21:10
The NATO military defense alliance announced tonight a “special summit” of the leaders of its member states, which will probably convene next Thursday, March 24, in Brussels.
In the United States, White House spokeswoman announced that President Joe Biden would attend the summit, on his first European visit since the start of the war in Ukraine. Biden promised to “protect every inch” of the land of the Allies, if attacked as a result of the fighting. Russia has previously threatened to see arms shipments to Ukraine as a “legitimate target” for attacks.
White House spokeswoman Jen Pesky said the U.S. president would “discuss deterrence and security efforts in response to the unjustified and baseless attack on Ukraine, and also strengthen our iron commitment to the alliance.”
19:50
The leaders of Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovenia, Matyosh Morawiecki, Peter Piala and Janusz Janessa (respectively), arrived in Kiev ahead of a visit with Ukrainian President Zalansky.
It is here, in war-torn Kyiv, that history is being made. It is here, that freedom fights against the world of tyranny. It is here that the future of us all hangs in the balance. EU supports UA, which can count on the help of its friends – we brought this message to Kyiv today. pic.twitter.com/Us7k9xTq5f
– Mateusz Morawiecki (@MorawieckiM) March 15, 2022
According to UN figures, more than 3 million people have fled Ukraine since the Russian invasion. It is estimated that the number of refugees is expected to reach at least 4 million.
18:50
A Russian court has fined journalist Marina Obsinikova, who broke into a live broadcast on Russian state television Channel 1 yesterday to protest the war, a fine of 30,000 rubles ($ 280).
Meanwhile, there are reports that the Russian military has taken teams of doctors and patients at a hospital in the besieged city of Mariupol hostage. .And they use patients and doctors as hostages. According to the information we received, there are about 400 people. “
⚡️Donetsk Oblast Governor: Russia takes patients, medical staff hostage in Mariupol.
Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko says Russian troops entered a hospital on the outskirts of Mariupol.
“Russians drove 400 people from neighbouring houses to the hospital and they can’t leave,” he said.
– The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) March 15, 2022
16:56
Russia reports that Russia has imposed sanctions on US President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Anthony Blink, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, CIA chief William Burns and other senior government officials. .
Earlier, the United States and Canada announced new sanctions on those close to the Russian government. The US State Department reported that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko was among the personalities.
16:50
US President Joe Biden is expected to sign a huge $ 1.5 billion government spending, part of which will be used to aid Ukraine. The value of the aid to the country will be close to $ 14 billion and will include humanitarian aid, ammunition and weapons.
“We will make sure that Ukraine has weapons of defense against the invading Russian forces. We will send money and food and aid to save Ukrainian lives. We welcome the Ukrainian refugees with open arms,” Joe Biden tweeted.
We will make sure Ukraine has weapons to defend against the invading Russian force.
We will send money and food and aid to save Ukrainian lives.
We will welcome Ukrainian refugees with open arms.
– President Biden (@POTUS) March 14, 2022
16:47
Mikhail Podolyak, Adviser to the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zlansky continues to report on the ceasefire talks between the Russians and the Ukrainians. In a tweet on Twitter, Podoliak noted that the talks are “ongoing”. The Ukrainians continue to work for the complete withdrawal of the Russian army from the country’s territories.
Negotiations are ongoing. Consultations on the main negotiation platform renewed. General regulation matters, ceasefire, withdrawal of troops from the territory of the country…
– Mikhail Podolyak (@Podolyak_M) March 15, 2022
16:46
Russian state television channel 1 is currently in legal proceedings over her live protest against the war in Ukraine. Marina Obsinikova, the protester, is currently in the Austenkino court in Moscow. She could face up to 15 years in prison for protesting against the state.
Marina Ovsyannikova in the Ostankino district court. Her lawyer Anton Gashinsky is with her. pic.twitter.com/b1wPyy4BJ1
– Sable Love (@SobolLubov) March 15, 2022
At the same time, the mayor of Kyiv, Vitaly Klitschko, announced on his telegram channel that the number of people killed in the Russian shelling this morning had risen to four.
11:50
The leaders of Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovenia – the former Eastern bloc countries that are now members of the European Union – will today take an extraordinary step in the capital of Kyiv, and are expected to meet with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zlansky. Kyiv is almost completely besieged by Russian forces, and fierce fighting is taking place a few tens of kilometers from the city center. In the past day, the city has been attacked by bombs dropped from planes and at least four residential buildings have been hit and registered dead. Possible harm to prime ministers could drag Europe into the confrontation between Russia and Ukraine.
