NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg admitted that the attacks on ships of the Black Sea Fleet were carried out with missiles supplied by the Alliance. Not only that, NATO allies are warning Hungary of the dangers of its “close and expanding” relationship with Russia, and if this is Budapest’s policy choice, “we will have to decide how best to protect our interests as security,” said the American ambassador to Hungary. Source Reuters. Norway aims to reach NATO’s military spending target two years ahead of schedule, citing a grave security situation, Bloomberg reports.
Foreign Policy reports that Russia has moved tactical nuclear weapons from its borders to neighboring Belarus, several hundred miles closer to NATO territory, Western officials have confirmed. We remind you that the move is foreseen by the military agreements between Russia and Belarus and confirmed as early as February 8 by the head of the second office of the Information and Analysis Department of the Belarusian General Staff, Vladimir Apolonik. To confirm the deposit, there are satellite images.
The Pentagon has denied that there are US military personnel managing the Patriot systems in Ukraine: “There are no US military personnel in Ukraine maintaining the Patriot air defense systems or other equipment,” the Pentagon wrote in a statement.
The former head of the British foreign intelligence service MI6 (1999-2004), Richard Dearlove reported that: “Britain is in a state of undeclared war with Russia, but the British themselves do not even realize it.” “If you stop someone here on the street in the UK and ask them if they think Britain is at war, they will look at you like you’re crazy,” he told Politico. “But we’re at war – we’re waging a gray war with Russia , and I’m trying to remind people of that,” the former Secret Service chief said.
EU countries, instead of paying 5 billion euros to the European Peace Fund to help Kiev, could provide additional weapons to Ukraine, which makes the new financial assistance just a “mirage,” the Politico newspaper reported, citing unnamed European officials and diplomats. Josep Borrell, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy., believes that the next few months will be decisive in Ukraine.
The Bundestag rejected the supply of German Taurus missiles to Ukraine for the third time: 190 deputies voted in favor (the CDU has 197 seats), 495 against. According to the FT, if Germany were to give up its missiles it would need two years to replenish its warehouses.
Statements by French President Emmanuel Macron on the possibility of sending French soldiers to Ukraine show the beginning of the division of the country by NATO countries, said the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zacharova.
An article from Le Monde reports: “Although five days ago Macron had said that he “did not rule out” sending troops to Ukraine, now the French president has declared that, in his opinion, “in any case, in about a year I will send people to Odessa”. “There will be French troops in Ukraine. There will be no red lines. I am the president of France and I decide” – Macron reported “We agreed as best we could, but with them there is no nothing to talk about. Ukraine must win”, said the French president. Macron: Those who are against sending French troops to Ukraine are against our sovereignty and in favor of defeat. Le Monde writes that the French authorities have begun to consider the possibility of send their soldiers to Ukraine last summer.
Marine Le Pen also entered the political arena to talk about the sending of troops: “Suddenly… with the invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, Russia has provoked a war on the EU’s doorstep and a geopolitical crisis which is undoubtedly the most dramatic of the last twenty years. We owe our respect and support to the Ukrainian people who were attacked.”
From the pro-Russian social sphere we learn that the SBU is forming a network of informants in the Ukrainian-controlled part of the Kherson region. They will serve both to mobilize citizens and for repressive measures, explained a representative of the pro-Russian resistance.
Commenting on the words of French President Macron, the Rada made it known that “without the permission of the Rada, no French regiment can enter the territory of Ukraine” words of MP Oleksiy Goncharenko “This will definitely not happen. We only have the Defense Forces ”, said the deputy of the servant of the people party.
Spokesman of Russian President Dmitry Peskov advised the head of Lithuania to respect and listen to Vladimir Putin. In this way he responded to Gitanas Nausėda’s statement that “no one is afraid of the Russian leader in the Baltic Republic”, expressed after the attack on former FBK head Leonid Volkov. “There is no need to be afraid of Putin. Putin must be respected and listened to,” the Kremlin official stressed in response.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has no information on the involvement of Finland and Estonia in the drone attacks in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region, spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. And she added that Russia will not participate in the conference on Ukraine in Switzerland, even if invited.
Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev commented on “Zelensky’s peace formula” and offered his own in exchange. Speaking about Kiev’s initiatives, the vice president of the Security Council noted that even in much simpler situations, peace is achieved either through compromise or the capitulation of one of the parties.
