and missile strikes against Ukraine on the night of March 14 to 15, including conducting their third double-tap strike against Ukraine in the past week.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appointed the official Ukrainian delegation to "engage with Ukraine's international partners" in the negotiation process to end the war on March 15.
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Toretsk and Russian forces recently advanced in Sumy Oblast and near Chasiv Yar and Pokrovsk.

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️Russia readying to attack Sumy (kyivindependent.com/zelensky-as-the-donbas-stabilizes-russia-is-readying-to-attack-sumy/) as Donbas front stabilizes, Zelensky says.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a post on Telegram that Ukraine has observed areas along its eastern border where the Russian army is amassing force. "This speaks to a desire to deliver a strike to our Sumy Oblast," Zelensky wrote.

⚡️Rubio discusses (kyivindependent.com/rubio-discusses-next-steps-in-phone-call-with-russias-lavrov/) 'next steps' in phone call with Russia's Lavrov.

⚡️Zelensky appoints (kyivindependent.com/zelensky-appoints-yermak-to-lead-ukraines-peace-delegation/) Yermak to lead Ukraine's peace delegation.

⚡️Trump appoints Kellogg as Special Envoy to Ukraine, removes (kyivindependent.com/trump-appoints-kellogg-as-special-envoy-to-ukraine/) him from dealings with Russia.
Initially appointed as Trump’s Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Kellogg was to be involved in direct peace talk efforts between the two countries. However, recent media reports indicate that he was excluded from high-level peace talks at the Kremlin's request, as Moscow perceived Kellogg as being too sympathetic to Ukraine.

⚡️Italy does not plan to send peacekeepers (kyivindependent.com/italy-does-not-plan-to-send-peacekeepers-to-ukraine-remains-committed-to-just-peace/) to Ukraine, remains committed to 'effective security guarantees.'

⚡️Canada contributes (kyivindependent.com/canada-contributes-an-additional-36-million-to-ukraine-energy-support-fund/) additional $35 million toward restoring energy infrastructure in Ukraine.

⚡️Western leaders reaffirm (kyivindependent.com/western-leaders-reaffirm-support-for-ukraine-following-virtual-summit-hosted-by-starmer/) support for Ukraine following virtual summit hosted by Starmer.

‘Painful for Russia:’ What new U.S. sanctions on Russian energy mean for Moscow. (https://kyivindependent.com/painful-for-russia-what-new-u-s-sanctions-on-russian-energy-mean-for-moscow/)

⚡️EU 'without Ukraine' — Hungary's Orban posts list of demands (kyivindependent.com/eu-without-ukraine-hungarys-orban-posts-list-of-demands-to-brussels/) to Brussels.
Orban named 12 demands, the last of which reads: "A Union, but without Ukraine." His other demands include banning "the unnatural re-education of our children" and protecting "Europe’s Christian heritage"

'Everyone is really shocked and upset' — Trump administration puts Voice of America journalists on leave, cuts funding to Radio Free Europe.
The Trump administration on March 15 followed up a on an executive order signed a day earlier by President Donald Trump vowing to gut funding for the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL).
As a result of the executive order, grant funding to U.S.-funded media outlet RFE/RL was terminated, and journalists and employees working at VOA were placed on administrative leave.

⚡️Trump denies (kyivindependent.com/trump-denies-reports-that-witkoff-waited-hours-for-putin/) reports on his envoy waiting for Putin, calls media 'sick degenerates'.

⚡️Russian attacks in Nikopol kill 1, injure 3, (kyivindependent.com/russian-attacks-in-nikopol-kill-1-injure-3-including-children/) including children.

Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson 🇺🇦‬ ‪

• MAR 16, 2025 ■ Casualties: daily ones above average & weekly ones up 8% ■ Equipment losses: daily ones well above average & weekly ones up 23% ■ Increased strikes on both sides, no missiles used

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

The EU has no intention of stopping arms supplies to Ukraine in the event of a 30-day ceasefire, DW reports.
This position was expressed by diplomats from several EU countries on Friday, March 14, shortly before a meeting of the EU Council on Foreign Affairs.
Foreign ministers will also discuss High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaia Kallas’ initiative to provide a new military aid package to Ukraine worth between €20 billion and €40 billion.
These funds would finance new deliveries of artillery shells, air defense systems and missiles, as well as the training and equipping of entire Ukrainian military brigades in 2025.
In Kallas’ initial proposal, no specific amount was mentioned, but now countries are discussing a revised version with a lower limit of €20 billion.
Brussels emphasizes that this is not a legal but a political commitment, and Kallas hopes to gain broad support to quickly work out technical details.
However, diplomats do not expect a concrete decision at the upcoming EU summit on March 20-21. They anticipate Hungary will refuse to join the initiative, preventing consensus within the EU. Even if a coalition of several members forms, questions remain about the package’s implementation—such as funding amounts, timelines, and burden-sharing among countries.

