On the 388th day of the full-scale Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine Russian troops continue to try to keep the captured settlements of the neighboring country under control. The armed forces and units of the territorial defense of Ukraine resist aggression. It is impossible to verify the statements of representatives of both sides from independent sources. According to the UN, more than 16 million Ukrainians have already left their homes. DW is watching developments Saturday, March 18 (Moscow time).
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President of Russia Vladimir Putin signed the bill on imprisonment for “discrediting” all participants in the war in Ukraine – including volunteers and individuals helping the RF Armed Forces. Article 207.3 of the Criminal Code, which provides for up to 15 years in prison if “fakes” caused serious consequences, added a clause on the prohibition of “fakes” about volunteer formations, organizations or individuals who assist in the fulfillment of tasks “assigned to the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.”
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On the night of March 18, Russian kamikaze drones attacked, among others, the Lviv region. According to the head of the region Maxim Kozitsky, three of the six drones were shot down. “Three more drones hit non-residential premises in the Yavoriv district. The premises were damaged, but, fortunately, there were no casualties,” Kozitsky wrote on Telegram.
Fighting over the past day
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Russian troops conducted limited offensive operations in the Luhansk region along the Kupyansk-Svatovo-Kremennaya line, including in the area of Gryanikovka, Kremennaya, Verkhnekamensky and Disputed, but were not successful, reported American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) . Unsuccessful attempts by the Russians to attack near Makeevka, Nevsky, Yampolovka, Belogorovka and Chernopopovka are noted. In parallel, Russian troops continued offensive operations in Bakhmut, Donetsk region, and the surrounding area. According to ISW, Ukrainian troops repelled Russian attacks near Orekhovo-Vasilyevka and Grigorovka, as well as near Ivanovka and Kleshcheevka. Russian attacks are reported near Khromovo and Bogdanovka. Based on the geolocation images, the Russians have made minimal progress in the northern part of Bakhmut, ISW notes, adding that the Ukrainians are building up forces for a counteroffensive against Russian troops.
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Over the past day, the Russian occupiers have concentrated their main efforts on conducting offensive operations in the Limansky, Bakhmutsky, Avdeevsky, Maryinsky and Shakhtyorsky directions. military personnel The Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled more than 100 Russian attacks, reported in the morning summary General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Aviation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine inflicted six strikes on the areas of concentration of the occupiers, and units of missile forces and artillery hit two areas of concentration of enemy personnel and one deployment position of enemy air defense systems.
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ROn the night of March 18, the Russian military subjected several regions of Ukraine to an attack by kamikaze drones. According to the air forces of the Ukrainian army, a total of 16 drones were involved. The Ukrainian air defense forces managed to destroy 11 loitering projectiles, according to the Telegram channel of the Armed Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
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UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths stated at a meeting of the UN Security Council that the world organization will do everything possible to grain dealconcluded between Russia and Ukraine, has been extended. This is critical to global food security, he stressed. The agreement signed on July 22, 2022, allowing the export of Ukrainian grain from the Black Sea ports, expires on Saturday, March 18. Earlier, Ukraine and Russia agreed in principle to extend the agreement. However, in Moscow they called the extension period – 60 days, in Kyiv – 120.
OVA: Russians launched a missile attack on Zaporozhye at night
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Russian troops on the night of March 18 inflicted rocket attack on Zaporozhyereported in Telegram channel of the Zaporozhye OVA. “Rashists once again attacked a peaceful city,” the OVA said in a statement. “S-300 missiles were directed at the territory of one of the residential complexes. , roofs”.
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United States National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, defense minister Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley held on Friday online video conference talks with Ukrainian officials. As indicated in the message of the White House, representatives of Ukraine informed about the current situation at the front and expressed gratitude for the help, the Americans in response announced unwavering support for Ukrainewhich defends its sovereignty and territorial integrity. It is emphasized that at the end of the conversation, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky joined the conversation.
