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

Financial Times: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called on the leaders of the Visegrad Group (Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia) to develop a “Marshall Plan for Ukraine”. This should help rebuild Ukraine after the war brought by the Russian Federation. As Johnson’s associates say, money, received from the seizure and sale of British assets of sanctioned Russian oligarchs could be one source of finances. One of the five leaders at the meeting claimed that “we can rebuild Ukraine,” but the idea is still at an early stage.

Ukrainian Ministry of Defense reports: due to the losses in Ukraine, Russia is conducting covert mobilization under the guise of training meetings. Also, the military of the Russian Federation were forbidden to break contracts for service.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the British Parliament:

The main points are: 50 children were killed by the Russians during the 13 days of the invasion. 50 universes were taken away.

Ukraine was not looking for greatness, but it has become great during these days. The country that saves people, despite the terror of the invaders, defends freedom, despite the blows of one of the largest armies in the world, defends itself, despite the sky being still open to Russian aircraft.

We won’t give up and we won't lose. We’ll go to the end. We will fight in the sea, in the air, we will defend our land, whatever the cost. We will fight in the forests, fields, on the coasts and in cities and villages, on the streets, on the hills. I’ll add from myself - on the heaps, on the banks of Kalmius and the Dnipro, and we won’t give up. With your help.

Strengthen sanctions against the terrorist state, recognize it as a terrorist state, find a way to make our sky safe. The greatness of your state obliges you to do this.

The Governor of Kharkiv Oblast, Oleh Synyehubov, reports: the assault landing group of 120 occupiers was disembarked from three helicopters in Kharkiv Oblast. The Russians were supposed to attack Kharkiv. The Territorial Defense Forces together with the Ukrainian Ground Forces destroyed most of the invaders right there. The rest has escaped from the battlefield on the territory of the Russian Belgorod Oblast.

Kwasi Kwarteng, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy of Great Britain, stated that his country will gradually suspend importations of Russian oil and petroleum products by the end of 2022. Their import accounts for 8%. Kwasi Kwarteng also promised to dwell upon the ways to stop the import of Russian gas (which accounts for 4%).

93rd Independent Kholodnyi Yar Mechanized Brigade soldiers destroyed a convoy of Russian vehicles and armoured vehicles. Four of the vehicles were destroyed by Ukrainian Stugna-P missile defence systems, while another three fell off the road into a ditch. The surviving occupants escaped and were caught by locals, says one of the brigade's soldiers.

Joe Biden: Ukrainians have become an inspiration to the world. It is clear that Ukraine will not relent. No one will allow Putin to take back what he wants. We will continue to provide humanitarian and safety aid to Ukraine. I urge Congress to pass a $12 billion package in support of Ukraine.

David Arahamiya, Head of the Servant of the People faction: UkrOboronProm is ready to pay $1m for a captured or trophy Russian aircraft. $500,000 for a captured helicopter in operation.

Joe Biden: Russian economy is reeling. 1 Russian ruble costs less than 1 cent.

Joe Biden at a briefing: we ban the Russian oil import to the U.S.

US President Joe Biden on steps to hold Russia to account (live).

Censor.net: The war. Operational situation at 11 am, March, 8th, day 13 of the war.

1. Ukraine managed to mobilize enough force to counter attacks of Russian troops at all directions. The breaking point in the war will depend on the ability of Ukrainian Armed Forces to counter long Russian offensive convoys and block the enemy with active offensive operations in all directions. Russians have more equipment and weapon, they dominate in the air, but Ukrainians have more manpower and motivation.

2. Russian army started a total war, bombers are bombing sleeping areas, artillery shells multistoried buildings and they are destroyed by tanks, peaceful civilians are shot and killed in large numbers. The enemy destroys Ukrainian economy, using terror to force people leave their buildings and step back. Russian command understands that all people rose to resist, so for Russians and Ukrainian is a dangerous enemy right now.

3. The main battlefield is now in Donbass and in the south. Russian troops are trying to cut Donbass off from Ukraine beyond Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia regions, they are also attacking Mariupol which is surrounded.

4. Kyiv is under serious danger, but there will be no assault in the capital, defenders outnumber Russian units. Thus, the enemy uses all the reserves to surround the capital from all sides. There will be still a lot of pressure on Fastiv, since Russians need to continue press on Kyiv and prevent Ukrainians from relocating their forces from here.

5. The Russian army has not yet used all of its reserves, it regroups, trying to engage in more limited strategic tasks. This operational pause is due to large losses and fatigue in Russian, but it does not mean that they are going to stop offensive operations. They have more mobility and using this advantage are trying to block the progress of our troops in all directions. On the other hand, the enemy’s communications are stretched to the critical point, because of the weather they are forced to limit their assaults to territories along the roads.

Using these weaknesses will depend on the abilities of Ukrainian command, on the quality of their logistics, their weapon and operational reserves. Without offensives it is impossible to defeat Russian convoys. At the same time, the fact that Russian offensive stopped and there is more resistance in all directions means that the situation generally changes in favor of Ukraine. Each day of mobilization brings more efficiency to resistance. Ukraine will fight until it defeats the Russian invaders.

