As the war between Russia and Ukraine enters its 393rd day, we take a look at the main developments.
This is the state of affairs on Thursday, March 23, 2023:
Diplomacy
- Czech Republic President Petr Pavel said he expects Western support for Ukraine to wane over time, the German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung quoted him as saying. “If the support from the US decreases, the support from a number of European countries will also decrease. Ukraine must take this into account’, said Pavel.
- China had declared President Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia this week a “journey of friendship, cooperation and peace” and criticized Washington for providing military support to Ukraine. During his two-day visit, Xi barely spoke about the war in Ukraine, except that China had an “impartial position”.
- State news in Turkey reported that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he will hold a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the coming days to discuss the Black Sea grain export deal for Ukraine and Russia.
- The spiritual head of the world’s Orthodox Christians said Russia’s powerful Orthodox Church is partly responsible for Moscow’s war in Ukraine. Remarks by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew were a rebuke to Russian Patriarch Kirill, who has blessed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Reuters reported.
- Canada is extending a support program designed to help Ukrainians and their immediate families become temporary residents and more easily apply for work or study permits, Canada’s immigration ministry said.
- The ice hockey teams of Russia and Belarus are not allowed to participate in international competitions in the 2023-2024 season, according to the IIHF (International Ice Hockey Federation).
To fight
- At least eight people were killed and seven injured in a series of Russian drone strikes on two dormitories and a university in the town of Rzhyshchiv, 40 miles south of the capital Kyiv, emergency services said.
- In the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, one person was killed and 25 injured after a Russian missile hit an apartment building, Ukrainian officials have said. Two of the injured were children.
- President Volodymr Zelenskyy visited Ukrainian troops near the frontline in Bakhmut to present medals to soldiers he said heroically defended their country’s sovereignty.
- Zelenskyy said Ukraine would “react to any blow” following Russia’s attacks in the Kiev and Zaporizhzhia region.
- Britain’s defense ministry said Russia’s attack on the eastern city of Bakhmut could lose momentum as Ukrainian resistance continues, including a local counter-attack in the city’s west.
- Moscow-backed officials in the Russian-annexed Crimean city of Sevastopol suspended ferry routes around Crimea’s port after the governor said Russian naval air defenses repelled a Ukrainian drone strike.
- The UK said there was no nuclear escalation after Russia criticized the UK for supplying depleted uranium tank munitions to Ukrainian troops.
Staff
- Ukraine’s reconstruction and recovery needs will grow to $411 billion over the next 10 years, according to the World Bank. The estimate is an increase from the estimated $349 billion in a report released in September.
Politics
- US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said China has not provided substantial “lethal aid” to Moscow. Blinken said Beijing is “very carefully” monitoring the global response to the invasion, but has not yet crossed the line to provide deadly aid to Russia.
- China said it is supporting a United Nations-led investigation into the series of unexplained underwater explosions that damaged the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines last September. The investigation into who was responsible continues.