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LIVE UPDATES: Slovak Government Approves Transfer of MiG-29 Jets to Ukraine

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A special military operation which Russia has been carrying out in Ukraine came in response to the request of the people's republics of Donetsk and Lugansk to protect their citizens amidst increased attacks from the Kiev regime.

2023-03-17T09:51+0000

2023-03-21T06:16+0000

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LIVE UPDATES: Slovak Government Approves Transfer of MiG-29 Jets to Ukraine

09:51 GMT 17.03.2023 (Updated: 06:16 GMT 21.03.2023)

Moscow started a special military operation in Ukraine in February 2022 after the people's republics of Donetsk and Lugansk asked for help in protecting their citizens against increased attacks from Ukraine.

In October 2022, Russian military began targeting Ukrainian infrastructure after Ukraine's terrorist attack on Russia's Crimean Bridge. There have been strikes on power, defense industry, military command and communications facilities across Ukraine.

On 9 March, Russia's armed forces delivered a massive missile attack on the military infrastructure of Ukraine in response to the terrorist attack organized by Kiev in the Bryansk region, including the use of hypersonic air-to-surface Kinzhal missiles.

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02:21 GMT 19.03.2023

Russian Forces Repel Attack of Ukrainian Nationalists in Zaporozhye - Defense Ministry

Russian forces have repelled an attempted attack by Ukrainian nationalists in the area of the Novodarovka village in the Zaporozhye region, a Russian Defense Ministry spokesperson told Sputnik.

"The mobile fire group of the enemy from the 105th Territorial Defense Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine attempted to reconnoiter our forward positions from the Novodarovka village. Motorized rifle units, with the support of artillery, inflicted a fire defeat on the enemy," the spokesperson said.

22:25 GMT 18.03.2023

Ukrainian Troops Fire 15 Rockets at Donetsk - DPR

Ukrainian troops have fired 15 rockets from a multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) at the Kirovskyi District in the city of Donetsk, the Donetsk People’s Republic’s (DPR) mission to the Joint Center for Control and Coordination of issues related to Ukraine's war crimes (JCCC) said.

"Shelling was recorded from the side of the armed formations of Ukraine in the following direction: 00:23 [21:23 GMT on Saturday] Krasnogorovka - city of Donetsk (Kirovskyi district): 15 rockets were fired from MLRS" the DPR mission said in a statement on Telegram.

In a later update, the DPR mission said that Ukrainian troops shelled the Kirovskyi district for the second time overnight, firing three 155mm NATO-caliber shells.

At 00:45 local time on Sunday, another shelling was recorded, with the DPR mission to the JCCC saying that Ukrainian troops fired ten rockets from a MLRS at the Kirovskyi district of Donetsk.

Russia launched its special military operation in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, after the Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics appealed for help in defending themselves against Ukrainian provocations. In response to Russia’s operation, Western countries have rolled out a comprehensive sanctions campaign against Moscow and have been supplying weapons to Ukraine.

On September 30, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin and the heads of the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics, as well as Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, signed agreements on the accession of these territories to Russia, following referendums that showed that an overwhelming majority of the local population supported becoming part of Russia.

02:34 GMT 18.03.2023

Russian Forces Destroy Two Ukrainian Sabotage Groups - Defense Ministry

Two Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups have been destroyed in the Kupyansk direction and the rotation of Ukrainian troops has been disrupted, a Russian Defense Ministry spokesperson told Sputnik.

"During the day, in the Kupyansk direction, near the villages of Rozovka and Novoselovskoye, reconnaissance measures helped locate and artillery fire destroyed two enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups," Evgeni Polovodov said.

He added that "the transfer of reserves and two rotations of units of the armed forces of Ukraine were disrupted" in the Kupyansk direction.

In addition, two Ukrainian infantry fighting vehicles were destroyed on the eastern outskirts of the village of Stelmakhovka.

02:23 GMT 18.03.2023

Russian Forces Repel Attempted Attack by Ukrainian Troops in Kharkov Region: MoD

Russian military units have repelled an attempted attack by Ukrainian troops in the Kharkov region, near the villages of Masyutivka and Hryanykivka, a Russian Defense Ministry spokesperson told Sputnik.

"In the defense zone of the [Russian] 6th Combined Arms Army near the villages of Masyutovka and Gryanikovka, the personnel of the [Ukrainian] 14th Separate Mechanized Brigade tried to attack our positions. With the support of artillery, motorized rifle units inflicted fire damage on the enemy, as a result of which the enemy was forced to retreat to previously occupied positions," Evgeny Polovodov said.

