March 21, 10.00 EST
The accident on ammonia emissions in Sumy after Russian shelling on chemical plant caused gas leak.
Ukrainians in Kherson keep protesting against Russian invaders; they forced two huge Russian trucks to retreat simply by their peaceful pressure.
Ukrainians in Energodar hold a peaceful protest demanding to release deputy mayor Ivan Samoidyuk who was abducted by Russian invaders.
As a result of shelling, a shopping mall in Kyiv has burned down, 6 residential buildings were damaged, 3 of those are no longer livable, 8 people have been killed.
WAR ROOM
General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02 to 21.03 were approximately:
personnel – about 15000,
tanks ‒ 498,
APV ‒ 1535,
artillery systems – 240,
MLRS – 80,
Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 45,
aircraft – 97,
helicopters – 121,
vehicles – 969,
boats / cutters – 3,
fuel tanks – 60,
UAV operational-tactical level – 24.
special equipment – 13.
Data are being updated. The calculation is complicated by the high intensity of hostilities.
The twenty-sixth day of the resistance of the Ukrainian people to the Russian large-scale military invasion has started.
25 days of defense against the Russian invasion have passed.
The kremlin no longer knows how to explain the things that are happening. It is because these days they have buried more soldiers in the regions of Russia than their officially acknowledged losses. Lies cannot help them, instead they are scared of the truth.
Our defenders have almost completely wiped out a number of Russian tank, air assault, engineering and other units that were considered “elite”, along with their commanders.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, our soldiers have shot down 100 planes and 120 helicopters, destroyed almost 500 tanks and 1 500 Russian armored combat vehicles.
That is why Russia is gathering mercenaries all over the world and making desperate attempts to push Belarusian troops into the hell of war in Ukraine.
The position of our army is very clear: all invaders will get a harsh rebuff, regardless of who they are or where they come from.
The enemy no longer dreams of capturing Kyiv, is out of breath in the Chernihiv & Sumy regions and receiving painful blows near Kharkiv, in the Mykolaiv, Kherson and Luhansk regions.
The heroic defenders of Mariupol have played a huge role in destroying the enemy`s plans and enhancing our defense. By virtue of their dedication and superhuman courage, tens of thousands of lives throughout Ukraine were saved. Today Mariupol is saving Kyiv, Dnipro and Odessa. Everyone must understand this.
Residents of Kherson, Energodar and other cities who are protesting unarmed against the Russian occupiers demonstrate that the will of the Ukrainian people is unbreakable. And the enemy better run away.
The battle of Ukrainians for their land is finally making the world realize the things we have been saying for many months. Even the UN Secretary-General has already acknowledged that Russia’s attack on Ukraine can lead to a global food crisis, which, in turn, will provoke another migration crisis in Europe.
Every person now holding his or her ground is giving us the precious time needed to strengthen Ukraine.
As mentioned before, we agreed not to highlight info on the supply of weapons. But I can say that in recent days the team of the Ministry of Defense has delivered and handed over to the Armed Forces 51 000 bulletproof vests with class 4 protection pursuant to NATO standards.
This protection was purchased mainly at the expense of the state budget, and therefore – thanks to all Ukrainians. We are working round the clock and preparing the next batches.
No need for illusions. Many challenged still lie ahead.
Ukraine is conducting a strategic defense operation against a much more numerous opponent and under the threat of ground invasion by Belarusian troops. We are taking losses. The enemy is destroying our cities and undermining our economy. The situation is very difficult.
But as long as our army, which is reinforced by reserves, is preserved – we will fight. And we will win!
The war has changed the sense of time and many familiar things. But the working week traditionally begins on Monday. And today we must nurture this “tradition” as strongly as we nurture our army.
The government is doing everything possible to save our economy. It is the basis of our defense. Every person that goes to work today, gives work to others and contributes to the state budget is working for the defense of Ukraine.
We will overcome the enemy through our unity and superior cohesion. The contribution of each and every person is important.
The situation and the nature of the actions of the defense forces have not changed significantly during the last day. The Armed Forces of Ukraine and other units of the Defense Forces continue to strike at groups of enemy troops trying to hold the captured frontiers.
