Russian invasion of Ukraine: tanks and rocket attacks on the cities. Breaking news

In Bucha, on March 5, a veteran teacher of Church Slavonic and Greek languages of the Kyiv Theological Academy and Seminary Alexander Ivanovich Kislyuk was shot dead.

On March 16, due to the shelling of Kharkiv, a fire broke out in the trade pavilions on the territory of a market.

Rescuers of the State Emergency Service extinguished the fire on an area of 3,600 square meters.

As a result of the shelling, three people were killed and five were wounded.

Operational information as of 18:00 16 March from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine:

The enemy receives stiff resistance from the units of the Defense Forces. The occupiers are suffering significant losses in manpower and equipment.

Since the beginning of the day, units of the anti-aircraft missile forces of the AFU Air Force have destroyed two Su-30SM aircraft in Odesa region, a Ka-52 helicopter near Mykolaiv and a Su-34 aircraft in Chernihiv region. Data on enemy losses are being updated.

In some areas, the AFU units have regrouped and launched a counteroffensive.

Due to the forced mobilization of men in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, a critical situation has developed, bringing the region on the brink of humanitarian catastrophe.

In the settlement of Makiivka, there is a catastrophic situation in local hospitals, which are unable to provide medical care to civilians due to the lack of qualified medical personnel.

In Kirovohrad region, sappers destroyed the warhead of an enemy Kalibr cruise missile.

Russian occupation forces dropped a bomb on the Mariupol Drama Theatre, the Azov Regiment reports with reference to information from eyewitnesses.
The number of dead and wounded is currently unknown.

The Drama Theatre, the city's cultural centre, has been officially designated as a gathering place for refugees who have lost their homes and livelihoods. Certainly, the occupiers knew about it.

Almost a thousand civilians from Mariupol were hiding in the theatre.

The number of dead and wounded is currently unknown.

During his speech in the US Congress, President Zelensky proposed to create a new alliance. It will be called United for Peace (U-24) and will provide all necessary assistance in 24 hours.

According to Zelensky, the union he proposed could provide assistance in the form of weapons, sanctions, humanitarian or political support, finances, as well as in the event of natural disasters, humanitarian crises or epidemics.

"If such a union - U-24 - was created now, I believe that thousands of lives could be saved. In our Ukraine. In many other countries," the president added.

In his speech to the US Congress, President Zelensky compared Russia's attack on Ukraine to the attack on Pearl Harbor and September 11 attack.

"Americans! In your majestic history you have pages that will allow you better understand Ukrainians. Understand us now. When we need it mostly. Remember Pearl Harbor. A terrible morning on December 7, 1941. When your sky was black from the planes attacking you. Remember September 11. A terrible day in 2001, when evil tried to turn your cities into a battlefield. When innocent people were attacked, attacked from the air, as no one expected, "Zelensky said." Our state is going through this every day and night for three weeks already".

The occupiers' military column was smashed into pieces.

The International Court of Justice has ordered Russia to immediately stop the "military operation" in Ukraine.

Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine:

As soon as Ukraine's lawsuit was filed, the UN International Court of Justice ordered Russia to immediately stop the military operation in Ukraine.

The court also ordered to stop any advance of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and the irregular forces supported by it on the territory of Ukraine.

This is exactly what Ukraine demanded. We got everything we asked for.

Why is it important:

- at the highest legal level, the fact of Russia's invasion was stated and it was determined that Russia's unjustified aggression must stop;

- 13 judges supported the decision, against - only two (Russia and China). This is a powerful result that adds weight to the decision;

- the court decision is legally binding in accordance with the international law.

Ukraine demands that Russia has to immediately carry out the order and stop its aggression against Ukraine.

The sowing campaign in Ukraine will take place wherever there is no fighting, said Minister of Agrarian Policy Roman Leshchenko.

Destroyed equipment of the occupiers.

At about 3:30 p.m., the Russian occupiers fired from MLRS "Grad" on a column of civilians evacuating from Mariupol to Zaporizhia, according to the General Staff.  According to preliminary information, there are people killed. Among the casualties and wounded are children.

Russia's KAMAZ is threatened by a 40% reduction in production.  In addition, while the issue of supply of components is being resolved, up to 15,000 employees might become "idle", said the head of Tatarstan Rustam Minikhanov.

The man tried to leave Ukraine in a baby box.

