Weekly Update #106
March 11, 2024
Weekly Update #106
March 11, 2024
Embedded Files
March 11, 2024
REFUGEE SITUATION
REFUGEE SITUATION
(as of 15 February 2024)
(as of 15 February 2024)
General Figures
General Figures
Refugees from Ukraine recorded across Europe
6,004,100
Last updated February 15 2024
Covers those granted refugee status, temporary asylum status, temporary protection, or statuses through similar national protection schemes, as well as those recorded in the country under other forms of stay
Refugees from Ukraine recorded beyond Europe
475,600
Last updated January 27 2024
Covers those granted refugee status, temporary asylum status, temporary protection, or statuses through similar national protection schemes, as well as those recorded in the country under other forms of stay
Estimated number of internally displaced people (IDPs) in Ukraine
3,689,000
Last updated December 27 2023
Source: IOM
Refugees from Ukraine recorded globally
6,479,700
Last updated February 15 2024
Source: UNHCR collation of statistics made available by the authorities
THE HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE
THE HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE
‘It’s a Way of Life’: Women Make Their Mark in the Ukrainian Army
‘It’s a Way of Life’: Women Make Their Mark in the Ukrainian Army
The New York Times had a timely article, on the celebration of International Women’s Day, on how Ukrainian women have played a key role in the Ukrainian crisis. Below are highlights of the article.
As Ukraine struggles against Russian assaults and its losses mount, there has been a surge of women enlisting, and they are increasingly volunteering for combat roles. As Ukraine struggles against fierce Russian assaults and its losses mount, there has been a surge of women who have enlisted, and they are increasingly volunteering for combat roles. The Ukrainian military has also made a concerted effort to recruit more women to fill its ranks.
About 65,000 women are currently serving in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, about a 30 percent increase since the war began. Roughly 45,000 serve as military personnel, and the rest hold civilian positions, according to the Defense Ministry of defense. Just over 4,000 are in combat positions. Unlike for Ukrainian men, there is no mandatory draft for women; however, women who have medical or pharmaceutical degrees must register for the service.
These women fill a growing number of positions in the military: combat medics in assault units; senior gunners; snipers; commanders of tank units and artillery batteries; and at least one co-pilot on a medevac team who dreams of becoming Ukraine’s first female helicopter combat pilot. Dozens have been wounded in battle, and some have been killed or captured.
These women fill a growing number of positions in the military: combat medics in assault units; senior gunners; snipers; commanders of tank units and artillery batteries; and at least one co-pilot on a medevac team who dreams of becoming Ukraine’s first female helicopter combat pilot. Dozens have been wounded in battle, and some have been killed or captured.
The downside is that the military has not been able to adapt quickly enough to accommodate them. Female soldiers say there is still a dire lack of women’s fatigues and boots, correctly fitted body armor, and feminine hygiene products. That leaves women to acquire many items on their own.
But the problems go deeper, into issues of gender-based inequality and discrimination. Many women serving in combat roles said that male soldiers and direct superiors largely did not discriminate by gender — though there are still sexual innuendoes and inappropriate comments. Rather, it is senior commanders, often holdovers from the Soviet-era, who look down on women in the military, especially those in combat roles. In some cases, women are choosing to join newly formed brigades with younger, more dynamic commanders.
Claims of sexual harassment have also surfaced. According to some women, there have been no official channels for reporting harassment other than to battalion commanders, who then have to decide whether to follow up.
Ukrainian society is also gradually overcoming its skepticism of women serving in the military. For now, it is up to the new generation of women and their allies who will also be better placed to address discrimination and sexual harassment.
Source: The New York Times
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Mapping the Religious Landscape of Ukraine
Mapping the Religious Landscape of Ukraine
The United States Institute of Peace produced this Report – Mapping the Religious Landscape of Ukraine – that focuses on the critical and significant links of religion and conflict, particularly in the unfolding of the Russian war against Ukraine. The link to the full report is provided.
Religion and religious actors have been important influences on the occupation of Crimea and on hybrid warfare issues in eastern Ukraine since 2014. Since Russia’s February 2022 full-scale invasion, they have influenced social dynamics within Ukraine as a whole. This report analyzes the nuanced connections between religion and society, which are crucial to understanding the conflict, and offers lessons that can guide effective, feasible peacemaking and peacebuilding interventions.