At the same time, there is a decrease in the intensity of the use of manned aircraft by the enemy. In order to assess the effectiveness of the results of missile and bomb strikes, the enemy used operational and tactical unmanned aerial vehicles.
During the previous day, units of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine hit 7 air targets of the enemy (1 plane, 4 UAVs, and 2 cruise missiles). In addition, bombers and assault aircraft dealt devastating blows to clusters of enemy equipment and manpower.
The occupiers continue to terrorize the local population and loot in the temporarily occupied territories. The enemy exports home appliances, automobiles, food, and other material resources to the Russian federation.
There have been many cases of Russian occupiers deploying personnel, weapons, and equipment on civilian infrastructure.
The occupiers continue to carry out forced mobilization measures in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. Thus, according to available information, budget organizations of the Stanychno-Luhansk village community have been notified of the need to arrive on April 1, 2022, male workers aged 18 to 60 years in the local police department for registration. The reasons for this “registration” are not explained, although it is connected with the next wave of mobilization to the 2nd Army Corps to be sent to the combat areas.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine in cooperation with other components of the Defense Forces give a worthy rebuff to the invader in all directions. The destruction of enemy support columns also continues.
The enemy continues to conduct large-scale armed aggression against Ukraine. The occupiers’ tasks of defeating groups of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, reaching the administrative borders of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, encircling Kyiv, and establishing control over the left-bank part of Ukraine have not been fulfilled. The enemy partially managed to reach the goal in the Donetsk operational area and keep the land corridor in the southern part of Kherson, Zaporizhia and Donetsk regions.
Due to the lack of significant progress in the ground operation, disinformation and propaganda continue to be actively disseminated among the population of the Russian federation – a basis is being prepared to justify prolonging the war and creating a misconception about the effectiveness of international sanctions.
During the day, the enemy fired missiles and bombs, and actively used air strikes. It should be noted that the occupiers focused their attacks on important civilian infrastructure and residential areas of settlements, in order to intimidate the civilian population and reduce the economic potential of Ukraine.
In the Volyn direction, there is a high probability of provocations by the special services of the Russian federation at Belarusian facilities in order to involve the armed forces of the republic of Belarus in a military operation against Ukraine.
The enemy did not carry out active offensive operations in the Polissya direction. It is fixed on the captured frontiers and prepares for the attack on Kyiv. Due to the active actions of units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the occupiers were blocked in some areas.
In the northern direction, the enemy continues to regroup and concentrate forces and means to resume offensive operations. But he is unable to organize high-quality logistical support of divisions and engineering equipment of the occupied positions.
In the Slobozhansky direction, the enemy did not conduct active offensive operations, trying to make covert preparations for the resumption of the offensive.
In the Donetsk and Luhansk directions, thanks to the skillful and professional actions of Ukrainian soldiers, seven enemy attacks were successfully repulsed, 12 tanks, 9 infantry fighting vehicles, 3 cars, and about 170 manpower were destroyed. Air Defence units shot down 1 enemy Su-34 and 1 occupier helicopter (losses are being clarified).
The enemy continues to carry out air strikes on Mariupol’s civil infrastructure facilities, in particular, the Azovtsal metallurgical plant. Conducts assault operations on the western and eastern outskirts, in the direction of the central part of the city. It is not successful. Suffers losses.
No significant changes have been noted in the Tavriya direction. In order to prevent rallies in the occupied settlements, the units were relocated, which are trying to carry out punitive measures against civilians in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
It is expected that the occupiers will continue to take measures aimed at establishing the occupying power in the temporarily controlled territories and combating the centers of national resistance.
In the South Bug direction, the enemy is demoralized, there are many cases of abandoning defensive positions, weapons and equipment.
Ukrainian defenders continue to courageously and heroically restrain the aggressor’s invasion, inflicting significant losses on him.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
The accident on ammonia emissions in Sumy is liquidated after Russian shelling on chemical plant caused gas leak.
