Brief facts:
- 4.3M Ukrainian children have become refugees because of Russia's aggression – UNICEF; 1.8M fled abroad and 2.5M have become internally displaced;
- more than 10 thousand hectares of forests are burning in the dangerous Chernobyl exclusion zone, causing a radioactive threat to Europe
- leader of the Russian-backed puppet state "Luhansk People's Republic" expressed a desire to hold a "referendum" on joining Russian Federation in the near future but refuted any preparations for that
- a new round of Ukraine-Russia face-to-face negotiations to be held on March 28-30 in Turkiye
Sources:
- Verkhovna Rada: the parliament of Ukraine and its social media (Facebook, Telegram)
- Presidential Office: the Official website of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his social media (Facebook, Twitter, Telegram); advisers to the Office: Oleksiy Arestovych and Mykhailo Podoliak; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Reintegration of Temporary Occupied Territories Iryna Vereshchuk
- General Staff: the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
- 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)
- MIA of Ukraine: the official Facebook of Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine; Anton Gerashchenko, the Advisor to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine (Facebook, Telegram)
Latest news:
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Read more: Ukrainian Intelligence: Russian War Reserve Stock Embezzled, Tank Regiment Commander Shot Himself
23:55 The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Referendum on neutral status possible only when Russian troops withdrawn.
A referendum on Ukraine’s neutral status can be held only when Russian troops are withdrawn, and it will be faster than making amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine.
The relevant statement was made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview with the Russian media, - Ukrinform reports.
“Considering the Convention, no one will ever recognize the referendum results if there are troops or armed illegal formations or legitimate formations of another state within the country’s territory without any legal basis. It is impossible. This is what happened in Crimea. What is this referendum?” Zelensky noted.
In his words, guarantors will not sign anything, as long as Russian troops are staying within the territory of Ukraine. Zelensky believes there must be an agreement reached with Russian President Vladimir Putin to withdraw Russian troops. For this purpose, they need to meet “in any part of the world, except Belarus, Russia and Ukraine”.
23:20 CinC of the Armed Forces of Ukraine General Valerii Zaluzhnyi over a recent video with POWs: The enemy produces and shares videos with the inhuman treatment of alleged "Russian prisoners" by "Ukrainian soldiers" in order to discredit Ukrainian Defence Forces.
I emphasize that service members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other legitimate military formations strictly adhere to the norms of International Humanitarian law.
I urge to take into account the realities of informational and psychological warfare and trust only official sources.
22:40 General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: Brief fact about military operation on Donetsk and Luhansk directions.
- 5 russian enemy attacks have been successfully repulsed during the current day.
- Ukrainian soldiers inflicted losses on the russian occupiers.
- Ukrainian defenders destroyed 2 tanks, an infantry armoured personnel vehicles and an enemy car.
- In total, units of the Joint Forces repulsed 63 russian enemy attacks this week.
- Ukrainian troops destroyed russian's enemy: 80 tanks, 72 armoured personnel vehicles, 48 vehicles, 19 artillery systems, 7 unmanned aerial vehicles, 14 aircraft, a helicopter and an enemy patrol boat.
- Also, the Joint Forces eliminated the modern russian electronic warfare system "Leer-3" and captured five BMP-3 of russian occupiers.
22:30 The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine had no plans to bring the certain areas of Donetsk Region and Luhansk Region back by military means.
Ukraine was not planning to bring the certain areas of Donetsk Region and Luhansk Region (CADLR) back by military means, and the ‘documents’ released by Russia’s Defense Ministry are fake.
The relevant statement was made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview with the Russian media, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
In particular, Russian journalists asked Zelensky to comment on the documents disclosed by Russia’s Defense Ministry, which were dated January 22 and signed by Mykola Balan. According to the Russian side, these documents proved that Ukraine had been planning a preventive attack on Donbas.
21:55 ThePresident of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy to russian media: Volnovakha, Mariupol and small towns near Kyiv no longer exist.
As a result of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, such cities as Volnovakha, Mariupol and small towns in Kyiv Region no longer exist.