Zelenskyy held a briefing with Ukrainian journalists.
▪️ He stressed that the US must not agree to additional Russian demands in the ceasefire negotiations.
▪️ The promised 150 billion will soon be allocated to strengthen Europe’s defense, and Ukraine will have equal access to these resources.
▪️ “If the Russians violate the silence regime, we will continue to defend our Motherland, as we are doing now,” Zelenskyy said when asked about a possible violation of agreements by the enemy.
▪️ Ukraine’s negotiating team in Saudi Arabia received high praise from partners. European countries also want to form their own team.
▪️ Russia wants to encircle Ukrainian troops in the Kursk direction, but on Ukrainian territory.

Russia is not demonstrating a sincere desire for peace, French President Emmanuel Macron said.
“Russia is not responding to the proposals of the United States and Ukraine but is only intensifying hostilities. Putin wants to get everything and then negotiate,” Macron stated after a video conference on security in Ukraine.

Merz said the Bundestag will approve an additional €3 billion in military aid to Ukraine. [my repetition]
In addition, political forces backed the creation of a special €500 billion infrastructure fund and the easing of the “debt brake” to increase defense spending, which will require changes to German law.
Olaf Scholz confirmed that if the package is approved in parliament, he is ready to allocate additional funds to support Ukraine.
On March 18, the Bundestag will consider these proposals, but their adoption will require the support of two-thirds of deputies in both the Bundestag and the Bundesrat.

Lithuania is ready to host NATO nuclear weapons if necessary, said Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė.
Article 137 currently prohibits weapons of mass destruction and foreign military bases on Lithuanian territory. However, Šakalienė noted that no such proposals have been made yet.
Earlier, Polish President Andrzej Duda, in an interview with the Financial Times, called on Washington to deploy nuclear weapons in Poland.

“Russian Culture Distracts from Russian Crimes”—Ukrainian Actress Expose Its True Role (united24media.com/latest-news/russian-culture-distracts-from-russian-crimes-ukrainian-actress-expose-its-true-role-6732)

Romania's Central Election Commission has rejected the candidacy of politician Diana Soshoake in the upcoming presidential election.
The local Supreme Court had previously barred her from running in the election due to her "pro-Russian, anti-European, and anti-NATO views."

The third prototype of the Turkish unmanned fighter Bayraktar KIZILELMA has successfully passed flight tests to assess its aerodynamic takeoff system, according to TRT Haber.
Its technical characteristics include a maximum speed of 900 km/h, a flight range of 930 km, and an operating altitude of 10,668 meters. It can operate autonomously for up to five hours and carry a payload of 1,500 kg, including weapons and devices.
https://t.me/United24media/29974

The new Ukrainian missile “Long Neptune” has passed tests and has been successfully used in combat. It has a range of 1,000 kilometers, Zelenskyy said.

Lockheed Martin has developed a mock-up of the Russian Pantsir-S1 anti-aircraft missile and gun system based on a Peterbilt 320 truck, designed to test the Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod.
This mock-up, unofficially named "Peter Pantsir," allows for evaluating the effectiveness of guidance and attack systems by simulating real threats.
The use of such mock-ups helps configure autonomous detection algorithms, assess electronic warfare capabilities, and train pilots in controlled conditions without direct contact with operational enemy systems.
Additionally, the mock-up can be used to train OPFOR (Opposing Forces) units that simulate enemy forces during U.S. Army exercises.
This enables the creation of realistic combat scenarios using modified equipment and tactics that reflect potential threats.

A mass rally against Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was held in Budapest.

Kyiv Post Telegram Highlights

The US Government Efficiency Department (DOGE), led by Musk, has CUT funding for Yale researchers working to locate and repatriate Ukrainian children deported to Russia
Their efforts had already helped recover hundreds of children — around 1,240 successfully returned to Ukraine.

