Russia - Ukraine | News summary for 15 March
Russia-Ukraine war: live updates
Russian invasion of Ukraine headlines
- Ukrainian refugees top 3 million, half of which are children
- 103 children killed so far in war, Ukraine's prosecutor general says
- Senate passes resolution calling for Putin to be charged with war crimes
- Zelenskyy meets with PMs of the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovenia in person in Kyiv
- Two more journalists killed outside Kyiv. Fox News' Pierre Zakrzewski and Oleksandra Kuvshynova were working with colleague Benjamin Hall who was injured.
- Russian journalist and TV producer Marina Ovsyannikova released with a fine after anti-war protest on a state run channel
- At least two killed in Tuesday morning missile strike on Sviatoshynskyi district in western Kyiv
- Mariupol mayor confirms that around 350,000 people are still trapped in the city. Officials report that the city's "last reserves of food and water are running out”
- US warns China that military and economic support to Russia could bring about serious financial consequences for the country
Russia - Ukraine conflict information
- Can families in the US sponsor Ukrainian refugees?
- Gas prices are up around the world. Where are people seeing the quickest increase?
- Ukrainian officials say Russia is preparing a "false flag" operation on the Chernobyl nuclear power plant
- How does the Russian government prevent protests against the Kremlin?
Related News
103 children killed so far - Ukraine prosecutor general
The Ukrainian prosecutor general said on Wednesday 103 children have been killed so far in the war in Ukraine.
Russian forces have struck more than 400 educational establishments and 59 of them have been destroyed, Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova said on Facebook.
(Reuters)
Russian forces struggling with "challenges posed by Ukraine's terrain" - UK intelligence update
In its latest intelligence update on the Russian-Ukrainian war, the UK’s Ministry of Defence says Russia’s advance is being hindered by “the challenges posed by Ukraine’s terrain”.
“Russian forces have remained largely tied to Ukraine’s road network and have demonstrated a reluctance to conduct off-road manoeuvre,” the update said. “The destruction of bridges by Ukrainian forces has also played a key role in stalling Russia’s advance."
The statement also noted: “Russia’s continued failure to gain control of the air has drastically limited their ability to effectively use air manoeuvre, further limiting their options.
“The tactics of the Ukrainian Armed Forces have adeptly exploited Russia’s lack of manoeuvre, frustrating the Russian advance and inflicting heavy losses on the invading forces.”
UK Foreign Secretary Truss "sceptical" on peace talks over Ukraine
The UK's foreign secretary, Liz Truss, said she was "sceptical" about peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, adding Russian President Vladimir Putin had to be stopped "at all costs".
"I am sceptical about the peace talks whilst Putin is still waging war in Ukraine. He has to implement a ceasefire and withdraw his troops for those peace talks to be taken to be taken seriously," Truss told BBC TV.
(Reuters)
Nearly every second a Ukrainian child has been made a refugee
UNICEF Spokesperson James Elder gave press briefing on Tuesday on the state of the child refugee crisis produced by Russia's invasion of Ukraine since 24 February.
Since the start of the war more than 3 million Ukrainians have fled their country to escape the continuous bombardment of Russian forces on civilian areas. Half that number has been children which breaks down to over 75,000 children per day.
"This last number is particularly shocking. Every single minute, 55 children have fled their country. That is, a Ukrainian child has become a refugee almost every single second since the start of the war," Elder said.
"This refugee crisis is in terms of speed and scale, unprecedented since the Second World War, and is showing no signs of slowing down."
Photo by Gil Cohen-Magen via AFP of Ukrainian Jewish refugees who fled the war in their country as they wait inside a gymnasium in the Moldovan capital Chisinau before heading to the airport to board a plane to Israel where more than 9,000 Ukrainian refugees have sought shelter.
Senate unanimously calls for Putin to be charged with war crimes
The Senate unanimously passed a resolution to condemn Russian leader Vladimir Putin for the atrocities his Russian forces are commiting in Ukraine. At the same time it calls for the Russian president to be held accountable for war crimes and other human rights abuses that the Russian military have carried out during their invasion of Ukraine.
Three EU leaders make perilous trip to Kyiv to meet Zelenskyy face-to-face
The prime ministers of the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovenia met in person with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday. The three European leaders of NATO member countries arrived in Kyiv just before a new 35-hour curfew for the city started on Tuesday.
BBC News reports that they traveled by train to avoid provoking Russia with the use of a Polish military plane. President Zelensky said of their risky trip to Ukraine's capital under heavy bombardment that it is "a powerful expression of support for Ukraine."
Zelenskyy acknowledges Ukraine will not join NATO
We have heard for years that the doors were open, but we also heard that we could not join. It's a truth and it must be recognised. I am glad that our people are beginning to understand this and rely on themselves and our partners who help us.
Push for more US sanctions on Russia
This targets the 40% of other Russian products that come into the U.S. – whether they’re Russian diamonds or vodka or other elements. Everything we can do to squeeze the revenue of Russia, we ought to do.