Summary
The conflict in eastern Ukraine that began in 2014, and its escalation into a war encompassing all of Ukraine’s territory following Russia’s February 2022 invasion, are the result of the intersection of numerous forces both geopolitical and ideological—many of which are not explicitly religious. Nevertheless, religion and religious actors have an important effect on Ukrainian society at large, the evolution of conflict dynamics, and prospects for future peacebuilding.
Despite its clear relevance, international policymakers, humanitarian actors, and peacebuilders have rarely engaged with religion as a key factor in understanding the conflict in Ukraine, its possible evolution, or opportunities for peace. The conflict in Ukraine is multilayered, and religion permeates every level. Better recognition of the nuanced role religious actors play in shaping societal and political narratives will provide much-needed insight into the causes and perpetuation of conflict and help to identify possible entry points for integrating religious actors into peacebuilding efforts.
At the same time, international nongovernmental organizations and policymakers will need to strike a delicate balance when engaging with religious actors, as tensions within different religious communities—sometimes based on personal disagreements, sometimes on local political or even geopolitical considerations—threaten to undermine bridge-building initiatives. Moreover, focusing too closely on the biggest religious actors in Ukraine obscures the important work done by grassroots-level actors or by individual religious leaders in the name of peace. Future work with the religious sphere in Ukraine must find ways to incorporate smaller, sometimes low-profile initiatives connecting warring religious factions. Overall, the United States and other international partners must recognize that religious organizations and institutions will, in all likelihood, continue to play a prominent role in Ukraine’s political, ideological, and humanitarian spheres.
About the Report
This report maps Ukraine’s religious landscape in order to explore the role of religion and religious organizations in perpetuating, and potentially mitigating, societal tensions in conflict. Most of the study was prepared before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, but the findings remain relevant. This research was supported by the United States Institute of Peace and by the Culture and Religion in Mediation program, a joint initiative of the Center for Security Studies at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich and the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.
Source: USIP
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JRS UKRAINE CRISIS: PRESENCE AND RESPONSE
JRS UKRAINE CRISIS: PRESENCE AND RESPONSE
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, the organizations of the Jesuits have served and accompanied 100.765 people fleeing violence. Coordinated by JRS Europe and the Xavier Network, in collaboration with NGOs and local partners, the Society of Jesus has provided emergency aid, shelter, psychosocial support, education, and integration, among other services.
JRS activities have been reactivated to support the recent influx of people fleeing across Ukraine. The Jesuit Refugee Service in Ukraine continues to assist those most affected by the conflict and welcomes displaced people as they look for a safe place to rest after days of travelling in dangerous conditions.
JRS activities have been reactivated to support the recent influx of people fleeing across Ukraine. The Jesuit Refugee Service in Ukraine continues to assist those most affected by the conflict and welcomes displaced people as they look for a safe place to rest after days of travelling in dangerous conditions.
The One Proposal initiative has transitioned from providing short-term emergency humanitarian aid to offering sustained support in the face of persistent conflict in neighboring.
JRS and its partners are facing a crucial year in 2024. Their operations are getting bigger and more complicated, especially with the urgent needs of Ukrainian refugees who have been through two years of conflict. Read the 2023 Annual Report for more information.
In 2024, JRS is building on the skills from 2023, focusing on strengthening our team and expanding in different regions. Our aim was to grow in all countries and partnerships, ensuring a more effective and targeted response to meet the needs of the beneficiaries.
Source: JRS Europe
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Update on Child Protection in Ukraine
Update on Child Protection in Ukraine
In the current 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP), over 14.6 million people are in dire need of humanitarian assistance.
For Child Protection specifically, the 2024 HNRP estimates 3.2 million children, including 10 per cent with disabilities, need immediate, life-saving child protection services.
In Ukraine, children are exposed to serious risks, both in terms of their physical safety and mental health, as a result of enduring ongoing conflict, violence, and displacement. Exposure to violence, including the terrifying experiences of explosions and fears of losing family members, loved once, relative and friends, is a harsh reality for many. Distress symptoms such as sleep problem, sad mood, constant alertness, fatigue, difficulty to concentrate, aggressive behaviours are increasingly noticeable in these children. This presents a significant concern for their immediate safety and future well-being, especially for those residing in frontlines communities.
As of October 2023, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates there are approximately 3.67 million IDPs and 4.57 million returnees in Ukraine, 25% of these children. The war in Ukraine has forced more than 2 million Ukrainian children to flee the country and displaced more than 1 million children inside Ukraine.