Thousands took to the streets of Hungary’s capital, Budapest, today in a massive opposition protest, demanding the resignation of pro-Russian PM Orbán. https://t.me/Kyivpost_official/28705 [big protests indeed]

Overnight, Russian drones attacked the city of Izium in Kharkiv region, killing at least one civilian.

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

Russian forces regain control of Sudzha, Ukrainian General Staff confirms with official map.
On March 15, the analytical project DeepState reported that Russian troops had occupied Sudzha and Rubanshchyna in the Kursk region.
Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the Kursk operation had fulfilled its objective—drawing Russian forces away from the Pokrovsk, Kharkiv, and Sumy directions.
▪️Zelensky first announced a new Russian offensive in the Kursk region on February 7. Since early March, Russian propaganda has been actively pushing narratives about a mass retreat of Ukrainian forces in Kursk and their supposed encirclement by the Russian army.
▪️On March 12, the General Staff confirmed significant Russian advances in the region but denied claims of encirclement. Zelensky called reports of Ukrainian troops being surrounded in Kursk Putin’s lies, emphasizing that while Russia aims to encircle Ukrainian forces in the same direction, they are doing so on Ukrainian territory.
▪️According to the General Staff, there were 19 battles on the Kursk front in the past 24 hours. Russian forces carried out 34 airstrikes using 63 guided bombs and launched 243 artillery attacks.

❗️Zelensky approves composition of the peace negotiation group
The group includes:
🔴Andriy Yermak, Head of the Presidential Office;
🔴Andriy Sybiha, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine;
🔴Rustem Umerov, Minister of Defense of Ukraine;
🔴Pavlo Palytsa, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office.

UK to host military officials from “coalition of the willing” to discuss peacekeeping forces in Ukraine next week.
According to Starmer, Western countries are moving into the “operational phase” of securing guarantees for Ukraine. He also noted that the “coalition of the willing” is ready to tighten sanctions against Russia.
President Zelensky stated that the coalition summit included discussions on forming a European negotiation group to address the war. Additionally, he confirmed that Ukraine has secured a new package of 155mm artillery shell deliveries.

Russia pushes “war crimes” narrative against Ukrainian forces in Kursk to derail ceasefire talks – ISW
Experts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) note that Putin, other pro-government Russian officials, state media, and Kremlin-aligned outlets have recently intensified accusations against Ukrainian forces, alleging war crimes in the Kursk region during the seven-month incursion.

🇷🇴Romania allows far-right leader banned from Ukraine to run for president
Romania has approved the candidacy of George Simion, leader of the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians, for the presidential race.
Simion has been banned from entering Ukraine since 2011. Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) cited his systematic anti-Ukrainian activities and efforts to discredit Ukraine internationally. He has also been repeatedly accused of ties with Russian intelligence services.
Additionally, he is banned from entering Moldova, where he regularly organizes street demonstrations calling for Moldova’s unification with Romania.

🇷🇸Belgrade, the capital of Serbia
Tens of thousands of protesters demand that the government of President Aleksandar Vucic be held accountable for the deaths of 15 people when the canopy of the Novi Sad train station collapsed in November 2024. https://t.me/liveukraine_media/29774

🇺🇦Ukrainian service of “Voice of America” suspends broadcasting, staff placed on administrative leave
The director of the Ukrainian service of Voice of America has confirmed that the outlet has halted operations, and all employees have been placed on administrative leave.
According to Ruslan Petrychka, the future of the service remains uncertain. He thanked his colleagues for their work and noted that recent audience surveys showed that 99% of those who watched Voice of America’s Ukrainian news trusted the outlet.
Michael Abramowitz, Voice of America’s director general, emphasized that the entire staff—over 1,300 journalists, producers, and support personnel—has been placed on administrative leave, including himself.
“I am deeply saddened that, for the first time in 83 years, the legendary Voice of America has been forced into silence,” he said.
▪️On March 14, Trump signed an executive order instructing the U.S. Agency for Global Media and six other agencies to reduce their operations to a minimum, citing the need to cut bureaucracy.
▪️Earlier, billionaire and head of the newly established U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Elon Musk, called for the closure of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Voice of America.

