Brief facts:
- After a few attempts, the humanitarian corridor from Sumy finally worked out; but Russians still sabotage evacuation from Mariupol
- Russia is now the most-sanctioned country in the world because of its aggression towards Ukraine
- More than 18 thousand people were evacuated from the cities in Kyiv region most attacked by Russians – Bucha, Irpin, Borodyanka etc., the rescue missions continue
Sources:
- Verkhovna Rada: the parliament of Ukraine and its social media (Facebook, Telegram)
- Defense intelligence of Ukraine: the Defence Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine (website, Facebook, Twitter, Telegram)
- State Emergency Service (SES): the State Emergency Service of Ukraine on Facebook
- NSDC of Ukraine: the National Security Defense Council of Ukraine website and social media (Facebook, Twitter); Center for Countering Disinformation at the NSDC of Ukraine (website, Facebook, Telegram)
- Stratcom Centre: Centre for Strategic Communications and Information Security of Ukraine – an establishment under the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine – website and social media (Facebook, Twitter, Telegram)
- Ukraine NOW: ukraine.ua – the official website of Ukraine, administered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and Ukrainian Institute
Latest news:
23:45 Pentagon will not provide US jets to Poland so that Poland could hand over its own jets to Ukraine. It was announced during the joint TV marathon of Ukrainian media following the press conference in Washington.
Read more: Day 15th of Ukraine's Defense Against Russian Invasion (Live Updates)
Instead, the US Department of Defense will work towards providing air defense systems to Ukraine, Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby said at the press conference.
23:39 Ukraine NOW: since the beginning of the Russian invasion more than 150,000 foreigners were evacuated from Ukraine to other countries.
23:33 Stratcom Centre citing Suspilne media: Russian occupiers shelled civilians near the Chernihiv city. Head of the Chernihiv regional military administration Viacheslav Chaus told that to the Suspilne media. According to him, on March 9, when the civilians were walking out of Chernihiv, Russians opened fire on them. At least 3 people died, including a little girl, 4 people were injured.
23:01 Verkhovna Rada citing Reuters: Great Britain to double sanctions against Russia. According to Liz Truss, the UK foreign minister, that includes a full SWIFT ban and G7 ending its use of Russian oil and gas.
22:50 Verkhovna Rada: The European Union has officially started considering Ukraine's application for membership submitted by Ukraine on February 28th, 2022.
Currently, the levels of political and public support, compassion, and sympathy for Ukraine in all EU countries are unprecedentedly high, the Ukraine Parliament's press center wrote on Telegram. Verkhovna Rada reported about the efforts made by Ukraine to implement the Association Agreement with the European Union. These include efforts on implementing required domestic legislation, reforming antitrust law, copyright protection, the introduction of European rules for public procurement, and more.
"Today, Ukraine has to repel enemy attacks, including on the economic frontline. Still, we stand with dignity, and as a strong state with a great history and a proud nation, we care not only for ourselves, but also for those around us. We express our gratitude to all those who support the Ukrainian people and help Ukraine fight against the Russian aggressor!" Verkhovna Rada wrote in a statement.
22:40 Stratcom Centre: Ukrainian army pushed occupiers out of Derhachi city in the Kharkiv region. Ukrainian troops are currently controlling the territory. The information was provided by Oleh Synehubov, the Head of the Kharkiv region military administration.
According to him, Russian occupiers tried to surround the city, but the Ukrainian army repelled the attack and launched a counter-offensive. Russians lost 2 tanks and 2 armored carriers. The Ukrainian military had no casualties.
22:03 Verkhovna Rada: because of Russia's war against Ukraine, more than 60 children are already dead and more than 100 injured, according to Prosecutor General Irina Venediktova.
21:41 NSDC of Ukraine: Center for Countering Disinformation informs about the facts of dissent of Russian people with Putin's policy. The Russian youth opposition movement "Vesna" (Russian for "Spring") in St. Petersburg announced a campaign for Putin's impeachment.
The members of the movement claim that the Russian president violated international and Russian laws declaring the "special military operation" (as they call war with Ukraina in Russia – DE note) and caused irreparable economical and political damage to Russia.
21:24 Ukraine NOW: today, Russians launched cluster bombs against a geriatric boarding house with mostly elderly people, – said Oleksandr Senkevych, the Mayor of Mykolaiv. Сluster bombs are banned by international conventions.
21:03 State Emergency Service: at 19:20 PM the evacuation column arrived in Ukraine-controlled Zaporizhzhia city from Enerhodar, Dniprorudne, and Vasylkivka cities. The column consisted of 12 buses and 100 cars led by an operational SES car.
20:58 State Emergency Service: Throughout March 9, 14 pieces of ammunition were extracted from the residential areas in Mykolayiv, including 3 demolition bombs (FAB-250), cluster submunitions, shells, and mortar mines.
