The day before, in the south of Ukraine, the artillery and aircraft of the Armed Forces struck four strikes on the Russian army and destroyed several units of armored vehicles and ammunition depots. Russian troops continue to storm Sievierodonetsk, but the Armed Forces of Ukraine fighters hold back part of the city. The rest of the unoccupied territory of Luhansk region is under fire. At about 8 a.m., Russian troops fired on Bakhmut, hitting the school and the administration building where the people were staying. The school where 400 children studied before the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine has been completely destroyed. Russian troops are preparing for an offensive in the direction of Slovyansk, the city launched an air strike. During the enemy assault near Berestove in Donetsk oblast, the Armed Forces inflicted heavy losses on the Russians.
Russian propaganda channels have published a video in which the mayor of Sviatohirsk, Donetsk oblast, Volodymyr Bandura accused President Volodymyr Zelensky of prolonging the war and the "nationalists" of setting fire to the church. He is probably in Russian captivity. Volodymyr Bandura was elected to office by the pro-Russian OPZZh party, but with the start of the war he denied any intention of cooperating with the occupiers. The State Bureau of Investigation is investigating treason.
A criminal case has been opened against Oleksiy Kovalyiovʼs "servant" for collaborationism — in late February he returned to the occupied Kherson oblast. The State Bureau of Investigation operatives established that the enterprises under its control supply food to the temporarily occupied Crimea and sell it on the territory of the Russian Federation, and import fuel from the Crimea to Kherson oblast. Police also found that Kovaliov was placing the Russian occupiers in a sanatorium under his control in the town of Hola Prystan in Kherson oblast. At the same time, on his Facebook page, Kovalev says that he is cooperating with the occupiers and believes that Russia has been in Kherson oblast for a long time.
More than 90% of Luhansk oblast is temporarily occupied by Russia. Fighting continues in Sievierodonetsk, and Lysychansk is completely under the control of the Ukrainian authorities. Part of the territory of the Hirske Community is occupied by Russia, the rest is controlled by Ukraine.
President Zelensky has announced the launch of the Book of Executioners, an information system that will collect confirmed data on war crimes and criminals in the Russian military. The government is also setting up a headquarters to prepare for the heating season: at this time, coal and gas will not be sold abroad, and all production will be directed to the domestic market.
On the front line in Zaporizhzhia oblast, the bodies of the dead were exchanged between Ukraine and Russia according to the "50 to 50" formula. Of the 50 Ukrainian defenders killed, 37 are Azovstal defenders.
In Ukraine, a court banned the Opposition Bloc party. The property of the party and all its branches is transferred to the state. However, the decision to ban the activity can be appealed to the Supreme Court. Why such a decision was made will be known after its publication.
The sowing campaign ended in Dnipropetrovsk oblast. Farmers sowed almost 1.2 million hectares of wheat, corn, barley, oats, buckwheat, millet, peas, sunflowers and more. Winter crops are ripening on more than 750,000 hectares. As Russia blocks Ukrainian ports, 23.5 million tons of grain and oilseeds remain in Ukraine. Ukraine has already started supplying grain to the world market by truck, rail and river.
The World Bank Executive Board has approved additional funding for Ukraine of $ 1.49 billion to pay salaries to government and social workers.
Norway handed over 22 M109 self-propelled artillery units with spare parts and ammunition to Ukraine. The Norwegian Ministry of Defense stated that Ukraine needs to transfer heavier equipment and weapons systems.
Canada has imposed another package of anti-Russian sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine. Restrictions include a ban on the export of 28 services that are critical to the oil, gas and chemical industries. These are technical, managerial, accounting and advertising services.