March, 2022

• 16 March

  Ukraine sees room for compromise, as 20,000 escape Mariupol

  

  Ukraine said it saw possible room for compromise in talks with Russia despite Moscow’s stepped up bombardment Tuesday of Kyiv and new assaults on the port city of Mariupol, from where an estimated 20,000 civilians managed to flee through a humanitarian corridor. The fast-moving developments on the diplomatic front and …

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• 15 March

  US sends sizable contingent to Norway for giant NATO exercise in region rattled by Russia

  

  Several thousand U.S. Marines and sailors are among the roughly 30,000 troops from 27 NATO and partner countries taking part in Norway’s largest military exercise since the end of the Cold War. The biennial Cold Response exercise kicked off Monday and includes land, sea and air drills. This year’s record …

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• 15 March

  Islamic State Fighters in Iraq, Africa Line Up Behind New Leader

  

  The Islamic State group is moving to solidify support for its new leader, sharing photos on social media showing fighters uniting behind his rule. One set of photos obtained by JihadoScope, a company that monitors online activity by Islamist extremists, and shared with VOA on Friday, shows a small group …

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• 15 March

  Iran claims missile barrage near US consulate in Iraq

  

  ran claimed responsibility Sunday for a missile barrage that struck near a sprawling U.S. consulate complex in northern Iraq, saying it was retaliation for an Israeli strike in Syria that killed two members of its Revolutionary Guard earlier this week. Iraq’s Foreign Ministry on Sunday summoned Iran’s ambassador to protest …

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• 15 March

  US Congress passes budget with defense boost, $13.6 billion in Ukraine aid

  

  Senate lawmakers finalized a $1.5 trillion spending bill late Thursday that provides $13.6 billion in new aid for Ukraine and funding stability for the Defense Department for the rest of the fiscal year. President Joe Biden is expected to sign the measure into law Friday. Without the budget deal, government …

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• 15 March

  US warns Chinese on support for Russia in Ukraine war

  

  Face to face, President Joe Biden’s national security adviser warned a top Chinese official on Monday about China’s support for Russia in the Ukrainian invasion, even as the Kremlin denied reports it had requested Chinese military equipment to use in the war. U.S. adviser Jake Sullivan and senior Chinese foreign …

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• 15 March

  Turkey, Greece agree to improve ties amid Ukraine conflict

  

  Turkish President RecepTayyip Erdoğan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis agreed in talks on Sunday (13 March) to improve ties, despite the long-running disagreements between the two NATO members, Ankara said. The Turkish and Greek leaders met Sunday in Istanbul mindful that the burgeoning conflict in Ukraine looms larger than …

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• 15 March

  US probes sabotage of satellite internet during Russian invasion

  

  Western intelligence agencies are investigating a cyberattack by unidentified hackers that disrupted broadband satellite internet access in Ukraine coinciding with Russia’s invasion, Reuters reported on Saturday. Analysts for the US National Security Agency, French government cybersecurity organization ANSSI, and Ukrainian intelligence are assessing whether the remote sabotage of a satellite …

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• 15 March

  Reports of Russia abducting two mayors signals ominous new phase of Ukraine invasion

  

  Local officials disappearing, public warnings that protests will be considered “extremism” and signs of Ukrainian resistance anyway: This is what life looks like inside some Ukrainian cities now under the control of Russian troops, according to new photos and videos from those areas posted to social media. Ukrainian officials’ claims …

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• 15 March

  Anti-war protests across Europe, small rallies in Russia

  

  Tens of thousands of people rallied Sunday in cities across Europe to protest against Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, with small vigils taking place in Russia as well despite a crackdown by authorities against such demonstrations. German trade unions called a protest in Berlin, where sunny weather boosted the turnout. …

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