20:54 Kantor Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry: Kantor Center researchers condemned Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the war crimes committed under the directives of Vladimir Putin. The Russian president has trivialized the memory of the Holocaust, written in the statement by Kantor Center. He entirely discredited his past commitments to fight antisemitism and placed himself among a notorious group of Holocaust distorters.
"The fascist-styled aggression stands against some of the most important moral lessons humanity should have learned from the Nazi period, including the sanctity of human life and the sovereignty of democratic, peaceful nations. Putin has the blood of thousands of victims, including children, on his hands. His policies pose an existential threat to world democracy, peace, and security."
19.43 The State Emergency Service of Ukraine Buses with evacuated residents of Kyiv region's settlements most affected by Russian invasion start to arrive in Kyiv
Buses with evacuated residents of Hostomel, Bucha, Vorzel, Irpin and Borodianka, the settlements most affected by the invasion of the Russian army, started to arrive in Kyiv, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine press service said on Wednesday, March 9.
"People could not leave their homes for many days due to bombing and shelling, but finally they managed to do it through the organized 'green corridor.' Rescuers meet them at the railway station, provide them with the necessary psychological assistance and medical care," the service said.
It clarifies that coordination is also carried out on the spot, arrivals are asked in which direction they are going to evacuate next, after which they are directed to the appropriate trains.
In addition, meals are provided for these people at the station.
"We are doing everything possible so that as many people as possible receive the help that citizens so badly need," the State Emergency Service said.
The information also just have been posted on official page of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine on Facebook.
Update: Ukraine NOW: more than 3,000 people were evacuated from occupied Irpin and Vorzel today. Several hundred children, the elderly, and the seriously ill are among the rescued citizens. The evacuation involved almost a hundred buses and ambulances.
19:20 The sociological survey "Assessment of International Support": Every second Ukrainian believes in 'closing sky' over Ukraine by NATO countries
Half of Ukrainians (50%) believe that the North Atlantic Alliance states will "close" the sky over Ukraine, according to the results of a sociological survey conducted by the Rating group on March 8-9, 2022 – Intefax-Ukraine reports.
At the same time, 19% of citizens believe that NATO will make such a decision in the near future, and 31% think that this will happen later. Some 43% of Ukrainians do not believe in such a move by Western countries.
Why Initiation of No Fly Zone is Strong Need For Ukrainian People and For All Europe
Some 79% of respondents believe that the delay in "closing the sky" by NATO countries is due to the fear of a direct war with Russia. Another 12% believe that NATO countries do not want to spoil relations with the occupying country.
At the same time, the vast majority of respondents (90%) believe that Ukraine should continue to put pressure on NATO with demands to "close" the sky.
In addition, the results of the poll showed that Ukrainians consider the diplomatic (48%) and humanitarian (47%) support of Ukraine by Western partners to be relatively sufficient.
Rather, financial support is considered insufficient (sufficient – 39%, insufficient – 45%) as well as economic sanctions against Russia (sufficient – 32%, insufficient – 62%).
The respondents assessed the military assistance to Ukraine the worst: only 29% consider it sufficient, 62% of the respondents consider it insufficient. In the regional context, various areas of international support are assessed worst of all in the South and East, relatively better – in the West and in the Center.
"Military assistance to Ukraine is the direction of international support most expected by Ukrainians (63%). In this direction of assistance, respondents demand the closure of the sky (89%) and the provision of weapons (47%). In addition, a quarter considers military medical assistance and foreign volunteers necessary, every fifth – equipment (walkie-talkies, thermal imagers, etc.), protective vests, helmets," according to a press release with the results of the survey on Wednesday.
The sociological survey "Assessment of International Support" was conducted by the Rating group on March 8-9, 2022. During the study, 1,200 respondents over 18 were interviewed in all regions of Ukraine, with the exception of the temporarily occupied territories of Crimea and Donbas. The sample is representative in terms of age, gender, and type of settlement.
Survey method: CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviews – telephone interviews using a computer). An error of the study representativeness with a confidence probability of 0.95: no more than 2.8%.
Why Initiation of No Fly Zone is Strong Need For Ukrainian People and For All Europe
18:36 Prosecutor's Office launches proceedings over Russia’s seizure of Chornobyl, Zaporizhzhia NPPs
The Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine has launched criminal proceedings over an ecocide following Russia's seizure of the Chornobyl and Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plants.
Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova said this at a press conference on Russia's crimes against Ukraine, - Ukrinform reports.
In particular, Venediktova emphasized that the seizure of the Chornobyl and Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plants poses a threat of a nuclear explosion.
"It could have been a second Chornobyl disaster, but with ten times worse consequences. The Russian population could have been also affected, but this seemed insignificant to the aggressor," she said.
Venediktova stressed that the Prosecutor's Office has already opened the case over the ecocide, as well as continues documenting and investigating all war crimes.
Early the day the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant was left without electricity due to the actions of Russian invaders.