22:32 GMT 17.03.2023

Air Raid Warnings in Effect in Western, Central Ukraine - Authorities

Air raid sirens went off in several western and central Ukrainian regions late on Friday night, according to air raid data from the country’s Ministry of Digital Transformation.

Air raid warnings were in effect in the Ukrainian regions of Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Zhytomyr, Rovno, Ternopol, Khmelnytskyi, and Lvov shortly after midnight.

Earlier on Friday evening, air raid alerts were issued in the regions of Chernigov, Poltava, Kharkov, Dnepropetrovsk, and Kiev.

Ukrainian media reported citing Serhiy Reznik, the mayor of the city of Novomoskovsk in the region of Dnepropetrovsk, that explosions were heard in the city on Friday night. Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksiy Goncharenko said on Telegram that a fire had started in Novomoskovsk.

In February, the head of Ukrainian power grid operator Ukrenergo said that direct damage to Ukraine's energy infrastructure caused by Russian strikes carried out since October 10, 2022 (two days after the terrorist attack on the Crimean Bridge) may amount to hundreds of millions of dollars, with economic losses ranging in billions.

12:51 GMT 17.03.2023

EU Divided Over Procurement of Ammunition for Ukraine, Reports Say

EU members have been in disagreement on specifics of procurement of ammunition for Ukraine, with some arguing whether they should rely on their own production capabilities or buy shells from third countries, media reported on Friday, citing sources.

The EU has reportedly been finalizing the 2-billion-euro ($2.1-billion) deal on joint procurement of ammunition for Ukraine and replenishing stocks in Europe itself. The talks are scheduled to continue later in the day, while EU foreign and defense ministers are expected to approve the plan on March 20, before a final agreement is made at the EU leaders’ summit later next week.

European diplomats told the media that EU members have come to an agreement to spend the first billion euros on supplying Ukraine with shells from their own stocks, while the use of the second billion remains a topic of heated debates.

Some participants have also expressed concern regarding compensation they will receive under this initiative, according to media's sources. They agreed in principle to split the costs of supplying Ukraine with ammunition between the EU's weapons fund and the member states themselves. This agreement implies that around 60% of the member states’ expenditures will be compensated by the bloc's financial instruments. However, Poland has expressed its dissatisfaction with the plan and argued for greater reimbursement of expenses, sources told the news outlet.

The US and South Korea were named as third countries capable of supplying artillery shells during discussions, an EU diplomat told the news outlet.

On March 6, EU defense ministers, at the informal meeting in Stockholm, presented a three-point plan that provides for the urgent delivery of existing ammunition to Ukraine, as well as joint purchases of shells by EU countries and the expansion of EU production capabilities.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov has said that EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell's plan to allocate around 1 billion euros for ammunition supplies to Ukraine is insufficient as Kiev needs artillery shells worth 4 billion euros.

10:55 GMT 17.03.2023

Berlin Received No Requests For Permission to Supply Fighter Jets Received By Poland From German Democratic Republic: Cabinet

Berlin has not received requests from Poland and Slovakia to coordinate the export of fighter jets that were once in service of East Germany, German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said on Friday.

"Since we have not received any requests at the moment, we cannot evaluate this information," Hebestreit said, commenting on the decision of Slovakia and Poland to provide combat aircraft to Kiev.

The spokesman explained that it is not known whether the MIG-29 fighters that Poland and Slovakia want to supply have ever been in service of East Germany, which would mean the need to coordinate exports from Germany.

10:20 GMT 17.03.2023

Poland, Slovakia Jet Supplies to Kiev Will Not Affect Russia's Special Operation: Kremlin

The supply of fighter jets by Poland and Slovakia to Ukraine will not have any affect on Russia's special operation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.

"No, absolutely not, I think you do not even have to be a military expert to say that it cannot have any affect. It seems that these countries are simply engaged in the disposal of old, unnecessary equipment in this way," Peskov told a briefing, commenting on whether such supplies can affect Russia's special military operation in Ukraine.

10:12 GMT 17.03.2023

Russia

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17 March 2023, 10:12 GMT

10:03 GMT 17.03.2023

Kremlin Confirms That Russia Extending Grain Deal For Another 60 Days

09:34 GMT 17.03.2023

Slovak Government Approves Transfer of MiG-29 Jets to Ukraine

The Slovak government has approved the transfer of MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine, incumbent Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger said on Friday.

Earlier in the week, Heger said that Bratislava could make a positive decision on deliveries of MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine.

"The government has made a decision and unanimously approved an international agreement on the transfer of MiG-29 jets and Kup air defense systems to Ukraine," Heger was quoted as saying by the Slovak newspaper Pravda.

The Slovak President and the Speaker of the Parliament have agreed with this decision, according to Heger.