Russo-Ukraine War - 28 March 2022 - Day 33
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On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.
"To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal]
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country.
US President Joe Biden said that he will not walk back recent comments challenging the continued leadership of Russian President Vladimir Putin, arguing that the comments were made based on personal feelings and do not indicate any policy changes. Wrapping up his European tour, Biden said during his Saturday speech on Ukraine that Russian President Vladimir Putin "cannot remain in power." Later, a White House official said that Biden’s words about Putin were not endorsing a regime change in Russia, though leaders worldwide, and even politicians within the United States, have raised concerns over such a "gaffe."
"I don't know what changed his mind. His [Putin’s] behavior has changed. When we met [in Geneva], remember what we were talking about? We were talking about setting up a strategic dialogue and talking about the relationship of NATO and Russia and facing off in the regions and how we can have more transparency and all the rest. It was a normal discussion," Biden said.
It is reported that discussions center on proposals under which Ukraine would give up on NATO membership but will be free to join the EU. Russia is no longer demanding "denazification" and "demilitarization", and Russian language are not part of the possible deal. Press Secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov said "for now, we still adhere to the line of non-disclosure of any details related to the negotiations. We believe that this can only harm the negotiation process."
Russia, in negotiations with the Ukrainian side, is obliged to make sure that people in Donbas "never again suffer from the Kiev regime," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. "When we are now negotiating with the Ukrainian side, we have an obligation to make sure that the people in Donbas never again suffer from the Kiev regime," he said.
Zelenskyy continued to insist on the “territorial integrity” of his country despite earlier suggesting he was ready for a compromise on the eastern Donbas region, parts of which are controlled by Russian-backed separatist forces. In an address to the nation , Zelenskyy said he wanted peace as soon as possible but set out his negotiating red lines. “Our priorities in the negotiations are known. Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are beyond doubt. Effective security guarantees for our state are mandatory,” he said.
But in comments made to Russian journalists earlier in the day, Zelenskyy had adopted a different tone, saying Ukraine was willing to assume neutral status and compromise over the status of the eastern Donbas region as part of a peace deal. In the video call that the Kremlin pre-emptively warned Russian media not to report, Zelenskyy said: “Security guarantees and neutrality, non-nuclear status of our state. We are ready to go for it. This is the most important point. It was the first and principal point for the Russian Federation, as far as I recall.”
Speaking in Russian, he added, “I understand it’s impossible to force Russia completely from Ukrainian territory. It would lead to third world war. I understand it and that is why I am talking about a compromise. Go back to where it all began and then we will try to solve the Donbas issue.” But he said any agreement must be guaranteed by third parties and put to a referendum.
Zelenskyy has accused the West of cowardice as his country fights to stave off Russia's assaulting troops, making an exasperated plea for fighter jets and tanks to sustain a defence as the war ground into a battle of attrition. Speaking after US President Joe Biden said in a lacerating speech that Russian President Vladimir Putin could not stay in power — words he and the White House sought to downplay — Zelenskyy lashed out at the West's "ping-pong about who and how should" the jets be handed and other weapons while Russian missile attacks kill and trap civilians. Zelenskyy accused Western governments of being "afraid to prevent this tragedy. Afraid to simply make a decision."
"So, who is in charge of the Euro-Atlantic community? Is it still Moscow, thanks to its scare tactics?" he asked. "Our partners must step up their aid to Ukraine."
"I’ve talked to the defenders of Mariupol today. I'm in constant contact with them. Their determination, heroism and firmness are astonishing," Zelenskyy said. "If only those who have been thinking for 31 days on how to hand over dozens of jets and tanks had 1 percent of their courage."
Amid intense Russian attacks on Ukraine, Irpin's mayor claimed the city had been "liberated". "We have good news today - Irpin has been liberated today," city mayor Oleksandr Markushyn said, adding, "We understand that there will be more attacks on our town and we will defend it courageously." Russia continues its “full-scale armed aggression”, while Ukrainian forces have repulsed seven attacks in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, Ukraine’s army has said.
Russian aviation and air defense forces shot down five aircraft of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, including a Su-27 fighter, in a day. Igor Konashenkov, spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry, told reporters about this on 28 March 2022. "Aviation and air defense systems of the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down four Su-24 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force over the Chernihiv region in a day in the air, two of them in the Repka region, and two more in the Gorodnya region. In the Kramatorsk region of the Donetsk region one Ukrainian Su-27 fighter was shot down," he said.
