March 16, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news

By Aditi Sangal, Adrienne Vogt, Meg Wagner, Melissa Macaya, Helen Regan, Adam Renton, George Ramsay, Ed Upright and Maureen Chowdhury, CNN

Updated 12:00 a.m. ET, March 17, 2022
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7:26 a.m. ET, March 16, 2022

Russian rocket hits TV tower in central Ukrainian city, say authorities

A TV tower in the central Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia has been hit by Russian rocket fire, knocking out the city’s broadcasting facilities, according to a statement from Ukraine’s state communications service.

There are no reports of any casualties. A CNN team in the area report hearing aircraft and two explosions at around 4 a.m. local time.

It is the latest in a series of communications towers to be hit by Russian forces, including structures in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Vynarivka and most recently in the northwestern city of Rivne.

Authorities in Rivne now say 21 people were killed in the strike that targeted the TV tower there.

Wednesday’s strike is the second significant targeting of Vinnytisa since the war began. Ten days ago, Russian missiles destroyed Vinnytsia’s airport.

7:21 a.m. ET, March 16, 2022

Oil industry faces "what could turn into the biggest supply crisis in decades," IEA warns

Oil pumping jacks in a Rosneft Oil Co. oilfield in the Udmurt Republic in Russia, on November 20, 2020.
Oil pumping jacks in a Rosneft Oil Co. oilfield in the Udmurt Republic in Russia, on November 20, 2020. (Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg/Getty Images)

The International Energy Agency (IEA) is warning that potential large-scale disruptions to Russian oil production is "threatening to create a global oil supply shock.”

This comes in light of tough sanctions imposed on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine and as buyers increasingly avoid Russian oil purchases.

“We estimate that from April, 3 mb/d (million barrels per day) of Russian oil output could be shut in as sanctions take hold and buyers shun exports," the IEA said in its oil market report.

"OPEC+ [the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries] is, for now, sticking to its agreement to increase supply by modest monthly amounts. Only Saudi Arabia and the UAE hold substantial spare capacity that could immediately help to offset a Russian shortfall."

OPEC has been facing calls to ramp up production amid soaring energy prices. In its last meeting, the organization agreed to stick to their current plan of gradually increasing output by just 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) per month. It meets again on March 31.

“Surging commodity prices and international sanctions levied against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine are expected to appreciably depress global economic growth,” the IEA said, which cut its 2022 global oil demand outlook by 1.3 million barrels per day.

It warned that the industry is faced “with what could turn into the biggest supply crisis in decades.”

The implications of a potential loss of Russian oil exports to global markets cannot be understated," the IEA added.

"Russia is the world’s largest oil exporter, shipping 8 mb/d of crude and refined oil products to customers across the globe," it noted.

6:50 a.m. ET, March 16, 2022

Czech crowdfunding campaign raises $30 million for weapons for Ukraine

From CNN's Ivana Kottasová in Lviv

A crowdfunding campaign aiming to raise money for weapons for Ukraine has raised over $30 million from more than 100,000 supporters since it was launched last month, according to the Czech Ministry of Defense.

The campaign is coordinated by the Czech government with the money going to the Embassy of Ukraine in Prague.

The proceeds are being used to buy weapons and other military supplies that Ukraine needs to defend itself from the Russian invasion, according to a statement from the Czech Ministry of Defence.

The Czech government said it has made available $185 million worth of military supplies that can be purchased with the money from the crowdfunding campaign.

“Arms, military equipment and ammunitions urgently needed by the Ukrainian military and the Territorial Defense Force to fill depleted stockpiles are part of the offer," the ministry said.

"Heavy military systems and ammunitions of 'Eastern' design are under consideration for delivery to Ukraine as well."

6:46 a.m. ET, March 16, 2022

Putin's actions in Ukraine are causing an oil price spike, says Boris Johnson. Here's how the UK is planning to deal with that

From CNN’s Niamh Kennedy in London

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson inspects the Guard of Honor as he arrives at Abu Dhabi airport for his visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on March 16.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson inspects the Guard of Honor as he arrives at Abu Dhabi airport for his visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on March 16. (Stefan Rousseau/AFP/Getty Images)

The United Kingdom is to set out its new national energy strategy next week amid “global uncertainty” caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Speaking Wednesday in Abu Dhabi as part of a trip which will see him visit the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, Johnson stressed the need to “be prepared” when faced with knock on price increases.