"As a result of hostile actions of the Russian occupiers, the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant was completely left without electricity," National Power Company Ukrenergo posted on Telegram on Wednesday, March 9.
As reported, the Zaporizhzhia NPP has been under the control by the Russian army since March 4. The enemy captured the Chornobyl area on February 24, and since then the Ukrainian staff at the site have not been allowed to leave the station.
What is Going on Nuclear Power Stations in Ukraine
16:50 Head of Donetsk regional military administration Pavlo Kyrylenko: As result of air attack by Russian troops, children's hospital in Mariupol destroyed – local authorities
Head of Donetsk regional military administration Pavlo Kyrylenko says that as a result of an air attack by Russian troops, a maternity hospital, hospital, children's department and therapy in the center of Mariupol were destroyed.
"A maternity hospital in the city center, a hospital, a children's department and therapy, all this was destroyed during an air raid by Russian aircraft on Mariupol. Literally just now," Kyrylenko said on Facebook.
Mariupol city council said the destruction after the airstrike is colossal.
"The building of the medical institution, where children were recently treated, is completely destroyed. Information about the affected children is being specified," Kyrylenko said.
16.30 Press conference of rusian prisoners of war at Interfax-Ukraine: Servicemen of Russian 15th motorized rifle brigade apologized to people of Ukraine.
The captured servicemen of the Russian 15th motorized rifle brigade asked for forgiveness from the Ukrainian people for the invasion of Ukraine.
At a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine on Wednesday, March 9, in particular, a serviceman of the brigade Sergey Galkin, asking for forgiveness, said that "the country's leadership acted vilely and treacherously towards us." "We understand that we are war criminals, no one wanted war here, everyone will fight for their land, their homes," he said.
Serviceman Maksim Chernyak said he understood "what a terrible thing we have done and are doing now." "There are no fascists and oppression here. Understand, boys, there are no fascists here, we are fighting against a peaceful nation. It won't be possible to keep it quiet for a long time," he said, adding: "It is a terrible feeling to understand what a mistake we have made."
According to serviceman Maksim Demyanov, the 15th brigade entered Crimea in the spring of 2014, then in the summer of 2014 to Krasnodon (Luhansk region). In 2017, the brigade was in Syria, in 2020 it also served as a military police there.
16:15 Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine: Occupiers fire using Iskander at Kramatorsk, missile shot down, no casualties
A missile fired from the Iskander complex in the direction of Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, was shot down near the town of Yasnohirka, according to post on official page of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine on Facebook.
"This morning, March 9, in the direction of Kramatorsk, the Russian occupation troops fired a missile using the Iskander complex. The missile was shot down, the tail of the complex fell on the territory of the Shpychkine station in the town of Yasnohirka. According to preliminary information, there were no casualties. Explosives are working at the scene," ministry said.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs said that in case of detection of explosive objects, it is strictly forbidden to approach the object, move it or pick it up, hit it.
15:34 Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights: Almost 2.16 mln people leave Ukraine in 13 days of war - UN
Almost 2.16 mln people leave Ukraine in 13 days of war - UN
Russia's military offensive against Ukraine led to the destruction of civilian infrastructure and civilian casualties, and also forced 2,155,270 people to leave the country in 13 days of war in search of safety, protection and assistance, according to the information on the website of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
According to it, most refugees from Ukraine arrived in Poland – 1,294,900 people.
Hungary accepted 203,220 refugees from Ukraine, Slovakia – 153,300, Moldova – 82,760, Romania – 85,440, other European countries – 235,750.
According to the UN OHCHR, 99,300 people arrived in Russia from Ukraine, and 590 arrived in Belarus.
The department indicates that in the last two days the flow of refugees began to gradually decrease: after a peak of 208,940 on March 6, the next day it amounted to 200,900, and on March 8 – some 183,870.
"As the situation continues to evolve, about 4 million people may leave Ukraine," OHCHR notes.
According to the report, as of mid-2021, there were 53,470 Ukrainian refugees in the world who applied for the appropriate status, of which 36,490 were in Europe.
As of mid-2020, the UN OHCHR estimated the Ukrainian diaspora in the world at 6.1 million, including 5 million in Europe.
The organization clarifies that the right to free movement within the Schengen area means that there are very few border controls in the European Union, so arrival data for Hungary, Poland and Slovakia only reflect border crossings in these countries, but the UN estimates that a large number of people moved to other countries.
In addition, it does not take into account persons from border countries leaving Ukraine and returning home.
15:15 The Chornobyl nuclear power plant (ChNPP) is currently de-energized, in two days the cooling system of the storage of spent nuclear fuel will be turned off, which will threaten the leakage of radiation, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said.
"The unified power supply line of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant and all its nuclear facilities controlled by the Russian army is damaged. The Chornobyl nuclear power plant is de-energized. I call on the entire international community to immediately demand a ceasefire from Russia and allow repair teams to resume power supply as soon as possible," Kuleba wrote on Twitter.