On Tuesday, Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott in a memo to colleagues announced that long-time network cameraman Pierre Zakrzewski had been killed near Kyiv. The car he and fellow news crew members were travelling in came under fire while near the village of Horenka, outside of Kyiv according to the statement.
Although the statement from Scott only announced the death of Zakrzewski, Fox News journalists and Ukrainian officials report that Ukrainian producer Oleksandra Kuvshynova who was working with the Fox crew also died in the attack. Fellow Fox News correspondent Benjamin Hall was injured in the attack northwest of Kyiv and is now recovering from his injuries.
The past few days have been a poignant reminder of just how dangerous it can be to work in a war zone as a journalist with three deaths in as many days adding to the growing list.
Russian forces are leveling Mariupol
The Ukrainian port city of Mariupol in the southeast of Ukraine has been under continuous attack. 10 days ago Russian forces encircled the city of over 400,000 trapping civilians inside. On Tuesday, a humanitarian corridor managed to evacuate around 20,000 residents but about 350,000 remain.
The city has lost more residents, nearly double, to Russian shelling than the whole of the Ukrainian army.
Make the most of every day
I really liked my previous life, so I didn't appreciate it. But now I understand that we need to appreciate all the days we get.
Seens from Kharkiv which has been relentlessly shelled by Russians
Nargiz Gurbanova was working as a criminal defense lawyer in Kharkiv which has been under assault from Russian forces from Day One of the invasion. She now spends her days gathering evidence to present to the International Criminal Court of the destruction being wrought on Ukraine and her city so that those responsible for it in Russia are held to account.
Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko visits sight of Russian attack on residential building
Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv and his brother Wladimir Klitschko visit the site of the Russian attack on a 15-story residential building Tuesday morning to assess the destruction.
Efforts to save people trapped in building hit by Russian strike near kyiv
At least one person died and several injured when a series of early morning Russian strikes hit a residential building in the Svyatoshynskyi district of Kyiv. The area of the attack is near Irpin where there has been heavy fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces.
The attack resulted in a huge fire that trapped several people in the upper floors of the 15-story building.
Russian forces using civilian shields
Russia has come under heavy criticism for shelling residential areas and non-military infrastructure like a children's and maternity hospital in beseiged Mariupol. Both Russians and Ukrainians have accused the other of using civilians as human shield.
In the city of Bucha, northwest of Kyiv near Irpin reported video evidence shows at least Russian troops are using residential properties to hide their armored vehicles from being attacked. The Ukrainian resistance has taken a heavy toll on Russian armored vehicles as invading forces try to encircle the capitol Kyiv.
Two more journalist killed in Ukraine by Russian forces
On Monday a vehicle carrying a Fox News crew came under attack outside Kyiv and resulted in the death of two journalists travelling inside.
Long-time Fox News cameraman Pierre Zakrzewski had been on assignment in Ukraine since February died of injuries sustained, as well as Ukrainian journalist Oleksandra Kuvshynova who was working with the Fox crew.
Fellow Fox News correspondent Benjamin Hall was injured in the attack northwest of Kyiv and is now recovering from his injuries.
Russian forces also shot at another car carrying journalists on Sunday as it crossed a checkpoint in Irpin a suburb west of Kyiv. That attack resulted in the injury of photojournalist Juan Arredondo, and the death of videographer Brent Renaud.
Russian journalist Marina Ovsyannikova was arrested and detained after voicing her opposition to the invasion of Ukraine in an on-air protest on Monday. She appeared behind the main anchor on Russian’s main state news channel with a banner decrying the war, but has been released with a fine after appearing in court on Tuesday.
Detained journalist released after on-air protest
On Monday TV editor and journalist Marina Ovsyannikova appeared behind the regular anchor on Russia' main state-owned news channel, with a banner calling for the end of war in Ukraine. She was arrested by police yesterday and within the last few minutes has been released with just a fine.
Hillary, Biden and Psaki sanctioned by Russia
The Russian government has announced a raft of sanctions against a number of Amercan politicians and public figures, possibly in response to the mounting restrictions placed on Russia and Russian over the past three weeks. The list includes President Joe Biden, his son Hunter, and a number of other members of the Biden administration.
Also on the list is former presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, who took her sanctioning with good humour.
Firefighters rescue residents from bombed apartment block
In the early hours of Tuesday morning there were numerous reports of large explosion across the city of Kyiv and the Ukrainian capital came under attack from Russian strikes. The missiles hit a residential area, Sviatoshynskyi District, and sparked a huge fire and a frantic rescue effort to save residents from a 15-story apartment building.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine will give a virtual address to the United States Congress on Wednesday, following similar public remarks to the European Parliament and the United Kingdom’s House of Commons.
The Ukrainian leader has become the public face of the crisis in Eastern Europe and has repeatedly called on global powers to offer more support in the face of the Russian invasion. His remarks will be available to stream live online and carried by most major news networks.
Entrepreneur Elon Musk called out President Vladimir Putin in bizarre Twitter posts on Monday, appearing to suggest the pair settle the war in Ukraine with a fight.