“What Putin is doing in Ukraine, it’s causing global uncertainty and a spike in the price of oil. That feeds through to the forecourts in the UK. Everybody can see the effect of the increase in in gas prices that’s coming through,” Johnson said.

Next week, the UK government will set out its national energy strategy, according to Johnson, which will see a “massive jump forward on renewables, more nuclear” and a more effective use of UK hydrocarbons.

The prime minister said he is not only visiting the UAE and Saudi Arabia due to its oil reserves, adding that they are “some of the biggest investors here in the Gulf, in UK renewables in our wind farms.”

The UK needs “to double the pace of our construction of wind farms,” the prime minister stressed.

“When we look at the dependency that the West in particular has built up on Putin’s hydrocarbons, on Putin’s oil and gas. We can see what a mistake that was because he has been able to blackmail the West, to hold Western economies to ransom,” Johnson remarked.

7:11 a.m. ET, March 16, 2022

Zaporizhzhia, a destination for thousands of evacuees, has been shelled for the first time, say officials

From Tim Lister, Julia Kesa and Olga Voitovych in Lviv

Evacuees from Mariupol are seen in the parking lot of a shopping center on the outskirts of Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on March 15.
Evacuees from Mariupol are seen in the parking lot of a shopping center on the outskirts of Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on March 15. (Emre Caylak/AFP/Getty Images)

The central Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia has come under Russian fire for the first time, according to officials in the regional administration.

Oleksandr Starukh, the head of Zaporizhzhia regional administration, said on his Telegram channel that the railway station and the area around the botanical garden were struck. No casualties had been recorded.

Separately, the southern command of the Ukrainian armed forces said the damage had probably been done by two missiles, but one had not exploded.

Zaporizhzhia is the destination for thousands of people leaving Mariupol, the besieged city on Ukraine's southern coast.

As of 2 a.m. local time on Wednesday, regional authorities said 3,207 vehicles had reached Zaporizhzhia from Mariupol. Shelter had been provided for more than 3,000 people.

6:19 a.m. ET, March 16, 2022

Tributes roll in for Fox News cameraman killed in Ukraine

From Eva Tapiero and Anaëlle Jonah in Paris

This image released by the Fox News Channel shows cameraman Pierre Zakrzewski while on assignment with colleagues, the Fox News correspondent Steve Harrigan and Jerusalem-based senior producer Yonat Friling, background right, in Kyiv, Ukraine.
This image released by the Fox News Channel shows cameraman Pierre Zakrzewski while on assignment with colleagues, the Fox News correspondent Steve Harrigan and Jerusalem-based senior producer Yonat Friling, background right, in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Pierre Zakrzewski/Fox News/AP)

France and Ireland have paid tribute to Pierre Zakrzewski, a dual-citizenship Franco-Irish photojournalist killed in Ukraine while on assignment for Fox News network.

Irish President Michael Higgins “offered his deepest sympathies to the family of Pierre Zakrzewski” in a statement released late Tuesday.

“The indiscriminate killings of civilians including journalists must be brought to an end,” the statement says.

Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, meanwhile, said in a tweet Tuesday that he condemned “this indiscriminate and immoral war by Russia on Ukraine.”

French Foreign affairs minister Jean-Yves Le Drian also paid his respects, saying in a Wednesday statement that “it is with great emotion that I learned of the death in Ukraine of the Franco-Irish journalist Pierre Zakrzewski and the Ukrainian journalist Oleksandra Kuvshynova."

“I send my deepest condolences to his family, to the family of Oleksandra Kuvshynova and to their loved ones, and stand by them in the face of this tragedy” the statement adds.

“I reiterate the obligation of the armed forces to protect journalists in conformity with international humanitarian law and I condemn in the strongest terms any action that targets them."

Some context: Zakrzewski, 55, and Kuvshynova, 24, were killed in an attack while reporting near the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on Monday. Fox News correspondent Benjamin Hall was also seriously injured and hospitalized in the attack.

The deaths come as journalists working in Ukraine increasingly find themselves coming under fire. Brent Renaud, an award-winning American documentarian, was killed on Sunday in an attack that also injured journalist Juan Arredondo. A Sky News team released footage earlier this month showing them being violently ambushed.

8:17 a.m. ET, March 16, 2022

Zelensky says Russia’s negotiating position is getting "more realistic," but Moscow downplays progress

From CNN's Niamh Kennedy

Russia’s negotiating position in talks with Ukraine is becoming “more realistic,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday.

