Because the Russia-Ukraine conflict enters its 394th day, we check out the principle developments.
Right here is the scenario because it stands on Friday, March 24, 2023:
Diplomacy
- Hungary mentioned Russian President Vladimir Putin is not going to be arrested if he enters the nation regardless of the Worldwide Prison Court docket (ICC) issuing an arrest warrant in opposition to him on conflict crimes expenses. Hungary signed and ratified the Rome Statute that created the ICC however Hungarian officers mentioned the Rome Statute had not been constructed into the Hungarian authorized system, so there was no foundation on which to arrest Putin.
- Any try and detain Putin underneath the Worldwide Prison Court docket warrant would quantity to a “declaration of conflict”, former Russian President and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev mentioned.
- European Union leaders held talks with Ukrainian President Volodmy Zelenskyy who referred to as on the bloc to supply his forces with extra trendy weaponry, notably jet fighters and long-range missiles. Zelenskyy instructed EU leaders that “delays” in sending fighter jets and long-range missiles would prolong the conflict.
- Chinese language President Xi Jinping invited Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to Beijing for a state go to as Xi tries to extend assist for China’s peace proposal for Ukraine.
- Moscow mentioned it didn’t count on transparency in an investigation into the Nord Stream fuel pipeline explosions, Russian International Minister Sergey Lavrov mentioned.
Preventing
- Ukrainian commander Oleksandr Syrskyi mentioned Russian forces preventing in Bakhmut have been “dropping appreciable power and are operating out of steam”. He indicated {that a} Ukrainian counteroffensive was imminent.
- Kyiv has accused mercenaries of Russia’s Wagner Group of deporting residents of Bakhmut, a metropolis now destroyed, to Russia.
- Ukraine was pressured to withdraw a report claiming that Russian forces had left the city of Nova Kakhovka within the southern Kherson area.
- The worldwide medical help group Docs With out Borders has revealed in a brand new report the widespread destruction of well being amenities in Ukraine attributable to Russia’s invasion.
- Zelenskyy has posted footage from his go to to Kherson, by which he promised to “restore all the pieces” in a metropolis, which Russia occupied for eight months and left in ruins.
- Heavy preventing has been ongoing on the Luhansk area’s entrance line for the reason that starting of March, in line with the UK’s Ministry of Defence.
Help
- NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has dismissed Russian complaints over the UK’s provision of tank ammunition containing depleted uranium to Ukraine together with Challenger 2 tanks
- Poland is searching for a further 240 million euros ($261m) in EU funding to refinance navy purchases for Ukraine, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki mentioned.
- Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has spoken out in opposition to weakening sanctions in opposition to Russia, which Moscow has demanded in return for extending a deal that enables Ukraine to export grain throughout the Black Sea.
Weapons
- Slovakia’s defence ministry mentioned the nation has handed over the primary 4 of its Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine and the rest of the 13 planes pledged are to be delivered within the coming weeks.
- EU leaders have confirmed a plan to provide 1 million artillery shells to Ukraine over the subsequent 12 months.
- Finland’s defence minister mentioned he didn’t need to donate Hornet fighter jets to Ukraine, regardless of Kyiv’s request.
