Victory Chronicles-DAY 750

During a meeting with Republican senators, Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, discussed plans to draft legislation supporting Ukraine. Johnson emphasized the importance of opposing Vladimir Putin’s aggression and protecting Ukraine from further harm, suggesting that the House’s approach might differ from the Senate’s. He hinted that the House draft could involve offering support in the form of loans to safeguard American taxpayers’ interests. 

Johnson also entertained the idea of creating a mechanism to seize Russian assets and channel the proceeds into aiding Ukraine, similar to a proposal by Republican Mike McCaul. However, it remains uncertain whether provisions regarding the US southern border will be included, potentially raising concerns for Democrats. 

Despite these uncertainties, senators expressed optimism that the House would pass some aid for Ukraine, with Senator John Cornyn noting Johnson’s commitment to not leaving Ukraine empty-handed. Senator Kevin Kramer echoed this sentiment, highlighting Johnson’s clear intention to assist Ukraine. Republican Lindsey Graham also expressed optimism following the meeting.

EU ambassadors have agreed to increase military aid to Ukraine by 5 billion euros ($5.5 billion) through replenishing the European Peace Facility (EPF). The EPF has been crucial in supporting Ukraine’s defense capabilities, but funds have been limited as member states have not reached a consensus on how to replenish it. The EU remains committed to supporting Ukraine and ensuring it receives the necessary military equipment for self-defense. The allocation of additional funds is in progress, focusing on EU-made weapons but not excluding those produced outside the bloc. Some larger member states have expressed concerns about smaller countries sending outdated military equipment to Ukraine and using reimbursements to modernize their own arsenals. Germany and France have proposed focusing EU funds directly on arms contracts in Europe rather than using the reimbursement model.

On March 14, Russians shelled the city of Nikopol in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast with artillery, injuring five civilians, including a 7-year-old child, a 43-year-old man, a 73-year-old woman, and two local residents aged 74. Several high-rise buildings and municipal infrastructure facilities were also damaged. Law enforcement officers are currently documenting the consequences of the shelling.

DIU Special Forces destroy enemy “Murom-M” and occupants’ trucks. The special unit of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine “KABUL 9” destroyed the enemy’s video surveillance complex “Murom-M” and burned 2 trucks and an SUV of the Russian invaders.

Ukrainian shortages of ammunition and other war materiel resulting from delays in the provision of US military assistance may be making the current Ukrainian front line more fragile than the relatively slow Russian advances in various sectors would indicate. Ukrainian prioritization of the sectors most threatened by intensive Russian offensive operations could create vulnerabilities elsewhere that Russian forces may be able to exploit to make sudden and surprising advances if Ukrainian supplies continue to dwindle. Russia’s retention of the theater-wide initiative increases the risks of such developments by letting the Russian military command choose to increase or decrease operations anywhere along the line almost at will.

German outlet Der Spiegel published interviews with unnamed Ukrainian commanders on March 12 who stated that almost all Ukrainian units and formations have to husband ammunition and materiel because of the overall ammunition shortage and that some Ukrainian units with limited ammunition and materiel can only hold their current positions if Russian forces do not “attack with full force.” Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi warned that there is a threat of Russian units advancing deep into Ukrainian formations in unspecified areas of the frontline.

Ukrainian forces are likely attempting to mitigate problems caused by ammunition shortages by prioritizing the allocation of ammunition to sectors of the front facing larger-scale Russian offensive operations. The lower intensity of Russian offensive efforts against currently de-prioritized sectors likely obscures the risks to Ukrainian forces in those areas resulting from ammunition shortages. ISW continues to assess that Russian forces have the theater-wide initiative and will be able to determine the time, location, and scale of offensive operations so long as they retain the initiative.

Syrskyi’s and the Ukrainian commanders’ statements suggest that an intensification of Russian offensive operations in an area where Ukrainian forces have not prioritized allocating already limited ammunition supplies could lead to a Russian breakthrough and destabilization along a previously stable sector of the frontline in a short period of time. The current frontline is likely thus not stable, and timely Western resourcing of Ukrainian troops is essential to prevent Russia from identifying and exploiting an opportunity for a breakthrough on a vulnerable sector of the front.

Defender Volodymyr Koliada, with the call sign Shchedryk, died on July 3, 2023, during an assault near the village of Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Donetsk Oblast. The fighter was 38 years old.

Volodymyr Shchedryk was born and lived in the city of Zhovti Vody, Dnipro Oblast. He studied at the Kryvyi Rih Aviation College of the National Aviation University. He worked at a mine as an underground electric locomotive driver in the security of VostGOK, and his last job was at COMFY LLC. He read a lot and was able to support various topics during a conversation. Since high school, he has played volleyball professionally and won prizes in competitions. His greatest passion was football. The man knew the history of Ukrainian and world football, could tell without mistakes in which year who played, who won which championship and with what score. He supported FC Dynamo Kyiv and the Ukrainian national team. His favorite football player was Andriy Shevchenko. I used to play futsal with my work colleagues whenever I had free time. He was good at computer technology. He loved computer games, could maintain and customize a PC.

The man joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine in March 2023. He served in the 56th separate motorized infantry brigade. He held the position of assistant grenade launcher.

“My Vovchyk was my universe for 18 years. We were together in sorrow and joy, in health and illness, wealth and poverty. He was my wings, my motivation, my love. I do not know a person braver, more honest, more loyal and kinder than him. He was the best person I have ever known. He was extremely erudite. We believed in the victory of Ukraine. On 28.03.2023, he was mobilized, and he courageously left saying that he was going to defend his family. With Vova, we lost our dad and my beloved. Now nothing will ever replace him. All that remains are the memories of how happy I was with him, dreams of how we would raise our little princess. Indescribable pain of loss, sadness, emptiness. My wings are gone,” said the wife of the deceased Oleksandr Volkov. The defender was buried in his hometown. Volodymyr is survived by his mother, sister, wife and daughter.. 

*Volodymyr’s story on the Heroes Memorial – a platform for stories about the fallen defenders of Ukraine.

• French parliament supports bilateral security agreement with Ukraine
• Finnish PM: Russia preparing for ‘long conflict with West’
• Justice minister: Ukraine willing to accept loans if necessary to secure US aid
• UK intelligence says Russia’s advance on front slows down due to need to regenerate forces
• Russian volunteer soldiers fighting for Ukraine report destruction of 2 ammunition storage points in Russian town of Tiotkino