Yuriy Butusov

Glory to Ukrainian air defense!

United Nations bans staff from using ‘war’ or ‘invasion’ regarding Ukraine, The Irish Times reports, citing a letter sent to staff. The news prompted a harsh response from the Foreign Affairs Minister: "It’s hard to believe that the UN could essentially impose the same kind of censorship as the Kremlin imposes inside Russia now by banning the use of words ‘war’ and ‘invasion’ among UN staff. I urge the UN to swiftly refute such reports if they are false. UN reputation at stake".

It’s hard to believe that the UN could essentially impose the same kind of censorship as the Kremlin imposes inside Russia now by banning the use of words ‘war’ and ‘invasion’ among UN staff. I urge the UN to swiftly refute such reports if they are false. UN reputation at stake.

— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) March 8, 2022

We made it just before hell. Four evacuation stories from Irpin and Bucha.

Prime Minister Shmyhal:

"Every Ukrainian today should ask themselves the question - how may I be useful to the army, the country and the state? And to understand that war is not only a front. War is also a rear, which must be reliable and stable.

Kyiv air defense struck yet another cruise missile above the village of Kalinivka in Brovary district. Remains of the missile fell on Customs warehouse resulting in fire. Rescuers arrived at the place.

At least 474 civilians, including 29 children, have been killed in Ukraine since the Russian invasion began, according to figures released today by the UN Office for Human Rights. Another 861 have been wounded, bringing the total number of civilian casualties to 1,335, according to the UN. The true figure, the UN believes, is likely to be "significantly higher"as data from the territories where fighting is taking place is significantly delayed.

UN experts have counted 545 civilian casualties in the temporarily occupied territories by the Russian Federation, of whom 96 were killed and 449 were wounded.

30th Prince Konstanty Ostrogski Mechanized Brigade: "The Russian soldiers can either return to Military Unit Numbers or to be returned in parts. The soldiers say it is  their linguistic choice!" (VIDEO)

The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) signed the resolution according to which Russia will be stripped off of its status of a monitoring country because of aggression against Ukraine, any cooperation between Russian institutions and organizations and CERN is suspended.

Melitopol, temporarily occupied but not surrendered to the occupiers.

Tatiana Kumok: “Today will go down in the history books of Ukraine. At least I feel that way.

Also, I will celebrate this day as my second birthday.

Today Head of PRC Xi Jinping had an online consultation with Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz and President of France Emmanuel Macron and confirmed that China is ready to “work actively” with international community in order to regulate the crisis in Ukraine (CNN).

Ukrainians in New Zealand to be given a year's visa extension (Anadolu).

Klitschko: life support enterprises are working in Kyiv, shops and pharmacies too, the city is preparing for defense.

Russian occupiers have destroyed the building of the Central City Hospital in the town of Izyum, Kharkiv Region. 

Once again, the occupier demonstrated its meanness by making an attempt to break into the city precisely at the moment of the green corridor organised for the people and creating a real threat to the lives of civilians trying to leave surrounded Mariupol, which is under constant enemy fire.

The video confirmation shot by a Ukrainian drone on the Mileka road should have been a green corridor for the safe movement of civilians.

Only the destruction of the enemy and the increase of Ukrainian troops on the Azov direction will ensure the safety of civilians. Arrangements with the occupier make no sense and could provoke even more innocent casualties among Ukrainian citizens. 

KYIV: Air raid alert! Please proceed to bomb shelters!

Horrible videos. A Russian tank is shooting at a civilian car. An elderly couple was killed.

“The West has to impose even more severe sanctions against Russia, provide Ukraine with aircraft and effective air defence and missile defence systems, and completely isolate Russia and Putin. Otherwise, “Never again” will be just an empty promise,” Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba wrote in an opinion piece for The Washington Post.

Dear friends, the evacuation in Romanivka continues until 5 pm. Buses are waiting. Please come and get onboard. I kindly ask you to share this information widely. Stay safe!

A message from volunteers: an area from Soborna St. to the railway station is controlled by Ukraine; from Soborna St. in the opposite direction is controlled by Russians. To evacuate from Synerhiya neighbourhood, you have to WALK to Romanivka. You must not take Lysenka, Davydchuka, or Sadova Streets. It’s best to take Mechnykova Street to Universytetska Street, walking without rush through back alleys and yards. The Russians do not interfere with people who walk.

Kyiv Digital mobile app now offers a map of vending machines with free drinking water and pump rooms. The map is also available here: https://bit.ly/kyiv-aqua

The Public Prosecutor of the German Supreme Court has launched an investigation into the war crimes of the Russian troops in Ukraine. It concerns the use of cluster bombs and attacks on residential neighbourhoods and civilian infrastructure, gas pipelines, a nuclear waste storage facility, and a thermal power plant.

