The war in Europe – Day 16: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zalansky expressed concern tonight (Thursday to Friday) in a speech in Russian that Russia is preparing a chemical attack as part of its invasion of Ukraine. Zalansky referred to Russia’s accusations that Russian forces had found evidence of the development of chemical weapons by the United States in Ukraine, and said they had made him “really worry.”
In a video released by the Ukrainian president, he clarified that he did not develop chemical weapons or weapons of mass destruction in Ukraine, and that Moscow’s allegations were known to cover up the Kremlin’s intentions. “We’ve seen it over and over again – if you want to know what Russia’s plans are, look at what Russia blames others for.” All updates in JDN News.
16:30 – Territorial advance of Russian military forces in Ukraine halted. This is what the Presidential Adviser to the Ukraine said: “The enemy has been arrested in almost every direction thanks to airstrikes, rocket fire and ground attacks.”
16:20 – Get-Taxi taxi booking company stops operating in Russia.
16:10 – Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked: “The State of Israel currently hosts over 25,000 Ukrainians, and contrary to criticism, the vast majority of those who came to Israel were allowed to enter and stay here until the rage passes. At the same time, every sane person understands that “It can be a substitute for the various European countries, including Ukraine’s neighbors who have opened their borders wide.”
16:00 – The Jewish Agency’s deputy director general will leave for the Jewish Agency’s immigration centers in Romania and Poland: the “Aliyah Express” route will begin on Sunday. The deputy director general is expected to brief Foreign Minister Lapid at an immigrant facility in Bucharest.
15:50 – Israeli Ambassador to Russia Alex Ben-Zvi meets today with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the two “exchanged views” on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine and its surroundings
15:40 – Ukraine’s state nuclear agency said power supplies to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant have not yet been restored, although Russia’s energy ministry said it was back in operation yesterday. Ukraine has warned of an increased risk of radiation leakage if the high-voltage line, damaged in battles, is not repaired.
15:30 – Ukrainian President Zlansky says earlier today to Ukrainian citizens, in a video taken on the street, in the courtyard of a government compound in Kiev: “It is impossible to say how many days we have left to liberate Ukrainian soil, but we can say we will, because we have already reached a turning point “Strategically. We are moving towards our goal, our victory. Ukrainians are proud people who have always defended their land, and will not give the occupier even a single piece of this land.”
15:20 – UN: 564 civilians in Ukraine have been killed since the beginning of the Russian invasion, including 41 children.
15:10 – Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel at a press conference: “Unfortunately I do not have good news, the humanitarian situation is getting worse. For over 70 years the world has not seen such brutal acts.”
15:00 – In Belarus report: Domino’s pizza chain has announced that it is suspending its investments in Russia. The report stated that the chain has 188 branches throughout Russia.
14:30 – Turkish President Erdogan talks with 30 heads of state about the crisis in Ukraine.
14:05 – An Israir plane carrying about 40 medical personnel from Ichilov Hospital landed in Moldova, where they will set up a front emergency room near the Ukrainian (Planka) border for the thousands of refugees who pass through the area every day. The initiative of the “For Their Sake” organization, which was founded to help Holocaust survivors.
14:00 – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights receives “credible reports” of a number of cases in which Russian forces used cluster munitions in populated areas of Ukraine. According to the commission, indiscriminate use of such weapons could be a war crime.
13:30 – Russian President Putin said that “there are some positive changes” in talks with Ukraine.
13:10 – NATO Secretary General: “We will not send forces to Ukraine, such a move could drag us into an all-out war against Russia.”
13:00 – Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel: “Bennett’s negotiations with Russia are Pike negotiations”.
12:46 – The Home Front Command’s Alon ‘headquarters in Corona is the one helping to absorb the refugees from Ukraine. This is now a temporary solution, but the possibility of expanding it is being considered, and the Minister of Defense will hold a discussion on the issue today.
12:26 – Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine more than 2.5 million people have fled the country, 116 thousand of them citizens of other countries. “Poland hosts the largest number of refugees,” the UN said. “We estimate that there are about two million displaced persons within the country,” said the head of the UN refugee agency, adding: “.
12:12 – Reuters reports that the Russian president today approved bringing in 16,000 “volunteer” fighters from the Middle East to fight against Ukraine.
11:41 – Reports in Russia: After officially announcing that it will cease operations in Russia – McDonald’s is already marking a date when they will return to operations in the country – March 14.
11:27 – Slovenian Prime Minister Yanz Janza says a large majority of EU leaders support sending a message to Ukraine that it will eventually win EU membership. He said, “Not tomorrow, of course, tomorrow they (Ukraine) can become candidates.”
11:10 – Russian President Vladimir Putin said he wanted to allow volunteers to fight Ukrainian forces and agreed to hand over Western missile systems seized to pro-Russian rebel fighters.
