Ukrainian prosecutor general meets European Parliament president in Brussels
From CNN's Vasco Cotovio and Svitlana Vlasova
Prosecutor General of Ukraine Andriy Kostin attends a news conference at the EU Commission headquarters on February 17, in Brussels, Belgium. (Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
During a meeting in Brussels on Thursday, the Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin thanked European Parliament President Roberta Metsola for the institution’s support in assuring Russia is held accountable for crimes committed during its invasion.
“We hope that the historic decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on the arrest warrant for Putin will consolidate his status as a pariah for the civilized world and will be the beginning of international processes to bring the leadership of the aggressor state to individual responsibility,” Kostin added.
Reiterating the Ukrainian demand for the establishment of a special tribunal to deal with Russian aggression, he called on the EU and the European parliament to support his proposal.
“We hope that the EU and the European Parliament will support our position as the most realistic and optimal way to restore justice and prevent possible armed conflicts in the future,” he said.
4:02 a.m. ET, March 23, 2023
Ukraine will be able to go on the offensive in Bakhmut "very soon," says top commander
From CNN's Vasco Cotovio and Svitlana Vlasova
Ukrainian soldiers ride atop a tank on the front line in Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine on Wednesday, March 22. (Libkos/AP)
The ongoing depletion of Russian forces fighting for Bakhmut will allow Ukraine go on the counteroffensive in the eastern city "very soon," a top Ukrainian general said in a Telegram post on Thursday.
“[Russians] are losing significant forces [in Bakhmut] and are running out of energy,” said Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of Ukraine's land forces. “Very soon, we will take advantage of this opportunity, as we did in the past near Kyin Kharkiv, Balakliya and Kupyansk," he said, referring to instances where Russian troops have previously retreated in the face of Ukrainian counteroffensives.
Syrskyi said Russian forces — made up mostly of fighters from the Wagner private military company — continue to try and take Bakhmut “at any cost, despite losses in both manpower and equipment.”
The commander, who has paid frequent visits to soldiers close to the front line in and around Bakhmut, also paid tribute to Ukrainian soldiers defending the city.
“Under continuous fire from enemy artillery and aircraft, our soldiers at the front demonstrate superhuman resilience, courage and bravery,” he said. “In particular, the units of the 93rd, 10th, 57th and 5th Brigades who are now defending our homeland in the east of the country.”
Some context: In an update Wednesday, Ukraine's military said Russia's offensive capacity is diminishing in and around Bakhmut as Moscow's forces expend large numbers of troops trying to capture the city in fierce fighting.
3:18 a.m. ET, March 23, 2023
Death toll rises to 9 after Kyiv drone attack
From CNN's Josh Pennington
A security personnel stands guard at a site of a building heavily damaged by Russian drone strikes in Kyiv region, on March 22. (Alina Yarysh/Reuters)
At least nine people have now been confirmed dead as a result of a Russian drone attack on the Kyiv region on Tuesday night, Ukraine's state emergency service said in a statement Thursday.
The service said it has completed rescue and recovery efforts after recovering nine bodies from the destroyed building.
On Tuesday, a wave of Russian attacks with Iran-made Shahed drones hit a residential building in the town of Rzhyshchiv, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) southeast of the capital.
12:56 a.m. ET, March 23, 2023
"We are not afraid": Zaporizhzhia missile strike survivor says his family won't be forced out of their home
From CNN's Helen Regan, Olga Voitovich and Svitlana Vlasova
Rescuers stand in front of a residential building damaged by a Russian missile strike in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine on March 22. (Stringer/Reuters)
Kyrylo Chorine was inside an apartment block in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia on Wednesday, just meters from where the blast struck from a Russian missile attack.
Using a torch to point out his apartment, the 20-year-old student told CNN outside the complex that he “heard an explosion and saw a fire.”
Inside, all the windows are blown out. Chorine said his father was standing by a window when the explosion happened and narrowly avoided being killed. Still, Chorine and his parents say they will not be forced out of their home.