Today’s In Moscow’s Shadows podcast is really interesting in terms of its discussion around Putin’s position on a ceasefire. Mark argues that saying Putin is playing for time is giving him too much credence and instead he thinks it’s likely another example of Putin’s inability to make a decision and tendency to “dither”.

He suggests that the fact there isn’t a coherent Russian narrative on the media speaks to the Kremlin putting out different lines to test with the public what is popular. Because for all Putin’s autocratic tendencies he still likes his decisions to at least appear popular.

How are we 3 years since the Mariupol theatre bombing 😔 back in the day when we thought there might be the slightest chance that the Russian’s didn’t bomb a bunch of children intentionally.

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-march-16-2025

Key Takeaways:

• US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz stated on March 16 that Ukraine will receive unspecified security guarantees in exchange for unspecified territorial concessions.
• The current frontlines do not provide the strategic depth that Ukraine will need to reliably defend against renewed Russian aggression.
• Russian officials maintain their maximalist territorial claims over all occupied Ukraine and significant parts of unoccupied Ukraine, however.
• Russian officials have given no public indications that they are willing to make concessions on their territorial or security demands of Ukraine.
• Russia continues to seize on diplomatic engagements with the United States to normalize its war demands.
• The United Kingdom (UK) convened a virtual Coalition of the Willing summit on March 15 to reiterate support for Ukraine and discuss plans for peace.
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Borova and Russian forces advanced in Sumy Oblast and near Velyka Novosilka.
• The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) continues efforts to posture as solving issues with the Russian military.

Russia reiterating its demands this morning ahead of Trump and Putin talking about “dividing assets”.

• NATO must refuse to accept Ukraine into the alliance
• there must be ironclad security guarantees (for Russia!!)
• Ukraine must become a neutral demilitarised state

And by “assets” it seems they’re talking about things like power stations….. how fucking dare they!

Meanwhile Medvedev the fucking rodent is telling Macron and Starmer to “speak to Trump” and wittering on about WW3….again. 🥱

My God those Hungarian protests are massive, could Orban’s days be numbered?

Live:Ukraine

🔹 Overnight, Russian terrorists launched 90 attack drones at Ukraine.

Air defense forces shot down 47 drones, while 33 were lost from radar tracking.

In Izium, shelling damaged private homes, leaving three people injured and one dead.

Other regions affected by the Russian attack include Chernihiv, Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Odessa.

🔸 Russian forces regain control of Sudzha, Ukrainian General Staff confirms with official map.

On March 15, the analytical project DeepState reported that Russian troops had occupied Sudzha and Rubanshchyna in the Kursk region.

Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the Kursk operation had fulfilled its objective—drawing Russian forces away from the Pokrovsk, Kharkiv, and Sumy directions.

▪️Zelensky first announced a new Russian offensive in the Kursk region on February 7. Since early March, Russian propaganda has been actively pushing narratives about a mass retreat of Ukrainian forces in Kursk and their supposed encirclement by the Russian army.

▪️On March 12, the General Staff confirmed significant Russian advances in the region but denied claims of encirclement. Zelensky called reports of Ukrainian troops being surrounded in Kursk Putin’s lies, emphasizing that while Russia aims to encircle Ukrainian forces in the same direction, they are doing so on Ukrainian territory.

▪️According to the General Staff, there were 19 battles on the Kursk front in the past 24 hours. Russian forces carried out 34 airstrikes using 63 guided bombs and launched 243 artillery attacks.

🔹 Russia pushes “war crimes” narrative against Ukrainian forces in Kursk to derail ceasefire talks – ISW

Experts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) note that Putin, other pro-government Russian officials, state media, and Kremlin-aligned outlets have recently intensified accusations against Ukrainian forces, alleging war crimes in the Kursk region during the seven-month incursion.

Analysts suggest that Putin likely aims to use this narrative—falsely branding Ukrainian troops as “brutal war criminals”—as the Kremlin did in late 2021 and 2022 to justify its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This strategy appears intended to sabotage or delay negotiations on a proposed 30-day ceasefire, counterbalancing Putin’s attempts to portray himself as a “merciful leader”

🔸 This week, Russia attacked Ukraine with over 1,020 drones, nearly 1,360 guided bombs, and more than 10 missiles, Zelensky reports.

