On the 31st day, this invasion, which Vladimir Putin imagined to be faster and without such significant resistance on the Ukrainian side, turns into a war of attrition. The Russian army, which has so far taken only one major city, Kherson, would be challenged to control it, according to American intelligence. The Russian army, again, announced on Friday March 25 that it would now concentrate “the bulk of its efforts” on “the liberation of Donbass”, in the east of the country. France will organize, with the help of Greece and Turkey, a “humanitarian operation” to evacuate the inhabitants of the besieged city of Mariupol.
The Russian army is concentrating on the east of the country and the Donbass
“The combat capabilities of the Ukrainian forces [ont] been significantly reduced, allowing […] to concentrate the bulk of the efforts on the main objective: the liberation of Donbass”, announced the deputy to the chief of the Russian general staff, Sergei Rudskoy, Friday.
Since the beginning of the war, thirty-one days ago, the main Russian advances have taken place in eastern and southern Ukraine. But apart from Kherson, the Russian army did not conquer large cities. The Ukrainian Donbass, where it now plans to focus its action, has been partly controlled since 2014 by pro-Russian separatists. Just before the February 24 offensive, Moscow had recognized the independence of the territories of Donetsk and Lugansk.
Officially, the military intervention was launched with the aim of protecting the populations from a “genocide” orchestrated by the Ukrainian authorities. Russia has acknowledged, since the beginning of its “special military operation”, in the words of its propaganda, the death of 1,351 soldiers. Some 3,825 others were reportedly injured.
A “humanitarian operation” to evacuate Mariupol is planned in the coming days
France, Turkey and Greece will be in charge. “In the next few days”, these three countries must carry out “a humanitarian operation” to evacuate the besieged city of Mariupol, announced French President Emmanuel Macron. The objective is to help “all those who wish to leave” the city, said the head of state after a European summit in Brussels. “In forty-eight to seventy-two hours, I will have a new discussion with President Putin to properly settle the details and secure the terms. […]. I hope to be able to engage as many stakeholders as possible in this operation,” he continued.
Mariupol, a city located in the south-east of the country, a strategic port on the Sea of Azov, had more than 400,000 inhabitants before the war. According to Emmanuel Macron, there are only 150,000 left today, living “in dramatic situations”. According to a latest report from the town hall, more than 2,000 civilians were killed there. “The situation in the city remains tragic,” denounced President Volodymyr Zelensky in a video released last night.
Ukrainian counteroffensive to recapture the city of Kherson
The only major urban center conquered entirely by Moscow forces, Kherson is now “contested”, a senior Pentagon official said yesterday. Ukrainian forces have launched a counter-offensive to retake this city in the south of the country, halfway between Crimea and the port city of Odessa. “We cannot say exactly who controls Kherson, but the fact is that it is no longer as firmly under Russian control as before,” the US official continued.
In kyiv, new curfew from Saturday evening to Monday morning
A curfew will again be imposed in kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, from this evening until Monday morning, announced the mayor of the city, Vitali Klitschko. “The military command has decided to strengthen the curfew. It will last from 8 p.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Monday, March 28,” the former boxer said on Telegram.
Joe Biden meets with two ministers and Ukrainian refugees
The American president landed yesterday afternoon in Rzeszow, Poland, 80 km from the border with Ukraine. On the first day of his long-awaited visit to this allied country, a member of NATO and which sees an influx of refugees fleeing the war, Joe Biden, relaxed, greeted the soldiers of the 82nd airborne division at length. Stationed in Rzeszow, they symbolize the reinforced military presence of the United States on the eastern flank of Europe.
Today, the American president must meet two Ukrainian ministers – Dmytro Kouleba, of Foreign Affairs, and Oleksii Reznikov, of Defense – as well as refugees who fled the Russian invasion, announced the White House.
Ukrainian air force command shelled
The command center of the Ukrainian air forces, in Vinnytsia (center), was hit by a salvo of Russian cruise missiles. They caused “significant damage”, according to the Ukrainian army.
Airliners “stolen” by Russia, ordered to return them
According to senior European officials, Russia has “stolen” hundreds of airliners, causing damage of several billion euros for their foreign lessors, after Moscow allowed the registration of these aircraft on its territory. Russian airlines have until Monday to return these devices.
More than half of displaced Ukrainian children
This first month of war in Ukraine has caused, according to UNICEF, the displacement of 4.3 million children, more than half of the 7.5 million children in the country. Of these displaced persons, 1.8 million have joined neighboring countries as refugees and 2.5 million have remained within Ukrainian borders. “The war has caused one of the fastest large-scale displacements of children since the Second World War,” said UNICEF chief executive Catherine Russell.