Ukraine’s Military Says It Hit Kherson Airport
Ukrainian military forces have dealt a punishing blow to the airport in Kherson, which Russian troops had seized early in the war, the General Staff said late Wednesday. It said the Russians were trying to remove any surviving military equipment.Ukraine’s military said it hit the airport on Tuesday. Satellite photos taken afterward by Planet Labs PBC and analyzed by The Associated Press show helicopters and vehicles on fire at the airbase.
Russia seized the southern port city without a fight in the first days of the war. Control over Kherson allows Russia to restore freshwater supplies to Crimea; Ukraine cut off the water after Russia annexed the peninsula in 2014.
The General Staff said Russia’s ground offensive on major Ukrainian cities has largely stalled.
Ukraine, Russia Continue Talks Over Video
Ukrainian and Russian delegations held talks again Wednesday by video.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s adviser Mikhailo Podolyak said Ukraine demanded a ceasefire, the withdrawal of Russian troops, and legal security guarantees for Ukraine from a number of countries.
“This is possible only through direct dialogue” between Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, he said on Twitter.
World Court Orders Russia to Halt Military Operations in Ukraine
The United Nations’ top court for disputes between states ordered Russia on Wednesday to immediately halt its military operations in Ukraine, saying it was “profoundly concerned” by Moscow’s use of force.Although the rulings of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) are binding, it has no direct means of enforcing them, and in rare cases in the past countries have ignored them.
“The Russian Federation shall immediately suspend the military operations that it commenced on Feb 24, 2022 on the territory of Ukraine,” the ICJ judges said in a 13-2 decision.
They added that Russia must also ensure that other forces under its control or supported by Moscow should not continue the military operation.
Ukraine filed its case at the ICJ shortly after Russia’s invasion began on Feb. 24, saying that Moscow’s stated justification, that it was acting to prevent a genocide in eastern Ukraine, was unfounded.
In addition to disputing the grounds for the invasion, Kyiv also asked for emergency “provisional” measures against Russia to halt the violence before the case was heard in full. Those measures were granted on Wednesday.
Turkey’s Top Diplomat Says in Moscow That War Must Stop
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, speaking alongside his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on Wednesday, said the war in Ukraine must stop and Ankara would pursue diplomatic efforts to arrange a lasting ceasefire.Cavusoglu told reporters after a meeting with Lavrov that NATO member Turkey hoped Russian President Vladimir Putin would meet Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky as a step toward peace.
“The war must stop, people must not die. I came here to Moscow with this understanding today,” Cavusoglu said.
“We have shared our concerns in a sincere way and done our part to ease tensions and open the stage for diplomacy,” he said. “We would like to host this (Putin-Zelenskiy) meeting when the situation comes to that point ... for a lasting ceasefire.”
Lavrov said there were no obstacles to a meeting between Putin and Zelenskiy but that it would only take place to seal a specific agreement.
Biden Announces Additional Military Support to Ukraine
President Joe Biden announced an additional $800 million in new support to Ukraine Wednesday, bringing the total U.S. military aid to Ukraine this week to $1 billion.The defense package meant to fend off the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine includes 800 anti-aircraft systems and 9,000 anti-armor systems, Biden said. It also includes 7,000 small arms and 20 million rounds of ammunition meant to arm Ukrainians “including the brave women and men who are defending their cities as civilians,” said Biden.
“I want to be honest, this could be a long and difficult battle, but American people will be steadfast in our support and the people of Ukraine who crane in the face of Putin’s immoral, unethical attacks on civilian populations,” said Biden, citing reports of Russian attacks on hospitals and other civilian sites.
Ukrainian Mayor No Longer in Russian Custody
The mayor of the southeastern Ukrainian city of Melitopol has been freed after he was seized by Russian forces five days ago, a Ukrainian official said Wednesday.Andriy Yermak, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff, announced the news but did not release details about how the mayor became free.
Surveillance video last week showed the mayor of the occupied city being marched out of city hall apparently surrounded by Russian soldiers.
Prior to the start of the invasion, U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration had warned of Russian plans to detain and kill targeted people in Ukraine, with Zelensky himself likely top target.
NATO Leader Rules Out No-fly Zone Over Ukraine
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has categorically ruled out any role for the military organization in setting up and policing a no-fly zone over Ukraine to protect against Russian airstrikes.Stoltenberg says “NATO should not deploy forces on the ground or in the air space over Ukraine because we have a responsibility to ensure that this conflict, this war, doesn’t escalate beyond Ukraine.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly appealed for NATO to set up a no-fly zone given Russia’s air superiority, as civilian casualties mount three weeks into the war.
Speaking Wednesday after chairing a meeting of NATO defense ministers, Stoltenberg conceded that “we see human suffering in Ukraine, but this can become even worse if NATO (takes) actions that actually turned this into a full-fledged war between NATO and Russia.”
