Key developments on March 15-16:
- Ukraine confirms withdrawal from Sudzha in Russia's Kursk Oblast
- Ukraine appoints Andrii Hnatov as new chief of Common Employees
- Russia readying to assault Sumy as Donbas entrance stabilizes, Zelensky says
- Trump-Putin cellphone name anticipated this week, US hopes for ceasefire inside weeks, envoy says
- UK proposes Western peacekeeping mission of 10,000 troops in Ukraine
Ukraine's Common Employees on March 16 confirmed Ukrainian troops' withdrawal from the logistics hub of Sudzha in Russia's Kursk Oblast, days after Moscow claimed its seize.
As a substitute of confirming the withdrawal with an announcement, the Common Employees posted the newest battlefield maps on social media, which confirmed a whole retreat from Sudzha.
The affirmation comes as Russian troops scale up their offensive within the Russian border area, the place Ukraine launched a shock incursion in August 2024 in hopes of utilizing the captured territories as a bargaining chip for potential peace negotiations.
Kyiv has held on to its step by step shrinking foothold in Kursk Oblast regardless of a deteriorating logistics state of affairs brought on by Russia's intense use of artillery, drones, and glide bombs.
As unconfirmed experiences of a Ukrainian encirclement circulated on-line, U.S. President Donald Trump urged his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on March 14 to "spare" allegedly surrounded Ukrainian troops.
Ukraine has denied the claims of encirclement.
The Russian Protection Ministry claimed on March 13 that its troops had captured Sudzha.
The declare got here a day after Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi confirmed ongoing battles within the suburbs of Sudzha and the encircling areas.
"In probably the most tough state of affairs, my precedence has been and stays to avoid wasting the lives of Ukrainian troopers. To do that, the models of (Ukraine's) Protection Forces, if crucial, are maneuvering to extra favorable positions," Syrskyi said.
Ukraine appoints Andrii Hnatov as new chief of Common Employees
Ukraine on March 16 appointed Andrii Hnatov because the new chief of the General Staff, selling the main basic as a part of what Kyiv hailed as "a army reform."
Hnatov, who was previously appointed because the deputy chief of the General Staff in February, will probably be changing Anatolii Barhylevych, who took the position in February 2024.
"We’re systematically remodeling the Armed Forces of Ukraine to reinforce their fight effectiveness," Ukraine's Protection Minister Rustem Umerov said in a Fb publish, applauding a promotion that he mentioned got here at his suggestion.
Hnatov has over 27 years of expertise within the army. He beforehand commanded a marine brigade, Operational Command East formation, and the Joint Forces of Ukraine's Armed Forces.
Umerov added that Ukraine appointed Lieutenant Common Barhylevych because the Protection Ministry's chief inspector. His position is to supervise army requirements and enhance self-discipline within the Armed Forces, in line with the minister.
Greater than three years into the full-scale conflict, Ukraine is slowly withdrawing on a number of fronts amid a crucial manpower scarcity. Kyiv is attempting to modernize the army in an try to resolve long-standing points, corresponding to command tradition and useful resource administration.
"Transformation continues," Umerov wrote in the identical Fb publish.
The Kyiv IndependentYana Prots
Russia readying to assault Sumy as Donbas entrance stabilizes, Zelensky says
Russian troopers are amassing on the border to arrange to launch an attack on Ukraine's northeastern Sumy area, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned on March 15.
Zelensky mentioned in a post on Telegram that Ukraine has noticed areas alongside its jap border the place the Russian military is amassing power. "This speaks to a want to ship a strike to our Sumy Oblast," Zelensky wrote. "We perceive this and can take countermeasures."
The Ukrainian president additionally wrote that he hopes overseas leaders would be aware "that in Moscow they’re getting ready to disregard diplomacy."
U.S. diplomats had been in Moscow this week to hash out a ceasefire deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who stays maximalist in his public calls for for concessions from Ukraine. After talks in Saudi Arabia between the U.S. and Ukraine, Kyiv mentioned it was prepared to maneuver ahead with a ceasefire, offered Russia did the identical.
Zelensky additionally wrote that "the state of affairs on the Pokrovsk entrance has stabilized" after a number of months throughout which the city in Donetsk Oblast had been on the heart of combating and periodic threats of Russian encirclement.