The relevant statement was made by ThePresident of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview with the Russian media, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
“But, unfortunately, let’s go back to the consequences and results for us. As a result: there is no Mariupol. Simply no. There is simply no Volnovakha. There are no towns near Kyiv in Kyiv Region – our small towns… Which, I think, are the same as yours… All towns near the capital cities are usually small. But people live there. There are cottage houses, and local population too. All of this no longer exists. The scorched land. Simply the scorched land. Completely,” Zelenskyy told.
21:20 The Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights of Ukraine opposes opening ICRC office in Rostov-on-Don.
The Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights of Ukraine is against the opening of a representative office of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Rostov-on-Don (Russia) for allegedly "more effective work" in eastern Ukraine.
"The Committee categorically opposed the International Committee of the Red Cross' opening an office in Rostov-on-Don. Since this will not only contribute to the legitimization of "humanitarian corridors" on the territory of the Russian Federation, but will also become a kind of support for the forced abduction of Ukrainian citizens and their removal to the territory of the aggressor state," the relevant Committee reports on the website of the Verkhovna Rada on Sunday.
20:23 MIA of Ukraine: 130 people were evacuated from Rubizhne, one of the hottest spots in the Luhansk region.
"Today, the patrol police have successfully carried out another evacuation from one of the hottest spots of the region, the grey zone of Rubizhne city," the Ministry of Internal Affairs wrote on Telegram. The Russian occupiers did not follow the ceasefire established for the time of evacuation. The column with citizens managed to quickly pass by the Russian positions and get to Lysychansk where the people received the necessary help.
300 people in total have been evacuated today by the policemen from various cities.
20:04 Stratcom Centre: the first batch of British Starstreak air defense missiles has already been handed over to Ukraine, the Centre for Strategic Communication and Information Security of Ukraine informs citing Ben Wallace, the UK Defense Minister.
The training of the first operators of the Starstreak defensive systems has also been finished. More details soon.
As Defense Express reported, the United Kingdom started considering the supply of portable Starstreak short-range surface-to-air missiles on March 9, with Ben Wallace's announcement. We also recalled the peculiarities of this weapon system which is considered the fastest air defense missile in its category, with the velocity reaching Mach 3. The official decision on supply came through on March 17.
"Russian pilots will think twice about getting into their planes after British soldiers have trained Ukrainians to fire Starstreak anti-aircraft missiles," the British Army’s air defense commander told the Times magazine on March 22.
19:46 Media: the leader of the so-called "Luhansk People's Republic" has refuted the plans of carrying a "referendum" on joining Russia. It was informed by Belarussian Nexta and a number of Russian media. As some sources cite the illegal leader Leonid Pasechnik, that was "his personal opinion" on what could happen. As he said, the "leadership" of the Russian puppet state was not preparing for the conducting of such a "referendum."
19:09 General Staff: operational information as of 18:00, 27.03.2022 regarding the Russian invasion. Key points:
- the occupiers are asking the population for food in Ivankiv and Orane settlements. They do that in connection with the disruption of their logistics supply. The russians behave non-aggressively, no looting has been recorded.
- the continuing militarization of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (NPP) exclusion zone by Russian invaders increases the risk of damage to the insulation structures that protect radiation from spreading. The occupying forces of the russian federation ignore threats and warnings and continue to transport and store dozens of tons of rockets, artillery shells, and mortar ammunition in the immediate vicinity of the NPP.
- the transport corridor of the invaders passes through the city of Pripyat and a few hundred meters from the insulation facilities of the nuclear power plant. Then, the ammunition is stored nearby.
- the russian occupation forces are increasingly using old and substandard ammunition. This increases the risk of their detonation even when loaded and transported. The facts of such self-detonation of ammunition in russian military depots and arsenals are well known and occur regularly.
19:04 Kharkiv Air Force University has published a video of a Russian T-72 tank being destroyed with a Stugna-P anti-tank guided missile.
18:39 Ukraine NOW: investigative journalist Christo Grozev of Bellingcat said Russia had spent billions of dollars on a network of pro-Russian politicians in Ukraine since 2014, but they "had been ditched".
"We are now concluding an investigation into how much money the FSB spent to secure support for some shadow political classes in Ukraine and the creation of an internal coup immediately after the invasion. This is billions of dollars, not rubles. This money has been spent since 2014 until today," the journalist said.