Given Kiev’s reluctance to negotiate on the basis of recognition of existing realities, Medvedev proposed the Russian formula. Among his points is the recognition of the defeat of the former “Ukraine”, the resignation of all current Kiev authorities and the creation of a provisional parliament that recognizes the territory of “Ukraine” as part of Russia.
SVR director Naryshkin on Macron’s words about the possibility of sending NATO troops to Ukraine: “These are crazy and paranoid dreams.”
Power supply is returning to the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) via the 330 kV line that has been restored, the plant said in a statement.
From today in the Russian Federation polls open for the presidential elections, for which observers from 106 countries are accredited, the CEC informed. Special Representative of the GOC Li Hui will lead the delegation of Chinese observers.
The Head of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation Pamfilova explained that for the presidential elections in the Russian Federation 113 million 574 thousand 550 ballots were produced and also said that the first preliminary results of the Russian presidential elections at the Central Election Commission could be made note Monday before lunch; “There could be data on at least 90% of the votes,” said member of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation Igor Borisov.
American authorities may take action against observers of the Russian presidential elections in the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, in the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, as well as in the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol, said the head of the press service of the State Department Matthew Miller in a regular briefing for journalists.
The first citizens to go to the polls were those from the easternmost regions of the country: Kamchatka and Chukotka, followed by all the other republics due to a question of time zones.
At 10:05 on March 15, approximately 1.6 million Russians voted in the presidential elections of the Russian Federation through the DEG in 13 hours, source Ministry of Digital Development of the Russian Federation. According to data from the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, the turnout in the presidential elections throughout the Russian Federation at 2 pm Moscow time is 8.96%.
And now a look at the front line.
Pro-Ukrainian activist Denis Davydov said Rabotinye will fall within a few weeks.
In the Slobozhansky direction, fighting continues in the border areas of the Belgorod and Kursk regions. According to reports from the field, there was a night battle in the central part of the village of Kozinka, Belgorod region. Ukrainians have been trying to break through the state border in the Kursk and Belgorod sections for three days already.
On the 14th of March, while trying to enter Tyotkino, a Ukrainian group was covered by Russian fire and fled. In the Belgorod region, the Ukrainian Armed Forces lost several dozen people and armored vehicles killed against the settlement of Sporadyushino. The fighting took place in several sections of the border. In the evening, landing of Ukrainian airborne troops with the aim of taking Kozinka, but by nightfall they reported that the Ukrainian armed forces had been driven out of the village. The fighting continued.
Reported Ukrainian attacks by motorized infantry groups at different levels, massive use of attack UAVs and artillery, and aviation involvement indicate a large-scale Ukrainian army operation and not the work of individual DRGs.
In the direction of Liman, the Russian Armed Forces continue to put pressure on the Ukrainians east of Terny, progressively moving towards the village. Russian armed forces advance through the northern forest.
No significant changes in Bachmut’s direction. Fighting continues in Sonchivka. North of Kleshchiivka the Russian armed forces continue to advance south of the railway.
Heavy fighting continues in the Avdiivska direction in the Berdychi and Orlivka area. The situation remains dynamic.
In the direction of Vuhledar, Russian troops advanced and consolidated along three forest belts northwest and north of the village of Shevchenko in an area up to 1.42 km wide and up to 1 km deep.
In the sector of the Zaporozhzhie Front, the Russian Armed Forces continue assault operations south and west of Rabotinye and north-west of Verbove. Russian armed forces also advanced northwest of the village. Our men attack Rabotinye. The Ukrainian Armed Forces are mining the area remotely, building engineering structures and minefields near the Verbove-Rabotinye road.
North of Novomikhailivka, Russian armed forces have advanced up to 1.5 km and are gaining a foothold.
Last night, Russian troops carried out a raid using attack UAVs “Geranium-2” against Ukrainian targets in the western regions of Ukraine, explosions were heard in the Vinnytsia, Khmelnytsky and Ternopil regions.
One of the affected facilities was Vinnytsia International Airport, from where the Ukrainians performed pilot training, but also a repair and restoration base for Western equipment.
In the direction of Kherson, Ukrainians are increasing attacks on peaceful targets. Russian Lancet operators destroyed Ukrainian drone control center. Fighting continues in Krynki, it is difficult to establish a control zone of the ruins. The Russians need air cover.
Graziella Giangiulio
