‘A New Way of Doing Business’ – War in Ukraine Update for March 19

Overview:

• Moscow continues missile attacks on Sumy and Kharkiv
• Four killed by Ukrainian shelling in Belgorod
• EU boosts military aid to Kyiv by €5 billion
• Zelensky meets with US Republican Senator to discuss stalled aid package
• Domestic attack drone production surpasses that of Shahed drones made for Russia

Russia and Ukraine trade air attacks on either side of the border

In the early hours of Monday, Russia launched five missiles on the Kharkiv region and two missiles on the northeastern Sumy region, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) said, escalating what had already been a relentless series of guided missile attacks on the border regions.

“The amount of shelling and the use of tactical aviation and multiple launch rocket systems has increased significantly compared to last week,” the governor of Sumy region, Volodymyr Artiukh, said. He said the region had been bombarded more than 3,000 times since the start of the year, more than 24 times Monday morning alone, and that local authorities evacuated 285 residents, including 26 children.

In the early hours of Monday, Russian missiles struck a fire department in Kharkiv, injuring a rescue worker, while, at the same time, Moscow’s airstrikes also hit apartment buildings and other civilian targets in the Kherson region, injuring four residents.

On the other side of the border, Ukrainian shelling killed four people just outside the Russian city of Belgorod on Monday, bringing the total number of dead in the region since last week to 15, authorities said.

EC increases Ukraine aid by €5 billion with the creation of a dedicated fund

On Monday, the European Council voted to increase the ceiling of its joint fund by €5 billion ($5.4 billion), by establishing a dedicated Ukraine Assistance Fund (UAF) within the recently created European Peace Facility (EPF) fund.

Other Topics of Interest

Shift in Ukrainian Attitudes Toward War Endurance as Belief in Russia’s Resources Grows

Between February and October 2023, the proportion of Ukrainians who believe Russia retains substantial resources for a prolonged war against Ukraine nearly doubled, rising from 22% to 49%.

“The newly established UAF will allow the EU to further support the evolving needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces through the provision of both lethal and non-lethal military equipment and training,” a statement from the EC reads.

Last month, the EU agreed on the €50 billion ($54.3 billion) EPF, which Reuters describes as “a giant cashback scheme, giving EU members refunds for sending munitions to other countries.”

President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the EU for the dedicated assistance fund in his nightly address on Monday:

Trump-loyal senator says US could offer Kyiv a loan instead

President Zelensky hosted US Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on Monday in Kyiv, where the two discussed a proposed $60 billion aid package that Republicans in the House of Representatives have blocked for more than a month, saying that reforms to US immigration is more important.

“We are at a critical moment for the future of the armed conflict,” Graham told reporters after his meeting with Zelensky. “America wants to help but we have problems at home we need to start addressing. We have a broken border.”

Graham favored an option put forward by former president and presumed 2024 Republican nominee Donald Trump, in which the US would extend a zero-interest loan to Kyiv.

“This is going to be a new way of doing business,” Graham said. “I think it will get more public support back home… in the coming days, not weeks.”

Ukrainian kamikaze drone production surpasses that of Shahed drones made for Russia

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced that the government on Monday allocated another Hr.5 billion ($129 million) for the purchase of kamikaze drones, as Ukrainian production has caught up with the production of Shahed drones made for Russia.

“An additional Hr.5 billion has been allocated today for the security and defense forces. The funds will be used to purchase drones needed by our defenders on the front line,” Shmyhal said.

The government has already parceled out about $1 billion for the domestic production of such UAVs.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Economy specified that there are already about $773 million in signed contracts to create more drones for the Ukrainian military, as well as $370 million worth of contracts being prepared.

The Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov said on Monday that, in the past two weeks alone, Ukrainian drones have destroyed 88 Russian tanks, 174 armored vehicles and 133 cannons, among other equipment.