Speaking in a televised message, Zelensky stressed the need for his country to "keep fighting," but struck a more positive note on negotiations.

"The meetings are ongoing, as I am told the positions are sounding more realistic," he said.

Zelensky emphasized the importance of persevering with the talks as "any war must end in agreement," but added that "we need more time to achieve decisions that serve the interests of Ukraine."

Talks between the two countries are set to pick up again on Wednesday after winding down on Tuesday evening, according to the Ukrainian delegation.

However, Vladimir Medinsky, the head of the Russian negotiating delegation, said the country's objectives in negotiations with Ukraine have not changed since talks between the two sides began.

Medinsky, a presidential aide, said Moscow wants a “peaceful, free, independent and neutral” Ukraine, as quoted by state media RIA Novosti on Wednesday.

"The goal of Russia in these negotiations is exactly the same as the goal of Russia which was set at the very beginning of the special military operation,” he said.

“We need a peaceful, free, independent Ukraine, neutral -- not a member of military blocs, not a member of NATO. A country that is our friend, a neighbor, with whom we are developing relations together, building our future, and which is not a base for military and economic attacks against our country."

Medinsky added that the Russia-Ukraine talks are ongoing, but are “difficult” and “slow.”

"Of course, we would like it all to happen much faster, this is such a sincere desire of the Russian side. We want to come to peace as soon as possible," he said.

5:43 a.m. ET, March 16, 2022

Russian prisoners of war speak of low morale and shame at "crimes" committed in Ukraine

From CNN's Tim Lister and Sebastian Shukla

"I want to tell our commander-in-chief to stop terror acts in Ukraine because when we come back we'll rise against him."

The crimes that we committed; we all will be judged."

These are the voices of Russian prisoners of war now held by Ukraine.

Nearly a dozen have appeared in news conferences held by the Ukrainian authorities, just a few of the 600 that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says have been captured.

Their public appearances may be questionable under the Geneva Conventions, which forbid states from causing unnecessary humiliation to prisoners of war. And it is possible that they felt pressure to express views sympathetic to those of their captors.

But three captured Russian air force pilots who spoke to CNN did not suggest they were speaking under duress, and their words appear to chime with other Russian prisoners of war speaking following their captures -- that this is not a war they want to be fighting.

CNN's interview with the three Russian captives revealed that they had deep disquiet about their mission and the suffering of Ukrainian civilians, while they also had harsh words for their commander-in-chief, Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Read the full story here:

8:17 a.m. ET, March 16, 2022

Zelensky will deliver remarks virtually to members of the US Congress. Here's what to expect

From CNN's Clare Foran

A handout photo shows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivering an address on March 16 in Kyiv, Ukraine.
A handout photo shows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivering an address on March 16 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Ukraine Presidential Press Service/ABACA/Reuters)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will deliver a virtual address Wednesday to members of Congress.

It comes amid Russia's ongoing unprovoked and deadly invasion of Ukraine and as Kyiv presses the United States for more assistance in its defense.

"As war rages on in Ukraine, it is with great respect and admiration for the Ukrainian people that we invite all Members of the House and Senate to attend a Virtual Address to the United States Congress delivered by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine on Wednesday, March 16th at 9:00 a.m," Pelosi and Schumer wrote in a letter to members.

There is widespread bipartisan support among US lawmakers for aid to Ukraine, and just last week Congress approved an emergency aid package with $13.6 billion in humanitarian, defensive and economic assistance to the embattled country.

In addition to that, Zelensky recently pressed President Joe Biden during their latest call for more sanctions to further squeeze Russia, CNN has learned.

What Zelensky wants: According to multiple sources familiar with the call, Zelensky specifically asked Biden for further efforts to cut off Russia from international trade and to continue targeting the Russian elite, as the US has continued to add more oligarchs and their families to its sanctions list. Zelensky also mentioned closing off Russia's access to international waterways during the call.

In their letter to lawmakers, Pelosi and Schumer reaffirmed US support for Ukraine amid the war.

"The Congress remains unwavering in our commitment to supporting Ukraine as they face (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's cruel and diabolical aggression, and to passing legislation to cripple and isolate the Russian economy as well as deliver humanitarian, security and economic assistance to Ukraine," they wrote.
"We look forward to the privilege of welcoming President Zelenskyy's address to the House and Senate and to convey our support to the people of Ukraine as they bravely defend democracy," the two top congressional Democrats said.

CNN's Kaitlan Collins, Annie Grayer and Manu Raju contributed to this report.