Russia-Ukraine war. Timeline of events, March 14-15

🔘Joe Biden has signed a budget providing $13.6 billion in aid to Ukraine

🔘The prime ministers of Poland, Slovenia and the Czech Republic have arrived in Kyiv. “It is here, in war-torn Kyiv, that history is being made. This is where freedom fights the world of tyranny. It is here that the future of each of us hangs in the balance”, wrote the Prime Minister of Poland.

Photo: destroyed bridge in Irpin – Real Kyiv

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🔘Fox News TV cameraman Pierre Zakrevskiy and Ukrainian journalist Oleksandra Kurshinova were killed during an artillery raid on the outskirts of Kyiv. Correspondent Benjamin Hall was injured.

🔘Deputy head of Zelensky’s office speaks of “moderate optimism” in the context of negotiations with Russia: “Negotiations between the Russian Federation and Ukraine have become more constructive, a future agreement is being discussed”.

Video: family escapes from the besieged Maruipol, passing a dead body on the street

In Ukraine: 

🔘Fox News TV cameraman Pierre Zakrevskiy and Ukrainian journalist Oleksandra Kurshinova were killed during an artillery raid on the outskirts of Kyiv. Correspondent Benjamin Hall was injured.

🔘Deputy head of Zelensky’s office speaks of “moderate optimism” in the context of negotiations with Russia:

🔘”Negotiations between the Russian Federation and Ukraine have become more constructive, a future agreement is being discussed.”

Video: destruction of a Russian tank somewhere in Ukraine – UNIAN

Anti-Russian sanctions: 

🔘The EU has banned the export of cars worth more than 50,000 thousand, as well as a number of luxury goods to Russia. A new package of sanctions also involves restrictions on trade of iron and steel with Russia. Sanctions included, in particular, Rosneft, Transneft, Gazprom Neft, KAMAZ, Sovcomflot and Rostec, as well as several journalists who work on state television channels.

🔘PACE plans to organize a hearing at which Transnistria can be officially recognized as an occupied territory. PACE members from Georgia, Turkey, Ukraine, Romania, France, Estonia, Great Britain proposed to officially recognize the Russian occupation of Transnistria and the act of military aggression against the Republic of Moldova.

🔘White House Speaker Psaki spoke about Russian sanctions against President Biden and other US government officials: “President Biden and other US officials do not plan on going on tourist trips to Russia and do not have bank accounts there”.

🔘The International Monetary Fund has published analytics, according to which, due to the situation around Ukraine and anti-Russian sanctions, Europe is threatened with a “deep recession”. The IMF predicts negative consequences for the global economy, food and energy prices will rise “Unprecedented sanctions against Russia will harm economic cooperation and trade in Europe, which will inevitably lead to a deep recession there”, the IMF analyst said.

In Russia:

🔘The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that 313 Canadian citizens were added on the sanctions list, including the heads of the foreign and defense ministries. The Kremlin also banned Prime Minister Trudeau from entering the country.

🔘The head of the international committee of the State Duma Slutsky: “upon leaving the Council of Europe, Russia will be forced to denounce the European Convention on Human Rights, but despite this, all the rights of Russians will be unconditionally guaranteed”.

🔘 Marina Ovsyannikova was fined 30,000 rubles (about $280) for going live on Russian state Channel One with an anti-war poster.

🔘Russia and China are strategic partners and look at the situation in the world in a similar way,” said Vasily Nebenzya, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN, answering a question about media publications about China’s assistance in the war against Ukraine: “We are strategic partners with China. We look at the world and the situation in it in a similar way”, he said.

🔘The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that Russia has imposed personal sanctions against US President Biden, Secretary of State Blinken and 11 other US officials.

🔘Bloomberg has predicted a default in Russia in the near future as Russia’s external debt reaches $150 billion. The publication predicts three scenarios for the development of the current situation:

1) Russia will pay off the debt in dollars. This would mean that the default is delayed until at least April 4;

2) Russia pays in rubles – the payment on Wednesday will be considered proceeded only if it is made in foreign currency, otherwise it will mean a default;

3) Russia does not pay – non-payment on Wednesday will trigger a grace period of 30 days, after which a default occurs.