According to him, backup diesel generators will provide power to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and its facilities for 48 hours, after which "the cooling system of the spent nuclear fuel storage will be turned off, which will threaten radiation leakage."
What is Going on Nuclear Power Stations in Ukraine
14:52 A Russian Su-27 plane was shot down in Kyiv on Wednesday, after which it fell on a residential building in Osokorky district, the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security said.
"In Kyiv, a Russian Su-27 plane shot down by the Ukrainian military fell on Osokorky. The enemy pilot ejected, but died. The plane fell right on a private house, another person was left homeless," center said.
13:32 On Wednesday, Russian invaders opened fire on Ukrainian law enforcement officers and civilians during the evacuation of the latter from Demydiv (Kyiv region), temporarily occupied by the invaders, Chief of the police of Kyiv region Andriy Nebytov has said.
"Today, during the evacuation of people from the occupied Demydiv, a policeman from Kyiv region, senior sergeant Oleksiy Ponomarenko, heroically died. The invaders opened fire in the direction of law enforcement officers and civilians," Nebytov wrote on Facebook.
12:10 About 40,000 foreign soldiers arrived in Kyiv, of which 500 are Canadians, for whom they created their own unit, Canadian TV presenter Dean Blundell said.
"Approximately 40,000 foreign fighters (military and ex military) have made it to Kyiv. So many Canadians, they gave them their own unit (500 and growing)," he said on Twitter Tuesday.
Source - ex military Canuck I know and trust who is there. pic.twitter.com/msN1v4aNYo— Dean Blundell (@ItsDeanBlundell) March 7, 2022
11:45 Russia last night launched an airstrike on the village of Lebedyn in Sumy region.
The video of the consequences of the airstrike was published in the telegram channel by the adviser to the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Anton Gerashchenko
11:15 The United States is sending two Patriot missile defense batteries to Poland to counter any potential threat to the United States and NATO allies, United States European Command (EUCOM) spokesman Capt. Adam Miller has said.
"At the direction of the Secretary of Defense and at the invitation of our Polish allies, General Wolters, Commander of US European Command, has directed US Army Europe and Africa to reposition two Patriot Batteries to Poland," CNN quoted Miller as saying. "This defensive deployment is being conducted proactively to counter any potential threat to US and Allied forces and NATO territory," he said. "Every step we take is intended to deter aggression and reassure our allies," he said.
10:45 Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for the Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine Iryna Vereschuk announced the agreement reached with the Russian Federation on the routes for the evacuation of civilians from a number of settlements, as well as an agreement on a ceasefire from 9:00 to 21:00 on Wednesday.
A ceasefire regime and green corridors will be established on the following routes: Enerhodar - Zaporizhia; Sumy - Poltava; Mariupol - Zaporizhia; Volnovakha - Pokrovsk; Izium - Lozova; Vorzel, Bucha, Borodyanka, Irpin, Hostomel - Kyiv.
10:13 Britain on Wednesday said Ukraine's air defenses were having success against Russian jets, likely preventing Russia from controlling the airspace.
"Ukrainian air defenses appear to have enjoyed considerable success against Russia's modern combat aircraft, probably preventing them achieving any degree of control of the air," the Ministry of Defense intelligence update posted on Twitter said.
Britain's assessment also said Russian forces had failed to make any significant breakthroughs in fighting North West of Kyiv.
09:50 General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: Russia has lost more than 12,000 soldiers, 317 tanks, 49 aircraft and 81 helicopters in Ukraine since Feb 24.
The total combat losses of the Russian invader on the territory of Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion on February 24, as of March 9, approximately amounted to more than 12,000 personnel, 317 tanks, 1,070 armored combat vehicles, 120 artillery systems, the press service of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports.
At the same time, Russia lost during this period 56 multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS), 28 air defense systems, 49 aircraft, 81 helicopters, 482 vehicles, three ships/boats, 60 tanks with fuel and lubricants (fuels and lubricants), seven unmanned aerial vehicles of the operational-tactical level.
"The data is being verified. The calculation is complicated by the high intensity of hostilities," the report says.
09:40 The head of the Sumy Regional State Administration Dmytro Zhyvytsky: Russian air assault in Sumy kills 22, including three children, wounds eight people
A total of 22 people were killed, three of them – children, and some eight people were injured in an air strike on residential buildings in the city of Sumy, Interfax-Ukraine reports citing the head of the Sumy Regional State Administration Dmytro Zhyvytsky.
"This story can rightly be called a massacre, because one bomb killed 22 people. Russian troops launched an air strike on a residential sector in Sumy. The bomb hit a private house on Romenska Street and destroyed it to the ground. There were nine people in the house, all of them died. Six houses were smashed to pieces. Another two dozen neighboring houses were partially destroyed. Among the dead there were 22 people, of whom three were children. At first, two were reported dead, but today rescuers pulled the boy's body out of the rubble. Eight people were also injured, including a five-year-old girl," Zhyvytsky said on Telegram on Wednesday in a report for March 8.
