Photo : Handout Planet Labs PBC/via AFP
Photo : Handout Planet Labs PBC/via AFP
By Rosemary Kurian
WAR ON THE GROUND
On 25 March, Ukrainska Pravda reported on increase in the death toll from the missile attack in the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast in mid week of March to six. Previously, after the Russia-launched Kh-59 missile on Kryvyi Rih in the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast caused the destruction of a high-rise building, three people had been reported dead in the initial reports, which rose in the following days, with 40 reported injured.
On 24 March, in his national address, Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s President, stated that Russia had launched around 190 missiles, 140 Shahed drones and almost 700 guided aerial bombs. He thanked the Ukrainian defence forces and noted that Ukraine’s “sky shield requires significant strengthening.” In response to Russian attacks, restoration efforts were taken in Kharkiv to restore electricity and heat supply to people. Zelensky confirmed receiving of the EU's EUR five billion under the Ukraine Assistance Fund, with an additional micro-financial tranche of EUR 4.5 billion. The IMF had approved close to USD 900 million, and Canada had granted Ukraine CAD two billion in macro-financial support. He further stated the success in procuring favourable defence packages that include drones, armoured vehicles and artillery, and finalised air defence packages with Spain on a bilateral level.
On 25 March, according to The Guardian, Ukrainian armed forces (UAF) attacked two Russian military ships stationed in the Russian annexed region of Crimea. Yamal, a communications centre and Yazov, a key infrastructure of the Black Sea Fleet, were the targets hit. Russia had reportedly attacked an underground gas storage in Ukraine to target their energy infrastructure. Since most of Ukraine’s storage capacity for gas lies in the western part of Ukraine, major damage was averted. However, Ukraine has increased energy imports and halted energy exports after Russian attacks on its energy facilities, with DTEK, Ukraine’s biggest energy producer, losing 50 per cent of its capacity and major blackouts affecting cities. According to Serhiy Kovalenko, the head of the energy distribution firm Yasno in Ukraine, Russia targeted both generation and distribution infrastructures in Ukraine.
On 21 March, according to Le Monde, explosions were observed in Kyiv after Russia launched several missiles and drones into the city, raising air alerts. Vitali Klitschko, Kyiv’s mayor, noted that fragments fell on a kindergarten in the Sviatoshnskyi district while cars and an apartment building caught fire due to the first major attack in the capital since January. The USD 60 billion Ukraine aid package remains uncertain in the US Congress, due to a block by Republicans in the House of Representatives, as Zelensky urged for more Western air defences post increased aerial bombardments on both sides. Jake Sullivan, the US National Security Advisor, stated that he was “confident” that the impasse in Congress would soon be overcome. Kyiv escalated its drones, rockets and artillery fire in Russia’s Belgorod across the Kharkiv border, killing three people.
THE MOSCOW VIEW
Claims by Russia
On 25 March, according to TASS, Russian troops breached the Ukrainian army defences near Verbovoye in the Zaporozhye region, seizing five strongholds, as stated by Vladimir Rogov, the chairman of the public movement We Are Together with Russia. He noted that “the enemy has suffered heavy manpower casualties” and drew parallels with the Russian success in Rabotino in the Zaporozhye region. In late February, the Russian Defence Ministry announced the gaining of control of Rabotino after an offensive military operation.
On 25 March, RT stated through an opinion that the US’s explanation of the Crocus City Hall terrorist attack in Moscow is flawed, having shaken Russian consciousness and public security. Russia is skeptical of the US’s claim of an Islamic State connection, with no discernible IS pattern derived from the attack. The organisation is further believed to have been defeated to its core by Russia in Syria. After catching the gunmen who fled the scene, Putin criticised Ukraine for allowing the gunmen to flee into Ukraine. Meanwhile, Ukraine claims that the attack is of Russia’s own doing.
THE WEST VIEW
Responses from the US and Europe
On 25 March, according to the EUEA, Josep Borrell, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs, gave a speech stating that security and defence as well as aid to Ukraine have taken the centre stage in the EU’s affairs. March marks the third anniversary of the creation of the European Peace Facility (EPF), an extra-budgetary fund and second of the adoption of the Strategic Compass, the EU’s new defence and security strategy. The EPF has a ceiling of EUR 17 billion, which acts as the backbone for funding Ukraine in its war efforts. Further, military equipment worth EUR 31 billion have been delivered to Ukraine since the war began. Later, the EU would train 60,000 Ukrainian soldiers and by the end of the year, have donated more than one million artillery shells to Ukraine. The defence industry within the EU has additionally supplied 400,000 shells to Ukraine through commercial contracts. The EU’s Foreign Affairs Council decided to create a Ukraine Assistance Fund under the EPF with an endowment of EUR five billion, and Borrell has recommended the redirection of 90 per cent of the extraordinary revenues from Russian assets to Ukraine. Borrell noted the need to increase global defence and security partnerships and increase Europe’s capacity to react to international crises abroad while increasing investments in defence to boost the EU’s defence industry.
On 25 March, according to Reuters, Emmanuel Macron, France’s President, stated that the gunmen responsible for the terror attack in the Moscow concert hall were part of a branch of the Islamic State (IS) who had earlier attempted to attack France. Macron and his Gabriel Attal, Prime Minister stated that the threat posed by IS was the reason to increase security alerts in France over the last months, especially in sensitive sites like schools. Macron termed Putin’s insistence as “cynical and counterproductive,” since France and its partners obtained the source of the attacks as the IS through their intelligence services. Attal pointed out the foiled attempt by the same branch of the IS that carried the Moscow attack in Strasbourg, eastern France. Under France “Sentinelle” operation to prevent such attacks, around 3000 soldiers have been deployed for operation in sensitive and public sites in France, having avoided two attacks already, according to Attal. France has further stated that it is prepared to increase cooperation with Russia on its intelligence services in order to “continue to fight effectively against these groups which are targeting several countries.”
References
Anastasia Protz, “Another casualty of 12 March missile attack on Kryvyi Rih dies in hospital”, Ukrainska Pravda, 25 March 2024
“Russia launches almost 190 missiles, nearly 140 drones, almost 700 guided aerial bombs over week - Zelensky”, Ukrinform, 24 March 2024
Warren Murray, “Ukraine war briefing: two ships and base hit in Russian-occupied Crimea”, The Guardian, 25 March 2024
“War in Ukraine: Explosions heard in center of Kyiv”, Le Monde, 21 March 2024
Dmitry Trenin, “Dmitry Trenin: The American explanation for the Moscow terror attack doesn’t add up”, RT, 25 March 2024
“Russian troops break through Ukrainian defenses northwest of Verbovoye in Zaporozhye area, TASS, 25 March 2024
Josep Borrell, “Europe’s Demosthenes moment: putting defence at the centre of EU policies”, EUEA, 25 March 2024
“Macron says Islamists who hit Russia had tried to attack France”, Reuters, 25 March 2024