Photo: People flee Kyiv to Warsaw by train — Real Kyiv

Situation in Ukraine:

🔘The Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine reports that since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, 97 children have died and more than 100 have been injured.

🔘 Advisor to the Mayor of Mariupol, Petr Andryushchenko, said that the number of victims of the shelling of the city could reach approximately 20,000 people. About 80% of the residential areas are uninhabitable. However, the Mariupol City Hall does not confirm the information about the victims: “Official and confirmed information as of the end of March 14: approximately 2,357 Mariupol residents have died”.

🔘The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has extended martial law from March 26 for another 30 days upon the request of President Zelensky.

🔘President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky: “We realized that Ukraine will not become a member of NATO. We understand this, we are adequate people”. Zelensky also said that Kiyv needs new formats of interaction with the West and separate security guarantees.

Video: Destroyed apartment building in Obolon, Kyiv – Trukha

Sanctions against Russia and assistance to Ukraine: 

🔘The UK has imposed new sanctions against more than 350 Russian individuals and legal entities.

🔘US Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith has said that NATO is not considering introducing a no-fly zone over Ukraine. He called the idea of ​​supplying Ukraine with Polish MiG-29 fighters untenable.

🔘CNN reports that the US Congress and President Zelensky have asked Joe Biden administration to transfer Soviet-made heavy weapons to Ukraine.

🔘Tire manufacturer Michelin suspends exports to Russia and production activities in the country

In Russia:

🔘Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has stated that among the goals pursued by Russia in negotiations with Ukraine is the abolition of “all discriminatory restrictions that have been imposed on the Russian language, Russian education, culture, Russian media”.

🔘The head of Belarus Lukashenko said that Belarusian troops would not take part in the war in Ukraine.

🔘The head of the Russian Council for Human Rights, Fadeev, said that he does not consider the law on “fakes” about the Russian military to be censorship. According to him, most of the materials on the Internet about the war in Ukraine, especially those coming from “the other side”, are “knowingly unreliable”:

“No, this is not censorship. Anyone can express their opinion. – I will clarify – within reasonable limits”.

🔘Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy Alexander Khinshtein said that about 20 popular VPN services have already been blocked in Russia. Roskomnadzor intends to continue this work in this direction.

Photo: A woman with a poster “6th commandment. Thou shalt not kill” was detained near Russia’s main Chirst the Saviour cathedral — Avtozak LIVE

🔘The European Union has introduced a new package of sanctions against Russia, which provides for a ban on new investments in the energy sector and transactions with some Russian state-owned enterprises. Exceptions are made for peaceful atom and transportation of energy resources to the EU countries. The EU prohibits European agencies from assigning ratings to Russia and Russian companies. A ban is being introduced on the import of certain steel products, the supply of which is estimated at 3.3 billion euros. The list of persons associated with the Russian defense or industrial complex, for whom restrictions have been tightened, is expanding. There is also a ban on investment in the Russian energy sector, as well as a massive export ban on equipment, components and services for the energy industry. It is forbidden to export luxury goods to Russia.

🔘Today, the prime ministers of Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovenia will arrive in Kyiv for a personal meeting with Zelensky.

🔘More than three million refugees have left Ukraine since the beginning of the war, UN reports

🔘Lebanon begins to draw up lists of volunteers who want to fight in the Ukrainian war on the side of Russia – RIA Novosti

Video: Artillery strike in Kyiv during rescue work near a house destroyed by a previous hit. — Trukha

Situation in Ukraine:

🔘A curfew is introduced in Kyiv today from 21.00 to 08.00 Thursday. It is forbidden to move around without a special permit – Mayor Klitschko

🔘Deputy Mayor of Izyum about the humanitarian catastrophe in the city:

“The city of Izyum has been under siege for two weeks. Without water, light, heat, food, medicine, communications. The situation is no better than Mariupol”

🔘Zelensky signed a law criminalizing cooperation with Russia. It provides for punishment in the form of imprisonment for up to 15 years.