#Sumy oblast
Sumy oblast
On March 21th at 03:55 in Sumy the territory of PAT Sumykhimprom was shelled, as a result of the shelling 1 tank with ammonia was damaged. As of 05:00, there was a slight leakage of ammonia.
Units of the State Emergency Service are carrying out work on the deposition of ammonia clouds. There is no threat to the citizens.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba
Brave Ukrainians in Kherson keep protesting against Russian invaders. Peacefully and fearlessly. They literally forced two huge Russian trucks to retreat simply by their peaceful pressure. These people are Ukraine. Their spirit of freedom is truly unbreakable.
Brave Ukrainians in Energodar hold a peaceful protest demanding to release deputy mayor Ivan Samoidyuk who was abducted by Russian invaders. Russians thought they could impose their authoritarian rules in democratic Ukraine. Instead, they need to go home.
Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine – Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine
On March 21, 8 directions for humanitarian corridors have been agreed:
Mariupol – Zaporizhia
Velyka Dymerka – Brovary
Vorzel – Bilohorodka
Bucha – Bilohorodka
Kozarovychi – Vyshhorod
Lysychansk – Bakhmut
Severodonetsk – Bakhmut
Hirske – Bakhmut
Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Ludmila Denisova
As a result of the Russian military invasion, some settlements in Ukraine have been under occupation and on the verge of survival for three weeks now.
The city of Trostyanets in the Sumy region has been occupied inside and completely surrounded on all sides from the outside. Along the perimeter of the city there are enemy checkpoints, which are a great risk to life.
Artillery installations were installed near the station, other equipment was placed in the city between administrative buildings, near shops, and residential buildings, realizing that there would be no adequate response to this equipment from the Armed Forces of Ukraine in this location.
Fearing Ukrainian air strikes and artillery, the occupiers are forcing civilians to sit on the streets at night near the equipment of the racist army as a human shield.
In the city, the occupiers are killing civilians and destroying civilian infrastructure, mass looting.
The head of the street committee, Hanna Samoilova, was killed, and for several days snipers fired on the street, preventing residents from taking the body for burial. The other day, a guy who was returning home in the evening was shot dead on the street. The head of the agricultural enterprise, who was driving to work in the morning, was shot dead.
A grenade was thrown at people on one of the streets. The blast killed two men.
Three days ago, racist militants fired on a local hospital, which was almost completely destroyed.
Yesterday, heavy artillery fired on residential buildings. The occupiers actually destroyed several houses and killed three pensioners who lived there. Several other apartment buildings and a shop were damaged.
The occupiers resorted to mass looting, all shops, ATMs, pharmacies in the city were devastated.
They are actively looting local houses, stealing cars, going into apartments, where they take things, jewelry and food. If there are no people at home, they stay there overnight.
Torture of civilians by russian militants is nothing but genocide of the Ukrainian people in accordance with the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
I appeal to the International Committee of the Red Cross to take all possible measures to open safe humanitarian corridors in Ukraine for the evacuation of civilians from areas of active hostilities and occupation.
I ask NATO member states to close the skies over Ukraine!
Mayor of Kyiv Vitalii Klitchko
Kyiv is constantly being attacked by the enemy. Overnight, the firefighters were extinguishing a fire in the Podilsky district. As a result of shelling, a shopping mall has burned down, and 6 residential buildings were damaged; 3 of those are no longer livable. 8 people have died.
The premises of two schools and two kindergartens were also affected.
Because of the fires caused by shelling, the air pollution levels in Kyiv and the region have increased. Please don’t open windows. If you happen to go outside, please protect your lungs by wearing the FFP2 medical respirator.
I urge Kyivans not to film or post the movement of the military equipment, checkpoints or guarding of strategic sites. Don’t help the enemy!
I’d also like to inform you that a reinforced curfew will be imposed in Kyiv and Kyiv region. Starting from 20:00 on March 21, which is today, and until 7:00 on March 23.
Shops, pharmacies, gas stations, and institutions won’t work.
So please stay at home or in shelters if the air raid sirens go off.
Only vehicles possessing special passes will be allowed to move around the city at this time.
