Key developments on March 26: * UN: At least 32 Ukrainian POWs executed in Russian captivity during winter * Russian landing ship Konstantin Olshansky hit with Neptune missile, says Ukraine * Ukraine dismisses Security Council secretary Danilov * Polish official says NATO considering shooting down Russian missiles that approach its borders * SBU says it
Ukraine has claimed yet another successful strike on Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, announcing on March 26 that the landing ship Konstantin Olshansky had been hit by a Neptune missile.
Russia no longer uses the Crimean bridge to supply weapons to the front after Ukrainian strikes damaged the crossing, Vasyl Maliuk, the head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said on air on March 25.
Except for the Yamal and Azov landing ships, Ukraine's March 23 missile attack on Russian-occupied Crimea could have damaged the Russian military's Ivan Khurs ship, Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk said on March 25.
In a post on Telegram, Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) said the "Yamal" suffered a "hole in the upper deck that caused it to roll to the starboard side."
Key developments on March 24: * Ukraine confirms striking 2 large Russian landing ships in occupied Crimea * Russia launches major attack across Ukraine targeting critical infrastructure * ISW: Russia makes limited advances along eastern front * Ministry: Situation at Zaporizhzhia's Dnipro Dam under control, no danger of breach Ukraine struck two Russian Ropucha-class
Ukraine struck two Russian Ropucha-class landing ships, "Yamal" and "Azov," in occupied Crimea in the late hours of March 23, Ukraine's Armed Forces confirmed on March 24.
The Russian proxy leader in Sevastopol in occupied Crimea, Mikhail Razvozhayev, claimed on March 23 that "several air targets were shot down" over the city in the evening.
The railway Russia is constructing in the occupied territories of Ukraine, which leads to Crimea, is "a serious challenge" and "an important target" for Kyiv, Andrii Yusov, a spokesperson of Ukraine's military intelligence, said on March 21.
Russia is continuing the redeployment of its Black Sea Fleet from occupied Crimea to the relative safety of Novorossiysk after yet more successful strikes on its ships, Ukraine’s military intelligence reported on March 21.
Putin took the stage in the company of his "rivals," Kremlin-friendly lawmakers Vladislav Davankov, Nikolai Kharitonov, and Leonid Slutsky, who ran against Putin in the election. All three praised Putin and offered their support.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered increased training and more weapons to repel Ukraine's attacks on the Black Sea Fleet, according to a statement by Russia's Defense Ministry on March 17.
Editor’s Note: This article was published by the blog “The Counteroffensive with Tim Mak” on March 14, 2024, and has been re-published by the Kyiv Independent with permission. To subscribe to "The Counteroffensive," click here. Dilaver Saidakhmetov's grandfather wasn’t a practicing Muslim, but that didn’t stop him
Lawmakers of the ruling United Russia political party submitted a draft law to the Russian State Duma on March 11 declaring Russia's 1954 return of Crimea to the Ukrainian Soviet Republic "illegal."
Yevmenov, who has been the Russian Navy Commander since May 2019, is still listed on the Defense Ministry's website. The Russian Defense Ministry did not comment on the alleged replacement.
President Volodymyr Zelensky passed to his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan the list of Ukrainian citizens, including Crimean Tatars, captured by Russia after their meeting on March 8 in Istanbul.
Key developments on March 5: * Military intelligence: Russia's Sergey Kotov patrol vessel destroyed near Crimea * International Criminal Court issues arrest warrants for Russian military commanders * Deputy minister: Ukraine can produce 150,000 drones per month * Ukraine charges 2 Russian soldiers with murdering a civilian in Bucha in 2022 A patrol
In a conversation allegedly intercepted by Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR), a Russian commander claimed that the Russian patrol ship Sergey Kotov, reportedly destroyed near occupied Crimea on March 5, had a helicopter on board.
According to Ukraine's military intelligence, the ship suffered damage to its stern and on its left and right sides. Sergey Kotov was reportedly located near the Kerch Strait when it was attacked by domestically-produced Magura V5 naval drones.
The closure marks the second consecutive night that occupation authorities shut down the bridge. Officials blocked traffic overnight on March 3, amid reports of explosions in Feodosia.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that overnight on March 3, its forces allegedly intercepted and destroyed 38 drones over Russian-occupied Crimea.
Authorities announced that vehicle traffic was blocked on the bridge at around 3:40 a.m. local time. Earlier in the night, local Telegram channels reported that residents heard sounds of explosions near an oil depot in Feodosia.
Season 2 Episode 8 is dedicated to Russia’s illegal occupation of Crimea. Host Anastasiia Lapatina is joined by Kyiv Independent news reporter Dinara Khalilova.
The Russian proxy leader in Sevastopol on occupied Crimea, Mikhail Razvozhayev, said on March 1 that air defense is active in the city, urging people to stay in shelter.
There is consensus among observers of Russia’s war against Ukraine that it should end as soon as possible. Most Ukrainians couldn’t agree more. Today, one suspects, many Russians would also not mind ceasing the carnage. Why, then, is there still not – and likely will not be any time
Editor’s Note: The names of Crimea’s former and current residents cited in this article were changed to protect their identity amid security concerns. When Ukrainians talk about Crimea, they often talk about memories. For many, this peninsula surrounded by the Black Sea was a place where they spent
Almost immediately following the end of the EuroMaidan Revolution in Ukraine in February 2014, Russia swiftly moved to annex and occupy the Crimean Peninsula. Within a couple of months, unrest erupted in eastern Ukraine followed by Russian-backed militias taking over administrative buildings. The events mark the start of Russia's 10-year
Pro-Russian lawmaker Nestor Shufrych, who is already suspected of treason, was charged with financing Russia's National Guard in occupied Crimea on Feb. 8, the State Bureau of Investigation reported.
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry sent a note of protest to Nicaragua in response to a visit by a Russian delegation from occupied Crimea, the ministry's spokesperson, Oleh Nikolenko, said on Feb. 2.
Speaking at the interview, President Andrzej Duda said that Ukraine, with Western support, must resist Russian occupation and imperialism but added that it is "hard to answer" whether Kyiv will be able to liberate the occupied peninsula.
A court blocked real estate worth almost Hr 500 million ($13.4 million) of Oleg Tsaryov, a former Ukrainian lawmaker who defected to Russia and is suspected of financially contributing to Russian aggression, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said on Feb. 2.
Editor's note: The article was originally published on Jan. 30 and updated on March 11 at 4:17 p.m. Kyiv time. One of the most unexpected developments of the full-scale invasion was how many big, expensive Russian ships were taken out by Ukraine, a country that technically has no
Russia invaded Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in February 2014 amid the deadliest days of the EuroMaidan Revolution that eventually ousted pro-Russian ex-President Viktor Yanukovych. Around 30,000 Russian troops crossed into Crimea, taking hold of the peninsula by early March 2014.
This event effectively began Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine. The Russian military has continued to occupy Crimea ever since. Many countries have openly opposed the illegal annexation of Crimea and continue to recognize Crimea as being part of Ukraine.
Crimea covers an area of around 27,000 square kilometers (10,400 square miles), which is roughly the same size as the U.S. state of Massachusetts.
