Dispatches from Ukraine, provided by Forbes Ukraine’s editorial team.
As Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues and the war rages on, reliable sources of information are critical. Forbes Ukraine’s reporters will continue to gather information and provide updates on the situation. We will be sharing them here as they come. Live coverage from Forbes Ukraine’s site can be found here.
Friday, March 25, Day 30. By Daryna Antoniuk
Russia's war on Ukraine has killed 135 children and injured another 184 in Ukraine since the beginning of the invasion on Feb. 24, according to the Prosecutor General’s Office.
A confirmed 1,081 civilians have died and 1,707 had been injured in Ukraine since Feb. 24, according to the UN Rights Office. The real toll is expected to be significantly higher.
The Ukrainian military has killed Russian general Yakov Ryazantsev in Chornobaivka, a site of intense fighting north of Kherson. Ukraine reported earlier that 6 Russian generals had so far been killed in fighting.
The Russian defense ministry said that it will focus on the complete “liberation” of Ukraine’s Donbas region. However, Russia does not rule out the possibility of storming blockaded Ukrainian cities like Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Sumy and Kharkiv.
Russian troops shelled Kharkiv airport on March 25 using multiple-launch rocket systems. Russia also attacked the city with Grad and Uragan missile launch systems. Russian troops also shelled a city clinic in Kharkiv where a humanitarian aid center was located. Four people were killed, others were injured.
Over 300 people might have been killed in the Russian attack on Mariupol Drama Theatre on March 16, according to the Mariupol City Council. Russia bombed the theater, which housed hundreds of women and children and had been labeled with a large sign, visible from the air, indicating children were inside.
Russian troops targeted the western Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia with missiles on the evening of March 25. The city has been on alert for air raids for most of the day, with people recommended to stay in bomb shelters.
Russians abducted two local government officials and eleven civilians in the temporarily occupied Chernihiv region. An average of between 40 and 45 people are buried daily in Chernihiv. People wait for a week to receive a funeral.
The city of Korosten in the Zhytomyr region is preparing for a possible military assault from Belarus. Some civilians have already left the city in order to avoid the possible attack. Next week more than 100 women with children will be evacuated to the French city of Bourges.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has assigned the status of "Hero City" to Bucha, Okhtyrka, Irpin and Mykolayiv.
World
The European Council will create a Solidarity Trust Fund to finance the reconstruction of Ukraine after the war. It invites its international partners to participate.
Australia sanctioned Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, his family and 22 Russian propagandists, including senior editors from Russia Today, InfoRos and NewsFront.
Russia released its first major casualty update since March 2. According to its estimate, nearly 1,351 military personnel had been killed in Ukraine and 3,825 had been wounded since Feb. 24.
The U.S., Ukrainian and NATO estimates of Russian troop losses are much higher and range between 7,000 and 15,000.
Russia is running low on air-launched cruise missiles, according to U.S. officials. The U.S. also estimated that the failure rates of precision guided munitions range from 20% to 60%, depending on the type of weapon and mission.
The music streaming platform Spotify has suspended services in Russia. According to the company’s spokesperson, new Russian legislation that restricts freedom of speech puts the safety of Spotify’s employees and its listeners at risk.