🔘Losses due to hostilities in the country may amount to about $ 500 billion – Ministry of Defense of Ukraine

Video: The city of Akhtyrka, Sumy region, after the strikes of Russian troops – UNIAN

International response to Ukranian war: 

🔘Boris Johnson has called the lack of response from the West to the annexation of Crimea and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2014 a terrible mistake. Britain has also banned the export of luxury goods to Russia.

🔘Japan has expanded the list of goods and technologies that are prohibited from exporting to Russia as part of the sanctions imposed against it due to the military operation in Ukraine, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan said. The list has been expanded from 57 to 300 items. From March 18, the export of semiconductors, equipment for maritime and aviation security, etc. will be banned.

In Russia:

🔘The decision on the possible return of the DPR and LPR to Ukraine remains with the residents of the republics – RIA Novosti with reference to the Russian Foreign Ministry

🔘The ban on the sale of cash currency to banks quickly led to the emergence of a shadow foreign exchange market in Russia. – Kommersant

🔘The administrative article “for discrediting the armed forces of the Russian Federation”, according to which the security forces wanted to prosecute the editor of the Russian Channel One, Marina Ovsyannikova, who appeared on the news yesterday with an anti-war poster, was changed to a criminal offence. Now a case has been  against her under the article “Public dissemination of knowingly false information about the use of the RF Armed Forces.” The maximum penalty under this article is 15 years in prison. The whereabouts of Marina Ovsyannikova is still unknown.

🔘Today, NTV presenter Lilia Gildeeva, who has worked on the channel since 2006, left Russia and wrote a letter of resignation from abroad. According to her, she was afraid that she would not be let our of the country.

🔘Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine will resume today, on March 15. “A peace agreement with Russia can be reached at best within one to two weeks, or in May at the latest”, said Arestovich, an adviser to the head of Vladimir Zelensky’s office.

🔘The International Court in The Hague is ready to issue a verdict in Ukraine v Russia case. The decision will be announced on March 16

🔘Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov, abducted by Russian troops, is currently located in the occupied Luhansk, and he is accused of “terrorism”. This is reported by the Ukrainian media with reference to the Zaporozhye Regional Military Administration.

Video: Kharkiv hit by rocket attacks at night – UNIAN

🔘Morning reports from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine:

The armed forces carry out strikes against groupings of troops and logistics.

During the day, 4 helicopters, 1 aircraft, and a cruise missile have been shot down.

The Russian troops had no success, and efforts to hold the lines will continue.

Russia continues to carry out missile and bomb strikes on critical infrastructure

Russian troops use medical support facilities in the occupied territories, and use civilian infrastructure facilities to deploy military equipment

The Ukrainian army has successfully repulsed attacks on Mariupol.

Photo: Current situation in Ukraine according to the French Foreign Ministry

🔘The head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Denis Monastyrsky, said that tens of thousands of machine guns have been given to the population to participate in hostilities against Russia. The distribution process continues.

Photo: The result of the shelling of a residential area of ​​Kyiv – Ukraine 24\7

Video: Russian troops fired at a bus stop with people

Reaction in the world:

🔘State Department: The US is imposing sanctions on 11 officials from the Russian defence sector. Sanctions will include Rosoboronexport CEO Alexander Mikheev, head of the National Guard Viktor Zolotov, 8 deputy defence ministers and head of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation Dmitry Shugaev. Also, according to CNBC, the US plans to impose a complete embargo on trade with Russia, as well as to close the country’s access to international sea routes.

The European Union has agreed on the fourth package of sanctions against Russia. The targets will be close friends of Putin. It is proposed to make it impossible to use crypto assets to circumvent sanctions by the authorities and the elite, as well as to prohibit the export of any luxury goods to Russia.

🔘The European Aviation Safety Agency has deprived Russian airlines of certificates for flights in the skies of the European Union.