The press service of the Office of the President of Ukraine, in turn, announced the participation in these negotiations of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhny and the head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak.
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German Olympic Sports Association DOSB still stands for exclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes. This is stated in the statement of the organization, published after the meeting of the DOSB presidium in Hannover on March 17. “Russia and Belarus should not be given the opportunity to use the participation and success of their athletes in international competitions in order to promote war,” – stated in the statement. In the same time DOSB rejects boycott on principle international competitions, in particular the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris in 2024. “The victims of such a boycott will be exclusively athletes, who may lose their only chance to realize their Olympic dream.”
In Kyiv, during the night attack of the Russians, all kamikaze drones were destroyed
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In Kyiv destroyed all kamikaze droneswho attacked the capital of Ukraine. This was announced on Telegram by the head of the Kyiv City Military Administration (GVA) Serhiy Popko. “The enemy once again launched Shahed loitering ammunition in the direction of Kiev,” he wrote. “Our air defense forces destroyed all air targets. Once again, we thank them for their excellent work. According to information at the moment, there are no casualties and destruction. The information is being specified.”
The White House commented on the issuance of a court order in The Hague for the arrest of Putin
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The White House commented on the decision of the International Criminal Court issue an arrest warrant Vladimir Putin. “Prosecutor International Criminal Court is an independent person and makes its own judicial decisions based on the evidence available to it. The perpetrators of war crimes must be held accountable,” the statement said.
“There is no doubt that Russia is committing war crimes and atrocities in Ukraine,” US State Department spokesman Ned Price said.
US President Joe Biden, commenting on the decision of the court, said that Vladimir Putin “clearly committed war crimes”and the issuance of a warrant for his arrest by the International Criminal Court in The Hague is warranted.
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Three drones destroyed in Dnipro regionBut two drone strikes hit a critical infrastructure facility in Novomoskovsk, said the Vostok air command and the head of the Dnepropetrovsk OVA, Sergei Lysak. A critical infrastructure object has been hit by drones, there is serious damage, all services are working, the consequences of the attack are being clarified, the head of the OVA wrote.
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Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) António Guterres announced that will continue communication and meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putindespite the issuance of the ICC warrants for his arrest. According to the representative of the office of the UN Secretary General Stephane Dujarric, the International Criminal Court is not legally connected with the UN Secretariat in the context of such issues. “We take the position that the Secretary General will talk to whom he needs to talk to in order to resolve the issues that are before him,” Dujarric said.
Zelensky: “Putin’s arrest warrant is a historic decision”
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Called a warrant for the arrest of Vladimir Putin a historic decision President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyissued March 17 at the International Criminal Court. “The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Putin. A historic decision that will begin historic responsibility,” he said in an evening video message to citizens. “The head of a terrorist state and another Russian official have officially become suspects in a war crime. In the deportation of Ukrainian children – the illegal transfer of thousands of our children to the territory of a terrorist state.”
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Ukrainian Telegram channels publish photos pillar of fire in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Earlier, the mayor of the city of Novomoskovsk, Sergei Reznik, reported explosions in the city. There were reports that Ukrainian air defenses in the sky over Dnepropetrovsk region were probably shooting down enemy drones.
Ukrainian air defense shoots down Russian drones over the Kyiv region
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Air defense of Ukraine works on Russian drones attacking the country over the Kyiv and Zhytomyr regions. This is reported by the local authorities. Head of the President’s Office Andrey Ermak wrote in Telegram: “Balalaikas are shot down by air defense forces. But don’t ignore the alarm.”
An air alert was announced in Kyiv and the Kyiv region, as well as in the Poltava, Kharkov, Chernihiv, Zhytomyr, Kherson, Nikolaev and Rivne regions. The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed to Ukrayinska Pravda that the Russians are attacking with Shahed drones from the north and southeast directions.
Chronicle of events March 17 14.00 – 23.59 >>>
Chronicle of events March 17 00.00 – 13.59 >>>
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