Fears of being trapped in Mariupol bombing theater – Talks with Russia ‘very difficult’, says Kyiv

LAST UPDATE: 16:40

For the 23rd day the Russian advance does not continue as expected by Vladimir Putin’s aides and for the 23rd day the Ukrainian cities and towns in which the civilians have tried to find refuge are bombed.

On the diplomatic chessboard, talks between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations continue on Friday. Shortly before 14.00 Greek time, the head of the Ukrainian delegation, Mikhail Pontoliak, described the talks as “very difficult”. Earlier, in a conversation with the German chancellor, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Ukraine was trying to delay the talks.

Minimal progress of Russian forces

The UK Department of Defense says Russian forces have made “minimal progress this week”. The latest morning has brought reports that Ukrainian forces around Kyiv and Nikolaev “continue to thwart Russian efforts to encircle the cities.”

Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Sumy and Mariupol remain surrounded by Russian forces and have been heavily bombed.

Logistical problems and food shortages

The Russian military continues to face logistical problems during its “faltering invasion of Ukraine,” the Pentagon said in a statement on Thursday. In a recent briefing, the ministry said Russian forces had been prevented from supplying “naval troops with even basic necessities such as food and fuel” because of their inability to control Ukrainian airspace and ground challenges. Russian forces were reluctant to maneuver across the country, the ministry said, but did not provide further details about its knowledge of Russia’s strategic moves. “Reluctance to maneuver between regions, lack of air control and limited bridging capabilities prevent Russia from effectively replenishing its forward troops with basic necessities such as food and fuel,” the ministry said.

“Ukraine’s incessant counterattacks are forcing Russia to divert large numbers of troops. This severely limits Russia’s offensive capabilities.”

What is happening in the Ukrainian territory

Chernihiv: Just before 12:00 local time, sirens sounded in the Ukrainian city and messages were calling on everyone to seek cover and prepare for an impending Russian air strike.

In this video from #Chernihiv city, shared by the #Ukraine Service of Emergencies, a rescue team retrieves from the rubbles bodies of the entire family killed by the Russian Army bombardment: three children (ages 3, 3, 12) and their parents. pic.twitter.com/DQgNMNx9VP

– Victor Kovalenko (@MrKovalenko) March 18, 2022

Kyiv: The Ukrainian army is conducting operations to clear the outskirts of Kiev of Russian forces, the General Staff said, describing the situation in the Kiev region as “problematic” but “controllable”, acknowledging that “progress” is difficult. The head of the military forces in the Kiev region, Oleksandr Pavlyuk, told Ukrainian television late last night that his forces were facing “hostile resistance”, according to the Ukrainian news agency UNIAN.

The road to the city of Zhytomyr (west) and the cities of Bukha, Irpin and Gostomel (northwest), on the border with Kiev, are at greatest risk, as is Makariv (west).

Pontil: One person was killed and four others were injured when a rocket-propelled grenade fell on a residential building in northern Kiev this morning, the emergency services said. The agency said in a statement that 12 people were rescued and 98 were removed from the five-storey building.

Lviv: “Several rockets hit an aircraft repair factory. The building was destroyed. The operation of the plant had been suspended before, so we have no casualties so far,” Mayor Sandovi said via Facebook. In a separate statement, the Ukrainian Air Force said that according to initial reports, the area was hit by four Cruise missiles, which were fired from the Black Sea, several hundred kilometers from there.

UssianRussian missiles hit #Lviv Airport this morning #Ukraine #UkraineRussiaWar pic.twitter.com/WyTPDNRvkJ

– MilitaryLand.net (@Militarylandnet) March 18, 2022

Sumi: The mayor of the region in northeastern Ukraine, published details about possible humanitarian corridors that could open on Friday in the region. Buses and trucks will be sent to the cities to help transport people – there are six different routes, all of which lead to Poltava in central Ukraine. Sumi, which is close to the Russian border and on the front line, has been heavily bombed, with power and water cuts in recent weeks.

Those four stuck Russian 4th Tank Division T-80U tanks in Sumy Oblast. https://t.co/aNk5bKB0rJ pic.twitter.com/zf2wqg0GEX

– Rob Lee (@ RALee85) March 17, 2022

Trostianets: In the small town north of Kharkov a Russian procession was attacked by Ukrainian forces.