He says the decision not to send air or ground forces into Ukraine is “the united position from NATO allies.” Earlier Wednesday, Estonia urged its 29 NATO partners to consider setting up a no-fly zone.
Russia’s War in Ukraine May ‘Fundamentally Alter’ Global Economic, Political Order: IMF
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will affect the entire global economy by slowing growth and jacking up inflation, and could fundamentally reshape the global economic order in the longer term, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Tuesday.The war is eroding business confidence and triggering uncertainty among investors that will depress asset prices, tighten financial conditions, and could trigger capital outflows from emerging markets, it said.
Countries with direct trade, tourism, and financial exposures would feel mounting pressure, the IMF said, citing a greater risk of unrest in some regions, from Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America to the Caucasus and Central Asia.
At the same time, food insecurity was likely to further increase in parts of Africa and the Middle East, where countries like Egypt import 80 percent of their wheat from Russia and Ukraine.
The IMF predicted deep recessions in Ukraine and Russia, and said Europe could see disruptions in natural gas imports and wider supply-chain disruptions. Eastern Europe, which has absorbed most of the 3 million people who have fled Ukraine, would see higher financing costs as a result.
The IMF said countries in the Caucasus and Central Asia with close trade and payment system links to Russia would be more affected by its recession and sanctions imposed since the invasion of Ukraine, curbing trade, remittances, investment, and tourism.
Food and energy prices are the main channel for spillovers in the Western Hemisphere, with high commodity prices likely to significantly quicken already high inflation rates in Latin America, the Caribbean, and the United States.
In Asia, the biggest impact will be felt among oil importers of ASEAN economies, India, and frontier economies including some Pacific Islands, while new fuel subsidies could ease the impacts in Japan and Korea, the IMF said.
Putin Says West Is Trying to ‘Cancel’ Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that the West is trying to economically cripple Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.“Behind the hypocritical talk and today’s actions of the so-called collective West are hostile geopolitical goals. They just don’t want a strong and sovereign Russia,” Putin said, according to state-run media.
“The West doesn’t even bother to hide that their aim is to damage the entire Russian economy, every Russian,” Putin said.
Zelensky Addresses US Congress
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed members of Congress on Wednesday, asking again for the United States and NATO to enforce a no-fly zone over his country and provide fighter planes weeks after Russia started its invasion.“Russia has attacked not just us, not just our land, not just our cities. It went on a brutal offensive against our values, basic human values,” he said via a translator. “It threw tanks and planes against our freedom, against our right to live freely in our own country, choosing our own future. Against our desire for happiness, against our national dream, just like the same dreams you have, you, Americans. Just like anyone else in the United States.”
In asking for S-300 surface-to-air missile systems and Polish MiG-29 fighter jets, Zelensky invoked the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor that thrust the United States into World War II.
“Remember Pearl Harbor,” he said “Remember Sept. 11 … Our country experiences the same every day.”
“Right now, the destiny of our country is being decided. The destiny of our people where the Ukrainians will be free, whether they will be able to preserve their democracy,” the Ukrainian leader also remarked. “Russia has attacked not just us, not just our land, not just our cities, it went on a brutal offensive against our values, basic human values.”
A no-fly zone over Ukraine has been described by top White House and NATO officials as a nonstarter. Earlier in March, President Joe Biden said that enforcing such a measure would escalate the conflict to become World War III with Russia, a nuclear power.
Fox News Correspondent Benjamin Hall Safely out of Ukraine After Suffering Serious Injuries
Fox News correspondent Benjamin Hall, who was injured this week while covering the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine when the vehicle he was traveling in came under attack, is alert and in good spirits, the network announced on Wednesday.Hall was wounded in the same attack outside Kyiv that took the lives of Fox News cameraman Pierre Zakrzewski and journalist Oleksandra “Sasha” Kuvshynova.
FOX News Media CEO Suzanne Scott updated staffers about Hall’s condition in an internal memo, and Bill Hemmer informed viewers shortly afterward on Wednesday morning.
“This is some news we’ve been waiting on, an update on our colleague Ben Hall, he is now safe and out of Ukraine,” Hemmer said.
“Ben is alert and said to be in good spirits. He’s being treated with the best possible care in the world,” Hemmer said.
“We remind you, please continue to keep him in your prayers as well as Sasha and Pierre.”
Russia Reveals Contours of Possible Ukraine Peace Deal
Russia has revealed the outline of a possible peace deal that would put an end to the hostilities in Ukraine, with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov saying a “business-like spirit” has emerged in negotiations with “concrete formulations” that he said are close to being agreed on.“A neutral status is being seriously discussed in connection with security guarantees,” Lavrov said. “There are concrete formulations that in my view are close to being agreed.”
Lavrov said Russian negotiators have told him the talks “are not easy for obvious reasons, but nevertheless there is some hope for finding a compromise.”