According to the IOM Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) (Round 14) data, it is reported that 55% of internally displaced persons (IDP) households include at least one child, with 44% having two or more children. Seventeen per cent of households have children 0 - 5 years old, with 38% of households having children aged 6 - 17 years. These children continue to be exposed to extreme protection risks and threats, including abduction, abuse, neglect, separation, sexual exploitation, violence, and trafficking - leading to an acute child protection crisis. Children are still being forced to protect themselves from airstrikes and missiles in subway stations and underground shelters, where conditions are dire.
For Child Protection specifically, the 2024 HNRP estimates 3.2 million children, including 10 per cent with disabilities, need immediate, life-saving child protection services.
In Ukraine, children are exposed to serious risks, both in terms of their physical safety and mental health, as a result of enduring ongoing conflict, violence, and displacement. Exposure to violence, including the terrifying experiences of explosions and fears of losing family members, loved once, relative and friends, is a harsh reality for many. Distress symptoms such as sleep problem, sad mood, constant alertness, fatigue, difficulty to concentrate, aggressive behaviours are increasingly noticeable in these children. This presents a significant concern for their immediate safety and future well-being, especially for those residing in frontlines communities.
As of October 2023, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates there are approximately 3.67 million IDPs and 4.57 million returnees in Ukraine, 25% of these children. The war in Ukraine has forced more than 2 million Ukrainian children to flee the country and displaced more than 1 million children inside Ukraine.
According to the IOM Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) (Round 14) data, it is reported that 55% of internally displaced persons (IDP) households include at least one child, with 44% having two or more children. Seventeen per cent of households have children 0 - 5 years old, with 38% of households having children aged 6 - 17 years. These children continue to be exposed to extreme protection risks and threats, including abduction, abuse, neglect, separation, sexual exploitation, violence, and trafficking - leading to an acute child protection crisis. Children are still being forced to protect themselves from airstrikes and missiles in subway stations and underground shelters, where conditions are dire.
This year, the interagency Child Protection Area of Responsibility achieved the following:
The CP AoR updated and launched the CP AoR strategy for 2024, the Child Protection Monitoring Framework 2024, and the Child Protection Secondary Data Analysis for 2023 to enhance child protection service delivery.
An effective Child Protection data and information management system has been implemented, with 4 functional interactive CP AoR dashboards / https://response.reliefweb.int/ukraine/childprotection available for partners in Ukraine.
CP AoR has strengthened the child protection referral pathways through the web-based Child Protection Referral Pathways system. It now includes 1,297 organizations (humanitarian and State social service), 677 mobile teams, and 1,384 referral focal points across 25 regions, 126 districts, and 1,536 municipalities.
The CP AoR, along with the Case Management Working Group, developed inter-agency Operational Guidance for Child Protection Case Management and associated tools for case management. A Data Protection and Information Sharing Protocol has also been established.
Source: Protections Cluster, UNICEF
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The Impact of Explosive Weapons in Ukraine – Focus on hard-to-reach areas
The Impact of Explosive Weapons in Ukraine – Focus on hard-to-reach areas
When explosive weapons are used in populated areas, they have direct and indirect impacts on the provision of services, community cohesion, humanitarian access, regular support for basic needs, physical safety, mental health and psychological well-being, as well as other social and economic impacts. The challenges and human impacts in hard-to-reach areas – such as in Kharkiv, Mykolaiv and Kherson Oblasts – exemplify the specific and systematic pattern of harm caused by explosive weapons during and after armed conflicts.
The use of explosive weapons in populated areas (EWIPA), which include cities, towns and villages, or any other places where civilians live, has both direct and indirect impacts.
Handicap International released a report of case studies in Kharkiv, Kherson and Mykolaiv Oblasts to highlight the direct and indirect effects of explosive weapons in populated areas, It focuses on hard-to-reach areas in these regions to demonstrate the impacts on access to services, including specific impacts on infrastructure. This analysis demonstrates the specific harms which exacerbate vulnerabilities in hard-to-reach places. In each example, the report highlights how each location and incident reflects the complex direct and indirect effects of the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. Finally, not only do these incidents connect across geographical areas, but the pattern of harm also extends over time. After an incident, the vulnerability factors created or exacerbated as a result remain present six months, one year, two years later, and experience shows that these impacts will continue to evolve.