The attacks have affected multiple regions, including Chernihiv, Kherson, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Odesa, Poltava, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia and Sumy.

🇫🇮Finnish President Stubb: Reaching a ceasefire agreement with Russia will be nearly impossible.

“Putin does not want peace. His initial goal was the destruction of Ukraine—and that goal has not changed,” he stated.

⚡️Ukraine accepts freezing the current front line but refuses to cede more territory to Russia – The Independent

According to The Independent, Ukraine has drawn several “red lines” for negotiations with Russia:

▪️No concessions of additional territory beyond what Russia has already occupied.

▪️Return of Ukrainian children deported to Russia.

▪️Release of civilians detained by Russian forces.

▪️International security guarantees in case Russia violates a ceasefire agreement.

Regarding the territories already occupied by Russia, Ukraine intends to pursue their return through diplomatic means.

🔹 “Putin has made it clear that he accepts Trump’s ‘philosophy’,” – U.S. Special Representative Steve Witkoff.

“President Trump wants to end the war. And I believe Putin wants to end the war, as does Zelensky,” Witkoff stated.

According to him, U.S. officials will hold separate negotiations next week with both the Ukrainian and Russian teams. A phone call between Trump and Putin is also expected.

When asked how soon he expects a peace agreement to be reached, Witkoff responded: “Trump is thinking in terms of weeks, and I don’t disagree. I sincerely hope we will see real progress here.”

🇬🇧🇺🇦 UK PM unveils plan to send over 10,000 peacekeepers to Ukraine – The Times

According to The Times, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer presented the plan during an online meeting of the “coalition of the willing”—a group of countries committed to maintaining a ceasefire in Ukraine.

Starmer now enjoys support from “significantly more” nations. Initially, only three countries had offered to send ground troops, sources say. The primary forces are expected to be provided by the UK and France.

Around 35 countries have agreed to supply weapons, logistics, and intelligence support for the mission. Allies hope this deployment will deter Putin from launching another invasion.

🔸 Hungary to hold public consultation on Ukraine’s EU membership

Hungarian citizens will be surveyed on whether Ukraine should join the European Union.

The ballot contains a single question: “Do you support Ukraine’s accession to the European Union?” with two response options: “Yes” or “No.” The survey will be conducted as part of a “national consultation.”

The ballots will be printed on security-protected paper to prevent fraud, making photocopying or reproduction impossible.

According to Politico, while the results of such votes carry no legal weight, they are often used to strengthen Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s position on controversial issues.

🔹 Anti-Ukrainian Romanian party leader writes to Putin, demands “return” of Ukrainian territories

Diana Șoșoacă, leader of the far-right S.O.S. România party, sent a letter to Vladimir Putin complaining about her disqualification from Romania’s presidential race and claiming that Romania should “reclaim” territories currently belonging to Ukraine.

“We have Romanian territories illegally held by Ukraine due to the unjust Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact, which has been denounced. Therefore, we have the right to protect Romanians in those territories, which we want to take back,” she wrote.

She also urged Putin to consider her demands in ongoing negotiations on peace in Ukraine.

❗️U.S. withdraws from investigation group on accountability for Ukraine invasion – NYT

The group was established to hold Russia’s leadership and its allies in Belarus, North Korea, and Iran accountable for their role in the war.

However, this decision is the latest indication that the Trump administration is stepping back from efforts to hold Putin responsible for crimes committed against Ukrainians, The New York Times reports.

🔸 Trump announces plans to discuss ending the war in Ukraine with Putin on Tuesday.

“We will talk about land. We will talk about power plants,” the U.S. president stated.

🔹 Zelenskyy signs bill allowing deployment of Ukrainian military abroad during martial law

During martial law, Ukrainian troops may be sent abroad for national security, defense against and deterrence of armed aggression, and the protection of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The bill stipulates that the president can decide to deploy Ukrainian Armed Forces units to other countries, but the decision must be approved by the Verkhovna Rada. The request must include details such as the mission’s objectives, the number of troops, the type and composition of their weapons and equipment, command structure, duration of deployment, and conditions for extension.

This provision does not apply to cases where Ukrainian forces are repelling armed aggression on the aggressor state’s territory.

United 24 Media:

🔹 A mass rally against Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was held in Budapest.