According to him, 150 to 160 highly paid FSB officers had an unlimited budget to recruit Ukrainians of any level:
"They recruited them on paper and then it turned out that ... Well, they went to meet them in Thailand, the Maldives, Cyprus. They spent that money on meetings. They were given cash. But it didn't work. Even these Ukrainian agents who took the money, ditched them. They were completely dumped".
18:29 Davyd Arakhamia of Ukrainian delegation: "Today, on a regular round of [Ukraine-Russia] talks, a decision was made to have next face-to-face round between the two delegations in Turkiye on March 28-30. More details later on," Davyd Arakhamia, a member of the Ukrainian delegation to the Ukraine-Russis negotiations said on Facebook.
17:56 Center for Countering Disinformation: Russians plan to take Ukrainian currency in the temporarily occupied areas. Earlier, only Russian rubles were allowed in the so-called "Donetsk People's Republic".
As the Ukrainian Centre for Countering Disinformation (CCD) explained, this decision is the result of sanctions imposed upon Russia. According to the Russian plan, the occupied territories were expected to receive at least 1,5B rubles but the economic condition of the Russian Federation doesn't allow the occupiers to do so. Then they switched to partial use of Ukrainian hryvnia.
The Russians not only try to mitigate the effect of sanctions but also take all the Ukrainian currency from the citizens of the occupied areas.
As the CCD states, the population of the occupied settlements flatly refuses to take rubles and expresses a maximum resistance to the aggressors.
17:36 Human rights ombudsperson Liudmila Denisova: more than 10 thousand hectares of forests are burning in the dangerous Chernobyl exclusion zone. It is causing increased levels of radioactive air pollution.
In the exclusion zone near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant due to hostilities burning more than 10 thousand hectares of forests, 31 fires were recorded. As a result of combustion, radionuclides are released into the atmosphere and transported by wind over long distances. This threatens radiation to Ukraine, Belarus and European countries.
Control and suppression of fires are impossible due to the capture of the exclusion zone by Russian troops.
"Due to windy and dry weather, the intensity and area of fires will increase, which can lead to large-scale fires, which are difficult to deal with even in peacetime," the Ombudsperson Denisova warned. She appealed to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to send experts and firefighting equipment to Ukraine as soon as possible to prevent "catastrophic consequences".
16:56 Operational Command "North": Ukrainian defenders have seized two "Ural" trucks, destroyed numerous equipment.
The two Russian armored tilt trucks "Ural" of the "Tornado-U" model were captured today in Siveria, North Ukraine. The exact location is not mentioned. The vehicles are almost brand new, of 2021 production and have low mileage, as the North Command noted:
"This is the case when the Russian defense industry works for the good of Ukraine."
In addition to the trophies, Ukrainian soldiers destroyed an enemy column. Two "Tigr" infantry mobility vehicles, a tank, and two trucks with ammunition were eliminated.
16:35 Stratcom Centre: Ukrainian MFA responded to the statement about the "referendum" in the so-called "Luhansk People's Republic" on joining Russia
Any fake referendums in the occupied territories are legally insignificant and will have no legal consequences. It was stated by Oleg Nikolenko, the Spokesman for the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in his commentary to Hromadske media. The statement follows the announcement of the Russian-backed puppet state, the so-called "LPR" about a "referendum" on joining Russia.
According to the Ukrainian official, no country in the world would recognize a forcible change of Ukraine's internationally recognized borders. Instead, Russia will receive an even stronger response from the international community.
Defense Express recalls, that a few days prior to the Russian invasion, Vladimir Putin officially recognized the territories held by illegal military formations, the "DPR" and "LPR" as independent entities. The recent announcement on the "referendum" marks another step onto the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
16:00 US secretary of state Antony Blinken on Sunday described Israel’s efforts to mediate an end to the Ukraine-Russia conflict as important and “closely coordinated” with Washington.
Blinken made his remarks during a Jerusalem meeting with Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett, - The Guardian reports.
15:30 UNICEF: 4.3M Ukrainian children have become refugees because of russia’s aggression
According to UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund), more than half of Ukraine’s children have been forced to leave their homes since the beginning of russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine
UNICEF estimates, that one month of the war in Ukraine has led to the displacement of 4.3 million children – more than half of the country’s estimated 7.5 million child population.