Photo: Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich at an Israeli airport waiting for a flight to Turkey after Israel joined the sanctions against Russia. — Nexta live

In Russia:

Video: During a live broadcast on the Russian state First Channel, a woman ran into the studio with an anti-war poster. — Meduza live

🔘The girl with the poster turned out to be Channel One editor Marina Ovsyannikova. She was detained.Before the broadcast, Ovsyannikova recorded a video message in which she condemned the war in Ukraine and stated that she was ashamed of her propaganda activities.The media report that a protocol was drawn up against the girl under the article on discrediting the Russian armed forces, introduced after the start of the war.

🔘The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that it was going to strike at the factories of the military-industrial complex of Ukraine:

“In response to these actions [missile strike on Donetsk], prompt measures will be taken to disable the enterprises of the military-industrial complex of Ukraine.”

🔘The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation announced that the entire Kherson region of Ukraine was occupied by Russian troops

🔘According to two CNN sources, Russia has requested military assistance from China. We are talking about packaged non-perishable military food kits, air defense systems and drones. Russia and China deny information about Chinese assistance.

🔘The head of RosKosmos, Dmitry Rogozin, threatened that if by the time the domestic orbital station is deployed, the Russians “continue to live in this hostile world,” then the station will not be peaceful, but “military-applied” .Rogozin did not give any further details. This refers to the NEM-1 module, which Russia has been building for more than a decade. Its launch is constantly delayed. It was assumed that the module would become part of the ISS.

🔘In Russia, the performances of Ukrainian and Russian artists who opposed the war in Ukraine will be banned, the Agency reports, citing an unnamed concert promoter.

🔘Zelensky’s adviser Mikhail Podolyak said that a technical pause had been taken in negotiations with Russia. They will continue tomorrow.

🔘Vladimir Zelensky will address the US Congress on March 16.

This is reported by NBC News, citing a joint statement by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

🔘The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced the arrival of the first 400 mercenaries from Syria, the dispatch of which was recently approved by Vladimir Putin:

According to the agency, they are located near the Ukrainian border in Russia (Rostov region) and Belarus (Gomel region) and are being trained. The General Staff emphasized that “the Syrians will not be taken prisoner – they will be shot immediately.”

🔘“90 children have died in Ukraine, more than 100 were injured. Terrifying statistics. These criminals will be held responsible for each of our children”, said Prosecutor General Irina Venediktova.

🔘Russian troops stopped blocking the work of the “green corridor” for Mariupol residents. Several dozen cars have already been able to leave the city, UNIAN reports with reference to the Ukrainian authorities.

🔘Russian artillery heavily damaged treatment facilities in the Zaporozhye region, Ukrainian media report. Wastewater now enters the Dnieper River without any treatment.

The water station in Chernihiv has also been hit. Many areas have been deprived of water supply.

Photo: Damage at a water treatment plant. — UNIAN

🔘UN Secretary General about the strike of the Ukrainian Armed Forces with the Tochka U missile on Donetsk: “Any strike on civilian infrastructure is regrettable”. The UN will also allocate another $40 million to provide humanitarian assistance to Ukrainians.

Video: Ukrainian BTR-4 fighting Russian troops on the streets of Mariupol – UNIAN

International response:

🔘Israel announced its accession to international sanctions against Russia.“Israel will not become a way to circumvent the sanctions that the West has imposed on Russia”, said Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid.

🔘The Polish authorities said that the issue of transferring combat aircraft to Ukraine is not yet resolved. Poland has already received 1.8 million refugees from Ukraine.

🔘The German government will no longer provide information on the supply of weapons to Ukraine – Associated Press. According to German government spokesman Wolfgang Buechner, these measures are being taken “in order to avoid security risks”. “The goal of Russia is to cut off the supply routes (weapons) to Ukraine and strengthen its own defense, and we do not want to contribute to this,” AP quotes German Defense Ministry spokesman Arne Kollatz.