07:30 General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: Operational information on 06.00, 09.03.2022 regarding the russian invasion to Ukraine:
The fourteenth day of the heroic resistance of the Ukrainian people against the Russian military invasion has begun.
The Defense Forces Group continues to conduct a defense operation within the defined operational zones.
In the northern and north-western directions, hostilities continue in the Polissya and Volyn operational districts, as well as along the state border of Ukraine and in the settlements of Nizhyn, Ivanytsia, Trostyanets, and the defense of the city of Chernihiv continues.
The grouping of forces and means of defense of the city of Kyiv repulses the enemy's offensive, inflicts fire damage on its offensive group and firmly holds certain boundaries.
In the Southern direction, operational groups of the defense forces cover the state border of Ukraine and the sea coast, protect and defend airfields and critical infrastructure.
In other areas, groups of troops are conducting a stabilization operation and performing territorial defense tasks.
The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine repels missile and bomb strikes and destroys the means of air attack of the occupiers, provides air cover for important infrastructure facilities of Ukraine and military groups.
According to available information, due to numerous casualties, the enemy continues to conduct covert mobilization under the guise of training camps in the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Krasnodar Krai and some districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions; intensified activities to recruit volunteers for the war in Ukraine.
In addition, there were cases of expulsion of young men of conscription age from higher educational institutions of the russian federation in order to replenish the reserve of the army of invaders.
The occupiers do not rule out the possibility of involving up to 800 servicemen of the unrecognized transnistrian-moldavian republic in the war with Ukraine, but the moral and psychological condition of these personnel remains low.
In Berdyansk, the enemy began to distribute propaganda materials aimed at discrediting the military and political leadership of our state.
In settlements of the Chernihiv region, which are temporarily occupied by Russian troops, the enemy, in violation of international humanitarian law, continues to hide weapons and military equipment among residential buildings and agricultural premises. Uses a network of medical facilities to provide medical care to wounded personnel. The occupiers are dismantling the cell towers.
In the Kherson area it is revealed that the servicemen of the Armed Forces of the russian federation disguised in civilian clothes, put forward in the direction of the city of Mykolayiv.
According to the available information, panic is spreading among the personnel of the occupying forces due to the huge losses in manpower and equipment.
07.10Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council: Americans want U.S. to close skies over Ukraine, provide more weapons
The vast majority of U.S. citizens support closing the skies over Ukraine, increasing sanctions against the Russian Federation and providing weapons to Ukrainians, according to the results of a poll conducted among Americans - Ukrinform reports, citing Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council.
The results of the poll, conducted online in early March 2022, show that "the American people are determined on issues related to sanctions against Russia and the closure of the skies over Ukraine."
According to published data, 81% of respondents said that Washington should impose additional sanctions on Russia, 75% of Americans believe that the United States and NATO should close the skies over Ukraine, 72% support the provision of US weapons to Ukraine.
In addition, 74% of Americans are convinced that the United States should accept Ukrainian refugees, 77% said that the assets of Russian oligarchs should be seized.
Some 80% of respondents called for the suspension of US purchases of Russian oil, whereas 62% said they were willing to pay more for fuel and gas to protect the democracy.
06:40 Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba: Russia to bear responsibility for exposing world to nuclear danger
Russia will be held responsible for exposing the world to nuclear danger, as it has seized the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and the Chornobyl zone.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine said this on the air of the nationwide telethon.
"Russia will bear responsibility... for exposing the world to nuclear danger by capturing the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant or Chornobyl. We will do that [bring Russia to justice], I guarantee you 100%,” he stressed.
Kuleba noted that the situation has somewhat stabilized following various communications as part of which the Russians were made to understand that a nuclear facility is not a toy, it is a different level of threat.
06:20 Ukrainian Armed Forces StratCom: Ukrainian military destroyed column of enemy equipment in Kharkiv region
Military of the 93rd Separate Mechanized Infantry Brigade showed how they met the enemy in Kharkiv region.
The relevant video was posted on Facebook by the Ukrainian Armed Forces StratCom, Ukrinform reports.
"The column was moving, we waited for it to come closer, then we fired on it, and here is the result. Only vegetable stew remained intact,” the report says.
The destroyed enemy column consisted of seven units of military equipment.
04:40 Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: records 1,335 civilian casualties in Ukraine
As of March 7, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) recorded 1,335 civilian casualties in Ukraine: 474 killed and 861 injured.
“A total of 474 killed (97 men, 54 women, 8 boys, and 4 girls, as well as 17 children and 294 adults whose sex is yet unknown). A total of 861 injured (76 men, 55 women, 11 girls, and 3 boys, as well as 30 children and 686 adults whose sex is yet unknown),” Ukrinform reports citing the OHCHR.