According to reports, the three prime ministers – Mathews Morawiecki, Peter Piala and Yansh Yansa – are already on a train making its way to Kiev, and have already crossed the border between Poland and Ukraine by 12:00 noon (Israel time). The decision to hold the visit was made at the summit of EU leaders over the weekend.
European media mentioned a similar visit by the former Polish prime minister in 2008, when he flew with his colleagues from Lithuania to Estonia, and other countries to Tbilissi (Georgia), to demonstrate solidarity. However, the Georgian capital was not then a target for Russian attacks.
11:25
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zalansky released a video tonight in which he sounded relatively optimistic about the ongoing talks with the Russians. Zalansky claimed that Russia was beginning to understand that victory would not come through the battlefield, “they began to understand that they would not achieve anything through war.” The Ukrainian president also addressed the Russian military directly and said, “If you surrender directly to our forces, we will treat you in a way that befits human beings.”
In his speech, Zalanski also referred to the Russian journalist who broke into the live broadcast on the government news channel Channel 1, and thanked her for spreading the truth to Russian citizens as well.
11:21
Mikhail Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Vladimir Zlansky, tweeted that the ceasefire talks with Russia would continue today. Last night the talks were stopped due to a technical reason and the adviser to Zlansky stated that they would resume today.
The 20th day of ???????? heroism. True freedom always comes at a cost. The rest is unchanged. Russia fights only with peaceful cities, destroying them at night with missiles. Our army beats Russians in all directions. Partners still stand aside, afraid of becoming global leaders. pic.twitter.com/VzwlVNHIPX
– Mikhail Podolyak (@Podolyak_M) March 15, 2022
11:17
Two Ukrainian civilians were killed in a shelling in a residential area in western Kyiv early this morning, emergency services in Ukraine reported. The damaged building is a 16-story building in the Svitushinsky district. 46 civilians were rescued from the ruins of the building.
Another shelling caused minimal damage to a 9-story building in the same county. A total of at least 4 residential buildings in Kiev were damaged this morning.
10:30
EU officials estimate that 5 million people may eventually flee Ukraine, Reuters reports. So far, millions have been displaced within Ukraine as well – many have been evacuated from the eastern front of the country to quieter western areas, including cities like Levib.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said at a press conference that the attack near the Polish border on Sunday shows that Russia wants to “create panic among the civilian population.”
As you may recall, Russia attacked a Ukrainian base near Levib earlier this week, killing at least 35 people. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said last night that this was the third air strike in western Ukraine. “It certainly looks like the Russians are expanding their target bank,” he said.
10:14
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to fly tonight for a quick visit to Saudi Arabia, in an attempt to persuade the kingdom to increase its oil production. The visit and the request are part of a British and European plan to stop importing crude oil from Russia in the wake of the war in Ukraine.
Last week, US media reported that US President Joe Biden had made a similar request to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, but that state leaders ignored his attempts to make contact.
Johnson’s visit has been criticized in the UK media, due to Saudi involvement in the assassination of opposition journalist Jamal Hashukaji in 2018. Johnson is expected to meet in Saudi Arabia with the regent, Prince Muhammad bin Salman.
7:00
20th day of fighting: loud explosions were heard in the last minutes in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zlansky is expected to address the US House of Representatives tomorrow. Zalansky is expected to ask members of Congress and Senate to urge U.S. President Joe Biden to approve the transfer of MiGs from Poland to Ukraine.
Senior US officials have announced that China has decided to accede to Russia’s request and send it military and economic assistance to continue with its invasion of Ukraine. This is against the background of reports that the Russian forces that invaded Ukraine are unable to advance.
In Russia: A TV employee of the state-run channel “Russia 1” broke into a national broadcast with a sign opposing the war. The employee also called on the public not to believe the government’s propaganda regarding the war in Ukraine.
Russian anti-war protester Marina Ovsyannikova interrupted a live news bulletin on Russia’s state TV Channel One, holding up a sign behind a studio presenter and shouting slogans denouncing the war in Ukraine https://t.co/wxhwqx64zl pic.twitter.com/J8NeE4OB3y
– Reuters (@Reuters) March 15, 2022
Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine on a ceasefire will continue today.