HIGHLIGHTS
A few examples of the impact of the use of explosive weapons include the following:
1. Velyka Komyshuvakha, Kharkiv Oblast: Social impacts of explosive ordnance
According to HI’s Armed Violence Reduction team, all the fields surrounding the village are contaminated. The village area -- remote and spread over a large area, including a number of farms – combined with the extent and diversity of the contamination, has created a widespread sense of an 'invisible threat', as noted in the interviews. It is impossible for the few remaining farmers to cultivate their land. the threat has led village members to reduce or interrupt their movements, to stop cultivating their land or to cease their social, economic or professional activities.
In such contexts, a comprehensive victim assistance approach to clearance and destruction of explosive remnants of war is critical to strengthen the protection of civilians, meet their needs during and after hostilities and limit their exposure to explosive ordnance and weapons.
2. Snihurivka Mykolaiv Oblast : Disruption of agriculture and livelihoods opportunities
Snihurivka is a small city in Bashtanka Raion in Mykolaiv Oblast. It is the administrative centre of the Raion, which was under occupation for nine months. For many months, Snihurivka was a “frontline town”. It suffered significant destruction due to devastating shelling. Not one settlement in the entire municipality has gone undamaged, according to the head of the municipality.
Local economies and industries have been severely impacted, restricting operations, including the tomato plant in Snihurivka, which is the third-biggest producer of tomato paste in Europe and the main revenue-generating company in the city and the region. The factory was occupied by Russian forces and used as a military base for nine months. Agribusinesses were unable to harvest crops, which resulted in reduced tax income and a 70% reduction in the city’s budget.
Public authorities, humanitarian organisations and private actors have already begun to ensure the marking, clearance and removal or destruction of explosive remnants of war in the community, as well as finding innovative solutions, including mobile homes, to address the housing needs.
3. Kotlyareve, Mykolaiv Oblast: Community self-organisation and needs assessment disrupted
In 2022, Kotlyareve, in Mykolaiv Oblast, was on the frontline of the war, which faced shelling and missile attacks on a daily basis, impacting the school, houses, farm workers’ dormitories and destroying the village shop. The constant use of explosive weapons in the area – especially shelling – has massively limited civilians’ access to services. It has also made it extremely difficult for community focal points and NGOs to reach those in need, including people who have been displaced.
Those who have returned or who are in the process of returning, have to cope with damage to their homes and the absence of the local store selling equipment and goods, which was burned down. The ability to purchase food and non-food items is severely limited, with many relying on humanitarian and community support.
Community focal points are one of the ways Ukrainians are responding to the use of explosive weapons in cities, towns and villages. A report published by the Centre for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) highlights the wide range of practices that Ukrainians have adopted to keep themselves, their communities, and homes safe.
These case studies identify the need to improve and share policies and practices in order to address the urgent and longer-term needs of civilians in such difficult contexts: facilitate rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access close to frontlines, in highly contaminated areas, and in occupied territory; uphold humanitarian mine action standards, including through assistance to victims as well as communities affected by armed conflict.
Source: HI
STATUS OF THE CONFLICT
STATUS OF THE CONFLICT
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated that a ceasefire in Ukraine would allow Russia to rebuild its forces and means for future offensive operations, as Russia previously did following the start of Russia’s 2014 invasion. Zelensky stated on March 8 that a pause in fighting in Ukraine would pose a serious challenge and problem both to Ukraine and all of Europe. Zelensky noted that Russia would benefit from a pause or ceasefire as Russian forces would use the pause to optimize Russia’s military and overall war effort, including by training its soldiers, many of whom deploy to the front line with very little training. Zelensky also stated that Russian forces are suffering from missile, artillery, and drone shortages, so Russia is sourcing these weapons from North Korea and Iran and needs to rebuild its stockpiles. Zelensky stated that Russia similarly benefited from previously freezing the war in 2014 and was able to build up its weapons, accumulate forces, and invade Ukraine again in 2022.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) continues to assess that any ceasefire in Ukraine would benefit Russia, giving it time to reconstitute and regroup for future offensive operations, optimize command and control, implement lessons learned from experience in Ukraine, and resupply Russian forces in a manner that is exceedingly difficult to do while high-intensity combat is underway. Zelensky also stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s goal is not just to occupy all of Ukraine, but to deprive Ukraine of its independence and integrate Ukraine into Russia using either force or political means.[3] Kremlin officials, including Putin, have repeatedly indicated that Russia hopes to occupy most, if not all, of Ukraine and eliminate Ukrainian statehood and independence.[4] Putin has also geographically defined historical ”Russian” lands - a characterization which the Kremlin has used to justify its full-scale invasion of Ukraine - as encompassing the former Russian Empire and Soviet Union.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors approved a resolution calling for Russia’s withdrawal from the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), undermining Russian efforts to use the IAEA and other international organizations to legitimize its occupation of the plant. The March 7 IAEA resolution calls for the urgent withdrawal of all Russian unauthorized military and other personnel from the ZNPP and the return of the ZNPP to full Ukrainian control.
