As the war enters its 749th day, major developments include:
This is the situation as of Wednesday, March 13, 2024.
finding
- At least three people were killed and 38 injured, 10 of them children, when Russian missiles hit two apartment buildings in Kryvyi Rikh, central Ukraine.
- A group of pro-Ukrainian Russian volunteer fighters opposed to Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a cross-border raid from Ukraine into Russia's Kursk and Belgorod regions. Russia's Ministry of Defense announced that seven attacks were thwarted and approximately 234 combatants were killed.
- The Russian government said it had shot down 25 Ukrainian drones across eight regions as part of an all-out attack on energy facilities, including Russia's second-largest oil refinery.
- Russia claimed to have captured the village of Neveske in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region. Ukraine's General Staff said the Russian attack in the region had been repulsed.
- Ukraine's intelligence agency SBU announced that it had arrested 15 members of a network suspected of being involved in pro-Russian “information sabotage activities.” The SBU announced that it had detained four people, including a priest from the Moscow-linked Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). The SBU said the network was affiliated with Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB).
politics and diplomacy
- Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk visited the United States and appealed to Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson to quickly pass a bill providing $60 billion in new military aid to Ukraine. Mr Tusk said “thousands of lives” would be lost if Mr Johnson did not act.
- Tusk's appeal comes as Democrats and a small group of moderate Republicans have begun working on separate long-term goals to force a vote on the aid package, which has been stalled for months due to opposition from hardline conservatives. Plans are stalled.
- French lawmakers have voted in favor of a 10-year Ukraine security agreement that includes a commitment to send up to 3 billion euros ($3.2 billion) in military aid to Kiev in 2024.
- Thousands of people took to the streets in Slovakia's capital Bratislava to protest against the government and show support for Ukraine. Since taking power in October last year, Prime Minister Roberto Fico's government has criticized Europe's military aid to Ukraine and promoted repairing relations with Russia.
weapons
- The White House has announced it can send $300 million worth of new military aid to Ukraine following “unexpected” cost savings from a Pentagon contract. The funds will be used for shells and ammunition for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS).
- Ukrainian Army Chief Oleksandr Shirushkyi and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov spoke by phone with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin regarding the delivery of weapons. Shirschiky said ammunition and air defense are key priorities.
- Denmark's Ministry of Defense has announced that it will provide Ukraine with a new military aid package that includes Caesar artillery systems and ammunition worth approximately 2.3 billion Danish crowns ($336.6 million).
- European Union countries are expected to reach an agreement as early as Wednesday on the European Peace Facility, a military aid fund for Ukraine.