POLICY
Messages from the address of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy
20.03.2022 23:49 CET
The 25th day has come to an end since the Russian military has gone to the exercise and found themselves on our land. They all say so when taken captive.
It is already the 25th day since the Russian military has been vainly trying to find imaginary “Nazis” from whom they allegedly wanted to defend our people. Just as they are vainly trying to find Ukrainians who would meet them with flowers. At least in one city of our state. At least in one village.
And most importantly – the Russian military cannot find a way home. That is why our soldiers help them with the path to God’s judgment.
To God’s judgment where I am sure they receive only one punishment, one for all: the eternal cellar. Forever under the bombs. Forever without food, water and heat. For everything they did to our people, ordinary Ukrainians. To peaceful people. In Okhtyrka and Kharkiv, in Borodyanka and Chernihiv. In Volnovakha and Mariupol. And many of our other courageous cities.
In besieged Mariupol, Russian aircraft dropped a bomb on an art school. People were hiding there. Hiding from shelling, from bombing. There were no military positions. There were about four hundred civilians. Mostly women and children, the elderly. They are under the debris. We do not know how many are alive at the moment.
But we know that we will definitely shoot down the pilot who dropped that bomb. As we already did to almost a hundred other similar mass murderers.
Today, in the Knesset, I addressed all deputies and government officials. But first of all, I spoke on your behalf, on behalf of all Ukrainians with the people of Israel, who, I am sure, understand us. As free people understand free people.
Of course, Israel has its own interests, a strategy to protect its citizens. We understand that. Israeli Prime Minister Bennett is trying to find a way to negotiate with Russia. And we are grateful for that. For every effort. So that sooner or later we start talking to Russia, perhaps in Jerusalem. This is the right place to find peace. If it is possible.
Well, Russian propagandists today have a rather difficult task.
After all, for the first time in history, the president of a foreign state spoke in the Knesset via video call. And spoke to the people of Israel. The President of Ukraine accused in Moscow of “Nazism” spoke in the Knesset to the people of Israel.
This fact alone confirms how wrong things are in Moscow.
During the day on March 20, only 4 humanitarian corridors worked. A total of 7,295 people were evacuated. Almost 4,000 Mariupol residents arrived in Zaporizhzhia in one day.
Tomorrow morning we are preparing to send new buses to Mariupol to continue this important mission. More than 3,000 people were rescued in the Kyiv region. But in the Kharkiv region… Russian troops captured our convoy, our humanitarian cargo for the city of Vovchansk. There is no connection now with six people. Five drivers and one doctor. We will release them. We will try again and again to deliver to our people what they need.
The Kherson region fought again today. I am grateful to them. Again on the streets. And as always – for all of us, for Ukraine. With national flags. And with our Ukrainian courage. Unarmed against the occupiers. Against shots and military vehicles. This is a feat that inspires us all. This is Ukraine we are proud of. These are Ukrainians to whom I am immensely grateful. Just as all our people are.
In the afternoon I spoke with Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson. A true friend of Ukraine who does not hesitate and does not seek excuses.
We agreed on concrete support for our country at next week’s G7 and NATO summits. Although we are not members of these organizations, I see that Ukraine has at least one vote there.
I also spoke with Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis. A star couple who sincerely believe in us, in our victory, in our future. They help Ukrainian IDPs by raising funds. And the two of them have already raised $ 35 million. I thanked them on behalf of our people, on behalf of all of us. Agree, this is a good result for one couple of our friends in America.
And we are working to make the whole world our friends.
I personally presented state awards to Ukrainian intelligence officers. Please understand – I can’t say their names publicly.
But believe me, the contribution of these people to our defense is so significant that the orders and the title of Hero of Ukraine for them is the minimum we can give. Just to express gratitude. To them and to all our heroes. Thanks to which we are holding on. And we’re doing it pretty well.
And Ukraine lives.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
According to the information received, on March 19, the Russian occupation forces illegally deported to the territory of the Russian Federation 2,389 children who were in the occupied districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Forced displacement of civilians into the territory of the aggressor state, including children, shows signs of abduction. Such actions are a gross violation of international law, in particular international humanitarian law.