The resolution also expresses significant concern for the unstable security situation at the ZNPP during armed conflict, including the lack of qualified personnel, gaps in planned and preventative maintenance, lack of reliable supply chains, vulnerable water supply for cooling the ZNPP‘s nuclear reactors, and the installation of antipersonnel mines between the ZNPP’s internal and external perimeters.
The March 6 resolution echoes previous calls from the IAEA on March 3, 2022, September 15, 2022, November 17, 2022, and September 28, 2023.[21] Russian authorities have repeatedly attempted to use Russia’s physical control over the ZNPP to force international organizations including the IAEA to meet with Russian occupation officials to legitimize Russia’s occupation of the ZNPP and by extension Russia’s occupation of sovereign Ukrainian land. The IAEA’s March 7 resolution reiterates the IAEA’s recognition of Ukraine as the legitimate operator of the ZNPP and undermines the consistent Russian assertion that Russia is the only safe operator of the ZNPP.
Ukrainian efforts to encourage women to serve in the Ukrainian armed forces continues allowing Ukraine to tap into a wider mobilization base for its war effort. The Ukrainian Military Media Center reported in honor of International Women’s Day on March 8 that over 45,500 women serve in the Ukrainian army as of January 2024, including more than 13,000 women serving in combat roles.[24] Ukrainian officials previously reported that over 5,000 women were actively serving in frontline combat zones as of November 2023.[25] ISW previously noted that Ukraine has not been conscripting women but that Ukrainian women are nonetheless volunteering for military service, including combat roles, and that Ukrainian society appears to be galvanized by a popular desire to defend Ukraine strong enough to bring so many Ukrainian women near and onto the battlefield of their own accord.
Source: ISW
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Ukrainian attacks increasingly sap the power of Russia’s Black Sea fleet
Ukrainian attacks increasingly sap the power of Russia’s Black Sea fleet
Ukrainian sea drones reportedly sank another Russian warship in the Black Sea on Tuesday, the latest in a series of strikes that has crippled Moscow’s naval capability and limited its operations with the war now in its third year.
Successful Ukrainian drone and missile strikes have provided a major morale boost for Kyiv at a time when its undermanned and under-gunned forces are facing Russian attacks along the more than 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line.
Challenging Russia’s naval superiority also has helped create more favorable conditions for Ukrainian grain exports and other shipments from the country’s Black Sea ports.
RELENTLESS STRIKES
In the latest reported strike, Ukrainian naval drones attacked the Sergei Kotov patrol ship near the Kerch Strait, which links the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, according to the Ukraine’s military intelligence agency. The strike, which couldn’t be independently verified, killed seven members of the Russian crew and injured six others, while 52 were rescued, the agency said.
The Russian Defense Ministry didn’t comment on the claim, but some Russian military bloggers confirmed the ship’s loss and said its crew had been rescued.
The strike, if verified, would mark the latest successful use of Ukraine’s domestically produced Magura drones, the agile uncrewed boats that have become the Russian navy’s nemesis. Just last month, drones sank Russia’s Caesar Kunikov amphibious landing ship and Ivanovets missile corvette. The Russian military hasn’t acknowledged those losses, either, but they have been reported by Russian military bloggers and some media.
In another attack in late December, Ukraine said it destroyed the Novocherkassk landing vessel in Crimea’s port of Feodosia with long-range cruise missiles. The Russian Defense Ministry said the ship was damaged in the attack, but Russian war bloggers said it was lost.
The Russian Defense Ministry didn’t comment on the claim, but some Russian military bloggers confirmed the ship’s loss and said its crew had been rescued.