10:54 – Kremlin Comptroller Alexei Navalny called for anti-war demonstrations in Moscow and other cities.
10:37 – Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksie Reznikov claims that Russian forces invading Ukraine killed more Ukrainian civilians than soldiers. “I want it to be heard not only in Kiev, but all over the world,” he clarified.
10:23 – Central Kharkiv, the second largest city in Ukraine, after a series of Russian bombings and shelling.
(27a *)
10:18 – Foreign Minister Yair Lapid will take off on Saturday night for a political trip to two countries bordering Ukraine – Romania and Slovakia. During his visit, Lapid will meet with Foreign Ministry officials who have been working in the field on an emergency basis for more than two weeks. Lapid will also meet with the heads of state and discuss with them the situation in Europe. In addition, Foreign Minister Lapid will also arrive at the Siret border crossing between Romania and Ukraine, and will meet Foreign Ministry officials working at the crossing in the past two weeks to rescue Israelis and Jews from Ukraine. The Foreign Minister will receive an overview of what is happening from the Israeli ambassador to Romania and the head of the Romanian emergency services.
9:48 – Ukrainian Presidential Adviser Mikhail Podolyak says this morning that Ukraine’s major cities, including Dnipro and Lutsk, are subject to “destructive attacks”. He said two buildings had exploded in the western city of Lutsk near the Polish border, while three large-scale explosions were reported in the western city of Ivano-Frankivsk. “Dnipro is also under attack,” the adviser added. “Russia’s destructive war against civilians and big cities continues.”
9:40 – The Israeli Ministry of Education will provide professional guidance to about 500 Ukrainian teachers through the zoom on dealing with emergencies, locating, identifying and supporting children in mental distress and providing tools for emotional and social support. The request for professional support was accepted by mental health officials in Ukraine, in light of the experience gained by the Israeli education system in dealing with emergencies.
9:32 – The state-owned company that operates the nuclear power plants in Ukraine has announced that it will no longer purchase nuclear fuel from Russia.
9:20 – The British Ministry of Defense claims in an intelligence report published this morning on the situation in Ukraine that “it is very unlikely that Russia achieved its plan objectives before the invasion”. The report notes that “Russian ground forces continue to advance in a limited way,” and that “the logistical problems that have hampered Russian progress continue, as does the strong Ukrainian resistance.”
9:18 – Moment of attack on airports in western Ukraine.
(27a *)
9:05 – Russian forces launch rockets at airports in western Ukraine. Explosions were heard in Lutsk and Ivano-Frankivsk.
(27a *)
8:43 – Reports of bombings in the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro.
(27a *)
8:33 – Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Urban clarifies that the EU will not impose sanctions on Russian gas or oil imports. “The most important issue for us has been positively settled – there will be no sanctions that will apply to gas or oil, so Hungary’s energy supply will remain secure in the near future,” Urban said.
8:30 – A spokesman for the Russian Ministry of Defense said that two military airports in the cities of Lutsk and Ivano-Frankivsk in Ukraine were taken out of action in Russian attacks carried out from a long distance. He said Russian forces had destroyed 3,213 Ukrainian military installations since the launch of what Russia calls a “special military operation” in Ukraine.
8:22 – Russian news agency TASS: About 222,000 people were evacuated to Russia from Ukraine and the two provinces controlled by the pro-Russian rebels.
8:10 – A report in Russia that pro-Russian separatists have taken over the city of Volnobaha, located north of the port of Mariupol in Ukraine. It is a strategically important city, serving as the northern gateway to Mariupol.
7:30 – Emergency services in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro announce that at least one person has been killed in a series of airstrikes. According to the emergency services, the attacks were close to a kindergarten and an apartment building.
6:00 – US President Joe Biden is expected to announce soon a series of further steps against Russia, along with the G7 countries and the European Union.
5:31 – Chinese Prime Minister Li Kachiang said the situation in Ukraine was “disturbing” and that it was important to support Russia and Ukraine in ceasefire talks.
4:00 – Ukraine seeks to withdraw more than 300 of its members of the UN peacekeeping force around the world, following the Russian invasion of the country. A total of 250 soldiers, 36 staff officers and 22 policemen will return to Ukraine. The organization said in a statement that “it is the right of every member state to retire from the peacekeeping forces. We should thank the Ukrainian team for their many years of contribution to peacekeeping operations and of course to the peacekeepers themselves.”
2:00 – US satellite company MAXAR claims that new images show that the large Russian military convoy recently seen in northwestern Kyiv, near Antonov Airport, has been dismantled and relocated.
* The video is distributed on social networks and our attempts to locate the copyright holder were unsuccessful. If you know the identity of the photographer, let us know by email [email protected] The use of the image is made in accordance with the provisions of section 27A of the Copyright Law, 5768-2007