Fierce fighting in Mariupol continues

1 Donbass

Fierce skirmishes are still taking place in Mariupol. The last surviving Ukrainian forces were pushed into the local industrial zone. Pockets of resistance remain in some residential areas of the city. Some groups of Ukrainian nationalists are trying to hold high-rise buildings, in the basements of which civilians are being hold. Several incoming Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopters were shot down by the Russian air defense forces. The head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, made a video message on his Telegram channel towards the Ukrainian militants that took positions in the «Azovstal» factory in Mariupol. He gave them 1 day to lay down their weapons and surrender.

2 Ukraine — Donbass

The Russian, the DPR, and the LPR forces simultaneously move towards each other from north, east, and south, while doing their own military missions on the go. Their main mission is to close the huge cauldron with the Ukrainian forces. Active and passive positional battles are taking place all over the frontlines. On the frontline of Severodonetsk-Lisichansk-Rubezhnoye, battles with the use of heavy weapons and aircraft are taking place. On the north — namely at the border of the Kharkov and Donetsk regions — battles began near the towns of Slavyansk and Barvenkovo after the complete capture of the city of Izyum, and the capture of the villages of Kamenki and Staraya Kamenki. The Ukrainian resistance in that area was serious, but eventually the frontline began to move. The Russian forces took positions on the southern bank of the Seversky Donets River, where they are gathering forces.

3 Ukraine

Major-General Igor Konashenkov, the spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry, stated at a briefing on 31st of March that since the start of the special military operation in Ukraine, Ukraine has lost 124 aircraft, 81 helicopters, 353 UAVs, 1,839 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 202 MLRS, 773 mortars and artillery pieces, and 1711 units of special military vehicles.

4 Donbass

The DPR’s Commissioner for the Human Rights, Daria Morozova, reported on the casualties of the DPR during the special military operation in Ukraine. 186 DPR’s security and military servicemen, and 82 civilians, were killed from 25th to 31st of March. 758 DPR servicemen and 360 DPR civilians were wounded. Since the start of 2022, 780 DPR servicemen died, 3,609 were wounded. 192 civilians died, 843 were wounded.

5 The EU — China

The heads of the EU and China are holding a summit on 1st of April via a video conference. The main theme is the situation in Ukraine. From the EU side, the summit is being attended by the head of the European Council, Charles Michel, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. From the Chinese side there are the Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Premier Li Keqiang. According to Xi Jinping, China regrets that the situation in Ukraine has reached its current point. «China is gripped with deep regret that the situation in Ukraine has reached its current state» — the «Xinhua» news agency quoted his words. China calls on the international community to support the negotiation process between Russia and Ukraine, and not to add fuel to the fire — Xi Jinping concluded. The head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, stated right before the summit with China that any Chinese support for Russia during the special operation in Ukraine would seriously damage the Chinese reputation in Europe — the RIA NEWS reported.

6 Russia

The governor of the Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, reported on his Telegram channel that the firefighters contained the fire at the oil depot in Belgorod. Several explosions were previously reported, one of which damaged a power line. No-one was injured as a result of the fires. Currently the power line in Nikolskoye has already been restored. The damaged residential building in Yasnie Zori will be restored as soon as possible — the governor gave an instruction to the head of the village council. The air-strike was carried out by Ukraine — the TASS reported. Constantine Reztsov, specially for the ANNA NEWS