Photo : Euromaidanpress
Photo : Euromaidanpress
By Padmashree Anandhan
WAR ON THE GROUND
On 28 March, Ukraine’s air force reported on shooting down of 26 drones targeted by Russia in the eastern, southern and southeastern axis of Ukraine. According to the report, Russia launched 28 Shahed drones over Odesa, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia areas resulting in injury of two women and damage of a residential building from the debris. Mykola Oleshchuk, the head of Ukraine's air force said: “On the night of March 28, 2024, the enemy launched a missile air strike against Ukraine using three Kh-22 cruise missiles and an Kh-31P anti-radar missile (from the Black Sea).”
On 28 March, Denys Shmyhal, Ukraine’s Prime Minister held a meeting with Donald Tusk, Poland’s Prime Minister on the tensions over grain exports. Shmyhal visit to Poland comes after the EU signed a revised deal to extend the tariff-free food imports from Ukraine. Although the deal is yet to approved by the European parliament, Poland has been key transit line for Ukraine to send its grain and produce since Russia’s disruption of the maritime routes in the Black Sea.
THE MOSCOW VIEW
Claims by Russia
On 28 March, Vladimir Putin, Russia’s President denied the comment on possibility of Russia attacking a NATO member such as the Czech Republic, or any Baltic states. He affirmed to counter only the F-16 fighter jets if supplied to Ukraine. He said: “The idea that we will attack some other country — Poland, the Baltic States, and the Czechs are also being scared — is complete nonsense. It's just drivel…If they supply F-16s, and they are talking about this and are apparently training pilots, this will not change the situation on the battlefield.”
THE WEST VIEW
Responses from the US and Europe
On 28 March, Major General Christian Freuding, Germany’s armed forces announced to provide 10,000 artillery shells to Ukraine from its stock. The aid will form part of the three-stage plan of Germany in ammunition deliveries. The Czech Republic’s initiative to gather ammunition for Ukraine has pushed the target to 800,000 pieces which is now joined by the 20 EU and NATO members including Germany, France, Denmark, the Netherlands and Canada. Freuding added that, the second stage of delivery will include 180,000 rounds of shells scheduled to deliver between early May and end of 2024. Germany also intends to train Ukrainians inside Ukraine and has a record of training 10,000 military personnel in Germany. On the training, he added: “The focus is always on training on the weapons systems that we provide to the Ukrainian armed forces, both tactical training, operator training and also training technicians to maintain and repair them.”
On 28 March, Poland’s security services reported on a raid of a Russian spy network. According to Jacek Dobrzynski, the Internal Security Agency spokesperson said on the agency’s investigation: “…conducting activities as part of an investigation into espionage activities for Russia directed against European Union countries and institutions.” The raid was conducted in cooperation with the Czech Republic and as a result it sanctioned two “pro-Russian” Ukrainian politicians.
References
“Poland: Police raid suspected Russian spy network,” Deutsche Welle, 28 March 2024
“Putin dismisses claims Russia would attack NATO as “nonsense”,” Radio Prague International, 28 March 2024
“Poland, Ukraine hail progress in food import talks, but deal remains elusive,” Reuters, 28 March 2024
“Ukraine downs more than 25 drones in latest overnight Russian strikes,” France24, 28 March 2024
Martin Fornusek, “General: Germany to hand over 10,000 artillery shells to Ukraine in coming days,” The Kyiv Independent, 27 March 2024