On Wednesday, March 30, the Ukrainian military stated it perceived Russia’s pledge to withdraw troops from offensive operations near Kyiv and Chernyhyv as a tactic to regroup and focus on attacking eastern Ukraine. The US blamed Russia for blocking food exports from Ukrainian ports, while Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian shelling sounded louder than signals of a potential political compromise, Ukrinform and the BBC report.
On Tuesday, March 29, Russia claimed after talks with Ukraine in Istanbul that it would «drastically reduce» its military operations in two key areas of Ukraine «to boost mutual trust» in the talks. The areas in Ukraine would be Russian attacks on the capital, Kyiv, and the northern city of Chernihiv.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces’ General Staff commented in its latest report on the military situation in the country there were certain signs that Russian troops are regrouping to focus efforts on the Eastern direction.
As of 00:00 (midnight), March 30, 2022, Russian invaders failed to reach the Kremlin goals of reaching the administrative borders of eastern Donetsk Region and Luhansk Region, encircle the city of Kyiv and gain control over the left-bank part of Ukraine.
Separate units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continued to withdraw from Kyiv Region and Chernihiv Region. There were certain signs that Russian troops were regrouping to focus efforts on the Eastern direction.
In the eastern Donetsk direction, Russian troops continued firing and storming Ukrainian positions. The enemy was launching air and missile strikes on Kreminna and Mariupol in the east. Russian troops focused their efforts on capturing Popasna and Rubizhne and gaining full control over Maripol, but failed, the General Staff claimed.
In the south, Russian troops were making efforts to restore their combat capability. The enemy is attempting to hold the Ukrainian army back with artillery and air strikes. In particular, the Ukrainian defense positions near Stepnohirsk, Orikhove and Huliaipole, Zaporizhzhia Region, were shelled with artillery systems, according to the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Killing people in missile strikes and shelling
At least 12 people were killed and 33 injured in a Russian airstrike on the building of the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration (pictured) in the morning of Tuesday, March 30.
On Wednesday morning, Russian invaders shelled the residential neighbourhoods of Lysychansk town, Luhansk Region with heavy weapons. Casualties have been reported, Ukrinform wrote.
Endangering global food supplies
The Russian Navy is blocking in the Black Sea region more than 90 civilian ships carrying food for the world market.
«Thirty percent of the world’s wheat exports typically come from the Black Sea region, as does 20 percent of the world’s corn and 75 percent of sunflower oil. But Russia has bombed at least three civilian ships carrying goods from Black Sea ports to the rest of the world, including one chartered by an agribusiness company,» U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman claimed at the UN Security Council briefing on March 29.
The consequences of Moscow’s war were being felt far outside Ukraine and directly affected global food security, the official underscored. Shipping companies are reluctant to send vessels into the Black Sea, even to Russian ports, given the danger posed by the Russian military.
Zelenskyy voices scepticism about Russian withdrawal
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said about Russia’s statements that the positive signals from the talks did «not drown out the explosions or Russian shells».
Watch the latest video address by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Day 35 of war in Ukraine: Russian withdrawal pledge taken as deceit, food ships blocked in Black Sea