🔘The President of the European Commission informed Zelensky about the 4th package of sanctions against Russia. She also reaffirmed the material assistance to Ukraine: “The EU is with the Ukrainian people. We are supporting them with a €1.2 billion macro-financial assistance package and €500 million in humanitarian assistance”.

🔘Shares of Chinese companies have collapsed on record amid news of Russia’s request for military assistance – Bloomberg. Investors fear Western sanctions against China, which is moving closer to Russia. China denies any involvement in helping Russia.

🔘Meta (Facebook) VP Nick Clegg announces ban on death wishes for presidents – Reuters

Video: Picnic at the Italian villa of Kremlin propagandist Vladimir Solovyov — UNIAN

In Russia:

🔘Roskomnadzor blocks VPN services, including Hola!, as well as VPN, ExpressVPN, KeepSolid VPN Unlimited, Nord VPN, Speedify VPN and IPVanish VPN.

🔘From March 15 to June 30, Russia may ban the export of wheat, rye, barley and corn – this was announced by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation

🔘Putin has signed a decree allowing banks to sell gold bars to Russians for foreign currency

🔘The ruling United Russia party has proposed to establish criminal liability for the management of companies for the implementation of sanctions in the Russian Federation, Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Turchak said.

🔘Belarus, against the backdrop of the sanctions imposed against it, is counting on the speedy assistance of Russia. Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko, at a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, asked to speed up the implementation of assistance programs.

Photo: Russian Navy ships enter Berdyansk, captured by Russian troops. — Military Observer

🔘 Video negotiations between Russia and Ukraine are underway. According to Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to President Zelensky, Ukraine’s position consists of the following points: peace, immediate ceasefire and withdrawal of all Russian troops:

“Communication is difficult, but it continues. The reason is different political systems. Ukraine is about free dialogue, while Russia is about ultimatums and suppression of its own society”, Podolyak wrote on his Twitter.

🔘The number of civilians killed in Mariupol as a result of Russian aggression has exceeded 2,500 people. — Ukraine 24/7

Video: Mariupol today, bird’s eye view – Ukraine 24/7

🔘Ukrainian ex-deputy Evgeny Rybchinsky has promised a house and 40 acres of land near Kiyv to the one who murders the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov. According to media reports, Kadyrov arrived yesterday at his Chechen units in the Kiev region.

🔘In Donetsk, after the fall of fragments of the downed Tochka-U rocket, 20 people have been killed and 9 were injured, RIA Novosti with reference to the headquarters of the “DPR” reports.

🔘A rocket has also been shot down in the skies over Kiev. Ukrainian media reports that debris fell on a residential area damaging one building and a trolleybus. According to preliminary data, one person has died, 10 were injured, and 70 residents of nearby houses have beeb evacuated as a result.

Video: Downed rocket falls on a residential area in Kyiv – Real Kyiv

🔘Japanese tire manufacturer Bridgestone stops production at its factory in Ulyanovsk, and also halts tire exports to Russia.

🔘Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Mercedes-Maybach, Ferrari, Lamborghini suspended operations in Russia

🔘The German pharmaceutical corporation Bayer stops its investments in Russia and Belarus.

🔘The pharmaceutical company Pfizer will also suspend investments in Russia, but will continue to supply medicines.

🔘In London, protesters seized a house owned by Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, according to media reports. The activists announced that they were going to accommodate Ukrainian refugees in the building.

Video: Protesters seize the house of oligarch Oleg Deripaska — Nexta live

🔘“More than half of the people do not understand at all what has really happened. The total package of adopted sanctions is the end! And this is a catastrophe that Putin has led us to” – Russian businessman Yevgeny Chichvarkin commented on sanctions

🔘NATO is conducting large-scale exercises in Norway, with the participation of more than 30,000 troops. The main task of the exercises is to practice the landing and the transfer of troops from the sea to the coast and back.

In Russia:

🔘According to the head of the department of international international organizations of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Petr Ilchev, Moscow sees no reason for the deployment of the UN peacekeepers to Ukraine and added that this issue is not on the agenda of the Security Council.