The protest was organized by the opposition Tisza party. The leader of the political force, Peter Magyar, announced a public movement—a survey of Hungarians with 12 questions. This is a response to Orbán’s 12 demands to Brussels. One of the conditions was “Union without Ukraine.”

Among the questions are, in particular, whether Hungarians agree with Hungary remaining a member of the European Union and NATO, and whether they agree that the prime minister should hold office for a maximum of 8 years (Orbán has held this position since 2010).

🇨🇦 This morning, I spoke with Prime Minister Starmer, President Zelenskyy, and many of our closest allies to discuss Ukraine’s path to peace, said Canada’s new Prime Minister, Mark Carney. (Photo 1)

🇫🇮 Finnish President Stubb believes that Russia is trying to play a long game in Ukraine but does not genuinely seek a ceasefire or peace.

“Its main goal, namely the destruction of Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, has not changed at all. I hope we can continue Western pressure to force Russia to cease fire,” he said.

🇬🇧 British Prime Minister Starmer, at a meeting of leaders of the “coalition of the willing” on March 15, outlined plans for a Western “peacekeeping contingent” in Ukraine with more than 10,000 troops.

In addition, at the meeting on Saturday, London secured the support of “a significantly larger number” of countries than the three that had previously backed the deployment of ground troops.

In total, about 35 countries agreed to provide weapons, logistical, and intelligence support for a potential “peacekeeping” mission, The Times reports. Nevertheless, Britain and France are expected to contribute the bulk of the troops.

🔸 Russians have begun producing Zala UAVs with a built-in anti-aircraft drone evasion system.

According to military radio technology expert Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov, the developers expect the new Zala Z16 model to execute sharp maneuvers until the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ drone runs out of charge. The entire process relies on machine vision—the computer detects the drone through a camera and, based on its position, issues a command for one of the maneuvers.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces demonstrated how the Russian “evader” system works but noted that it is too early to assess its effectiveness. However, the military acknowledged that this system could help preserve some of the drones.

🔹 On the eleventh anniversary of the illegal referendum in Crimea, Türkiye condemned Russia’s annexation of the peninsula and reaffirmed its support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“We reaffirm that Türkiye does not recognize the illegal de facto situation in Crimea and supports the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine,” the statement said.

Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 remains unrecognized by the vast majority of countries. Türkiye has repeatedly called on Russia to comply with international law.

Earlier this week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan confirmed that his country was ready to serve as a platform for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.

“Türkiye’s position on this war has been very clear from day one. We do not want more bloodshed and want both neighbors to end the war with a just peace,” Erdoğan wrote on X following his meeting with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

🔸 Total Russian manpower losses since the beginning of the year have exceeded 100,000, Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi said.

🔹 U.S. Secretary of State Rubio announced an American “Plan A” and “Plan B” to end Russia’s war against Ukraine.

“Plan A: to cease fire so that we can move to Plan B, the second phase, which is to bring everyone to the negotiating table, perhaps through shuttle diplomacy, to find a way to permanently end this war in a way that is long-lasting, takes into account the needs of everyone, and so on,” he said.

💶 Ukraine will soon receive about 3.5 billion euros after the EU Council approved the third payment of non-repayable grants and loans under the Ukraine Facility program.

🔸 We are waiting for a response from the Russians, but an answer without conditions, — Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.

In an interview with "RBK-Ukraine," the diplomat spoke about the negotiations with the American delegation in Jeddah and their likely results.

Sybiha emphasized that Ukraine and the United States are ready to conclude a ceasefire as the first stage on the path to ending the war. However, everything now depends on the response from Russia, which, so far, is only putting forward conditions.

"Returning to Jeddah, these were extremely important, landmark negotiations. Based on their results, we can draw several conclusions. If we take the bilateral dimension of our Ukrainian-American relations, I can clearly say that after these negotiations, we have returned to a normal diplomatic track, bilateral interaction, and further dialogue at various levels, including the highest. This is the first.

Second, once again, Ukraine has demonstrated to the whole world that it is not an obstacle to peace. And once again, these negotiations have shown who really wants peace and who really wants war. By supporting the American proposal for a ceasefire, Ukraine has demonstrated its global determination to achieve a just peace. Therefore, diplomatically, the ball is now in Russia's court. We are waiting for a response from them, but an answer without conditions," the minister said.