“We are mostly angry. We are not afraid. Why would we be? It is our home,” he said. “I will sleep at my bed. My parents will sleep at their beds. It will be a little bit cold because we don’t have windows but we are not going anywhere.”
At least one person was killed and 34 others injured after Russian missiles hit two Zaporizhzhia apartment blocks on Wednesday, in what has been described as a “deliberate strike” to “kill civilians,” according to Ukrainian officials.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the attack “bestial savagery” on social media app Telegram and later said the wave of Russian strikes Wednesday would be met with a reply from Ukraine.
12:52 a.m. ET, March 23, 2023
Russia launches deadly strikes across Ukraine as China's Xi departs Moscow
From CNN's Helen Regan, Olga Voitovich and Svitlana Vlasova
Rescuers work at a site of a residential building damaged by a Russian missile strike in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine on March 22. (Stringer/Reuters)
Russia unleashed a wave of deadly attacks on towns and cities across Ukraine on Wednesday as Chinese leader Xi Jinping departed from Moscow following talks with President Vladimir Putin.
As Xi flew back to Beijing, Russia’s military launched a barrage of strikes with Iran-made Shahed drones on Ukraine’s Kyiv region, killing at least eight people, according to Ukrainian authorities. Andrii Niebytov, the Kyiv region’s police chief, said seven others were injured when a drone struck a dormitory building in the town of Rzhyshchiv.
In the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, at least one person was killed and 34 injured — including two children — after Russian missiles hit apartment blocks, in what has been described as a “deliberate strike” to “kill civilians,” according to senior Ukrainian official and presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak.
Video of the attack shows an explosion blasting through the side of two nine-story residential buildings.
The Ukrainian prosecutor’s office said in a statement at least six missiles hit the city, causing extensive damage.
“One of the missiles hit between two high-rise buildings, partially destroying apartments and balconies, damaging roofs and breaking windows,” the statement said. “The blast wave and debris also damaged other nearby residential buildings, cars and other civilian infrastructure in the city.”
Xi’s trip fails to create path to peace: Wednesday’s wave of attacks in Ukraine came as Putin wrapped up hosting his Chinese counterpart in Moscow following a three-day state visit billed by Beijing as a peace mission, but which failed to achieve any breakthrough on resolving the conflict.
Both leaders called for the cessation of actions that “increase tensions” and “prolong” the war, according to their joint statement released by China’s Foreign Ministry. The statement did not acknowledge that Russia’s invasion and military assault were the cause of ongoing violence and the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
China's top diplomat praises Xi's trip to Russia, rejecting "unilateralism and hegemonism"
From CNN’s Shawn Deng and Radina Gigova
China's Foreign Minister Qin Gang attends a news conference in Beijing on March 7. (Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)
China’s Foreign Minister Qin Gang said Wednesday his country's relationship with Russia could be "even more precious in the face of rampant unilateralism and hegemonism" as he praised leader Xi Jinping’s trip to Moscow.
Qin described the relations between China and Russia as representing “the correct direction of historical development” and having “world significance beyond the scope of the two sides,” according to a statement released after Xi's state visit.
China and Russia will continue to uphold “good-neighborliness and mutual trust,” as Xi’s decision to choose Russia as his first foreign visit in his new presidency was a political decision made after careful consideration, Qin said.
In addition to praising the cooperation and friendship with Russia, Qin reiterated China’s stance on what the statement describes as the "Ukrainian crisis."
“Certain countries deliberately obstruct peace talks for their own geopolitical interests, and even concocted all kinds of rumors and fallacies to attack and discredit China,” Qin said.
He added that China is “neither the maker nor the party” involved in the crisis but “an advocate” that supports a political settlement and promotes peace talks.
The statement did not name the country obstructing peace talks.