By destroying homes and killing the parents, the Russian Federation deprives Ukrainian children of parental care and puts their lives in further jeopardy in Russia.
We call on the international community to respond to the illegal removal of children, to increase pressure on Russia to make it stop the barbaric war against the Ukrainian people.
The facts of abduction of children, as well as other facts of crimes of the Russian occupiers against civilians in Ukraine, are being investigated by law enforcement agencies. The perpetuators of these crimes will be brought to justice.
Address of the Members of Parliament of Ukraine to senior executives of foreign governments responsible for education
Due to the military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, the President of Ukraine issued a Decree “On the Introduction of Martial Law” No. 64/2022, which was endorsed by the Law of Ukraine No. 2102-IX of February 24, 2022, introducing martial law as of February 24, 2022, for a period of 30 days.
The world community has repeatedly expressed concern over Russia’s aggressive actions on the territory of Ukraine and almost unanimously condemned Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine by the Resolution of the UN General Assembly “Aggression against Ukraine”, dated March 2, 2022.
Ukraine received strong political, economic, military and defense, social and humanitarian support from foreign states in protection of its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. Every friendly action of our partners is met with great gratitude not only at the diplomatic level, but also by all citizens of Ukraine, in particular those, who are currently studying abroad.
The reform and development of Ukraine’s national system of higher education and science, its integration into the European and global academia, and adoption of the principles and standards of the Bologna Process by Ukrainian universities have been among the key priorities of Ukraine’s domestic policies.
In the process of integrating itself into international academia, Ukraine has signed a great number of bilateral and multilateral cooperation agreements in the sphere of education. Ukraine’s cooperation with other global actors at numerous academic levels – ranging from agreements signed between universities to agreements signed between ministries of education – contributed to foreign citizens’ wide enrollment into Ukrainian universities and assisted Ukrainian citizens to enroll into foreign universities.
Your nation has made a huge effort to help Ukraine overcome the negative consequences of the military aggression of the Russian Federation. We deeply value the efforts aimed at supporting our citizens and count on your further support of those, who found themselves in a difficult situation, – namely the students, who study at universities and colleges in your country. They currently require not only psychological support, but a wide range of other urgent assistance measures to help normalize their lives, while they find themselves far away from their Motherland, which is suffering the terrible scourge of war. Students, who study at universities and colleges in your country – citizens of Ukraine – may require the following assistance, depending on their individual circumstances:
– Provision of psychological assistance to Ukrainian students collectively and individually in order to soothe the negative affect that the war Ukraine’s territory could have had on their mental condition;
– Provision of financial assistance, including support with meals, healthcare and products of individual hygiene;
– Provision of financial assistance to cover tuition, offers of tuition waivers or tuition payment by installments;
– Extension of visas and temporary residence permits without travel to Ukraine;
– Provision of housing assistance;
– Provision of transportation assistance, such as subsidized or free transportation;
– Assistance with special employment permits, including permits to combine academic studies with part-time work;
– Offers of subsidized training opportunities;
– Postponement of exams due to war-related psychological traumas;
– Organization of counselling sessions with student cohorts to inform them about real situation in Ukraine;
– Organization of other events and measures to create comfortable conditions for students.
Such measures will assist to meet the special needs of Ukrainians amidst the Russian Federation’s military aggression against Ukraine, while related permits and waivers might be necessary to allow them to continue education abroad in line with the UN Convention against Discrimination in Education of December 14, 1960.
All states, whose universities opened their doors to the citizens of Ukraine and made them members of their student community, should take concerted actions and support Ukrainian students in order to preserve and guarantee future development of Ukraine’s academic potential.
Students are the future of Ukraine, and thus by offering your support today, you ensure Ukraine’s intellectual prosperity tomorrow.
In these difficult times, Ukraine counts on your understanding and is thankful to you for sharing this letter with presidents and rectors of universities and colleges in your country. We hope you will offer assistance to the citizens of Ukraine, who pursue high education in your country, help them return to normal peaceful life, improve their psychological state, morale, and material condition so that they could provide for their basic needs.