By Ellen Salovaara
U.K. intelligence chief Jeremy Flemming stated that demoralized Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine have been refusing to carry out orders, sabotaging their own equipment, and even accidentally shooting down a Russian aircraft. He mentioned Putin, saying: “It’s clear he misjudged the resistance of the Ukrainian people…he overestimated the abilities of his military to secure a rapid victory.”
The war in Ukraine is still raging, but Ukrainian and Russian officials are discussing ways to end it. Neutrality is one of the main principles in the discussion. Russia claims it will “drastically reduce” military action surrounding Kyiv and Chernihiv in the name of “mutual trust.” However, neutrality for Ukraine would probably bar the nation from entering North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). A Kremlin official said that a deal for Ukrainian neutrality could be a “kind of compromise.”
Olga Guerin, a BBC reporter, stationed in Kyiv, stated: “Russia’s invasion is now in its sixth week, and it has failed on the key fronts - the Russians have not managed to enter the capital Kyiv, to topple the government, or to take any major city - bar Kherson - in the south. Russia has destroyed more than it has captured. That’s a poor return on a costly invasion.” She pointed out that despite this, it’s still too early to predict the outcome of the war.
Although Russia seized Chernobyl in the beginning stages of the war, Russian troops have allegedly begun to evacuate after radiation exposure, panicking at the first indications of illness.
The Red Cross is en route to Mariupol with medical supplies. Tens of thousands of Mariupol citizens have been able to evacuate the city, while other evacuation efforts have been thwarted by Russian attacks. Mariupol had a population of about 430,000 prior to the war; about 100,000 citizens remain. Ukrainian officials sent 45 buses to Mariupol to evacuate citizens, 30 of which were held up by Russian forces. Some citizens have gotten through Mariupol borders on their own, typically with white fabric tied to their cars and signs that say “children.”
On Tuesday, March 29, the Kremlin announced that Russian troops would significantly scale back attacks near Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv with the goal of increasing trust between Russia and Ukraine. However, on Thursday, March 31, Russian troops shelled the Kyiv suburbs and the city of Chernihiv. The NATO Secretary-General asserted that “Russia has repeatedly lied about its intentions.” He continued, “According to our intelligence, Russian units are not withdrawing but repositioning.
Putin’s popularity in Russia has soared to levels unseen in years. 83% of Russians say they approve of Putin’s actions. This number was 69% in January. Russian-controlled media has distorted the truths of the war, pushing the narrative that Russian troops are carrying out a “special military operation” to usurp far-right extremists in a nearby country that has been pushed by Western countries to turn against Russia.
In the U.S., Biden announced on Thursday, March 31, that up to 180 million barrels of oil from a strategic reserve would be released to counteract the high gas prices that have resulted from the absence of Russian oil. This oil release is the largest since the reserve was created. President Biden stated: “I know how much it hurts. As you’ve heard me say before, I grew up in a family like many of you where [when] the price of a gallon of gasoline went up, it was a discussion at the kitchen table.” Gas prices began to drop on Wednesday, March 30.
Photos from NYT
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