By the way, the Trotsky district of the Sumy region was attacked by our forces, and a column of military equipment was set up. pic.twitter.com/POfW1eiQRe

– пуСпутник News АТО 🇺🇦 (@SputnikATO) March 18, 2022

Kharkiv: The bombing continued in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city, but local forces retreated and did not retreat.

Firefighting continues in one of the world largests largest markets.

HarKharkiv#StopRussianAggression#closeUAskyNOW pic.twitter.com/FGInXQnajb

– MFA of Ukraine 🇺🇦 (@MFA_Ukraine) March 18, 2022

Izium: A Russian military convoy was attacked and destroyed outside Izium.

The only colony of Russian occupants under Izim with which, what happened … 😎 pic.twitter.com/Cc8YGTBDt0

Alexander Kovalenko (@zloy_odessit) March 17, 2022

Lugansk: Separatist leaders in the Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine have claimed that the Ukrainian armed forces have bombarded five communities in their self-proclaimed People’s Republic in the past 24 hours, according to the Russian news agency TASS.

Donetsk: Aerial bombardment of the Russian-occupied province. Dozens of helicopters were seen in the skies of the breakaway city.

Kramatorsk: The bomber struck shortly after noon in front of a rally in Kramatorsk, killing at least two people and wounding six others. At 16:18 local time, alarm sirens sounded again.

Mariupol: Survivors emerge from the ruins of a theater in Mariupol that Ukrainian authorities say was bombed by Russia. 130 rescued, but many more likely to remain trapped, according to Kyiv

Mariupol is hit by 50 to 100 artillery shells daily, according to the council of the besieged Ukrainian city. “About 80% of the city’s residential fabric has been affected, almost 30% of which cannot be repaired.”

“There are bombs all the time, the shells do not stop at all, you sit in the basement and bounce.”

Residents of the besieged city of Mariupol were evacuated Wednesday to the nearby village of Nikolskoe, controlled by the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic. pic.twitter.com/pblf1cqO7k

– The Associated Press (@AP) March 17, 2022

Dnipro: Sirens sounded at 12.40, urging citizens to seek cover as there is an “air threat”.

Zaporizhia: Mortars, artillery and helicopters are making continuous attacks on the city of Ukraine.

Berdyansk: A convoy of Russian forces was located in Berdyansk, southwest of Mariupol, having entered from the Crimean region.

In Berdyansk, with the help of Melitopol, a column of fascist techniques took place, about 30-35 hours. 17/03/22 16.30 pic.twitter.com/KJ3Naqc9v3

– Х … Бердянск (@ PVB40) March 17, 2022

Nikolaev:Artillery shelling in the area between Kherson and Nikolaev. The Russians are repulsed.

Odessa: In the southern city of Voznesensk, northwest of Nikolaev and northeast of Odessa, an arms depot was reportedly hit by Russian bombing, Ukraine 24 reported, citing the city’s mayor.

Multiple strikes also on Voznesensk ammunition storage site. pic.twitter.com/F20ixsBPUE

– Aldin 🇧🇦 (@aldin_ww) March 18, 2022

Nine humanitarian corridors

Nine corridors to evacuate civilians from cities hit by Russian attacks were agreed on Friday, according to the Ukrainian government. For the second day in a row, one of the agreed corridors connects the besieged southeastern city of Mariupol with Zaporizhia, which remains under Ukrainian control. Deputy Prime Minister Irina Verestsuk said there were plans to deliver humanitarian aid to the towns of Balaklia and Izium in southeastern Kharkov.

Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania deported Russian diplomats

Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania deport a total of ten Russian diplomatsannounced today Friday the Foreign Ministries of the three Baltic countries.

“Estonia deported four diplomats in a coordinated move” in connection with activities incompatible with their diplomatic status related to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, “Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkievic wrote in a Twitter post.

The Estonian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it had expelled diplomats because they “directly and actively undermined Estonian security and carried out propaganda justifying Russia’s military action”.

Lithuania said the deportations were “in solidarity with Ukraine”.

The commander of a select squadron of Russian paratroopers was killed

One of the top commanders of the Russian paratrooper squadron was killed in Ukraine.

The death of Colonel Sergei Suharevof the 331st Regiment of Parachute Guards, was confirmed by Moscow state television.

Moscow had developed the 331st Parachute Regiment previously in Chechnya in two wars after the fall of the USSR, in Georgia in 2008 and in Donbass in 2014. Suharev is considered by Ukrainians to have been responsible for the 2014 Ilovaisk massacre. in which hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers were killed.