Embassy of Ukraine in the USA
WAR BULLETIN
March 28, 7.30 pm EST
WAR ROOM
General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
The Russian enemy is focusing its efforts on fulfilling the objectives of reaching the administrative borders of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Also, the Russian occupation Command is making every effort to keep the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine under control.
In order to replenish personnel losses, the military commissariats in the Russian federation continues to recruit citizens to form so-called "volunteer" units, which will be involved in establishment of a kind of occupation "order" in the occupied territories. The main requirement for candidates is satisfactory health. Experience in military service is not required. In addition to that, Russian fascists are drafting people with a criminal record to their army.
Despite statements of officials from the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff of the Russian Federation regarding changes in plans and priorities, the enemy continues to increase the number of troops around the capital of Ukraine. Russian troops continue unsuccessful attempts to take positions from which they could attack or surround Kyiv.
Units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine continue to defend the city of Mariupol restraining Russian fascists from offensive actions in other regions of Ukraine. In the meantime, Russian occupiers continue to suffer heavy losses.
The temporarily captured city of Kherson is fearlessly resisting the Russian occupation. Actions of the locals are forcing Russian fascists to concentrate more and more military power in Kherson to keep the city under their control.
About 150 people from South Ossetia were transferred to the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea for their further participation in the war with Ukraine. The enemy is taking measures to covertly mobilize the population of the so-called South Ossetia in order to further involve it in the war with Ukraine.
Round-the-clock operation of the Russian defense-industrial enterprises involved in the production of missiles indicates a significant reduction in the arsenal of missile weapons of the enemy.
Given the international sanctions that ban the supply of high-tech parts for products of the Russian federation, the import substitution process for such parts in missile manufacturing will have a long-term effect.
Russia's military leadership is trying to build up reserves and restore the combat capability of units that suffered losses during the first month of the war.
The Defence Forces of Ukraine continue to conduct a defence operation in the Eastern, Southeastern and Northeastern directions, focusing on:
- preventing the advance of the enemy in the directions of the settlements of Slovyansk and Barvinkove;
- taking of the settlements of Kamyanka, Topolske;
- creating conditions for improving the tactical situation in the area of the city of Chuhuiv;
- deterring enemy attacks in the areas of the settlements of Rubizhne, Lysychansk, Popasna, preventing the bypass of the main forces of the group.
At the same time, the Defence Forces of Ukraine continue to maintain the circular defence of the city of Mariupol and defend and deter the advance of the enemy in the Chernihiv region.
In order to improve the operational situation and maintain the outer line of defence, the group defending Kyiv is continuing hostilities and controlling the situation in the settlements of Motyzhyn, Lisne, Kapitanivka and Dmytrivka.
Part of the Ukrainian forces continues to conduct a defence operation in other identified areas, a stabilization operation is being carried out, territorial defence tasks are being carried out and counterattacks are being carried out in certain areas.
The enemy is weakened, disoriented, much of it is cut off from logistics and the main forces.
The command of the Russian occupying forces is trying to compensate for the decline in the combat potential of the enemy's units by indiscriminate artillery fire and rocket-bomb attacks, thus destroying the infrastructure of Ukrainian cities.
https://bit.ly/3NsBdBw
Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights
As of 28 March 2022, 143 children have been killed and 216 injured since the start of the Russian Federation's invasion of Ukraine.
Over the cores of one day, Russians fired missiles at Lutsk, Rivne, Zhytomyr, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Severodonetsk and Rubezhnoye. Mariupol is under carpet bombardment.
last night, houses in Severodonetsk and Rubizhne, Luhansk region, were shelled.
In the city of Kharkiv, the occupiers shelled a local school from heavy artillery.
Russian troops set the residential area in Chernihiv on fire.
The settlement of Kryvyi Rih district was hit by the “Tornado-C” volley fire system.
Prosecutor General’s Office
On 27 March 2022, a convoy of Russian Federation military equipment was moving on a road outside Konotop district, Sumy region. Disregarding international law, a Russian soldier deliberately hit pedestrians walking in the opposite direction. As a result, a family was injured - a 15-year-old boy and his mother were injured, while a 33-year-old man died in hospital.
The Office of the Prosecutor General will cooperate with Eurojust to coordinate the work of the joint investigation team to investigate Russian war crimes.
During the occupation of Trostyanets, Russian fascists tortured and killed a man. His body with multiple injuries was found by the police in the garage after the liberation of the city from the occupiers on March 28, 2022. The identity of the deceased is being established.
Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine
Over the past 24 hours, emergency workers carried out 761 visits, including 317 visits to eliminate the consequences of shelling of settlements and civilian infrastructure by Russian troops. Pyrotechnics of the State Emergency Service neutralized 416 explosive devices and inspected the area of 600 hectares.
Hundreds of unexploded ordnance and mines seized in Kyiv in recent weeks.
