Ukraine Daily

Sunday, March 6

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Over the past 24 hours, a planned mass evacuation of civilians from eastern Ukraine’s city of Mariupol was aborted as Russia continued shelling the city and its neighboring areas. Russian dictator Vladimir Putin also delivered an ominous message to Ukrainians on March 5, saying Ukraine might lose their statehood and equaling the sanctions imposed on Russia to a “declaration of war.”

Ukrainian Air Force says 5 Russian aircraft and 4 helicopters were downed. The Armed Forces Air Command issued a statement saying that it had shot down one enemy Su-25 fighter jet, two Su-34 fighter-bombers, two Su-30 SM planes, and four helicopters today. Ukraine now claims a total kill count of 44 planes and 44 helicopters.

100,000 Ukrainians join Territorial Defense Forces. According to the National Guard of Ukraine, 100,000 Ukrainians have joined the newly established volunteer branch of the Armed Forces since Russia began its all-out war against Ukraine.

Read the Kyiv Independent’s exclusives on how Ukrainian loses parent to Russian propaganda and how Kyiv resident gives birth during war.

Mariupol Mayor: Russia blockades city, denies humanitarian corridor. According to Mayor Vadym Boychenko, the city has been left without water and electricity, while 400,000 city residents are held hostage by the Russians.

International Monetary Fund warns war in Ukraine will have substantial impact on the global economy. The IMF stated on March 5 that Russia’s full-scale invasion could significantly affect the global economy as it emerges from the Covid-19 pandemic and grapples with disrupted supply chains and high levels of inflation. Ukraine has already requested emergency financing of $1.4 billion from the IMF, which will be considered as early as next week.

Russian troops are headed towards the Kaniv Hydroelectric Power Plant, about 100 kilometers south of Kyiv, the General staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on March 5.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty suspends operations in Russia. After Russian tax authorities initiated bankruptcy proceedings against RFE/RL’s Russian entity on March 4 and police intensified pressure on its journalists, the news outlet halted operations.

Radiation levels remain normal at Ukraine’s largest nuclear power plant. Ukraine’s nuclear regulator Energoatom briefed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that it has been able to maintain contact with staff at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant where two out of six reactors are now operating, a day after Russian forces took control of the site in the country’s southeast, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said.

Russia planned to create a ‘republic’ in western Ukraine. The Security Service arrested people alleged of being Russian proxies tasked with organizing the so-called “Federal Republic of Ukraine.” According to the SBU, the supposed “republic” would have included Ivano-Frankivsk, Zakarpattia, Lviv, Ternopil, and Chernivtsi.

Ukrainian forces take control of Mykolaiv, seize Russian occupiers’ equipment. According to Mykolaiv Oblast Governor Vitaly Kim, there are casualties among civilians, but their number is yet to be determined. Mykolaiv is a regional capital in southern Ukraine.

Over 66,000 men return to Ukraine amid Russia’s war. According to Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, 66,224 men have already returned to Ukraine from abroad since the war started. He interpreted it as meaning they are returning to take up arms and protect the country from Russian forces.

The human cost of Russia’s war

Russian forces kill Hero of Ukraine, captain Valeriy Chybineiev. Thirty-four-year-old Ukrainian captain Valeriy Chybineiev was killed in the battle near Hostomel, a city on the outskirts of Kyiv, on his birthday on March 3.

North America and Europe’s Response

The Wall Street Journal reports the U.S. is working with Poland on the possibility of Poland providing fighter jets to Ukraine in return for American F-16 jet fighters, U.S. officials said on March 5, in the latest bid to help Ukraine respond to Russia’s invasion. The deal would require White House approval and congressional action, U.S. officials said.

3,000 U.S. volunteers have responded to Ukraine’s call for people to serve in an international battalion that will help resist Russia’s all-out invasion, a representative of the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington told Voice of America. Ukraine’s General Staff of the Armed Forces said those interested in fighting against Russia could apply by going to their Ukrainian embassy.

Visa, MasterCard to suspend operations in Russia. Visa will cease all transactions in Russia over the coming days, the company said in a statement, meaning that Russian cards won’t work outside the country. MasterCard followed suit, announcing a halt to all operations inside Russia.

EU to provide $547 million to help refugees from Ukraine. “Refugees from Ukraine deserve our solidarity and support, and so do the countries that welcome them,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

US to allocate additional $2.75 billion to fight humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, during his visit to a Polish border checkpoint near Ukraine, that countries assisting Ukraine will receive funds to accommodate those fleeing war.

Payoneer, Paypal, Adobe suspend operations in Russia. The three companies have joined the growing list of international brands that refuse to do business in Russia over its aggression against Ukraine.

Shell continues to purchase Russian oil, pledges to put profits towards Ukraine aid fund. The company released a statement in response to criticism from Ukraine’s FM Dmytro Kuleba for purchasing Russian oil after Russia further invaded Ukraine. The company said it would attempt to find alternatives to Russian oil as soon as possible, but the change couldn’t happen immediately. All profits will go towards a fund that will distribute the money to “alleviate hardship suffered by the people of Ukraine.”

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Igor Kossov, Anastasiia Lapatina, Illia Ponomarenko, Alexander Query, Asami Terajima, Olena Goncharova, Oleksiy Sorokin, Olga Rudenko, Toma Istomina, Lili Bivings and Brad LaFoy.

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