Some context: Meetings between Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin this week yielded no breakthrough on resolving the Ukraine conflict. Both leaders called for the cessation of actions that “increase tensions” and “prolong” the war, according to their joint statement released by China’s Foreign Ministry. The statement did not acknowledge that Russia’s invasion and military assault were the cause of ongoing violence and the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
12:29 a.m. ET, March 23, 2023
Risk of nuclear conflict at highest level in decades, Russian minister says
From CNN's Radina Gigova
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov delivers a speech during a session of the UN Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, Switzerland on March 2. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images)
The risk of a nuclear conflict is now at its highest level in decades, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Wednesday, according to state-run news agency Tass.
"I would not like to indulge in a discussion whether the probability of a nuclear conflict is high today, but in any case it is higher than anything that we have seen over the past decades, let's put it this way," Ryabkov said on the platform of the Valdai discussion club, according to Tass.
Ryabkov reiterated that Moscow is not departing "from the key provisions, doctrinal and political ones." He said non-nuclear states, especially those not aligned with the United States, should "more loudly to call to order politicians in the Western capitals, including Washington, who have absolutely lost their sense of reality."
Last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was suspending his country's participation in the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty with the US during his much-delayed annual State of the Nation Address to the Federal Assembly.
11:03 p.m. ET, March 22, 2023
Zelensky says it was distressing to see aftermath of Russian bombardment in Donbas
From CNN’s Vasco Cotovio and Victoria Butenko
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday it was distressing to see the aftermath of Russian bombardments after he made an unannounced visit to the eastern Donbas region.
“It is distressing to look at the cities of Donbas, to which Russia has brought terrible suffering and ruin,” Zelensky said in his nightly address. “The almost constant, hourly air-alert siren in Kramatorsk, the constant threat of shelling, the constant threat to life..."
“Right there, in Donbas, in the Kharkiv region — wherever Russian evil has come, it is obvious that the terrorist state cannot be stopped by anything other than one thing — our victory.”
Zelensky said he felt there was hope in every eastern Ukrainian city that was not under occupation, adding that it was an honor to support those closest to the front.
“I started from the front, from the Bakhmut area. It is an honor for me to support our warriors who are defending the country in the toughest frontline conditions,” he said. “I presented state awards, thanked our soldiers for their bravery, for their resilience, for Ukraine — which we are preserving thanks to such heroes, thanks to each and every one of them who is fighting against Russian evil.”
The Ukrainian president also visited injured soldiers to pay tribute.
“I wished them — and I'm sure on behalf of all of you, all of our people — a speedy recovery,” he said. “I thanked the doctors and nurses. And now I want to thank everyone who supports our soldiers recovering from injuries. Who helps with everything necessary, our doctors, everyone who works for rehabilitation after injuries.”
10:41 p.m. ET, March 22, 2023
Russian "offensive capacity" in Bakhmut is decreasing but fierce fighting endures, Ukrainian military says
From CNN’s Vasco Cotovio and Olga Voitovych
Ukrainian servicemen head toward Bakhmut in BMP infantry fighting vehicles on March 22. (Aris Messinis/AFP/Getty Images)
Ukraine says the offensive capacity of Russian forces in and around Bakhmut is diminishing, but cautions that it remains one of the areas where the fiercest fighting is ongoing.
“The Russian Federation continues its armed aggression against Ukraine, focusing its main efforts on attempts to completely seize Donetsk and Luhansk regions within the administrative borders,” the Ukrainian military’s General Staff said in an update on Wednesday. “The fiercest fighting is taking place in the southern and northern parts of Bakhmut.”
“In the Bakhmut direction, the enemy continues to conduct offensive actions, but its offensive potential is decreasing,” it added.
According to the Ukrainian military, Russian forces are continuing to expend large numbers of men trying to re-take the city.
“The enemy keeps trying to take the city, losing a significant amount of manpower, weapons and military equipment,” it said on Wednesday. “Our defenders have been repelling numerous enemy attacks around the clock in the areas of Bakhmut, Bohdanivka and Predtechyne.”
The Ukrainian military went on to say Moscow’s armies were on the defensive in some areas in the southern part of Ukraine.
“The enemy is conducting defensive actions in the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson directions. Areas near the contact line came under fire,” it said.