State Border Guard Service of Ukraine:

• On the border with Moldova, border guards of the Chernivtsi detachment exposed an unusual "passenger". He was found at the Rososhany checkpoint in a Renault car driven by a woman with her two children.
• After checking their documents, the border guards also inspected the trunk of the car, where they found a man (born in 1985) in the baby box. As it turned out, in this way the wife tried to transport the father of her children across the border. Border guards did not allow the "passenger" to pass, as men between the ages of 18 and 60 are not allowed to leave during martial law.
• Currently the circumstances of the offense are being established. Administrative documents were drawn up against a citizen of Ukraine for attempting to violate the state border. Documents were also drawn up against his wife under Article 332 of the Criminal Code (Illegal transfer of people across the state border of Ukraine).

Financial Times: Ukraine and Russia have made serious progress on a preliminary peace deal. It consists of 15 points, which, among other things, include a ceasefire, the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine, in exchange for which Kyiv will declare neutral status and refuse to join NATO, and agree to limit its own armed forces and renounce foreign bases on its territory.

Ukraine expects to receive security guarantees from countries such as the U.S., the UK and Turkey.

The nature of these guarantees and their acceptability for Moscow may become a bone of contention in the negotiations, as may the status of the occupied Crimea and the Donbas region, the weekly said.

The USA, along with its NATO allies, has sent air defence systems to Ukraine, including two modifications of the S-300 complex. This was reported by CNN, citing an unnamed senior US official.

The video Zelenskyy showed to US congressmen.

A Russian helicopter shot down in the Mykolayiv region.

A Kyiv man "buried" the mother of his children in order to go abroad, the State Border Service of Ukraine has said. The man, together with his two children, was going through the Maly Berezniy checkpoint, and during a document check, he said that he was bringing up his two sons on his own due to the death of his wife.

The man showed the death certificate, but the border guard suspected that it was fake. An inspection confirmed this.

As a result, the "single father" was refused to cross the border, and a criminal case is planned to be initiated against him under the article "Forgery of documents, seals, stamps and letterheads, their sale, use of forged documents".

Zelenskyy: Ukraine has become a member of the "energy EU". The integration of the Ukrainian and European energy systems has been completed.

Zelensky asked the US Congress to implement a no-fly zone, further military assistance, including air defense supplies, the withdrawal of American companies from Russia, and the creation of a new alliance to ensure security in Europe.

The president summed up by saying that "Today it is not enough to be the leader of the country. Today you need to be the leader of the world." He made it clear that he was addressing US President Joe Biden.

"Strong does not mean great, strong is a brave man who is ready to fight for truth, peace and freedom," Zelensky said. After his speech, the congressmen stood up and gave a standing ovation.

Zelensky's speech in the US Congress.

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe expelled Russian Federation from the organization as of today, March 16. The Russian flag has already been lowered near the Council of Europe building.

Ukrainian intelligence service reports:

• the occupiers use the Donetsk Metallurgical Plant to burn the corpses of local "recruits" and volunteers who came from Russia to hide the real number of dead people. The exact number of burns is unknown;
• in the temporarily occupied Luhansk, a point of extradition of the bodies of the dead "mobilized" residents of the occupied territories was opened in the "Kopiyka" store;
• relatives of the victims do not receive any compensation. Instead, relatives of the officially killed Russians were promised 12 million rubles. This attitude is outrageous among the local population;
• in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk region, forced recruitment to the 1st Army Corps of Occupiers continues. The vast majority of "recruits" are sent to the hottest spots without proper training. They are mostly used on the front lines to clear obstacles and dig trenches.

Ukrainian footballer Andriy Shevchenko has stated his readiness to take in accommodation several families of refugees from Ukraine at his home in Surrey.

In an interview with the BBC, he said that the current time is destructive for him, for his family and for all people in Ukraine.

Shevchenko added that his own family is likely to remain in Ukraine, especially since his mother's state of health does not allow her to leave Kyiv.

The 128th Brigade's missile artillery destroyed a Russian pontoon crossing.

Skadovsk mayor Oleksandr Yakovlev, previously seized by Russian occupants, recorded a video in which he said that he had been released. We don't know under which circumstances he recorded the video.

Ministry of Defence report:

The enemy is trying to relocate additional reserves of the Eastern Military District.

Due to significant losses in the southern direction, the command of the aggressor country's armed forces has refused to reinforce the grouping of troops in Polissya.

The enemy attempts to resume offensive actions in the direction of Vyshgorod. During the day the enemy had been trying to advance towards Kyiv. Having no luck, he turned to the defence.

On the North direction the enemy was stopped. The enemy did not abandon the attempts to capture the city of Chernihiv, but did not take active offensive actions.