The strike, if verified, would mark the latest successful use of Ukraine’s domestically produced Magura drones, the agile uncrewed boats that have become the Russian navy’s nemesis. Just last month, drones sank Russia’s Caesar Kunikov amphibious landing ship and Ivanovets missile corvette. The Russian military hasn’t acknowledged those losses, either, but they have been reported by Russian military bloggers and some media.
In another attack in late December, Ukraine said it destroyed Novocherkassk landing vessel in Crimea’s port of Feodosia with long-range cruise missiles. The Russian Defense Ministry said the ship was damaged in the attack, but Russian war bloggers said it was lost.
The Ukrainian military also has launched a series of persistent cruise missile and drone strikes on Russian radar facilities, air defense assets and air bases in Crimea, a region of Ukraine that Russia annexed in 2014. Increasing the pain for Moscow, Ukrainian troops also downed two Russian early warning and control aircraft over the Sea of Azov in January and February, depriving the Russian military of some of its most precious intelligence-gathering assets.
The strikes followed other highly efficient Ukrainian attacks earlier in the war, including the April 2022 sinking of the Black Sea fleet’s flagship missile cruiser, the Moskva, and a missile strike last September on the fleet’s headquarters in the port of Sevastopol.
UKRAINE’S DEADLY WEAPONS
The smart use of remote-controlled drone boats laden with explosives has allowed Ukraine to tip the scales of naval warfare in its favor despite Russia’s massive superiority in firepower. The Magura drones are equipped with advanced GPS and cameras, and have a low radar signature that makes them hard to detect.
Ukraine also has relied on cruise missiles provided by the U.K. and France for striking Russian assets in Crimea. The missiles — produced jointly by Britain and France and called Storm Shadow by the U.K. and SCALP-EG by France — are launched from Ukraine’s Soviet-era warplanes and have a range of more than 250 kilometers (155 miles).
Western officials praise the efficiency of the Ukrainian attacks, noting that Kyiv has smartly used its limited resources to defeat far stronger Russian forces and destroy about 20% of the Black Sea fleet, effectively blunting Moscow’s naval dominance.
ENDING THE RUSSIAN BLOCKADE
The successful strikes on Russian naval assets have allowed Ukraine to increase its food and other Black Sea exports despite Russia’s withdrawal last summer from a deal that guaranteed safe shipment of Ukrainian grain.
Moscow’s pullback from the deal raised the possibility of Russian attacks on ships carrying Ukrainian grain and other products, posing a threat to the Ukrainian economy and global food security.
But the steady series of successful Ukrainian attacks on Russian warships and other military assets in the area have put Russia’s fleet on the defensive, limiting its offensive capability.
HOW DID RUSSIA REACT?
Although the Russian Defense Ministry has mostly kept quiet about the Ukrainian drone and missile attacks on its naval assets, Russian military bloggers and commentators have harshly criticized the military brass for its slow and sloppy response to the threat.
The strikes have forced the Russian navy to take precautions that have affected its operations, including relocating some of its ships from ports in Crimea farther east to Novorossiysk to better protect them.
Despite the damage from Ukrainian attacks, the Black Sea fleet remains a powerful force and is still capable of launching long-range cruise missile strikes at Ukraine. Russian air bases in Crimea also have remained operational, hosting warplanes that have continued flying combat sorties to support its ground operations in the region.
Russian military bloggers reported that the head of the Black Sea fleet, Adm. Viktor Sokolov, was dismissed last month following the latest losses of warships. There was no official confirmation of his ouster.
Source: AP News
UPDATES ON INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE
UPDATES ON INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE
Zelenskyy calls talks with Erdogan 'sincere and fruitful'
Zelenskyy calls talks with Erdogan 'sincere and fruitful'
Ukrainian President Volodymyr on Friday called talks with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan "sincere and fruitful," hailing agreements on joint defense projects and the streamlining of trade between the two countries.
Zelenskyy, who was primarily in Turkey to discuss the details of his country's ongoing defense against Russia, voiced optimism over bilateral economic cooperation as well as Turkey's role in postwar reconstruction in a post on X, formerly Twitter. He also mentioned talks with defense industry leaders in Turkey.
Turkish President Erdogan, for his part, spoke of his intention to host peace talks to between Ukraine and Russia.
Source: DW
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Turkey ready to host Ukraine-Russia peace summit
Turkey ready to host Ukraine-Russia peace summit
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday, said his country was ready to host a summit to facilitate ending Russia's war on Ukraine.
