Ukraine Daily

Thursday, March 10

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Russia’s war against Ukraine

Ukraine’s and Russia’s foreign ministers arrived in Turkey for their first high-level talks since the Russia launched its military attack. Turkey has offered to mediate between the two sides amid Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Zelensky: ‘Only after direct talks between the two presidents can we end this war.’ Zelensky told Bild TV there had been no direct contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russia has fired 710 missiles against Ukraine since the start of its full-scale war on Feb. 24 , according to a senior U.S. defense official. Russian forces have gotten closer to the cities of Kharkiv and Mykolaiv, CNN reports.

Russian aircraft bomb Okhtyrka and the village of Bytytsya in Sumy Oblast. The overnight attacks on March 9 destroyed residential neighborhoods and infrastructure, according to head of the Sumy regional administration Dmytro Zhyvytsky. He also said that Russian forces have been bombing Okhtyrka every day and night.

Ukrainian air force destroys at least eight targets in two days. Ukraine wiped out four Russian Su-25 aircraft, two helicopters, and two cruise missiles in Kyiv and the Joint Force Operation regions on March 8-9, Interfax news agency reports, citing the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Ukraine’s updated estimates of total Russian losses are 56 aircraft and 82 helicopters.

Ukraine’s military: Ukraine regains control of Derhachi, Kharkiv Oblast. Head of Kharkiv Regional State Administration Oleh Synegubov announced that Russian forces were attempting to encircle the city but were repelled by a Ukrainian counterattack.

WSJ: Russia drops from global indexes this week. MSCI Inc., S&P Dow Jones Indices, and FTSE Russell stated on March 9 that Russian stocks would be removed from global stock benchmarks at a price of “zero” or “effectively zero.”

US top general in Europe: anti-tank, anti-aircraft weapons more effective for Ukraine than MiG-29s. Commander of U.S. European Command Gen. Tod Wolters said Ukrainians were “making excellent use of these weapons now” and that adding more aircraft would have a marginal benefit and potentially escalate the war.

United States calls Russian disinformation about U.S. biowarfare labs in Ukraine “laughable.” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby dispelled on March 9 false claims by Russia that the U.S. is operating a biowarfare facility in Ukraine. State Department spokesman Ned Price said also on March 9 that Russia “is inventing false pretexts in an attempt to justify its own horrific actions in Ukraine.”

Ukraine launches website to track human rights violations by Russia. Head of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office Andriy Yermak said the collected information will be used as evidence against Russia in the European Court of Human Rights and the International Court of Justice.

Read the Kyiv Independent’s exclusive on how Ukraine evacuates 48,000 people, many still in dire conditions amid Russian attacks.

WSJ: Iconic Russian car manufacturer Lada halts production. Due to Western sanctions, the company was forced to halt operations as it could not source the necessary parts and supplies.

US rejects Poland’s offer to supply fighter jets to Ukraine, cites “high risks.” After Poland offered to transfer its Russian-made MiG-29 fighter jets to a U.S. base in Germany in order to replenish Ukraine’s air force, the Pentagon assessed that the move may be seen as escalatory.

UK fears Russia may be setting stage to use chemical weapons. The U.S. and British officials said that there is a “good reason” to be concerned about this especially amid Russia’s experience of using such weapons during the war in Syria.

Russians reportedly promise Russian passports to citizens of occupied Berdiansk. The news was broadcast on local radio, along with a promise to write off all home utilities debts for the residents of the port city.

Russia loses 56 planes, 82 helicopters in 2 weeks of fighting. The numbers were released by the Ukrainian armed forces. Ukrainian losses have not been disclosed.

Read the Kyiv Independent’s exclusive on how Ukraine’s biggest children’s hospital - Kyiv-based Ohmatdyt - treats people wounded by Russian attacks.

Kremlin spokesman: Putin was unaware that Russian conscripts were sent to Ukraine. Dmitry Peskov claimed that Russian armed forces had clear instructions not to involve conscripts in the invasion of Ukraine. It’s the first time that Russia admitted sending conscripted soldiers to fight in Ukraine.

The human cost of Russia’s war

At least three people, including a child, were killed and 17 more were injured in a Russian airstrike on a maternity hospital in Ukraine’s Mariupol on March 9, according to city officials. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said: “Dropping a bomb on a maternity hospital — it’s the ultimate proof that what is happening is genocide of Ukrainians.”

UNICEF: More than 1 million children have fled Ukraine since start of Russia’s all-out war. UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell said at least 37 children have been killed and 50 injured in less than two weeks, while over 1 million children had to flee Ukraine to neighboring countries.

UN reports over 500 civilians killed in Ukraine. As of March 9, the United Nations Office for Human Rights had recorded 1,424 civilian casualties, 516 killed, including 37 children, and 908 injured after Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. The organization believes that the actual figures are “considerably higher, especially in government-controlled areas.”

International response

IMF approves $1.4 billion in emergency financing support to Ukraine. The funds will help Ukraine meet urgent financing needs and mitigate the economic impact of Russia’s war.

U.S. House passes ban on import of Russian oil, natural gas, and coal. The bill will also reassess Russia’s relationship with the World Trade Organization, as well as reinstate the Magnitsky Act to “strengthen sanctions on Russia for human rights violations.”

Rio Tinto PLC, the world’s second-largest miner by market value, to withdraw from Russia. Rio Tinto, which is a purchaser of Russian fuel, among other products, stated on March 10 that it will be “terminating all commercial relationships with any Russian businesses.”

U.S. House of Representatives passes spending bill with $13.6 billion in aid to Ukraine. U.S. House members more than doubled the Biden administration’s original request for emergency aid for Ukraine, allocating $6.5 billion to the Pentagon for military assistance and $6.6 billion in humanitarian assistance and economic aid to Ukraine amid Russia’s all-out war.

U.S. Commerce Secretary: ‘There is no expiration date’ on export sanctions against Russia. U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo stated on March 9 that the export controls will last “as long as it takes.” She also noted that the U.S. is “in it to win”, and warned that any country, including China, would face repercussions if it did not abide by the export restrictions.

France to allocate 100 million euros in financial aid to populations affected by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The French Foreign Ministry also announced on March 9 that it has also committed 100 tons of supplies to those affected by the war, according to Interfax news agency.

Xiaomi, Oppo and Huawei cut smartphone shipments to Russia as rouble collapses. Since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, shipments from leading Chinese smartphone producers have fallen by at least half, people familiar with the matter told the Financial Times.

Japanese companies Sony and Epson withdraw from Russian market. Sony has halted sales of its PlayStation consoles and software in Russia. Epson will suspend exports of its products to Russia and Belarus and has pledged $1 million to the UNHCR to support humanitarian relief.

WarnerMedia, Discovery pause broadcasting in Russia. Warner Media, which includes HBO, CNN, TNT, Cartoon Network, along with Discovery’s 15 channels went off-air in Russia on March 9.

Producers of Finlandia, Jack Daniel’s, Lindt chocolate suspend business in Russia. The American premium spirits producer Brown-Forman, chocolate maker Lindt & Spruengli join the numerous companies that have suspended business operations in Russia.

Polish Senate unanimously adopts resolution on Ukraine’s membership in EU under fast-track procedure. 93 Sejm senators voted in favor. “The Ukrainian soldiers defend their country, defend the whole of Europe,” the resolution reads.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Asami Terajima, Daria Shulzhenko, Natalia Datskevych, Sergiy Slipchenko, Teah Pelechaty, Olena Goncharova, Oleksiy Sorokin, Olga Rudenko, Toma Istomina, Lili Bivings and Brad LaFoy.

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