This includes more than 1.8 million children who have crossed into neighboring countries as refugees and 2.5 million who are now internally displaced inside Ukraine, - Defense Express reports.
14: 55 The head of the Kharkiv regional military administration Oleh Syniehubov: Ukrainian troops shoot down Russian Su-34 aircraft near Izium
Russian invaders fired at Kharkiv from long-range weapons 15 times over the past day. The Ukrainian military shot down a Russian Su-34 aircraft near Izium.
Oleh Syniehubov, head of the Kharkiv regional military administration, said this in a statement posted on Telegram, Ukrinform reports.
"On the situation in the Kharkiv region as of March 27. The shelling of Kharkiv continued last night, with the occupiers firing long-range weapons about 15 times. Last night, Kharkiv rescuers extinguished fires caused by the shelling of the occupiers in the Moskovsky and Slobidsky districts," Syniehubov said.
According to him, the Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to hold their positions near Kharkiv and went on the counterattack in some areas. The Ukrainian army pushed back the aggressors from Husarivka.
Fighting continues near Izium. Today, mobile units of the Ukrainian air defense forces destroyed a Russian Su-34 fighter aircraft near Izium. This is one of the newest aircraft of the enemy army.
14:30 Pope Francis has stepped up his pleas for negotiations to end the fighting in Ukraine.
Francis told the public in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday that “this cruel and senseless war” continues after more than a month, representing “a defeat for all,” - The Guardian reports, citing the Associated Press.
He lamented that parents are burying their children, and “the powerful decide and the poor die.” Once again, he didn’t cite Russia by name as the aggressor.
Referring to reports that about one-half of all the children in Ukraine have been displaced by the conflict, Francis said that “war doesn’t just devastate the present but also the future of society.”
The pontiff reiterated his condemnation of war as barbarous and sacrilegious. He said that “humanity must understand that the moment has come to abolish war, to cancel war from the history of man before it cancels man from history.”
13:55 The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine: Enemy strikes with banned cluster munitions at Krasnohorivka.
The aggressor attacked a residential area of the city of Krasnohorivka, Donetsk region, with banned cluster munitions, the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine reports.
"The enemy attacked Krasnohorivka's residential sector with Tornado-S multiple launch rocket systems. Russian troops used prohibited cluster munitions. Ammunition fell in the middle of the streets of the private sector. The police cordoned off the dangerous area. Police and the State Emergency Service bomb techs detect and neutralize combat cumulative elements," according to a report published on the official page of The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine on Facebook on Sunday, March 27.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs warns that "the self-destruction time of the elements can be up to 40 hours, that is, being near them is deadly." And they urge "residents of the city to be as careful as possible and not to approach ammunition."
13:35 General Staff: operational information as of 12:00, 27.03.2022 regarding the Russian invasion. Key points:
- The enemy continues to wage full-scale armed aggression against Ukraine.
- The units of the russian federation are continuing to use the territory of the republic of belarus to rotate units that have suffered significant losses, strengthen existing groups, replenish food, fuel and ammunition, organize the evacuation of wounded and sick personnel.
- The enemy is preparing for the rotation of units in the Polissya direction/
- In the Siversky direction, the enemy continues the blockade of Slavutych, does not stop trying to take control of Chernihiv. In the Lukyanivka and Rudnytske districts, the enemy suffered losses and withdrew.
- In the Slobozhansky direction, the Ukrainian Defence Forces restored control over the settlements of Trostyanets and Husarivka.
- In the Donetsk direction, occupation units are trying to capture Popasna, Rubizhne, Severodonetsk and Mariupol. They have no success. An unsuccessful attempt to storm Krasnohorivka was made. They suffered losses and left.
- In the Tavriya operational area, the occupiers of the Rosgvardia continue to fight resistance centers in the temporarily occupied territory.
- Ukrainian soldiers continue effectively resist the russian invaders, repel enemy attacks and gradually liberate temporarily occupied by enemy territory in certain areas.
13:20 Ukraine’s Prosecutor General's Office: Since the start of Russia's armed aggression in Ukraine, 139 children were killed by russia’s invaders.
Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in Ukraine, 139 children were killed, the press service of the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) reports.
"As of the morning of March 27, 2022, a total of 139 children died and more than 205 were injured due to armed aggression of the Russian Federation. Children suffered the most in Kyiv region – 65, Kharkiv region – 45, Donetsk region – 53, Chernihiv region – 38, Mykolaiv region – 29, Luhansk region – 25, Zaporizhia region – 19, Kherson region – 21, the Ukrainian capital – 16, Zhytomyr region – 15 and Sumy region – 14," a report published on the official page of Ukraine’s Prosecutor General's Office on Facebook says.
12:45 The Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: Over day, the Ukrainian military destroyed 1 aircraft, 12 UAVs, 5 cruise missiles of the enemy.
During the day, March 26, Ukrainian defenders destroyed one aircraft, 12 UAVs of various types, five cruise missiles of the aggressor, the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports.
"In general, during the day: one aircraft; 12 UAVs of various types; five cruise missiles were destroyed," Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine posted on Facebook.
According to the report, on Sunday, March 26, the Russian occupiers fired six such missiles at Lviv, hitting the fuel storage base and the territory of the armored plant.
"However, it is clear why Lviv has become a target of Putin today. This is a telling political slap to the President of the United States, who at that time was within 10 minutes of the occupiers' missile flight from the attacked Lviv" - Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stated.
12:15 The Armed Forces of Ukraine: Russian occupiers were expelled from another village in the Kharkiv region
In the Kharkiv region, The Armed Forces of Ukraine knocked the Russian occupiers out of the village of Husarivka.
According to the military, about 60 units of enemy equipment were destroyed.
"Husarivka was occupied by 2 BTGs of the Russian occupiers with the support of Russian special forces. The occupiers were knocked out. About 60 units of equipment were destroyed," the Armed Forces of Ukraine posted on Facebook.
Russian personnel losses are being determined but are expected to exceed 100 people.
11: 45 Ukrainian military unveiled a video of how they are liberating Vilkhivka village near Kharkiv.
Ukrainian defenders liberated the village of Vilkhivka, a few kilometers of Kharkiv, killing about 70 occupiers and taking as prisoners of war another 27.
"Our unit liberated the locality of Vilkhivka during the offensive operation. About 70 units of enemy manpower, three units of equipment were eliminated. A command-staff vehicle and a multi-purpose light-armored towing vehicle were taken as trophies. Twenty-seven occupiers were taken captive,” Commanders of the Kharkiv branch battalions of the Azov territorial defense, Kostiantyn Nemichev and Serhiy Velychko posted on Telegram.
The video was published on Ukrinform TV YouTube channel:
11:25 The UK Ministry of Defense: Russian plan concentrating their effort to attempt the encirclement of Ukrainian forces in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Russian forces appear to be concentrating their effort to attempt the encirclement of Ukrainian forces directly facing the separatist regions in the east of the country, the UK’s Ministry of Defence has said in its latest intelligence report on the war in Ukraine, - The Guardian reports.
It said Russian forces were advancing from the direction of Kharkiv in the north and Mariupol in the south.
However, the battlefield across northern Ukraine “remains largely static with local Ukrainian counterattacks hampering Russian attempts to reorganize their forces.”
10:55 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video message: The price for the security of Ukraine and Europe is very specific – these are aircraft for Ukraine, these are tanks for our state, anti-missile defense and anti-ship weapons.
"This is what our partners have, this is what they have covered with dust. It cannot be acceptable if the Baltic states, Poland, Slovakia, the entire east of Europe are at risk of Russian capture. They will appear only because the aircraft will remain somewhere in the hangars," he said.
"Only 1% of all NATO aircraft and 1% of all NATO tanks. We have been waiting for 31 days already. Who is in charge of the Euro-Atlantic community? Is it really Moscow still through intimidation?" Zelensky asked.
10:13 Ivan Arefyev, Colonel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Spokesperson for the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration, posted on Telegram: The Russian military attacks were successfully repulsed in Zaporizhzhia region last night and in the morning.
