Worth noting, korrespondent.net has compiled its Invasion of Ukraine series into separate months, beginning May 9th, 2023. Linked in the title.
21.05 The US plan to resolve the Russian-Ukrainian war consists of two parts: first a ceasefire, after which negotiations to end the war should take place. This was stated by US Secretary of State Mark Rubio.
"Plan A is to cease fire so that we can move to Plan B, the second phase, which is to get everyone to the table, perhaps through shuttle diplomacy (through a mediator - ed.), to find a way to end this war permanently in a way that is lasting and respects the needs of everyone and so on," he explained.
20:00 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a telephone conversation with American leader Donald Trump, which, in particular, touched on Russia’s war against Ukraine.
In a conversation with Trump, Erdogan supported his "decisive and direct initiatives to end the war between Russia and Ukraine."
19.30 Ukraine has outlined a number of "red lines" for any peace deal with Russia, including the impossibility of handing over to Russia additional territories that are not yet occupied, The Independent reports, citing Ukrainian officials.
The British publication lists Ukraine's "red lines" in possible negotiations:
Refusal to transfer further territories, despite Russian dictator Vladimir Putin's desire to take back four Ukrainian regions partially occupied by Russia.
The return of thousands of civilians illegally held by Russia who are not considered prisoners of war and therefore will not be included in the prisoner exchange.
The need for international security guarantees in the event that Putin violates any ceasefire agreement.
18.50 Pope Francis called on believers to continue to pray for countries suffering from war, including Ukraine.
"And we continue to pray for peace, especially in countries suffering from war: in martyred Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Myanmar, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo," the pontiff urged.
18.24 The current situation provides an opportunity for productive negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. This was stated by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"It was difficult to achieve peace at first, but now the current situation provides an opportunity for meaningful and productive negotiations between Ukraine and Russia," he said.
According to Modi, the war in Ukraine has brought "a lot of suffering, even the Global South has suffered."
17:50 President Volodymyr Zelensky appointed Andriy Gnatov as Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to replace Anatoliy Bargilevich. The major general has over 27 years of military experience, commanded a marine brigade, the operational command troops to the east, and the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Bargilevich has been appointed Inspector General of the Ministry of Defense. His task is to monitor compliance with military standards and strengthen military discipline.
16.55 The UK is ready to send 10,000 troops to Ukraine . But the final number of foreign troops for Ukraine will exceed this figure. This was announced by Prime Minister Keir Starmer at a meeting of the leaders of the "coalition of the willing".
14:00 Over the past week, Russian troops have launched more than 1,020 attack drones at Ukraine , continuing to terrorize peaceful cities and communities. The massive attacks also included about 1,360 guided aerial bombs and more than 10 missiles of various types. This was announced by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
12:50 Over the course of a week, the State Special Transport Service cleared more than 1,700 hectares of territory from explosive objects. In total, 828 dangerous objects were found and neutralized, most of which were in the Kherson region. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
12.20 The Russian army struck the village of Zolotaya Balka in the Kherson region, a 40-year-old woman was killed and a 70-year-old man was injured.
11:45 Patrol police officers came under repeated fire in Chernihiv during a Russian drone attack. They were the first to arrive at the scene of the attack on March 15.
10:50 The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has effectively confirmed the loss of Sudzha in the Kursk region , the press service of the department reported on Sunday, March 16. For more than six months, the Armed Forces of Ukraine had this Russian city under control; now it is controlled by the Russian army.
10:15 Europe may send troops to Ukraine without Moscow's consent , said French President Emmanuel Macron.
9.08 In Chernihiv, as a result of a Russian attack drone hitting a five-story residential building, two floors were partially destroyed; clearing the rubble continues.
8.30 On the night of March 16, the Ukrainian Defense Forces shot down 47 Russian drones out of 90, and another 33 enemy UAVs were lost. The enemies launched them from different types in the following directions: Millerovo, Bryansk, Shatalovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Chauda. The Chernihiv, Kiev, Kharkov and Odessa regions were hit.
03.00 Finnish President Alexander Stubb has said that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is not seeking a truce in the full-scale war against Ukraine. His main goal, namely "the destruction of Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity," has not changed at all.
01:30 US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had a telephone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. During the conversation, they touched on several topics. In particular, the parties discussed further steps following the recent meetings in Saudi Arabia, and also agreed to continue working to restore communication between the US and Russia.
00.15 European countries can send their troops to Ukraine without Russia's consent, French President Macron said. Instead, Putin's refusal to deploy any European forces to ensure Ukraine's security is, according to Macron, "a clear sign of a strategic existential threat."