Severodonetsk has fallen, the residential areas of the city are "totally" under Russian control . After days of furious fighting, with constant claims of reversals in front, the easternmost city in Ukrainian hands seems to have definitely fallen. And with its urban center, 97% of the Lugansk region is in the hands of Moscow .
The defense minister, Serghei Shoigu , who in recent weeks had exposed himself to fairly consolidated territorial conquests, is directly claiming the takeover.
Ukrainian forces, however, still hold out in the industrial zone and surrounding settlements. The last bastion of an uneven battle - the besiegers "are many and they are stronger", admitted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky - remains the huge Azot chemical factory, in a parable similar to that of the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol . About 800 civilians, 600 inhabitants and 200 workers remained hidden in the plant's bunkers to secure the plant and defuse potential environmental disasters.
The news of the day, however, is the harsh attack on the “countries that hate Russia” by former Russian president and premier Dmitry Medvedev : “I am often asked why my posts on Telegram are so harsh. The answer is that I hate them . They are bastards and clumsy. They want our death, that of Russia. And as long as I am alive, I will do everything to make them disappear ”.
(Unioneonline)
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The day by the hour:
Merkel: "Russian aggression without justification"
"This aggression against Ukraine has no justification. There is no excuse." This was stated by former Chancellor Angela Merkel, responding to the first "off duty" interview at the Berliner Ensemble. "It was a big mistake," Merkel added.
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"600 people tortured in the cellars of Kherson"
"According to our information, around 600 people are being held in cellars in the Kherson region", where they are held "in inhumane conditions and tortured". This was denounced by the permanent representative of the Ukrainian presidency in Crimea, Tamila Tacheva, explaining that for the most part they are "journalists and militants" who organized "pro-Ukraine demonstrations".
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Duma votes for Moscow's exit from the European Court of Human Rights
The Russian parliament voted in favor of Moscow leaving the European Court of Human Rights after more than 20 years as a member of the Council of Europe. The Guardian reports it.
The Duma has approved two drafts, two texts, with one Russia withdrawing from the jurisdiction of the court and with the second marking March 16 as a time limit, i.e. beyond that date no decision taken by the court against Russia will be implemented.
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Moscow-Ankara talks on the grain corridors
Defense ministers of Russia and Turkey, Serghei Shoigu and Hulusi Akar, discussed the creation of safe corridors for the export of grain from Ukraine across the Black Sea. This was reported by the Moscow Defense Ministry, quoted by TASS. The theme will also be at the center of tomorrow's meeting in Turkey between the foreign ministers of the two countries, Serghei Lavrov and Mevlut Cavusoglu.
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Lavrov in Turkey tomorrow to discuss a possible resumption of negotiations
During tomorrow's meeting in Turkey, Russian Foreign Minister Serghei Lavrov will discuss with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu the "prospects for a resumption of negotiations between Moscow and Kiev". This was announced by the Russian Foreign Ministry, quoted by Tass.
"The Russian side will inform Turkish colleagues of the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine and of the steps to be taken to ensure the safety of civilians", adds Moscow, noting that other regional situations will also be discussed, including that in Syria in view of the next meeting this month in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.
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Kiev: "Russian 007 arrested"
A Russian spy was identified and arrested by Ukrainian intelligence in Ternopil, western Ukraine: 007 would have provided important information on the officers of the special services of the Federation (FSB). Unian reports it. According to reports gathered by the security services (Sbu) of Kiev, the Russian citizen has settled in the city on the eve of the invasion of the Russian troops in Ukraine. During his walks, he developed routes that would allow him to make secret video recordings of important transportation hubs and strategic sites. The videos were then transmitted to contacts in Russia via the Internet.
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"Inhabitants of Severodonetsk taken away by force"
Residents of Severodonetsk were forcibly taken to the territory occupied by the Russians, while others fled where they could, now 10-11 thousand people remain in the city, living under constant bombing, without light and water. This was reported by the head of the military administration of the city Oleksandr Stryuk, quoted by Espreso TV.
"Most likely, the Russians want to achieve at least one significant victory. Because Severodonetsk is the administrative center of the Lugansk region, a kind of 'small capital' of the region, a symbol: the capture of Severodonetsk is symbolic for the occupiers," Stryuk said. .
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Mariupol on the verge of a cholera epidemic
Mariupol is on the verge of an "explosive" cholera epidemic: it is "literally drowning" in the waters contaminated by waste and by the decomposition of makeshift burials, aggravated by the arrival of heat. This was stated by the deputy mayor of the Ukrainian city Sergei Orlovio, underlining - according to some Ukrainian sites - that the Russian occupation forces have placed the city in quarantine.
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Medvedev: "I hate Westerners, I want to make them disappear"
"I am often asked why my Telegram posts are so harsh. The answer is that I hate them.
They are bastards and clumsy. They want our death, that of Russia. And as long as I am alive, I will do everything to make them disappear ": the vice president of the Russian Security Council and former president of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Medvedev, wrote on Telegram, referring to who is against Russia.
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Moscow: "Kherson and Zaporizhzhia out of agreement with Kiev"
The Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions will not be included in the eventual agreement with Ukraine. If Kiev makes contact with Moscow, the status of these two regions will not be discussed, just as the issue of Crimea and the Donbass is already closed for Russia. A high-ranking Russian source spoke to the Izvestia newspaper, noting that the overwhelming majority of the region's inhabitants support Russia.
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Ukraine: "Turkey becomes guarantor for our security"
"We expect Turkey to become the guarantor for the security of our country". This was stated by Rustem Umerov, Ukrainian parliamentarian and member of the Kiev delegation in talks with Moscow, during an interview with the Turkish daily Sabah. "We are grateful to Turkey for its important role in mediating between our countries in peace talks", said Umerov thanking Ankara for "supporting Ukraine in the international arena for the past 8 years".
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Heavy fighting underway in Severodonetsk
Heavy fighting is underway in the eastern Ukrainian city of Severodonetsk, Russian troops are continuing to storm it, the Kiev army said in its morning operational report, quoted by the Guardian. According to the General Staff, Ukrainian troops repelled Russian attacks in the cities of Nahirne, Berestov, Krynychne and Rota and also allegedly hit some military units in Moscow in the Kherson region (South) and ammunition depots in the Mykolayiv region, also in south of the country. The latest update provided by Lugansk regional military chief Sergiy Gaidai states that Russian attacks in the direction of Novookhtyrka and Voronove have been repelled.