On the territory controlled by the self-proclaimed “DPR/LPR”: 24 people were killed and 112 more were injured.
In other regions of Ukraine (the city of Kyiv, and Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Kherson, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, and Zhytomyr regions), 378 people were killed and 412 more were injured.
As noted, most of the civilian casualties recorded were caused by the use of explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and multi-launch rocket systems, and missile and air strikes.
The OHCHR believes that the real figures are considerably higher, especially in Government-controlled territory and especially in recent days, as the receipt of information from some locations where intense hostilities have been going on has been delayed and many reports are still pending corroboration. This concerns, for example, the towns of Volnovakha, Mariupol, Izium where there are allegations of hundreds of civilian casualties.
04:20 The President of Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelensky: World preparing to support Ukraine’s reconstruction after war
The international community does not believe in the future of the Russian Federation. Instead, it is preparing to support the reconstruction of Ukraine after the war.
“Look: the world does not believe in the future of Russia, does not talk about it. Not a word, not a prospect. They understand everything. They talk about us. They help us. They are preparing to support our reconstruction. After the war. Because everyone saw that for the people who defend themselves so heroically, this ‘after the war’ will surely come,” President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said in his address on March 8.
There will be a new Marshall Plan for Ukraine, he assured. Referring to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Zelensky said that the West would form a relevant support package.
Chronicle of the Russian Federation Crimes in Ukraine
03:40 The President of Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelensky: Russian invaders killed 52 children over 13 days of war in Ukraine
Ukraine will not allow anyone to ignore the sufferings and murders of Ukrainians as 52 children were killed over 13 days of the war.
“We will not allow anyone in the world to ignore the suffering and murder of our people, our children. Today, when I spoke to the British Parliament, the scariest number was 50. 50 Ukrainian children killed in 13 days of war. And in an hour it was 52. 52 children.
I will never forgive that. And I know that you will never forgive the invaders. Like Kharkiv, Mariupol and all other cities,” President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said in his video address on March 8, - Ukrinform reports.
He added that in the evening, Russian invaders fired a missile on a dormitory in Korbutivka, Zhytomyr region.
“In the evening, they fired a missile at Korbutivka in the Zhytomyr region. Destroyed the dormitory. How could an ordinary dormitory threaten Russia? What geopolitical interests of the nuclear state were threatened by it? Eternal memory to all the people who were killed by these savages,” Zelensky stated.
03:30 State Emergency Service of Ukraine: Five people killed in airstrike on Zhytomyr region
Five people were killed in an airstrike on the town of Malyn, Zhytomyr region.
"At 20:50, March 8, seven private one-storey residential buildings were destroyed, five people, including two children (born in 2021), were killed as a result of airstrike on Vokzalna Street in Malyn, Zhytomyr region,” the State Emergency Service of Ukraine posted on Facebook.
Six villages of the Narodytsia community in Zhytomyr region are still cut off from electricity after the Russian airstrike.
02:55 Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko: Russian occupation forces torture the operating staff of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant
"According to our information, occupiers compelled the Plant's management to record an address that they plan to use for propaganda purposes," - noted German Galushchenko on Facebook.
"Personnel of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant captured by Russians are being tortured. Moreover, according to our information, the occupiers' forces forced the plant's management to record an appeal, which they are planning to use for propaganda purposes," Galushchenko said.
He noted that Russia's propaganda machine will create another fake that will be demonstrated to its citizens and the international community to justify their own crimes.
The minister stressed that plant employees have been held hostage for four days. "There about 500 Russian soldiers and 50 pieces of heavy equipment at the plant. The plant's employees are physically and psychologically exhausted," he added.
Galushchenko called on international partners to take all measures to ban hostilities around nuclear power plants, withdraw Russian troops from captured nuclear facilities and close the skies over Ukraine.
"An accident at a nuclear power plant due to the use of weapons by the Russians will lead to a catastrophe of European scale. The responsibility for this will lie entirely on Russia. If that happens, Europeans will have to change the comfort of their homes to radiation shelters. We must end Russia's nuclear terrorism together. This must be done now, before it is too late," the minister said.
01:20 General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: Operational information on 24.00, 08.03.2022 regarding the russian invasion to Ukraine:
During the day (13 th day of the war, March 8), the enemy reduced the pace of the offensive operation, using mainly missile and bomb strikes on civilian infrastructure.
The main efforts of the enemy continue to focus on:
encirclement and capture of Kyiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Mariupol, Mykolayiv, Chernihiv;
creation of a land corridor between the TOT of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the mainland of the Russian Federation;
access to the administrative borders of Luhansk and Donetsk regions.
According to the available information, the occupiers are considering the issue of organizing the effective provision of their own troops with fuel through the use of the existing stationary network of automobile gas stations and oil storage facilities.
