UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights
Russia has declared that it will not return control of the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) to Ukraine or transfer it to U.S. oversight.
βThe Zaporizhzhia NPP will remain under Russian control, and its property belongs to the Russian Federation,β said Yuriy Chernichuk, the occupiersβ appointed βstation director,β in comments to the TASS propagandist agency.
According to La Repubblica, Ukraineβs allies are considering a two-pronged peacekeeping plan to ensure a sustainable ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow, should an agreement be reached.
The plan proposes the deployment of two peacekeeping missions:
1. UN Peacekeepers: Comprising troops from India, Brazil, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia, this contingent would be stationed along the Russian-Ukrainian border.
2. βCoalition of the Willingβ Peacekeepers: This group would consist of soldiers from Great Britain, France, Germany, Canada, and Italy. They would monitor and secure the borders between Ukraine and the European Union.
This dual approach aims to enhance stability by involving both global and European forces in the ceasefireβs enforcement.
North Korea and Russia have agreed to deepen cooperation in the security sector, according to North Korean newspaper Nodong Sinmun.
Lithuania plans to mine its border with Russia and Belarus as part of the βEastern Shieldβ initiative, Lithuanian Defense Minister DovilΔ Ε akalienΔ announced. The initiative aims to bolster the countryβs northeastern flank with multi-level barriers, including anti-personnel and anti-tank mines.
European Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius emphasized that Europe must take greater responsibility for its own defense, noting that Europe, with its population of 450 million against 140 million Russians. He underscored that despite Russiaβs ongoing war, it has not been able to defeat Ukraine, which has a population of just 38 million.
The EU has announced plans to invest up to 800 billion euros in European defense over the next three years to address critical gaps in military capabilities. Kubilius highlighted the need for thousands of tanks, armored vehicles, artillery systems, innovative combat equipment, strategic and tanker aircraft, and enhanced air and missile defense. Strengthening the northeastern borders and maintaining increased military assistance to Ukraine remain key priorities.
Kubilius pointed out that Russia spends about 9% of its GDP on military purposes, while EU countries spend less than 2% on average. He warned that in 2025, Russiaβs military budget could exceed the combined defense spending of all EU countries.
Quoting intelligence assessments from German and Danish services, Kubilius warned that Russia could potentially attack a Western European country within the next five years, violating NATOβs Article 5. To prevent war, he stressed, Europe must prepare for it.
Ukrainian intelligence reports that the Kremlin has significantly increased payments to Russians for participating in the war. In some regions, the one-time payment now exceeds 2 million rubles, and in the Samara region, recruits are being offered nearly 4 million rubles.
This rise in financial incentives, according to intelligence, reflects a growing unwillingness among Russians to join the war effort.
Since the start of the year, Russian aviation has βlostβ more than 30 missiles and aerial bombs over its own territory, according to reports from Astra. These incidents occurred mainly in the border areas of Russiaβs Belgorod and Krasnodar regions.
Among the losses were 26 high-explosive aerial bombs (FAB), three missiles, and two universal glide munitions (UMPB). Notably, in the past week and a half aloneβsince March 10βnine aerial bombs reportedly βabnormally came off,β raising questions about technical issues or operational errors within the Russian Air Force.
Al Arabiya reports that Syriaβs new government has officially requested the extradition of former leader Bashar al-Assad from Russia.
The request was submitted by Syriaβs interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, who emphasized the need to hold Assad accountable for alleged crimes committed during his rule. The move signals an effort by the new Syrian leadership to address past grievances and seek justice following Assadβs ouster.
Russia, which had been a key ally of Assad, has not yet publicly responded to the request.
In Kyiv today, a Russian attack claimed the lives of a father, Oleksandr, and his five-year-old daughter, Nikol, right in their own home. The family had fled from the frontline town of Orikhiv, Zaporizhzhia region seeking safety in the capital. Nicoleβs mother survived but is now in the hospital, fighting for her life.