POLICY
President of Ukraine
Today we have good news. Our defenders are advancing in the Kyiv region, regaining control over Ukrainian territory.
Irpin was liberated. Well done! I am grateful to everyone who worked for this result. The occupiers are pushed away from Irpin. Pushed away from Kyiv.
However, it is too early to talk about security in this part of our region. The fighting continues.
Russian troops control the north of Kyiv region, have the resources and manpower. They are trying to restore the destroyed units. The level of their losses, even at 90%, is not an argument for them to stop. Hundreds and hundreds of units of burned and abandoned enemy equipment do not convince them that this will happen to everyone.
Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv regions, Donbas, southern Ukraine - the situation everywhere remains tense, very difficult.
This is a ruthless war against our nation, against our people, against our children.
As of today, 143 children are known to have died. Mariupol remains blocked. Russian troops did not allow any humanitarian corridor to be organized today, they did not allow "silence". Therefore, the situation must now be perceived in a balanced, wise way. As much as possible. Without excessive euphoria from success. But also without getting yourself worked up. We still need time. We still need weapons. We still have to fight, we have to be patient. We can't burn emotions right now. We can't set expectations too high. Just so as not to burn out.
I spoke with the leaders of the partner countries. It was a very active diplomatic day.
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Johnson, Prime Minister of Canada Trudeau, Chancellor of Germany Scholz, Prime Minister of Italy Draghi and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.
We agreed with Britain to further support our defense and strengthen sanctions against the Russian Federation. Canada also supports a tougher response from the world to the catastrophe created by Russian troops in Ukrainian cities.
In a conversation with German Chancellor Scholz, I also paid considerable attention to the need to increase sanction pressure on Russia.
I thanked the President of Azerbaijan for the humanitarian support provided to Ukraine, informed about the state of affairs in the territories where Russian troops entered.
Italy has agreed to become one of the guarantors of Ukraine's security in the relevant new system of guarantees that we are elaborating.
I will continue this activity tomorrow. I will talk to other world leaders. I will work with international organizations, with the nations of Europe and the world.
Ukraine cannot and will not agree with the passive sanctions position of some entities towards Russia. There should be no "suspended" sanctions packages - that if the Russian troops do something, then there will be some answer...
We went through this story last year when we said that strong preventive sanctions against Russia were needed to prevent an invasion. The preventive package was not made. A full-scale war has begun. There are now many hints and warnings that sanctions will be tightened, such as an embargo on Russian oil supplies to Europe, if Russia uses chemical weapons. There are simply no words.
Just think about what it all came down to. Waiting for chemical weapons... We, living people, have to wait… Doesn't everything that the Russian military is doing and has already done deserve an oil embargo? Don't phosphorus bombs deserve that? Do the shelled chemical production or nuclear power plant deserve that?
It is important for us that the sanctions packages are effective and substantial enough, given what is already being done against Ukraine by the Russian Federation.
If the sanctions packages are weak or do not work enough, if they can be circumvented, it creates a dangerous illusion for the Russian leadership that they can continue to afford what they are doing now. And Ukrainians pay for it with their lives. Thousands of lives.
Therefore, starting this week, we are creating a group of experts at the President's Office - Ukrainian and international, who will constantly analyze the sanctions against Russia - what they really influence.
Our goal is for the sanctions to work as intended. And so that there is no possibility to circumvent them. This must be a goal for the whole democratic world, without exception. No exception.
During the week I will speak in the parliaments of the partner countries: Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Greece, Australia. It is important that these are speeches not only in front of politicians, but also in front of societies.
In front of millions of people who want to hear Ukraine and are ready to hear it to help and support. Who feel that we are fighting for our common freedom. One for all people on our earth.
I will emphasize everywhere that no one has the right to use the lives of Ukrainians to save any income in Russia or income common with Russia. And Ukrainians should not die just because someone cannot find enough courage to hand over the necessary weapons to Ukraine.
Fear always makes you an accomplice. If someone is afraid of Russia, if he or she is afraid to make the necessary decisions that are important to us, in particular for us to get planes, tanks, necessary artillery, shells, it makes these people responsible for the catastrophe created by Russian troops in our cities, too.
Because if you could save, you had to save.
The peoples of Europe, the peoples of the world will definitely hear and support me. And all politicians should think now what they will have left if they do not correspond to the position of their people.
And finally. Already traditional.
Just before delivering this address to you, dear Ukrainians, I signed two important decrees on awarding servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with state awards. At the request of our Commander-in-Chief, 302 of our defenders are awarded.
Ministry for Digital Transformation of Ukraine
Most recent sanctions against Russia:
Google has stopped licensing Russian Android smartphones;
Nokia has suspended deliveries to Russia;
American corporation specializing in the development and manufacture of devices for printing and image processing, Lexmark has suspended supplies to Russia;
TikTok forbade users from the Russian Federation to post videos, even using VPN;
The largest Japanese banks, including Mitsubishi UFJ, Sumitomo Mitsui and Mizuho, have suspended dollar transactions with Russia's Sberbank.