During the offensive, a grouping of Russian troops reached the southern outskirts of Novoselovka, Major General Igor Konashenkov, spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry, said. "A group of troops of the Russian armed forces, continuing successful offensive operations, wedged 2 km deep into the defenses of the 95th Airborne Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and reached the southern outskirts of Novoselivka," he said. According to him, units of the Lugansk People's Republic during the offensive advanced 5 km, captured the settlements of Ivanovka, Novosadovoe and reached the line of Terna.
During the day, 19 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed, four Ukrainian Su-24 aircraft and one Su-27 were shot down. This was announced by the official representative of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Major General Igor Konashenkov. According to the agency, since the beginning of the special operation in Ukraine, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 308 drones, 1,713 tanks and 170 MLRS, 715 field artillery pieces and mortars, as well as 1,557 units of special military vehicles.
"During the day, 41 military targets of Ukraine were hit by operational-tactical aviation. Among them are two installations of multiple launch rocket systems, one electronic warfare station, two field ammunition depots and 24 strong points and areas of concentration of Ukrainian military equipment," Konashenkov said.
High-precision sea-based cruise missiles "Caliber" destroyed large ammunition depots in the Zhytomyr region. This was announced by Konashenkov. “High-precision sea-based cruise missiles Kalibr destroyed large ammunition depots in the areas of the settlements of Ushomyr and Veselovka in the Zhytomyr region, from which a group of Ukrainian troops in the suburbs of Kyiv was supplied,” Konashenkov said.
The protection provided by international humanitarian law does not apply to mercenaries, as they are not combatants, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with Serbian media. The minister pointed out that according to the statements of the mercenaries who are sent to Ukraine, which appeared in the media, it is clear that they are not volunteers, but are going to fight for money. "It is clear that they have no rights in terms of protection under international humanitarian law, they are not combatants, and these protections do not apply to them," he said.
Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov said that the Kremlin had seen monstrous footage of supposedly Ukrainian soldiers torturing Russian soldiers. At the moment, the RF IC is engaged in investigation and will give a legal assessment.
The presidential press secretary noted that the Kremlin does not know when a referendum can be held in the Lugansk People's Republic on the issue of joining the LPR to Russia. Moscow considers the reports from Luhansk about holding a referendum on joining the Russian Federation an internal affair. “[When the referendum can take place] I don’t know. This question should be addressed to the Pasechnik. After all, we are talking about a state whose independence and sovereignty has been recognized by the Russian Federation. The LPR is a sovereign state ,” commented a Kremlin spokesman.
The European Commission has confirmed that it expects the EU to remain dependent on energy imports from Russia for at least another five years. In response to a question posed during a press briefing in Brussels as to how soon US liquefied natural gas (LNG) would help Europe ditch Russian gas, European Commission Spokesperson for Climate Action and Energy Tim McPhie said the bloc would “be dependent on carbon fuels from Russia until 2027.” McPhie said the EU had estimated it could reduce its dependence on Russian gas by two-thirds this year and that a detailed plan about how it would achieve this would be presented by the end of May.
The UN refugee agency UNHCR says 3,821,049 Ukrainians have fled the country – an increase of 48,450 from the previous day. About 1.7-1.8 million people from among the refugees from Ukraine who arrived in Poland since February 24 remain on Polish territory, the country's president said . Since February 24, the Czech authorities have issued 236,585 special visas to refugees from Ukraine, allowing them to obtain asylum in the republic. Since the beginning of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, the German Federal Police have officially registered 272,338 Ukrainian refugees in the country, but their real number is likely to be much higher, the German Interior Ministry said.
The armed forces of the Russian Federation, without the participation of the Kiev authorities, organized the evacuation of more than 12.8 thousand people from dangerous regions of Ukraine, the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics to Russia, including 2 thousand children, said the head of the National Center for Defense Control of the Russian Federation, Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev.
"Over the past 24 hours, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, without the participation of the Ukrainian authorities, have evacuated 12,825 people to Russia from dangerous regions of Ukraine, the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, including 2,045 children. In total, since the start of the special military operation, 469,683 people have already been [evacuated], of which 97,345 are children," he said.
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