War

At a meeting of EU defense ministers in Sweden, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that a total of 9,000 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will undergo training in Germany by the end of the year. "Defense Minister Pistorius announced the delivery of 18 German Leopard 2 to Ukraine by the end of this month and the training of about 9,000 Ukrainian soldiers by the end of the year," the German Federal Ministry of Defense wrote on Twitter. It is noted that during an informal meeting in Stockholm, Pistorius met with "tank coalition" partners - representatives of Portugal…

On the night of Wednesday, March 8, Ukrainian defense forces destroyed two enemy drones of the Shahed-131/136 type. The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said this in a Telegram post, Ukrinform reports. "At midnight on March 8, air defense forces destroyed two Iranian-made kamikaze drones Shahed-131/136, which the invaders used to attack Ukraine from the northern direction," the report says. Read also: Ukrainian forces repel more than 100 enemy attacks in Donetsk region As Ukrinform reported, from February 24, 2022 to March 8, 2023, the Defense Forces of Ukraine eliminated about 155,530 Russian soldiers.

Ukraine hopes to receive as soon as possible air defense equipment and additional ammunition from its EU partners, in particular, a million 155 mm caliber shells, which will allow the nation to stop the Russian onslaught and to plan a counteroffensive to liberate the occupied territories. Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov stated this today in Stockholm, speaking ahead of the informal meeting of EU defense ministers, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. Air defense systems are Ukraine’s No.1 priority, Reznikov stressed, along with “munitions, munitions, and more munitions.” He added that he supports Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur’s initiative for the EU…

Russian troops attacked the Kherson region 61 times on March 7, firing 309 shells from heavy artillery and Grad multiple launch rocket systems. Oleksandr Prokudin, head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration, said this in a Telegram post, Ukrinform reports. "The enemy shelled the city of Kherson four times. Seventeen shells hit residential neighborhoods, private houses and apartment buildings," Prokudin said. According to him, one person was wounded. Another 87 people were evacuated from the territory of the region liberated from Russian forces.

The top military leadership of Ukraine, the United States, Great Britain, Poland, and NATO discussed continued arms supplies  to Ukraine and the strengthening of the embattled nation’s air defense. This was reported on Facebook by Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, as seen by Ukrinform. “Today I held a very important meeting for Ukraine. I was pleased to see my friends-colleagues: The Supreme Allied Commander Europe - Commander of the US European Command General Christopher Cavoli. Chief of the Defense Staff of the British Armed Forces Admiral Sir Tony Radakin. Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed…

Russian troops have struck the Donetsk region’s Kostiantynivka with multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS). The relevant statement was made by Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak on Telegram, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. “Russians have shelled the Donetsk region’s Kostiantynivka with MLRS. Residential houses and a gas pipeline were damaged,” Yermak wrote. In his words, no casualties were reported. A reminder that, on March 6, 2023, one civilian was killed and seven injured in Russia’s shelling of the Donetsk region.

United Nations agencies will provide financial and other assistance to the victims of a Russian missile attack on a residential apartment block in Zaporizhzhia. This was reported by Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration on Telegram, Ukrinform reports. "UN representatives visited the site of a house destroyed by a missile attack... Ms. Brown (UN Resident Coordinator in Ukraine - ed.) emphasized that this shelling of civilians has dire consequences, so UN agencies have already joined in providing financial aid to the victims of Russian terror," the report says. According to Brown, support will not be limited to purely monetary payments, but will…

A Ukrainian serviceman executed by Russians is Tymofiy Shadura, a soldier of the 30th Separate Mechanized Brigade, according to preliminary data. The Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said this on Telegram, Ukrinform reports. "Yesterday, a footage was shared on social networks and mass media showing a serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine being shot by the Russian occupiers after he said "Glory to Ukraine!" According to preliminary data, the deceased is Tymofiy Mykolayovych Shadura, a serviceman of the 30th Separate Mechanized Brigade," the report says. Shadura has been considered missing since February 3, 2023 after hostilities…

A total of 356 children in Ukraine have been listed as missing since the Russian full-scale invasion started. The relevant statement was made by the Ombudsman’s Office in Ukraine on Facebook, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. “Following the data from the Children of War state portal, as of March 7, 2023, a total of 356 children were listed as missing, 16,224 – deported, 10,230 – found, 308 – returned,” the report states. A reminder that, on March 6, 2023, Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets announced that, with the help of the Ombudsman’s Office, an 8-year-old boy was returned…

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) recorded 21,793 civilian casualties in Ukraine – 8,173 killed and 13,620 injured – from 24 February 2022, which marked the start of the large-scale armed attack by the Russian Federation, to 5 March 2023. “From 1 to 28 February 2023, OHCHR recorded 589 civilian casualties in Ukraine: 138 killed and 451 injured,” reads the OHCHR’s press release. As noted, the actual figures are considerably higher, as the receipt of information from some locations where intense hostilities have been going on has been delayed and many reports are still pending…