Also, the enemy plans to create a network of field pipelines in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine, with the possibility of connecting them to the central oil pipeline and pumping fuel from the territory of the Republic of Belarus.
In the course of hostilities on the territory of Ukrain the occupiers continue to suffer significant losses. Thus, according to available information, 14 separate special purpose brigades (Khabarovsk) lost more than 400 servicemen (to be specified), BTGr of the 25th separate motorized rifle brigade (Luga) of the 6th all-military army was withdrawn to the territory of the Russian Federation due to loss of combat capability.
In the Polissya direction, the enemy continues to hold the previously occupied frontiers and captured settlements, in particular Borodyanka, Kopyliv, Bucha, Demidiv.
No active actions by the occupiers were noted in the direction from the settlement of Dymer. In the area of the settlement of Pripyat, with forces up to two BTGr, occupies defense.
In the direction from n.p. Babinka, with forces of up to five BTGs, the enemy led the offensive, was stopped and moved to the defense in the area of Bucha.
In the area of Buzova, with forces up to 4 BTGr from the 36th General Army (two BTGr from the 5th Separate Tank Brigade and 37th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade), despite the numerous losses, advanced to the area of Yasnohorodka.
In the northern direction, the occupiers did not stop trying to capture the city of Chernihiv.
From the area of Hlukhiv, with forces of up to five BTGs from the 90th Tank Division and 4 BTGs from the 2nd All-Military Army of the Central Military District, tried to intervene in the defense of the operative group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and was stopped. In order to ensure the offensive in the direction of Kozelets is trying to guide and hold the pontoon-bridge crossing.
In the Slobozhansky direction, the enemy did not stop trying to block Kharkiv from the north, but, without much success, it also launched missile and bomb strikes on civilian infrastructure in order to intimidate the civilian population. The battle for Izum. The enemy leads pontoon-bridge crossings across the Siversky Donets and Berek rivers.
In the Donetsk direction, the enemy continues offensive operations in the directions of the Dnieper and Zaporozhye in order to reach the administrative borders of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Having carried out an unsuccessful offensive in the Troitskoye district, he tried to resume the offensive in the direction of Zaporizhia and capture the city of Mariupol.
In the Tavriya and Southern directions, the enemy forces up to seventeen BTGs hold the settlements of Kherson, Enerhodar, and Vasylivka, and regroup their forces for a further offensive in the direction of Zaporizhia by forces of three BTGr the Polohy.
The Black Sea and Azov operational zones are expected to strike civilian and military targets with cruise missiles from ships of the Black Sea Fleet and the Caspian Flotilla.
01:13 Verkhovna Rada: Facing global condemnation for its war in Ukraine, Russia has become the most-sanctioned country in the world. The image shows how nations responded to its full-scale invasion of Ukraine
01:05 World Bank Group via Verkhovna Rada: World Bank Group mobilizes +$700 million in emergency financing to support Ukraine. The funds will help ensure critical services to people continue despite the Russian invasion.
"The fast-disbursing support will help the government provide critical services to Ukrainian people, including wages for hospital workers, pensions for the elderly, and social programs for the vulnerable," written in the statement by World Bank.
00:47 Defense intelligence of Ukraine: The "Wagner group" members are already dying in Ukraine. Russia involves mercenaries of private military companies (PMC) to replenish the reserves of their occupation troops. The intelligence' command informs that the "Liga" PMC (the former "Wagner" PMC) is taking part in military activities on the territory of Ukraine on the aggressor’s side. The tokens of dead occupiers prove that. Some of the tokens were made during military actions in Syria and have signatures in Arab, English, and French as well as Syrian phone numbers.
As explained on the Defense Intelligence's Telegram channel, the "Wagner" PMC is a Russian military formation consisting of mercenaries. It took part in a multitude of conflicts, such as in Donbas on Russia's side, in Syria on the side of Putin's ally Asad, and in Sudan. An independent UN mission proclaimed actions of the "Wagner" PMC being war crimes or crimes against humanity. European Union implemented personal sanctions against members and commanders of the "Wagner" PMC.
00:36 State Emergency Service: due to an airstrike at 19:00 PM in the village of Dinets (Kharkiv region), a shell hit a residential house, causing the deaths of 2 people (one of them being a 7-year-old child)
Background:
February, 24 – Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized a "special military operation" against Ukraine, Reuters report. A number of cities of Ukraine suffered a missile attack. Missiles hit several military facilities in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro cities. "Putin has just launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Peaceful Ukrainian cities are under strikes. This is a war of aggression," wrote Ukrainian MoF Dmytro Kuleba on Twitter.
