17.03.2024

Ukrainska Pravda: Czechia is expected to propose a European-wide ban on Russian and Belarusian grain crop imports during a European Council meeting next week.

AFP: Kyiv said Sunday that Russia had orchestrated an attack at a military facility in Moldova's breakaway region of Transnistria, after separatists there said a drone launched from Ukraine had destroyed a helicopter and ignited a fire.

Bloomberg: Polish farmers started blocking a key highway near the German border to protest against food imports from Ukraine and the European Union’s climate initiatives regarding agriculture (archive).

Ukrinform: In the temporarily occupied territories, Russian invaders seized control of almost 500 enterprises and continue to "nationalize" households.

Reuters: Thousands of people turned up at polling stations in Russia and capitals across the world on Sunday to take part in what the anti-Kremlin opposition said was a peaceful but symbolic protest against the re-election of Putin.

AFP: Authorities in Russia have detained some 74 people across the country for protest actions linked to the 'presidential election', a police monitoring group said on Sunday.

The Kyiv Independent: The Security Service of Ukraine drones have recently successfully attacked 12 oil refineries in Russia, a source told Ukrainska Pravda, including an overnight attack on March 17 of an oil refinery in Slavyansk-on-Kuban in Krasnodar Krai.

Reuters: Ukraine said on Sunday it does not plan to prolong a five-year deal with Russia's Gazprom on the transit of Russian gas to Europe or to sign another one.

Reuters: South Ossetia, a region that broke away from Georgia and calls itself an independent state, has discussed becoming part of Russia with Moscow officials, Russian news agency RIA cited the head of South Ossetia's parliament as saying on Sunday.

16.03.2024

The Kyiv Independent: French President Emmanuel Macron promised to come to Kyiv and bring "specific solutions" for the war, in an interview published on March 16.

The Guardian: Grant Shapps was forced to abandon a trip to Ukraine’s southern city of Odesa because of a Russian missile threat. The defence secretary aborted the visit after he was warned by British intelligence that the Russians had become aware of his travel plans.

AP News: Latvia´s state security service has started criminal proceedings against an European Parliament lawmaker and a citizen of the Baltic country who is suspected of cooperating with Russian intelligence and security services, according to Latvian media reports Saturday.

Reuters: A Ukrainian drone attack caused a fire at a Russian oil refinery that burned for hours on Saturday before it was brought under control in the latest of several damaging strikes this week on Russia's crude oil processing plants.

The Kyiv Independent: The Russian Volunteer Corps claimed to have captured 25 Russian soldiers during their incursions into Kursk and Belgorod oblasts, the militia said on its Telegram channel on March 16.

Anadolu Agency: Türkiye on Saturday reaffirmed that it does not recognize the “illegal annexation of Crimea” by Russia in 2014. Stating that the current situation in the peninsula "constitutes a violation of international law," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said it underlined support for Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Reuters: Europe should avoid "grand statements" and contradictions but rather have a clear and unified strategy against Russia with regards to its war in Ukraine, Italy's defence minister said, adding that Rome would never send troops to the conflict zone.

Bloomberg: Russia’s grip on the supply chain for nuclear power is strengthening, and its latest venture to feed Europe’s reactors is prompting outrage in Germany (archive).

Hindenburg: Polish fast-fashion clothing and home accessories retailer LPP S.A. had allegedly been faking exit from the Russian market since spring 2022, U.S. investment research firm Hindenburg Research said in its investigation.

POLITICO: Western countries, including the United States, shouldn’t be entirely opposed to the idea of sending troops to Ukraine if conditions there worsen, Finnish Foreign Minister said.

15.03.2024

Reuters: A Russian ballistic missile attack hit a residential area in Ukraine's Black Sea port city of Odesa on Friday, killing at least 20 people and wounding more than 70, in Moscow's deadliest attack in weeks, Ukrainian officials said.

The Kyiv Independent: Ukraine had identified Russia's "weakest spots" for future drone attacks, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 15 after meetings with top military and security officials.

Reuters: Ukraine's backers will use windfall profits on frozen Russian assets to finance arms purchases for Kyiv, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said following a meeting with his French and Polish counterparts aimed at showing unity after weeks of friction.

AP News: Germany, France and Poland vowed Friday to procure more weapons for Kyiv and step up production of military equipment along with partners in Ukraine, promising that Ukraine can rely on the trio of European powers as it tries to overcome a shortage of military resources.

Reuters: Ukraine urged Global South countries on Friday to do more to prevent their citizens from being recruited to fight for Russia in its war on Ukraine, presenting to the public what it said were eight prisoners of war from such countries.

POLITICO: Partisan infighting within Germany’s three-party ruling coalition is hardly novel, but rarely have the rifts been so open — and rarely have the stakes for Europe been higher.

Reuters: G7 nations are prepared to respond with severe new penalties that could include a ban on Iran Air flights to Europe if Iran proceeds with the transfer of close-range ballistic missiles to Russia, a senior U.S. official said on Friday.

Reuters: A United Nations commission of inquiry on Ukraine said on Friday that it had gathered more evidence that Russia has systematically tortured Ukrainian prisoners of war, documenting rape threats and the use of electric shocks on genitals.

Reuters: Finland plans to adopt temporary legislation that will allow its border authorities to block asylum seekers seeking to enter its territory from Russia, the government said on Friday.

The Kyiv Independent: Russian forces are concentrating their main efforts on making a breakthrough near the recently fallen town of Avdiivka, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on March 15.

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