Erdogan, who says Turkey respects Ukraine's territorial integrity, reported that he and Zelenskyy had discussed the war, as well as Black Sea navigational security.
"We are ready to host a peace summit where Russia is also present," Erdogan announced during a press conference after the two met.
However, Zelenskyy has said Russia would not be invited to the first of such meetings to be held in Switzerland, insisting a roadmap must be determined first by Ukraine's allies.
The Turkish leader said his country would also "strongly contribute" to rebuilding Ukraine after the conflict ends.
Erdogan has sought to position himself as a logical mediator, maintaining good relations with both Russia and Ukraine throughout the war.
"While we continue our solidarity with Ukraine, we will continue our work to end the war with peace on the basis of negotiation," Erdogan said.
Source: DW
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Inside Europe's drive to get ammunition to Ukraine as Russia advances
Inside Europe's drive to get ammunition to Ukraine as Russia advances
Hundreds of Czechs and a handful of Ukrainians are working round the clock in eastern Czech Republic to transform a collection of buildings dating back to World War Two into a hub for supplying arms and ammunition to Ukraine.
The initiative is part of Europe's efforts to provide Kyiv with weapons to repel Russian forces after the stalling of U.S. military aid, which has been the backbone of international support.
Visiting the Sternberk facility owned by Czech private arms manufacturer Excalibur Army, General Onno Eichelsheim, head of the Dutch military, described the urgency of the situation as Kyiv's losses mount in eastern and southern Ukraine.
The most pressing need for Ukraine two years after Russia's full-scale invasion is artillery ammunition, which is running low as the sides use heavy cannon fire to hold largely static, entrenched positions along the 1,000-km (620-mile) front line.
The European Union, which with other Western allies wants to contain Russian advances and repel an increasingly assertive rival, launched an initiative in March 2023 to deliver 1 million artillery shells to Ukraine within 12 months.
A year later, it had delivered little more than half that number, officials said, because of insufficient production capacity and a lack of long-term orders.
"CLEARING HOUSE"
The Czech government has played a central role in trying to raise funding among partners, and in working out deals with the Czech defence industry.
He said efforts were under way to secure additional contracts with Excalibur Army - which is part of the privately held Czechoslovak Group (CSG) - to purchase 155 mm rounds, which fit artillery guns the Dutch are providing.
The Czechoslovak Group acts as manufacturer and munitions clearing house - making air defence systems and vehicles, and sourcing tanks, artillery and shells from around the world and revamping them for Ukraine.
Western European countries and other allies pay for much of the materiel. Ukraine also buys military equipment and ammunition directly from partners.
The Netherlands has been working with the Czech Republic to find as many 155-mm artillery rounds as possible for Ukraine.
Netherlands wants to guarantee a steady supply of ammunition as part of a security deal detailed by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The Netherlands and other countries will fund about 800,000 artillery shells being sourced through the Czech Republic.
AMMUNITION PRICES SPIKE
Coalition members funding the short-term purchases include Britain, Canada, Denmark, the Czech Republic and the United States, among others.
In the two years since Russia's full-scale invasion, much of Ukraine's ammunition from overseas has been sourced to U.S. stocks. Western producers have increased production to meet the unexpected surge in demand and the European Commission, the EU executive, expects annual EU-wide shell production to reach 1.4 million by the end of 2024. It was around 500,000 a year ago.
For every shell Ukraine fires along the front lines, Russia fires between five or six, officials and defence analysts say. This imbalance restricts Ukraine's ability to suppress Russian attacks and provide cover for its own troop movements.
Russia has increased weapons production and can maintain a much higher rate of fire than Ukraine, but Western experts say Moscow also faces some constraints and has turned to North Korea to bolster its munitions supplies.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told EU foreign ministers last week that Ukraine needed 2.5 million artillery shells this year, according to the Financial Times - suggesting a daily requirement of 7,000 - but the EU had sent only 400,000.
Supplies of ammunition to Ukraine have been interrupted by politics, with U.S. Congress holding up a $60 billion military aid package and European powers divided about using EU funds to purchase munitions outside the bloc.
There are about 2 million large calibre ammunition rounds available on the global market, a senior Czech official said.
Demand from the Ukraine war has driven up prices to $2,800-3,200 per round from $700-$1,200 beforehand, two sources familiar with the market said.