ECONOMY
Ministry of Economy of Ukraine
Ukraine has already suffered 564.9 billion USD in losses from the Russian invasion, including:
· 119 billion USD - losses of infrastructure (almost 8 thousand km of roads, dozens of railway stations, airports were destroyed or damaged);
· 112 billion USD - GDP losses in 2022;
· 90.5 billion USD - losses of civilian population (10 million square meters of housing, 200 thousand cars, food security for 5 million people);
· 80 billion USD - losses of enterprises and organizations;
· 54 billion USD - losses of direct investment in the Ukrainian economy;
· 48 billion USD - losses of the state budget.
The losses suffered by Ukraine as a result of Russian aggression are calculated within the framework of the "Russia Will Pay" project implemented by the KSE Institute together with the Office of the President of Ukraine, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Defense.
ENERGY
Ministry of energy of Ukraine
German Galushchenko: G7's refusal to pay for gas in rubles canceled Russia's attempts to circumvent sanctions.
Minister of Energy of Ukraine German Galushchenko welcomed the decision of the G7 countries not to pay for Russian gas in rubles.
Ukraine is expected to make the first export after synchronization.
The first auction after connecting of Ukrainian power system with ENTSO-E on the distribution of interstate cross-border capacity allocations to Poland is scheduled for March 28. The actual date of the start of delivery is March 30, the cross-sectional volume is 210 MW (per hour). All Ukrainian energy companies will be able to take part in such auctions.
“For the first time since synchronisation with ENTSO-E, Ukraine will export electricity to Europe. Exports are small, but this is the early sing of the integration of Ukrainian and European energy markets. Of course, we still have a lot of work to do to implement EU legislation, which is necessary for the full coupling of markets," - German Galushchenko said.
Ukrenergo
Ukrenergo resumes daily auctions for cross-border capacity allocation to Poland. This is the first auction after the integration of Ukraine’s power system with the power grid of Continental European ENTSO-E. Currently, there are no commercial exchanges between Ukrainian and European synchronized power systems. Such a condition was stipulated in the Agreement between Ukrenergo and ENTSO-E for the synchronous operation trial period.
Resumption of export-import operations is one of the main tasks of NPC Ukrenergo within the framework of further integration with ENTSO-E. The first auction will take place on March 28, 2022, for the delivery day of March 30 (actual export start date). The auctioned profile volume is 210 MW (hourly).
The start of electricity exports will allow Ukraine to obtain additional resources for the restoration and development of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure during the war. In total, the cross-border capacity between Ukraine and ENTSO-E is up to 2 thousand MW and will have a direct economic effect for the country in the amount of several billion dollars a year. Alongside, for European countries, Ukrainian electricity, 70% of which is already of low-carbon sources, opens up wide opportunities for replacing Russian gas.
It is worth mentioning that NPC Ukrenergo stopped allocating cross-border capacity for electricity imports/exports on February 24, 2022, due to the start of power system tests in the isolated operation mode. With the beginning of Russia’s military aggression, Ukraine has decided not to resume synchronous operation with the power systems of Russia and Belarus. Later, on March 16, 2022, the emergency synchronization of Ukraine’s power system with the power system of Continental Europe ENTSO-E took place.
The power system of Ukraine is balanced and stable. The power grid frequency is controlled at the standard level of 50 Hz.
To ensure the reliable day-to-day operation of the grid, Ukrenergo repairmen try to use every opportunity to inspect and repair power lines and substations.
Yesterday, the repair of OHL 330 kV Trykhaty-Mykolaivska was completed, and the power line was put into operation.
All types of power plants are operating steadily in the power grid providing electricity to all Ukrainian consumers.
GTS Operator of Ukraine
State of the Ukrainian GTS operation as of March 28, 12:00 CET
On the previous day, March 27, Gas TSO of Ukraine transported 68.3 million cubic meters of natural gas for the needs of Ukrainian consumers. Gas production in Ukraine amounted to 49 mcm, while import was equal to 9.4 mcm of natural gas.
Today, the stable operation of the Ukrainian gas transmission system is essential for energy infrastructure. Due to logistics problems with the primary fuel delivery, several thermal power plants are switching to reserve fuel – natural gas.
Russian occupiers continue destroying Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. As a result of the shell hit, GDS-3 Kharkiv, which supplied gas to a small town Rogan, was significantly damaged.
Almost 4.5 thousand households were left without a gas supply. The company’s specialists under fire made the necessary switchings, closed the inlet and outlet valves to localize the effects of the damage and protect the population from danger. Resumption of gas transportation through this GDS is possible only after a significant amount of restoration works and after the end of hostilities in the area.
Currently, 44 GDSs from 1395 in Kharkiv, Luhansk, Kyiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Mykolaiv regions of Ukraine remain disconnected.