In the Slobozhan direction the invaders are trying to gain a foothold on the seized lines.

The blockade of Sumy, Lebedyn and Akhtyrka by the enemy continues. The enemy does not conduct active offensive operations.

In the Donetsk and Taurian directions as a result of assault actions near Popasna the enemy suffered losses and is forced to retreat to regroup.

In the Volnovakha direction, the occupants attempt to launch an offensive in the direction of Velyka Novoselka.

In the Kryvyi Rih direction, the enemy attempts to resume the offensive towards the settlements of Velyka Kostroma, Mala Kostroma and Kryvyi Rih.

Two Naval soldiers married their brides in the military unit where they are serving.

Hours after the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich handed over his assets to business partner David Davidovich, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Norma Investments Ltd, registered in the British Virgin Islands, had been controlled by Abramovich for many years, but on February 24 Davidovich became the owner of the company. Earlier, the UK imposed sanctions against Abramovich, and a few days later the EU imposed sanctions against the oligarch. The restrictions include an asset freeze and an entry ban.

Zelenskyy: We must bring the occupiers to justice. There must be an international tribunal. And there will be one. The occupiers will be held accountable for all war crimes. The Russian state has turned into an outright terrorist.

I have also signed a decree on a nationwide minute's silence in memory of all Ukrainians who died in our patriotic war. Every morning at 9 o'clock.

The president also urged Ukrainians to share information about the occupying forces to the Ukrainian military, and at the same time not to share information about the Ukrainian army.

On Ukraine 24 TV channel hackers posted in the news line Zelenskyy's alleged call for the Ukrainian military to give up arms. President Zelenskyy warned that this was a fake.

In Khmelnytskyy Region a minibus with internally displaced people got in an accident. Seven people died and nine were injured.

Tens of thousands of Ukrainians were left without heat and electricity after the Russian invasion. Public utilities and State Emergency Service are rescuing them, risking their lives. Read here about their battleground (in Ukrainian)

National Police bomb technicians have defused over 350 unexploded munitions dropped by Russian occupiers on Ukrainian land. Video shows the controlled explosion of the cruise missile.

A briefing by Oleksiy Arestovych, advisor to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine:

• Ukrainian fighters have carried out a small "tactical counter-offensive" in some directions, which has improved the situation in those directions;
• Ukrainian troops launched at least seven rocket and artillery and air strikes against enemy forces;
• air forces shot down at least three enemy aircraft, one helicopter and several cruise missiles;
• The Russians responded with strategic aircraft and Iskander-type ballistic missiles. Civilian targets as a trademark of the Russian army have been hit. 2/3 of missiles hit civilian targets and "probably deliberately";
• The hottest spots have not changed, with the enemy maintaining their main efforts in the Joint Forces Operation zone in Donbas and in the direction of Mykolaiv.

Germany's largest energy company, E.ON, has stopped buying new volumes of gas from Gazprom because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Today Ukraine's anti-aircraft forces destroyed two Russian Su-30cm jet fighters, the Ukrainian Air Force has reported.

Two occupier's jet fighters attempted to attack a village in Odesa Region. An anti-aircraft missile unit of the South Air Command eliminated both planes.

As the head of the Odesa RMA Maksym Marchenko noted on Telegram, one aircraft was shot down on approach. The other managed to turn around in the direction of Crimea but did not make it to the base.

Both crashed into the Black Sea. The pilots ejected and also crashed into the Black Sea.

As of the morning of March 16, all four Ukrainian nuclear power plants (NPP) are operating stably, Ukrainian state enterprise operator of NPP Energoatom said. Radiation and environmental conditions at the adjacent areas are within normal limits.

The current capacity of the nuclear power plants provides the necessary amount of electricity for the country's needs. The equipment of the reactor compartments of the power units is monitored and controlled.

Energoatom emphasized the current situation at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, which has been seized by Russian occupants, is difficult. At least 50 military pieces of equipment are located on the plant's territory. The occupiers are detonating shells and mines near the nuclear power plant.

The Russian army shelled the Zaporizhzhya-2 station, Ukrainian railways company Ukrzaliznytsya has reported. Staff and passengers were not injured.

"There was damage to the tracks, the contact network, the windows flew out in the buildings and nearby commuter trains. Ukrzaliznytsia will restore all the damaged infrastructure as soon as possible," the statement said.

The departure of all suburban trains will be temporarily shifted from Zaporizhzhya-2 station to the main railway station in the city.