CHALLENGES
Ammunition supplies to Kyiv must be ramped up if it is to have a chance of turning the tide of the war, analysts Franz-Stefan Gady and Michael Kofman wrote in a February research paper for the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Where to source the ammunition is being debated within the EU. The Netherlands has allocated 250 million euros ($271 million) for ammunition purchases for Kyiv, including non-European stocks through the Czech defence industry, and asked allies to contribute to the plan being implemented with the Czech government.
With European ammunition sold out for two years, the official questioned why there would be any hesitation to go beyond local markets. France and Germany are considering joining the initiative. French President Emmanuel Macron backed the plan during a visit to Prague on Tuesday and opened the door to using European funds for it, but did not say what Paris would contribute to it.
France has also invited foreign and defence ministers from Ukraine's main allies and the NATO Secretary General to take part in video call on Thursday aimed at showing a "united front" and coming up with concrete proposals to boost support for Kyiv.
NOT ONLY AMMUNITION
Ukraine's needs extend beyond artillery ammunition. It wants to bolster its air defences and needs more hardware along front lines to match Russia's superior resources. South Korea and Turkey are among countries supplying Ukraine so far.
Later this year, U.S. F-16 fighters are expected to be delivered to Ukraine from Denmark and the Netherlands. The Dutch are also part of a group providing advanced drones capable of attacking deeper into Russian-held territory.
The Netherlands has already received 100 mounted anti-aircraft guns and 45 refurbished T-72 tanks for Ukraine from Excalibur Army, among 105 funded with the U.S. and Denmark.
It has ordered nine modern howitzer cannon systems. Another Czech supplier, radar technology company ERA, is delivering four long-range surveillance systems, also donated by the Dutch.
Source: Reuters
HOLY FATHER ON UKRAINE
HOLY FATHER ON UKRAINE
Angelus - March 10, 2024 (Sunday)
Angelus - March 10, 2024 (Sunday)
I affectionately welcome the Catholic community of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Rome. Let us pray for peace in this country, as well as in tormented Ukraine and in the Holy Land. May the hostilities that cause immense suffering among the civilian population cease as soon as possible.
Accolgo con affetto la comunità cattolica della Repubblica Democratica del Congo a Roma. Preghiamo per la pace in questo Paese, come pure nella martoriata Ucraina e in Terra Santa. Cessino al più presto le ostilità che provocano immani sofferenze nella popolazione civile.
Links to the full text in ENGLISH and ITALIANGeneral Audience - March 6, 2024
General Audience - March 6, 2024
Once again brothers and sisters, I renew my invitation to pray for the people who are suffering from the horror of war in Ukraine and in the Holy Land, and in other parts of the world. Let us pray for peace. Let us ask the Lord for the gift of peace!
Ancora una volta, fratelli e sorelle, rinnovo il mio invito a pregare per le popolazioni che soffrono l’orrore della guerra in Ucraina e in Terra Santa, come pure in altre parti del mondo. Preghiamo per la pace! Chiediamo al Signore il dono della pace!
Links to the full text in ENGLISH and ITALIANNEWS
NEWS
‘Pope asks for the courage to negotiate for Ukraine’
Pope on war in Ukraine: 'Do not be ashamed to negotiate'
Pope: ‘Pray for people suffering from horrors of war’
"Ukraine will continue to need our help and solidarity," said the Catholic bishops of Austria (Google translate)
The Catholic Church must draw conclusions from the tragic experience of the war against humanity on Ukrainian soil, — the rector of UCU (Google translate)
Roman Catholic Bishops of Ukraine on the situation on the Ukrainian-Polish border: let's be balanced in our judgments (Google translate)
Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller is visiting Lviv (Google translate)
The head of the UGCC and the bishops held meetings in the US Senate, Congress and State Department regarding support for Ukraine (Google translate)
Pope Francis: Ukraine should have courage of the 'white flag,' negotiate end of war with Russia
MEMBER PHOTOS
MEMBER PHOTOS
“Since day one, we have been accompanying refugees fleeing the war with a coordinated holistic response in Ukraine, neighbouring countries, and across Europe. While it might not be on newspaper covers anymore, this crisis is still unfolding, and we are committed to providing long-term support”, declares JRS Regional Senior Director Alberto Ares Mateos SJ, JRS (courtesy of JRS Europe).
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