"The Defense Forces Group continues to conduct a defensive operation in Zaporizhzhia direction. Last night and in the morning, the enemy attacks were successfully repulsed. Our soldiers inflict significant losses on the Russian occupiers, and the enemy continues to lose manpower and equipment" - said Ivan Arefyev.
The moral and psychological condition of the enemy troops remains low but, despite this, the military-political leadership of the Russian Federation does not give up the war. The Russian military continue to terrorize and intimidate the local population in the temporarily occupied territories of the Zaporizhzhia region.
09:20 The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has posted the new summary of total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02 to 27.03. Find them in an infographic by Defense Express:
So far, the list of enemy's combat losses is the following:
Personnel - more than 16 600,
Tanks ‒ 582 units,
APV ‒ 1664 units,
Artillery systems – 294 units,
MLRS – 93 units,
Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 52 units,
Aircraft – 121 units,
Helicopters – 127 units,
Vehicles – 1144 units,
Boats / cutters - 7 units,
Fuel tanks - 73,
UAV operational-tactical level - 56 units,
Special equipment – 21,
Mobile SRBM system - 4.
Data are being updated. The calculation is complicated by the high intensity of hostilities.
08:27 Anton Drobovych, the chief of the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance said on the air of the national telethon: "Signs of war crimes, political repression, and genocide are observed in the Russian army’s actions on the territory of Ukraine".
"On the one hand, there are all signs of war crimes. Secondly, if Russian occupiers come in and establish temporary control over certain territories, then all responsibility for the situation of those territories rests with the occupying power. Accordingly, if mayors are kidnapped, textbooks are burned, and people are banned from speaking Ukrainian, these are all signs of political repression. In some cases, when people are persecuted and killed for being Ukrainians, these are signs of genocide," Drobovych said.
"We will be able to measure these humanitarian implications, as far as soft power is concerned, only when the relevant research is completed and the relevant judicial decisions are made on Russian crimes, including war crimes," Drobovich concluded.
07:45 First Deputy Head of the Regional Military Administration Taras Savchenko: In Trostianets, Sumy region, earlier liberated by the Ukrainian forces, major infrastructural damage is reported, while the local hospital is said to have been mined by the retreating occupiers.
“We saw huge destruction. We saw dozens of vehicles burnt down, both civilian and military. There’s complete absence of any communications, power, and water ... The situation is terrible. In recent days, the hospital remained under fire. It has also been mined,” the official told.
Savchenko added that a military demining team is currently working at the scene.
The humanitarian convoy deployed in Trostianets has brought foodstuffs, baby food, children’s development and hygiene products, as well as essential medicines.
Two ambulances have joined the convoy. According to Savchenko, two wounded locals have already been evacuated to Sumy.
06:58 General Staff: operational information as of 06:00, 27.03.2022 regarding the Russian invasion. Key points:
- The russian enemy continues conducting full-scale armed aggression against Ukraine.
- The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was used to cover troops and facilities. The strike aircraft dealt devastating blows to the commanders' targets and targets.
- According to available information, in the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, an average of 50 to 100 wounded personnel come to medical institutions in the city of Sevastopol every day.
- The moral and psychological condition of the enemy troops remains low.
- Along the paths of movement of russian military columns on the territory of the republic of belarus there are many facts of selling fuel and provisions by servicemen, or their exchange for alcoholic beverages.
- The enemy does not stop trying to replenish the loss of motor vehicles and establish logistics for its combat units.
- The occupiers continue to terrorize and intimidate the local population in the temporarily occupied territories. There are many cases of looting, theft of people and property.
- In the Donetsk and Luhansk areas, the Allied forces repulsed 7 enemy attacks. Ukrainian soldiers destroyed 8 tanks, 8 units of armored and 3 - enemy vehicles, one mortar. Losses of invaders in manpower are specified.
- The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has stroked 1 plane, 12 UAVs of various types and 2 cruise missiles in the previous day.
06:10 Christopher Miller, an American journalist for Buzzfeed News, said on Twitter: "Currently, Russian troops are using white phosphorus against Ukrainians on the front line near Avdiivka in the east of the country. The photos were made by Ukrainian lieutenant in real-time when we spoke". It happened on this night, at 12:52 am on March 27.