"Today, on 24 of February, at 5.00 AM the armed forces of the Russian Federation launched an intensive shelling of our units on east, delivered missile/bomb strikes on airfields in Boryspil, Ozerne, Kulbakino, Chuhuiv, Kramatorsk, Chornobaivka, as well as on military infrastructure of the Armed Forces of Ukraine," the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine wrote on Facebook: "At the same time the aggressor started artillery shelling of the areas and settlements along the state border and administrative boundary with the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea."
National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, headed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, imposed martial law across the country, the decision was approved by the Ukrainian government during an emergency session.
Earlier Putin recognized the Russia-backed regions of Eastern Ukraine as "independent" entities, the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics. The executive order on the recognition of those illegal formations included a point on military cooperation and "peacekeeping" functions of the Russian Army in those regions. The next day Putin ordered his military to enter Donbas and asked the government for permission to use Russian Forces outside the country – and received it shortly after.
Since the very first day of the invasion, Russia has been struggling to achieve any significant success. Ukrainian Army effectively repels attacks on the land, but Russia has an advantage in the sky. Because of that one of the acute issues is to make NATO shelter the Ukrainian sky from Russian missiles and aircraft.
The Presidential Office of Ukraine said, that Vladimir Putin's plan to quickly take control over the key objectives and take down the Ukrainian government is ruined. Ukrainian officials suggest that Kyiv, the capital, is the primary aim of the Russian invasion. It is being shelled daily.
Ukraine united and swiftly established defense. Thousands of people voluntarily joined Territorial Defense, servicemen were mobilized across the country. Curfew was imposed. National Police along with Territorial Defense hunt for Russian saboteur-reconnaissance groups.
Russia uses terroristic methods, targeting civilians and shelling non-military facilities of ecological significance. The aggressor has already caused an ecological disaster – a major oil processing and storage facility was hit by a Russian missile. The radioactive background is heightened due to Russian activities in Chornobyl. Later Russian troops capture the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant.
Fightings in Hostomel, where a strategically significant Antonov Airport is situated, were one of the toughest of the first days. Over 60 Russian helicopters and other aircraft were engaged in the attack, but Ukrainian Army managed to regain control of the area.
Due to the lack of concrete successes, Russian started on fourth and next days attacks on civilians. Kharkiv and Chernihiv were shelled by BM-21 "Grad" multiple rocket launchers. On March 1, the sixth day, a cruise missile hit the central square in Kharkiv. As a result, at least ten people were killed, more than 20 were injured. State Emergency Service is continuing to rescue people from the rubble. Kyiv TV Tower, a civilian object for broadcast was hit by a missile. Five people were killed, five Tower personnel were injured. A few hours before that happened, the Ukrainian Minister of Defense warned that Russia was preparing an info&psycho attack, and for that, they would try to cut off the information network.
The war crimes of Russia will be investigated by the International Criminal Court in Hague. The ICC Prosecutor, Karim A.A. Khan QC, has personally launched an investigation into the Situation in Ukraine.
Many Russian occupiers surrender, unwilling to fight. They claim to have been deceived by Russian authorities – they were had been deployed under the pretext of military drills but then forced to participate in war. The whole reconnaissance platoon of the Russian 34th Motorized Rifle Brigade surrendered to Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The whole world condemns Russian President Vladimir Putin's actions. 38 countries closed their skies to Russian aircraft. Even Switzerland deviated from its traditional neutrality to impose European sanctions on Russia.
The European Commission of the European Union has approved cutting off Russian banks from SWIFT – the global provider of secure financial messaging services. Private companies also show their support: SpaceX, Google, Meta, and many other giants have expressed their support and offered their help.
The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy received a proposal of negotiations. The first round of them resulted in no decisions yet. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian President has signed the Ukrainian Government's application for the membership of Ukraine in the European Union and urges for the special procedure of accepting Ukraine to the EU.
The next day the European Parliament held an extraordinary plenary session in Brussels to assess Russia’s military assault on Ukraine. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy held a speech, greeted with standing applause. After a vote by the EU Parliament Ukraine got a recommendation on being granted a candidate status for EU membership.
Numerous protests have happened across the world, and even more to happen. Even in the cities in the Russian blockade, Ukrainian citizens rally against occupiers. Russian troops shoot into the air and even on civilians, but rebels continue to force them away, even without weapons. Kherson, Mariupol, and many other cities rise against aggressors despite humanitarian catastrophes – power and water supply were cut off, there is a lack of food, many residential houses were damaged, impossible to live in. Ukraine is trying to establish humanitarian corridors to evacuate citizens but Russian forces repeatedly violate the ceasefire.
On Friday, March 4 Ukraine's president condemned NATO leaders over their refusal to implement a no-fly zone around the country. In a fiery speech, Volodymyr Zelensky said the West's reluctance to intervene had given Russia "a green light" to continue bombarding towns and villages. In his speech from Kyiv, Mr Zelensky said he disagreed that direct action could "provoke Russia's direct aggression against NATO".
Read more: Day 13th of Ukraine's defense against Russia (Live Updates)