The Security Service of Ukraine quoting the captured Russian soldier:

“They packed me right outside in the street when I went to the grocery store, and they brought me to some building. Then they told me to climb into the truck and took me away together with others. I was told to fight. But when the shelling started, a few others and I hid inside the tank. I didn’t shoot because I just don’t know how to do it.”

This video with a fighter from the so-called LNR demonstrates the essence of the occupiers’ politics and the professionalism of the “super powerful army of the Russian Federation.” 

For example, do you know how mobilisation is being carried out across the territories that Russia decided to “protect”?  Or the level of Putin’s fighters invading Ukraine? 

These are just two quotes for you:

- (on mobilisation) “They packed me right outside in the street when I went to the grocery store, and they brought me to some building. Then they told me to climb into the truck and took me away together with others.”

- (on the level of military training) “I was told to fight. But when the shelling started, a few others and I hid inside the tank. I didn’t shoot because I just don’t know how to do it.”

Well, we wish the enemy to have more fighters like this. 

Ukraine is sure to win! We are defending our land! 

Glory to Ukraine!

#ForPutinInHague

#stopoccupants

#stoprussia

The Polish media are very interested in the Ukrainian process of turning the military might of the Russian empire into scrap metal.

The Polish media are very interested in the Ukrainian process of turning the military might of the Russian empire into scrap metal.

Oleksiy Danlov:

“We are grateful to everyone for every cartridge, every call for defending our country, and every word in our support. But right now, at this moment, today, this very minute, we urgently need the most rapid and practical assistance. Ukraine’s victory and non-defeat of the West depend on it. It is a matter of protecting the Ukrainian sky—providing combat aircraft and air defence systems. It will determine whether Russia will continue to kill our children and women, our parents and the elderly.”

 "The occupiers are forming a line to further attack the capital along the Hostomel-Bucha-Irpin-Horenychi border. Locals are being put to starvation and cold in basements, and are held  hostage" - Volodymyr Karplyuk, mayor of Irpin in 2014-2018.

The Ukrainians forced to flee the war abroad can now make purchases with any PrivatBank card in any currency without any restrictions, the bank’s press service reports.

Mykolayiv has received reinforcements and is preparing to launch a counter-offensive.

Maksym Marchenko / Odesa State Regional Administration.

Today, I instructed that traffic across the Dniester bridge be unblocked. It will allow to resume the usual traffic flow through the village of Zatoka in Bilhorod-Dnistrovsky district.

20,000 soldiers from the whole world are in already. The International Legion of Ukraine to fight Russia: how to join.

The first video where the AFU use NLAW anti-tank weapon in combat.

The Ukrainian armed forces and other units of the defence forces have launched at least seven counterattacks in the past 24 hours. There are battles for Izyum, and enemy columns have been destroyed in Mariupol and the JFO zone, Oleksiy Arestovych, an advisor to the head of the Presidential Office, has said.

General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports on the current situation as of 12 pm on March 8, 2022:

The invaders keep focusing their efforts on creating conditions to capture the cities of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Mariupol, and Mykolayiv and reach the administrative borders of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions. At the same time, there are signs that the military-political leadership of the Republic of Belarus is ready for potential large-scale participation of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus in combat operations against Ukraine on the side of the Russian Federation.

Security Service of Ukraine:

Your reports of enemy movements via the official chatbot @stop_russian_war_bot bring new trophies every day.

This time we received coordinates of enemy equipment marked "V" in Kyiv region. They were checked and handed over to the militaries. The result is shown in the photo: flaming "greetings" to the occupiers. No matter how they mark their combat vehicles, we know that our "task will be completed" for sure - we will destroy them! 

Russia could close its main gas pipeline to Germany if Western countries impose a ban on Russian oil, Russian Vice Prime Minister Aleksandr Novak said.  

A shell hit a private house in the town of Chuhuyiv, Kharkiv Region, and killed Olga Anatoliyevna Krasimova, a Russian citizen who had been living in Ukraine since 2012.

Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov: "No warnings, attempts at dialogue or concerns have had any impact. No international rules and mechanisms. The Kremlin absolutely does not care about your attempts to negotiate. It does not care about the UN, PACE or any other institution where you are trying to maintain its presence. Russian soldiers behave like terrorists and cowards." (VIDEO)

Russia holds 300k civilians hostage in Mariupol, prevents humanitarian evacuation despite agreements with ICRC mediation. One child died of dehydration (!) yesterday! War crimes are part of Russia’s deliberate strategy. I urge all states to publicly demand: RUSSIA, LET PEOPLE GO!

— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) March 8, 2022

ATTENTION, MARIUPOL! According to reports from the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the Russians have attacked the humanitarian corridor area. Fighting is ongoing. Urgent!!!

Especially for the evacuation of Mariupol civilians via a single route, the city defenders have taken a number of measures: demining of the road, removal of engineering barriers and others. Right now, without letting Mariupol residents out of the city, the enemy launched an attack on Mariupol in this very direction. 

The Russian occupiers near Kharkiv were forced to use an unsecured phone line with a Ukrainian SIM card to transmit news of the death of Russian Major General Vitaliy Gerasimov. The conversation was instantly intercepted.