🔘The Russian authorities have announced that the country’s delegation is suspending its work in PACE and will no longer participate in its meetings.

🔘TASS reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law that provides the possibility of registering rights to foreign aircraft that are leased from Russian companies.

🔘Today’s statements by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov:

– Moscow did not ask Beijing for help in conducting a special military operation in Ukraine.

– The Kremlin does not know about the trip of the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, to Ukraine;

– The Kremlin does not specify the expected date for the end of the special operation;

– At the beginning of the special operation in Ukraine, Putin instructed the Ministry of Defense to refrain from an immediate assault on large settlements in Ukraine, including Kyiv.

“Such a selfless struggle against Russian aggression only inspires respect, solidarity and support in us. Georgia has always stood and stands with Ukraine and Ukrainians!”, said Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili during her annual address to the Parliament.

🔘 Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Iryna Vereshchuk said that it is impossible to bring humanitarian supplies to besieged Mariupol due to shelling by Russian troops.

🔘 The operational head of the International Red Cross in Mariupol, Alexander Volkov, reports that residents are hiding from shelling in unheated basements and only leaving them to search for food.

Photo and video: Mother and her 12-year-old son were killed during the shelling of Irpin. They were buried in the courtyard of the house. — Nexta live

Photo: Pregnant girl who was injured during a Russian air strike on a maternity hospital in Mariupol died from her injuries along with her unborn child. — Ukraine 24/7

🔘 The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports that the Russian troops continue to regroup and strengthen the logistics of its troops in the Kiev and other directions.

Sanctions against Russia and statements of the West:

🔘 The Bahamas have joined the sanctions against Russia and Belarus, according to the website of the Central Bank of the state. The Bahamas are one of the most popular offshore zones.

🔘 The Czech Republic plans to send additional military aid to Ukraine in the amount of $31.5 million.

🔘 The delivery of goods to Russia will be suspended by the largest container carrier in South Korea, HMM.

🔘 Australia has imposed sanctions against 33 Russian businessmen, bankers and their families

🔘 The former British army chief urged NATO to consider the possibility of assassinating President Vladimir Putin. Colonel Richard Camp told the Daily Mail that Putin’s assassination could save thousands of lives, comparing it to the elimination of terrorist Osama bin Laden

In Russia:

🔘 The head of the department of international organizations of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Petr Ilyichev, said that a possible settlement agreement between Moscow and Kiev may require approval by the UN Security Council resolution. At the same time, he noted that the parties have not yet reached specific agreements.

🔘 Finance Minister Anton Siluanov believes that the West wants to organize an artificial default in Russia. For this, the currency accounts of the Central Bank and the government were frozen.

🔘 The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Russia will not ask the US and Europe to lift sanctions, and Western pressure will not change Moscow’s course.

🔘 Starting March 14, McDonald’s will temporarily close 850 restaurants in Russia. The company will continue to pay salaries to 62,000 of its employees in the country.

Video: The last minutes of the work of McDonald’s restaurant in St. Petersburg — Nexta live

  Russian-Ukrainian negotiations will be held today, on March 14, on the form of a video conference. Zelensky: “Our delegation has a clear task: to do everything so that the meeting of the presidents takes place. It is clear that this is a difficult path, but a necessary one”.

  Russia has established a complete naval blockade of Ukraine, effectively cutting the country off from maritime trade – British Ministry of Defense. They believe that in the coming weeks, a massive appearance of Russian troops in the Black Sea should be expected, after one such operation has already been carried out in the Sea of ​​Azov. Secretary of the National Security Council of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov also said that “the Russian invaders are preparing to carry out a landing in Odessa and the region”.

  Hundreds of residents of Ukrainian Kherson staged another demonstration against the Russian occupation, despite warning shots fired at them. Kherson was captured by Russian forces a few days ago after heavy fighting, it is an important Ukrainian port on the Black Sea and on the Dnieper River.

