Russia withdraws troops from Kyiv and Chernihiv regions, redeploys them to Kharkiv and Donetsk axes.Russia redeployed some of the troops it earlier pulled back from Kyiv and Chernihiv regions to Kharkiv and Donetsk axes, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov said during a televised marathon.
“Russia redeploys some of the troops from Chernihiv and Kyiv axes. Some are sent to Kharkiv and Donetsk axes. Russia bolsters its forces there to put more pressure on the Ukrainian troops in Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions,” Danilov said.
The Secretary cautioned against taking at face value Russia’s statements on decreased intensity of fighting on Kyiv and Chernihiv axes. It would be wrong to assume that Russia pulls back, he added.
Russia conducts a missile strike on Dnipro, mayor of Dnipro Borys Filatov said. He provided no further details.
Month of war cost Russia USD 623 billion. A month of war cost Russia twice as much as the Vietnam war cost the U.S., analyst at the Center for Defense Strategies, colonel and reservist Viktor Kevlyuk told Novoye Vremya (New Times). Russia spent USD 623 billion on benefits to the wounded and families of the killed troops, on materiel that was destroyed, on fuel and logistics, the expert concluded.
Russian forces abduct 11 city mayors since invasion. They also abducted eight more local government officers, said Human Rights Commissioner of the Ukrainian Parliament Lyudmyla Denisova. Russia blatantly violates Articles 3 and 34 of the Geneva Conventions, Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and Article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Zelenskyi-Biden phone call. President Zelenskyi held an hour-long phone call with President Biden to discuss defense assistance to Ukraine and sanctions on Russia. “Shared assessment of the situation on the battlefield and at the negotiating table. Talked about specific defensive support, a new package of enhanced sanctions, macro-financial and humanitarian aid,” the Ukrainian President twitted.
Putin’s approval rating grows to 83 per cent. President Putin’s approval rating grew to 83 per cent after Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine, a survey by Russia’s Levada Center conducted between March 24 and 30 found.
That is a 10 per cent increase from February and January when Putin’s job approval was at 71 per cent and 69 per cent accordingly.
Ukraine in Flames #20. Not Just Putin. Unmasking the Russian world
Despite potential difficulties caused by sanctions and economic blockade, the Russian population is empowered by the illusion of grandeur and fearsomeness that Putin has methodically developed by the Soviet and ultra-conservative textbooks. In the Russian world, Russia is a fortress that is under siege: no hardships, human rights violations and loss of individual dignity matter when collective security is threatened. In the Russian people’s mind, their inability to deal with their dictator is everyone’s problem, but their own. The few ‘good Russians’ are borderline offended when Ukrainians refuse to support, inform, empathize and welcome them as the war goes on.
The war is not the right time for Ukrainians and their allies to empathize with the Russian public, moreover, to reestablish any dialogue with the aggressor. Ukraine deserves as much time, as it needs, away from its manipulative Northern neighbor and its colonialist treatment of Ukraine and its people. Military action and legal proceedings are the only morally justifiable domains for Ukraine and its friends to deal with the Russian world at the moment.
Speakers:
Yuriy Makarov, journalist and producer, former radio and television host
Oleh Pokalchuk, military and psy ops expert, social psychologist
Olga Tokariuk, independent journalist
Ihor Todorov, professor at Uzhhorod National University, department of International RelationsIryna Eihelson, phD in social psychology, conflict psychologist