Russian Official Is Upbeat on Ukraine Talks
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says a “business-like spirit” is emerging at talks with Ukraine that are now focused on a neutral status for the war-torn country.“A neutral status is being seriously discussed in connection with security guarantees,” Lavrov said Wednesday on Russian channel RBK TV. “There are concrete formulations that in my view are close to being agreed.”
He didn’t elaborate, but said “the business-like spirit” starting to surface in the talks “gives hope that we can agree on this issue.”
Russia’s chief negotiator in the latest round of talks with Ukraine, which started Monday and are set to continue Wednesday, said earlier the sides are discussing a possible compromise idea for a future Ukraine with a smaller, non-aligned military.
“A whole range of issues tied with the size of Ukraine’s army is being discussed,” Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said, according to Russian news agencies.
There was no immediate comment from Ukrainian officials. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday that the country realizes it can’t join NATO. Ukraine’s bid to join the Western military alliance has been a sore point for Moscow.
Leaders Return Safely to EU After Visit to Kyiv Amid Attacks
The prime ministers of Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovenia have returned safely from a visit to Kyiv.The visit was meant to show support for Ukraine as it endures heavy bombardment.
The leaders met with President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday to send the message that Ukraine is not alone and that they support the nation’s aspirations to one day join the European Union.
They went ahead with the hours-long train trip despite worries within the European Union about the security risks of traveling within a war zone.
Polish government spokesman Piotr Mueller said Wednesday morning that they had returned safely to Poland.
Officials had not given details about their schedule for security reasons.
UK’s Johnson Says Ukraine Is Not Going to Join NATO ‘Any Time Soon’
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says Ukraine is not going to join NATO “any time soon,” after the country’s president acknowledged Ukraine would not become part of the Western military alliance.Russian President Vladimir Putin has long depicted Ukraine’s NATO aspirations as a threat to Russia, something the alliance denies.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday that Ukraine realized it could not join NATO, his most explicit acknowledgment that the goal, enshrined in Ukraine’s constitution, was unlikely to be met.
It came as Russia and Ukraine held a new round of talks, with Zelensky saying Wednesday that Russian demands were becoming “more realistic.”
On Wednesday, Johnson—one of the most vocal Western supporters of Ukraine—said “the reality of the position” is that “there is no way Ukraine is going to join NATO any time soon.” But he said the decision had to be for Ukraine to make.
Ukraine Says Russian Warships Fire Missiles
Russian warships around midnight fired missiles and artillery at the Ukrainian sea coast near Tuzla, to the south of Odesa, Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko said.“They fired a huge amount of ammunition from a great distance,” he said on Facebook.
Gerashchenko said Russia wanted to test Ukraine’s coastal defense system.
He said there was no attempt to land troops. He didn’t say whether any of the shelling hit anything.
Ukraine Says 4th Russian General Killed
Ukraine said a fourth Russian general has been killed in the fighting.Maj. Gen. Oleg Mityaev died Tuesday during the storming of Mariupol, said Ukrainian Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko, who published a photo on Telegram of what he said was the dead officer.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported the death of another Russian general in his nighttime address but didn’t name him.
Mityaev, 46, commanded the 150th motorized rifle division and had fought in Syria, Gerashchenko said.
There was no confirmation of the death from Russia.
Zelensky Says Russia Demands ‘More Realistic’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said early Wednesday that Russia’s demands during negotiations are becoming “more realistic” after nearly three weeks of war. He said more time was needed for the talks, which are being held by video conference.“Efforts are still needed, patience is needed,” he said in his nighttime video address to the nation. “Any war ends with an agreement.”
Zelensky, who is to address the U.S. Congress on Wednesday, thanked President Joe Biden and “all the friends of Ukraine” for $13.6 billion in new support included in a spending measure that Biden signed.
He appealed for more weapons and more sanctions to punish Russia, and repeated his call to “close the skies over Ukraine to Russian missiles and planes.”
He said Russian forces on Tuesday were unable to move deeper into Ukrainian territory and continued their heavy shelling of cities.
Zelensky Appeals to North European Leaders for More Arms
Ukraine’s president appealed to northern European leaders for more weapons to counter Russia’s invasion of his country.President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking to leaders of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) via videolink Tuesday, said the Ukrainian military is rapidly using up weapons and other hardware that western nations have shipped to his country.
He also appealed for a full trade embargo on Russia, saying sanctions have not been enough to counter the Russian advance.
“We have to acknowledge Russia as a rogue state and there has to be a trade embargo with Russia,” Zelensky said. “This is something that we need and you need as well, just like the rest of the world, to make sure there is peace in Europe and Ukraine.”
Zelensky also repeated his frustration with NATO over its refusal to implement a no-fly zone over Ukraine as he addressed JEF leaders meeting Tuesday in London.
The United Kingdom-led JEF is a grouping of 10 North Atlantic countries designed to react quickly to international crises. It includes NATO members such as Britain and the Baltic states, as well as non-NATO countries such as Sweden and Finland.