  Ukrainian President Zelensky continues to call on NATO leaders to introduce a no-fly zone over Ukraine: “It’s only a matter of time before Russian missiles fall on your territory”. The day before, Russian missiles hit a military base in Yavoriv, ​​just 25 kilometers from Poland, a NATO member state. The US ruled out a no-fly zone over Ukraine because then NATO forces would have to shoot down Russian planes and that would mean an escalation that US President Joe Biden called World War III.

  The President of Latvia, Egils Levits, stated the “absolute need for a permanent NATO military base in Latvia” to protect the country from any potential Russian aggression. “NATO should reinforce NATO’s eastern flank. These are the Baltic countries, Poland, Romania, so this will be a strong signal to Moscow that NATO is ready to protect member states”.

  Europe and NATO made a mistake regarding Ukraine, preventing it from becoming a member of NATO – German Economy Minister Robert Habeck in an interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine. “For Europe, for NATO, for the West, it was a mistake to keep the door open for Ukraine and at the same time say: you can’t go there. It’s annoying. Ukraine felt trapped between two fires. We condemned the annexation of Crimea as a violation of international law, but we built Nord Stream 2. We wanted Ukraine to defend itself – and thus the security of Europe – but please, not with our weapons. We must admit that we were inconsistent in our position”.

 Work on Ukraine’s accession to the European Union has already begun, Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Matti Maasikas said on Twitter, referring to the decisions of the EU summit on March 11 in Versailles.

  Russia is asking China for both military and economic assistance, several Western publications, including the Financial Times and the New York Times, write at once: “As the human cost of Russian aggression mounts rapidly, China must now make a decision. So far, Beijing has only spoken of Russia’s “special military operation in Ukraine,” hinting at an understanding of the stated reasons for the invasion – that the West has “surrounded Russia.” Now China will have to decide if it wants to remain part of the civilized international order. China could have a major impact on negotiations to end the conflict.”

  The European Union condemned the abduction by Russian troops of the mayors of two Ukrainian cities located next to each other – Yevgeny Matveev, mayor of the city of Dneprorudnoe and Ivan Fedorov, mayor of Melitopol. “This is another attempt to create illegitimate alternative state structures in a sovereign country,” Josep Borrell, EU representative for foreign affairs and security, tweeted.

  Up to five thousand Ukrainian refugees arrive daily in the small Polish town of Zamość on the border with Ukraine. After a while, most leave further, but the possibilities of the city are at the limit. “We thought that after the first wave of refugees we would receive significant support from the government and the European Union, but it turned out that we were left alone. We need financial help, otherwise the quality of our hospitality will plummet,” Mayor Andrzej Vnuk.

In Russia

  More than 850 people were detained during anti-war protests in 37 Russian cities yesterday March 13 – OVD-Info, an independent Russian human rights group.

  The Russian prosecutor’s office has threatened some Western companies with the seizure of assets if they leave the Russian market – in particular, McDonald’s, IBM and Yum Brands (the owner of KFC and Pizza Hut). And local company executives could be arrested if they criticize the Russian government. Because of the threats, some companies began to take out top managers from Russia, writes The Wall Street Journal.

  In Russia, the decision to block Instagram came into force. Previously blocked by Facebook, but Instagram is more popular in the country.

VIDEO

VIDEO: French activist Pierre Afner entered the villa of Putin’s daughter Katerina Tikhonova in Biarritz, changed the locks in the house and invited refugees from Ukraine there. As Afner told Insider, the villa has 8 beds and three baths. In the house, the activist found various documents in the name of the former owners of the building – Putin’s former son-in-law Kirill Shamalov and friend of the President of the Russian Federation Gennady Timchenko. The information that Putin is investing in real estate on the Atlantic coast was published by politician Alexander Belyaev back in 1996, it was about money stolen from the St. Putin vehemently denied these accusations and, as the press wrote at the time, claimed that he did not even know where the Atlantic coast was.

VIDEO: Famous British singer Tom Odell sang the song “Another love” for Ukrainian refugees at the Bucharest train station

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Follow the timeline of March 12-13 events here.