He called for waiting for Moscow's official response, rather than focusing on Putin's comments at press conferences or statements by his associates.

"Ukraine accepted the proposal of the American side, and accordingly, the Russian side should do the same in a mirror image. There are various official forms of confirming a state's position. As of today, there is none. This confirmation should be provided directly to the American side," Sybiha noted.

‪Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson 🇺🇦‬ ‪@ragnarbjartur.bsky.social‬
·
5h
⚡️ WAR IN UKRAINE - MAR 17, 2025
■ Relatively few engagements, casualties below the 7-day average
■ Tank losses at their highest level of 2025
■ Fewer 🇷🇺 air strikes (data missing on MLRS ones), fewer 🇺🇦 strikes as well

I've no idea how reliable the Irish Star is, but I thought this was interesting re the Russian economy.

Russian economy in freefall as mortgage costs triple and mass layoffs cripple major firms The - Russian economy is on the brink of collapse, with industrial output falling and major companies initiating large-scale layoffs amid the economic fallout from the war on Ukraine

I think "brink of collapse" is probably hyperbole, but there are certainly a lot of serious economic problems, all of which would be made better if the war stopped. The problem is that Putin doesn't care as long as he and his elite aren't negatively impacted.

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-march-17-2025

Key Takeaways:

• Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to have been partially successful in holding the ceasefire proposal hostage as part of his efforts to extract preemptive concessions from US President Donald Trump in negotiations to end the war.
• Russian officials continue to demonstrate that Russia's aim of destroying Ukrainian sovereignty remains unchanged since before Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.
• The Kremlin continues to reject the prospect of European peacekeepers in Ukraine, in opposition to US and Ukrainian positions on the matter and impeding the establishment of a stable, lasting peace to end the war.
• A strong Ukrainian military backed by security guarantees remains the most important component of a sustainable peace in Ukraine and deterrence of future Russian aggression.
• The United States announced its withdrawal from war crimes monitoring agencies related to the war in Ukraine – essentially a unilateral concession to Russia with no Russian concessions in return.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky replaced Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Anatoliy Barhylevych with Major General Andriy Hnatov on March 16.
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Toretsk, and Russian forces recently advanced near Toretsk and Velyka Novosilka and in western Zaporizhia Oblast.
• Russian occupation officials continue to develop analogues to the federal "Time of Heroes" programming in occupied Ukraine as part of long-term efforts to integrate occupied Ukraine into Russia and militarize society in occupied Ukraine.

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️ ‘Many elements’ of Ukraine deal agreed upon, Trump says (kyivindependent.com/trump-plans-call-with-putin-on-march-18-to-discuss-war-in-ukraine/) ahead of call with Putin.

⚡️ Russia claims capture of Stepove in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, (kyivindependent.com/russia-claims-to-capture-stepove-in-zaporizhzhia-oblast-ukraine-denies/) Ukraine denies.

⚡️ Ukraine withdraws (kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-troops-withdraw-from-some-positions-in-donetsk-oblast-to-strengthen-defenses-commander-says/) from one front-line sector in Donetsk Oblast, commander says.

⚡️ EU plan to send over $40 billion in military aid (kyivindependent.com/theres-broad-political-support-kallas-on-eu-plan-to-provide-over-40-billion-in-military-aid-to-ukraine/) has 'broad political support,' Kallas says.

⚡️ Italy, Spain hesitant on EU's $43 billion military aid (kyivindependent.com/italy-spain-hesitant-on-eus-40-billion-military-aid-to-ukraine-plan/) to Ukraine plan.

⚡️Trump administration weighs recognizing Crimea (kyivindependent.com/trump-administration-weighs-recognizing-crimea-as-russian-territory-semafor-reports/) as Russian territory, Semafor reports.

⚡️ Poland, Baltics to withdraw from anti-personnel mine ban treaty. (kyivindependent.com/estonia-latvia-lithuania-poland-to-withdraw-from-anti-personnel-mine-ban-treaty/)
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland announced on March 18 their intention to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, an international treaty banning the use, production, and stockpiling of anti-personnel mines, the Lithuanian Defense Ministry said.