During the night, Ukrainian anti-aircraft defense specialists hit an enemy Su-type aircraft which was pelting missiles at Chernihiv, the North Operational Command said. The defenders also successfully repulsed an attack by the occupiers, who tried to enter the Novoselovka area under cover of armored vehicles. Russian army losses are being specified.

Russia's AvtoVAZ has decided to let employees on corporate leave for 20 days, Interfax Russia reported citing company reports. Holidays will start on April 4th.

The company insists that such corporate leave had been planned for the second half of the summer. AvtoVAZ postponed them due to a shortage of electronic components. The company expects to accumulate enough spare parts by April 25 and by May 2022.

Avtovaz produces Lada and Renault vehicles. The company's production sites are located in Tolyatti and Izhevsk. By the last data, AvtoVAZ is owned by Renault Group (68%) and Rostech (32%).

Russian troops shelled the RRT company's TV tower in Vinnytsia. The tower is under the State Service of Special Communication and Information Protection of Ukraine management. Broadcasting in the city is temporarily suspended.

Ukraine has received no response to proposals to open humanitarian corridors on March 16, the Ukrainian ministry for the reintegration of Ukraine's temporarily occupied territories Iryna Vereshchuk has said.

"The issue of organizing humanitarian corridors today for Izyum and Mariupol remains open. Under such conditions, of course, we cannot evacuate people safely," Vereshchuk said.

At the same time, routes for transferring humanitarian aid, food and medicines to Ukrainian towns that have been seized or surrounded by Russian troops continue to be developed today. These include cities and towns in Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhya, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy and Kherson regions.

SpaceX and Tesla founder Elon Musk responded to Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov with humor. The verbal squabble began after Musk challenged Russian President Vladimir Putin to a duel. The businessman wrote about it on his Twitter and noted the Kremlin.

The Russian authorities ignored the statement, but Ramzan Kadyrov responded by advising Musk to get fit in order to "turn from gentle Elona into brutal Elon". To do this he suggested that he should undergo training at several centers in the Chechen Republic.

"Thanks for the offer, but such excellent training would give me too much of an advantage. If he's afraid to fight, I'll only agree to use my left hand, and I'm not even left-handed. Elona," the American businessman wrote back.

Musk has changed his Twitter name to Elona, but has not given up the idea of a duel with Putin.

Thank you for the offer, but such excellent training would give me too much of an advantage.

If he is afraid to fight, I will agree to use only my left hand and I am not even left-handed.

Elona

— Elona Musk (@elonmusk) March 15, 2022

The Ukrainian armed forces destroyed Russian helicopters at the occupied airport in Kherson Region.

US pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly has suspended exports of drugs to Russia, except for life-saving drugs for people with cancer or diabetes. The company announced it on March 15.

"We have suspended all investment, promotional activities and new clinical trials in Russia, as well as the export of non-core medicines to that country. Our activities in Russia now focus only on ensuring that people with diseases such as cancer and diabetes continue to receive the Lilly drugs they need," the company said.

Eli Lilly has promised to donate profits from sales in Russia to humanitarian aid organisations. There are more than 20 Eli Lilly products in Russia, used to treat serious illnesses such as diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis and mental health disorders.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces' counter-offensive against Russian interventionists drastically changes the sides' disposition. Mykhaylo Podolyak, adviser to the head of the presidential office, wrote this on Twitter.

In conversation with LIGA.net, Podolyak added that the counteroffensive changes the situation on the battlefield and therefore strengthens Ukraine's position in the negotiation process.

What's going on right now. 1. Counteroffensive of the AFU in several operational areas. This radically changes the parties’ dispositions. 2. Russian journalists start quitting TV channels. 3. RF leaders are trying to find allies whose soldiers will be ready to die in

Occupiers have kidnapped six people from the city council in Bucha, a member of the Kyiv regional council Yaroslav Dobryanskyy has said.

"Russian military demanded to show an ID document and after that without explaining anything took away and threw away the passports. People were handcuffed and taken out of the administration building while firing weapons", Dobryanskyy said. The whereabouts of the kidnapped people are currently unknown.

According to clarified information from the Bucha City Council, both city council employees and volunteers who helped with the evacuation were taken as hostages. The full list of the captives is as follows:

• Gapchenko Dmytro Oleksandrovych;

• Cherkaskyy Leonid Yefimovych;

• Tsygan Mykola Volodymyrovych;

• Yushchenko Anatoly Viktorovych;

• Umanets Volodymyr Oleksandrovych;

• Matyuk Serhii Oleksandrovych.

The city council has appealed to the presidential office, the Kyiv Regional Military State Administration and the regional state administration to help free people.