The Eastern European country has been the subject of a brutal invasion from Russian forces for nearly three weeks and the Russian leader, a former KGB agent, has not shown any sign of relating in his quest the capture Ukraine.
Three journalists killed in Russian attacks on Ukraine so far
The conflict in Ukraine has drawn the eyes of the world and reporters have played a vital role in spreading awareness of the atrocities being commited on Ukrainian soil. The nation is under a sustained attack from Russian troops with missile strikes on civilian targets becoming increasingly common. The Kyiv Independent reports that three journalists have lost their lives as a result of the conflict so far, including American filmographer Brent Renaud.
Reports from Ukraine suggest Russian shelling is becoming more persistent
Today marks three weeks since Russian tanks first rolled into Ukraine in late February and the full-scale invasion began. The Ukrainian defenses have held strong against the vastly superior Russian military but there are signs that the Kremlin is becoming frustrated with the slow pace of the advance.
In the past week missile strikes on Ukrainian targets have become more indiscriminate, with civilian areas increasingly coming under attack. Only this morning an attack on an apartment block in the Sviatoshynskyi district of Kyiv killed at least two people.
European leaders will visit Kyiv in solidarity with Ukraine
The Prime Ministers of the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovenia have announced that they will travel to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv today to show support for Ukraine amid sustained attacks from Russia. The three leaders will meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, acting as representatives of the European Council.
A statement from the Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki released on Tuesday reads: "Europe must guarantee Ukraine's independence and ensure that it is ready to help in Ukraine's reconstruction."
On Sunday the war in Ukraine appeared to be in danger of spilling over into a NATO territory when a barrage of Russian missiles hit a Ukrainian military base just ten miles from the border with Poland. Russia has warned the US that any military aid shipments to Ukraine would be considered “legitimate targets” for the Russian armed forces, highlighting how perilous the current situation is.
NATO member states have a strict policy of mutual support, meaning that an attack on one would constitute an attack on all. But thwat would that mean in reality, and is there any danger of the US becoming embroiled in a global conflict?
Who is Marina Ovsyannikova?
Marina Ovsyannikova is a Russian TV producer and journalist, who had worked for the Chanel One Russia TV, a state run news channel. She was arrested Monday after disrupting a nightly broadcast to protest against the invasion of Ukraine.
Ovsyannikova's connection to the conflict is personal, her father is Ukrainian and her mother Russian and she said that they never "lived as enemies." In a video posted to social media before staging the protest, she said that she was "ashamed of working for Kremlin propaganda."
She has been arrtested after protesting the war by running up behind a news broadcaster during a nightly address with a sign that read "No war. Don't believe the propaganda, here they are lying to you, Russians against war." Shortly after she was arrested.
Price of wheat soars as war wages in 'the breadbasket of the world'
Half of the world's sunflower seed oil and around a third of global what production comes from Ukraine, earning the nation the nickname 'the breadbasket of the world'. As the Russian invasion continues, production of these goods will drop significantly.
Prices of wheat futures are hitting the highest prices seen since 2008 when the financial crisis sent markets surging upwards. This rapid increase in price can be incredibly destabilizing, especially in low income countries.
At this point, leaders on hunger and global food supply chains are sending out a stark warning that famine could hit many countries this fall if production and supply aren't unable to increase. In addition to production levels falling in Ukraine, China has reported a poor harvest that will put further pressure on the prices of wheat in international markets.
President Zelensky thanks Russian journalist Marina Ovsyanikova
Russian journalist Marina Ovsyanikova staged an anti-war protest, sneaking into the backgrounf of a live news broadcast on a Russian state-ran news channel. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has released a short video thanking her for her bravery.
Vocal Putin critic could be imprisoned for 13 years
Prominent opposition politician and vocal critic of Putin, Alexei Navalny, has called for anti-war protests across Russia in recent days in response to the invasion of Ukraine. Navalny was jailed last year after returning to Russia having recovered from a poison attack during a visit to Siberia in 2020. The anti-corruption politician has been behind bars since then and Russian prosecutors have requested that he be sentenced to 13 years in prison.
Over the past year the United States has imported an average of 179 barrels of Russian oil each day. From an export perspective, the US is not a major market for Russian crude oil, representing only around four percent of the total market share. However with the price of oil surging globally American companies, and therefore consumers, will have to pay a steep price for the alternatives.
With the US announcing a ban on Russian oil and gas, many are wondering what other countries the US may look to for crude oil.
Is Russia expanding its targets in Ukraine?
According to the US Department of Defense, Russia has begun to target an increased number of military bases in western Ukraine. Air raid sirens have been heard daily in the western city of Lviv, which could place further strain on humanitarian efforts in the country as many have fled into the city as their areas were attacked in the first three weeks of the war.
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We'll bring you all the latest from Ukraine and Eastern Europe as the Russian invasion reaches the three-week mark. European nations are looking to impose tough new sanctions against Russia but the Kremlin is showing little sign of pulling back forces from Ukraine.