March 21, 2023 - Russia-Ukraine news

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense said late Monday that a strike destroyed Russian “Kalibr” cruise missiles that were being transported by train in the town of Dzhankoi, in Russian-occupied Crimea.

Ukrainian authorities did not directly claim responsibility for the strike but said it serves to further “demilitarize Russia and prepare the Crimean peninsula for de-occupation.”

Sergei Askyonov, the Russian-installed head of the annexed peninsula, confirmed there was a strike and the region’s air defense system was activated. One person was injured and two buildings were damaged, Askyonov said.

Amateur video geolocated by CNN shows a large explosion and resulting fireball. An individual is heard saying off-camera the strike hit the train station. However, the video did not clearly show what had been hit and CNN hasn’t been able to confirm the exact location of the strike.

Two of Russia’s most important military airfields in Crimea are located in Dzhankoi and Gvardeyskoye, Britain’s Ministry of Defense said in 2022.

“Dzhankoi is also a key road and rail junction that plays an important role in supplying Russia’s operations in southern Ukraine,” it said.

Crimea also hosts an important port and a major naval base for Russia’s Black Sea fleet in the city of Sevastopol. Some of Russia’s most important warships have been docked there, including surface ships equipped with cruise missiles.

The US has previously accused Russia of using cruise missiles fired from ships in the Black Sea to hit civilian targets in Ukraine.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said EU plans to accelerate the supply of ammunition to Ukraine gives him "confidence in our unity." 

“This decision is worth 2 billion euros. It provides for both immediate delivery and production of ammunition. This is a strategic move,” he said in his nightly address on Monday.

More on this: Earlier today, Estonia’s Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said that following a meeting in Brussels, European Union member states agreed on the joint procurement of 1 million rounds of 155mm artillery ammunition for Ukraine. Seventeen EU member states and Norway agreed to jointly procure ammunition to “aid Ukraine and replenish national stockpiles,” the European Defence Agency (EDA) explained later in a news release.

In his nightly address, Zelensky also reiterated his thanks to the United States for its latest military aid package announcement. He called the $350 million package “all that is truly necessary to support our soldiers”.

The White House maintained its skeptical view of this week’s summit between Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, suggesting there was little evidence the talks between the Chinese and Russian leaders could yield positive developments for Ukraine.

John Kirby, the National Security Council communications coordinator, told reporters the US remains concerned that Xi would reiterate calls for a ceasefire in Ukraine that would only benefit Russia by allowing Russian forces to remain inside Ukrainian territory.

He said there wasn’t evidence yet that Beijing was moving forward with providing Moscow with weapons, but he said the option hasn’t been taken off the table.

He told CNN’s Phil Mattingly the US views Russia as China’s “junior partner.”

A prospective phone call between Xi and President Joe Biden remains in the cards, but will only occur at the “most appropriate time,” Kirby said.

In the meantime, the administration still hopes for Secretary of State Antony Blinken to visit Beijing and is working on arranging economic visits by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to China.

US President Joe Biden is interested in talking again with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, according to John Kirby, the National Security Council strategic communications coordinator.

Xi is currently in Moscow on a three-day visit hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Nothing has been scheduled between the US and Chinese leaders yet, Kirby said. US officials want to make sure “it's at the appropriate time,” he added.

Biden met with Xi for three hours in November on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali. It was their first in-person encounter since Biden took office. At the time, the president told reporters he was “open and candid” with Xi about the range of matters where Beijing and Washington disagree.

Kirby also said the US wants to reschedule Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Beijing. It was postponed in February in response to the flying of a suspected Chinese spy balloon.

Blinken intends to travel to China "at the earliest opportunity when conditions allow," a State Department official said last month, though the official did not elaborate on what conditions the US is watching for.

Kirby also said the US is having "active discussions" with China about Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo visiting the country.

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said Monday in an open letter to the Russian defense minister that his forces control around 70% of the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut.

A months-long battle is raging in the city and earlier this month, Prigozhin acknowledged that the situation in Bakhmut was “difficult, very difficult, with the enemy fighting each other for each meter.”

Prigozhin asked Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to take measures to prevent a potential upcoming offensive by Ukrainian troops in late March or early April, which the Wagner boss said would cut off his forces from Russian troops in eastern Ukraine. 

What Ukraine is saying: Prigozhin's comments come after Ukraine's military on Saturday claimed Wagner mercenaries have suffered “colossal losses” in the battle for Bahkmut and have had to seek reinforcements from Russian paratroopers.

CNN is unable to independently verify Prigozhin's claims or Ukrainian claims of Russian casualties.

Meanwhile, Prigozhin announced on Saturday that he plans to recruit about 30,000 new fighters by mid-May, according to a voice message published on Telegram.

Seventeen EU member states and Norway have agreed to jointly procure ammunition to “aid Ukraine and replenish national stockpiles,” the European Defence Agency (EDA) said in a news release on Monday.

Earlier Monday, Estonia’s Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said that following a meeting in Brussels, European Union member states had agreed on the joint procurement of 1 million rounds of 155mm artillery ammunition for Ukraine.

The 18 nations are Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden and Norway.

The EDA said this project “sends a clear message to industry and strengthens the EU’s support for Ukraine following Russia’s war of aggression,” adding that more countries have expressed intent to join the initiative.