"Due to our Ukrainian forces, a big amount of Russian forces had been pulled away from different fronts to Kursk Oblast," Zelensky wrote.
Trump-Putin cellphone name anticipated this week, US hopes for ceasefire inside weeks, envoy says
U.S. President Donald Trump is anticipated to hold a phone call together with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin this week, Steve Witkoff, Trump's particular envoy to the Center East, mentioned on March 16.
"I count on that there will probably be a name with each presidents this week, and we're additionally persevering with to have interaction and have a dialog with the Ukrainians,” Witkoff told CNN after assembly Putin in Moscow on March 13.
Witkoff additionally mentioned that the U.S. hopes to "see a ceasefire inside weeks," as cited by Axios.
The anticipated cellphone name comes as Trump tries to finish the conflict at any value. European allies and Ukraine have warned {that a} rushed peace deal with out ample safety ensures gained't end in lasting peace.
Witkoff mentioned the talks with Putin lasted just a few hours and went properly. He added that he anticipated the cellphone name between the 2 presidents to be "actually good and optimistic."
"We're bridging the hole between two sides," he mentioned.
"The 4 areas are of crucial significance right here," Witkoff mentioned, referring to Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, that are partially occupied by Russian troops.
Witkoff additionally mentioned that the U.S. is holding discussions with Ukraine, Russia, and European allies, together with France, the U.Ok., Finland, and Norway.
He claimed that Putin accepts "Trump's philosophy" on ending Russia's conflict in Ukraine, Axios reported.
"The 2 sides are lots nearer at this time than they had been just a few weeks in the past. We narrowed the variations," Witkoff mentioned.
Kyiv agreed to a 30-day ceasefire proposed by the U.S. throughout talks in Jeddah on March 11, after which Washington resumed army and intelligence help for Ukraine.
Russia is able to comply with the U.S.-proposed ceasefire in Ukraine however calls for ensures that Kyiv won’t mobilize or practice troops or obtain army support through the truce, Putin said on March 13.
In the meantime, U.S. Nationwide Safety Advisor Mike Waltz mentioned on March 16 that Ukraine was anticipated to alternate territories for safety ensures.
"That is going to be some sort of territory for future safety ensures, the long run standing of – of Ukraine," Waltz said on ABC Information.
He additionally mentioned that "a everlasting pathway into NATO, or a everlasting membership into NATO for Ukraine is extremely unlikely."
The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk
UK proposes Western peacekeeping mission of 10,000 troops in Ukraine
U.Ok. Prime Minister Keir Starmer introduced plans to ship 10,000 peacekeeping troops to Ukraine at a high-level digital summit in London on March 15.
The summit, which included 29 worldwide leaders, was organized by the U.Ok. with the aim of making a "coalition of the prepared" that would safe Ukraine within the occasion of a peace take care of Russia.
Starmer's proposed peacekeeping contingent would come with round 10,000 troops, principally offered by the U.Ok. and France, U.Ok. army sources told the Sunday Occasions. Thirty-five nations have agreed to provide the peacekeeping mission with weapons, logistics, and intelligence help.
The peacekeeping mission will probably be "a big power with a big variety of nations offering troops and a a lot bigger group contributing in different methods," a senior authorities supply mentioned.
Along with European nations, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand joined the decision, as did NATO Secretary Common Mark Rutte.
The proposed power of 10,000 is considerably smaller than the 30,000 troops Starmer reportedly pitched to U.S. President Donald Trump throughout their White Home assembly on Feb. 20.
Beforehand, President Volodymyr Zelensky saidthat European companions would want to station 100,000 to 150,000 troops on Ukraine's entrance traces to successfully deter Russia.
U.Ok. protection sources informed the Guardian on Feb. 18 {that a} a lot smaller European-led peacekeeping forcec ould as an alternative depend on intelligence, surveillance, and long-range monitoring to implement a ceasefire.
Following the digital summit, Starmer introduced that "troops on the bottom and planes within the sky" would supply safety ensures for Ukraine following a future peace deal.
The allied coalition will maintain a second spherical of army talks on March 20, Starmer mentioned.
Whereas France and the U.Ok. have been probably the most vocal about sending troops to Ukraine, some nations, together with Italy and Finland, have expressed reservations. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni attended the summit and vocalized help for Ukraine, however mentioned that Italy doesn’t plan to take part within the proposed peacekeeping power.
The Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov
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