01:25 General Staff: operational information as of 00:00, 27.03.2022 regarding the Russian invasion. Key points:
- Russians deployed up to 9 battalions of material and technical support and up to 5 logistical centers in order to solve the problems of logistics support;
- some of the groups of the Russian army took a step back for regrouping and reinforcement, after that it is expected that these groups will continue to block Kyiv from the southwestern direction;
- the occupiers try to gain a foothold in the Slavutych city, Russian checkpoints were set on the approaches to the city;
- Russians strengthen the guard of the rear areas and logistical routes; take measures of toughening the administrative and police regime in the temporarily occupied territories;
- in the Popasna city of the Luhansk region, Russian forces were trying to carry out an assault but failed. Due to the lack of coordination, they shelled their own positions with mortars.
00:55 Air Force reports the achievements of air defense and warns Joe Biden
Air Force Command reported, that on March 26 six cruise missiles were fired on Lviv today. The missiles hit a fuel storage facility and an armored plant territory.
"Though, it is clear why Lviv became Putin's target," Air Force Command wrote on Facebook. "This is an eloquent political slap in the face of the USA President who was in ten minutes' reach of the missiles from the attacked Lviv. After such an act of the Kremlin's Fuhrer, the time has come to make the decision and hand modern air defense missile systems over to Ukraine as well as F-15, F-16 or F-18 jets! In order to let the Ukrainian sky defenders fight against overwhelming enemy forces, which has the advantage both in numbers and technology."
Also, the air defenders informed on the Russian losses in aircraft over the last day:
- 1 jet
- 12 UAVs of various types
- 5 cruise missiles (2 missiles by air forces + 3 missiles were shot by one of the airborne assault brigades)
The Command's press center noted that the decrease in the number of downed planes is related to the reduced activity of Russian aviation in the Ukrainian skies, while the number of missile attacks has grown.
00:33 Center for Countering Disinformation presented a video about the Azov Regiment, its establishment, history and tasks. Now the Azov Special Operations Detachment is defending Mariupol from the Russian occupiers.
Background:
February, 24: Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized a "special military operation" against Ukraine. A number of cities of Ukraine suffered a missile attack. Missiles hit several military facilities in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dniprocities. In a few hours, martial law was imposed in Ukraine.
The war lasts for two weeks now. An impressive rundown of the first days of the war was provided by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his address to the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
Key points regarding the current state of warfare:
- Ukrainian defenders continue to defend our land on Donetsk and Luhansk directions successfully repulsing 5 attacks and inflicting losses on the russian occupiers
- Ukraine managed to establish the defense, Russian offense has stalled, in some directions Ukrainian military push back the invaders
- Belarus provides its lands to Russian troops and equipment; still hasn't joined the war directly
- Russia uses terroristic methods of war, shelling civilian facilities where there are no military facilities nearby, keeping cities in a full blockade, and sabotaging humanitarian corridors for evacuation and convoys with humanitarian aid
- Humanitarian corridors: despite repetitive violations of ceasefire and shelling of evacuation transport, some of the humanitarian corridors work. The direst situation is in Mariupol, which is currently in Russian blockade, resisting
- Russian army targets nuclear power plants; Chernobyl NPP and Zaporizhzhia NPP are seized by occupiers; military activities by Russian forces near the power plants were described by Ukraine as nuclear terrorism
- Ukraine urges NATO to close the sky over Ukraine or at least provide air defense equipment: fighter jets or ground-based missile systems; some countries have expressed willingness to give their weapons if NATO provides corresponding defensive equipment in exchange (Poland, Slovakia)
- Ukraine appealed for EU membership via an accelerated procedure. The EU Council summit concluded that such a fast-track application process is impossible, yet they stated that "Ukraine belongs to the European Union"
- Ukrainian citizens in the occupied cities rally against Russians; thousands of civilian volunteers join the Territorial Defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine; the fighting has become a national struggle for survival
- Ukraine has had several rounds of negotiations with Russia; still, no significant progress towards ceasefire and peace, the main question, for now, is establishing humanitarian corridors for the supply of aid and evacuation of civilians; the negotiations continue "non-stop" in an online format; President Zelenskyy expressed readiness to directly talk with Putin.
Read more: Day 31th of Ukraine's Defense Against Russian Invasion (Live Updates)