⚡️European nations urge UN action (kyivindependent.com/european-nations-urge-un-action-against-russian-satellite-sabotage-media-reports/) against Russian satellite sabotage, media reports.
Eight European nations have filed a complaint with the U.N. over Russia’s interference with European satellite communications, according to documents obtained by the Dutch current affairs television program, Nieuwsuur.
The disruptions have targeted Eutelsat and SES, Europe’s main satellite providers, which support television, radio, and aviation navigation systems.

⚡️ EU foreign ministers to discuss US withdrawal of funding (https://kyivindependent.com/eu-to-discuss-us-governments-withdrawal-of-funding-for-rfe-rl/) for RFE/RL. 
EU foreign ministers are set to discuss the termination of the U.S. grant that funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) during a meeting in Brussels on March 17, according to a Kyiv Independent reporter in Brussels.

⚡️ Ukraine's Supreme Court rules illegal mobilization (kyivindependent.com/ukraines-supreme-court-rules-out-illegal-mobilization-isnt-ground-for-dismissal-from-ukrainian-armed-forces/) not grounds for dismissal from military.
The conscription of a person liable for military service during mobilization is irreversible, Ukraine's Supreme Court ruled on March 17, following a lawsuit by a serviceman who claimed he had been drafted illegally. [yikes]

⚡️ Ukrainian long-range drone successfully completes 3,000-kilometer test (kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-drone-with-3-000-kilometer-range-has-passed-tests-zelensky-says/), Zelensky says.

Newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has invited President Volodymyr Zelensky to attend the Group of Seven (G7) summit in June, Le Journal de Quebec reported on March 17, citing a Canadian Foreign Ministry spokesperson. https://kyivindependent.com/new-canadian-pm-invites-zelensky-to-attend-g7-summit-in-june/

‘Talk about an invasion is everywhere’ — How Lithuania is preparing (kyivindependent.com/talk-about-an-invasion-is-everywhere-how-lithuania-is-preparing-for-war-with-russia/) for war with Russia

⚡️Telegram CEO Durov returns (kyivindependent.com/telegram-ceo-durov-returns-to-dubai-amid-french-investigation/) to Dubai amid French investigation.

⚡️Belarusian authorities sentence (kyivindependent.com/japanese-man-sentenced-to-7-years-in-belarus-for-espionage-charges/) Japanese citizen to 7 years in prison on espionage charges.
Masatoshi Nakanishi has been in custody since July for allegedly spying for a foreign intelligence agency between 2018 and 2024, local authorities claim. Nakanishi's arrest was only publicly announced in September, despite his arrest several months prior.

⚡️Russian energy giant Gazprom suffers (kyivindependent.com/russian-energy-giant-gazprom-suffers-13-1-billion-loss-in-2024/) $13.1 billion loss in 2024.

Germany's military rebirth is Europe’s best bet against Putin (kyivindependent.com/germanys-military-rebirth-is-europes-best-bet-against-putin/)
Putin’s war in Ukraine has catalyzed Europe’s shift from pacifism to military leadership, with Germany leading the way, writes Shlomo Ben-Ami, the vice president of the Toledo International Center for Peace.

⚡️ Trump's aid cuts (kyivindependent.com/trumps-aid-freeze-disrupts-hiv-treatment-in-ukraine-seven-more-countries/) disrupt supply of HIV treatments to Ukraine, 7 more countries.

The genesis of our first-ever magazine, "The Power Within," stemmed from a dual passion. First, from a deep-seated love for the tangible — the weight of a book, the rustle of pages, the immersive experience of holding a story in your hands. Secondly, it was about reclaiming our narrative. https://store.kyivindependent.com/products/the-power-within?utm_source=print-tg-preorder2&utm_medium=tg

⚡️ Trump boasts (kyivindependent.com/trump-boasts-of-saving-ukrainian-soldiers-in-kursk-oblast-despite-kyiv-denying-encirclement-claims/) of saving Ukrainian soldiers in Kursk Oblast despite Kyiv denying encirclement claims.

️ 2 killed, 13 injured in Russian attacks (kyivindependent.com/attacks-134/) across Ukraine over past day.

Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson 🇺🇦
‪@ragnarbjartur.bsky.social‬
⚡️ WAR IN UKRAINE - MAR 18, 2025
■ Most casualties in over a month, engagements close to the 7-day average
■ Equipment losses well above average; including 20 APVs & 3 air defence systems
■ 🇺🇦 strikes at average, 🇷🇺 strikes below it