March 26, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news

Russian troops have entered the city of Slavutych, north of Kyiv -- a move which has sparked protests among hundreds of Ukrainian civilians.

Early Saturday, Oleksandr Pavliuk, head of the Kyiv regional administration, said "the Russian occupiers entered the city of Slavutych and seized the city hospital." 

The mayor of Slavutych, Yuri Fomichev, asked residents to come to the city square with Ukrainian symbols to "show their position."

Images and video geolocated by CNN showed a crowd -- possibly several hundred people -- chanting "Slavutych is Ukraine" and "Glory to Ukraine" in the main square. A large Ukrainian flag was unfurled.

The sound of at least three stun grenades, whose origin is unclear, can be heard.

Later, as the crowd moves through the square, several bursts of heavy gunfire can be heard.

Pavliuk also said that "according to the latest information, the mayor Yuri Fomichiv was abducted by invaders."

Late on Friday, the mayor had issued a statement on Facebook saying that: "Our defenders defended bravely and selflessly! But we do not have equal strength! Unfortunately, we have our dead."

Some background: The arrival of Russian forces in Slavutych follows several days of shelling against the city, which is strategically located close to the Dnieper River, about 95 miles (150 kilometers) north of Kyiv and close to the border with Belarus.

According to local officials, the city has been isolated almost since the beginning of the Russian invasion.

Slavutych was built for workers at the Chernobyl nuclear plant after the 1986 disaster left the area uninhabitable.

Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu held an official meeting on Saturday, state media reported, amid speculation over his whereabouts and health during the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

State news agency Tass said Shoigu met with the country's Ministry of Finance to discuss maintaining the supply of advanced weapons for the conflict.

Those items include "robotic complexes, information support and electronic warfare equipment, and of course, logistics, as it has always been the case,” Shoigu said, according to TASS.

"With the challenges we are facing today, we are moving according to plan in implementing the state defense procurement contract," Shoigu said. "Considering the fact that the government funding for this year is 15% higher than for the previous year, we must of course take a look at what needs particular attention when fulfilling the state defense procurement contract.”

Shoigu reportedly claimed that despite sanctions on Russia, the level of execution of state contracts is at 85%. Outside observers have expressed skepticism that Russia can continue to produce high-tech weaponry amid severe international sanctions, particularly if procurement of some technology by Russia is restricted.

In addition, Shoigu spoke about legal changes that would guarantee government support to Russian troops who have fought in Ukraine, TASS reported.

"According to these amendments, participants of the special military operation in Ukraine acquire the status of combat veterans. Support will also include relatives of this category of military service members," he said. 

According to a separate report from TASS, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the law on Saturday. It had been "unanimously" adopted by the State Duma and approved by the Federation Council on Wednesday.

The new law means that those who have taken part in Russia's military operations in Ukraine, will have access to the "social protection system used by veterans of Afghanistan, Syria, and other hot spots," which includes additional payments from the state, tax benefits and medical care, the Russian state media outlet reported.

The bigger picture: Speculation has been mounting over Shoigu's whereabouts in recent days, as the Defense Minister has kept a low profile in the last few weeks despite having a leading role in Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

On Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on media reports and speculation that Shoigu had been experiencing health problems.

"The defense minister has a lot on his plate at the moment," he said when CNN asked about Shoigu's reported absence. "The special military operation is going on. Naturally, now is not exactly the time for media activity, this is quite understandable."

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US President Joe Biden will attend a meeting Saturday with Ukrainian officials as he completes his visit to Poland.

The White House said Biden would drop by a meeting between his Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and their Ukrainian counterparts, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov.

It comes as Ukraine laments the outcomes of this week's NATO summit, which rebuffed calls from the country's leader to impose a no-fly zone.

“We expected more bravery. We expected some bold decisions,” Andriy Yermak, the chief of staff to President Volodomyr Zelensky, told the Atlantic Council in a live video interview Friday.

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said on Saturday that the UK will provide £2 million (approximately $2.64 million) in food supplies for areas of Ukraine encircled by Russian forces, following a direct request from the Ukrainian government, according to a government press release on Saturday. 

Truss said the UK government is working with Poland and Slovakia to provide “dried food, tinned goods and water” to Ukraine from “early next week,” where approximately 25 truckloads of supplies will be transported by road and rail to communities in need. 

The donation comes as part of the £400 million (approximately $528 million) the UK has committed in humanitarian and economic aid, according to the press release. 

Access to food, water and cooking facilities for cities encircled by Russian forces is becoming increasing difficult, the statement added. 

UK's Ministry of Defence said on Saturday in its intelligence update that Russia "continues to besiege" several major Ukrainian cities, including Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Mariupol.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asked energy producing countries at the Doha Forum in Qatar on Saturday to increase oil and gas output to avoid Russia’s global “blackmail.” 

“The future of Europe rests on your efforts, I ask you to increase the output of energy to ensure that everyone is Russia understands that you cannot use energy as a weapon,” Zelensky told the political forum virtually. 

“[Qatar] can make their contribution to the stabilization of Europe,” he said. 

Zelensky also referenced other conflict-stricken countries, saying the international order needs to be protected not just for Ukraine, but for Afghanistan, Iraq and Yemen. 

The Ukrainian president also warned of the potential effect the invasion is having on food exports from Ukraine to countries around the world, saying no country is insured against food disruption.

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said his country stands with millions of refugees in the “unjust” war on Ukraine. 

Speaking at the opening of the Doha Forum, Sheikh Tamim said Qatar also stands against any hostilities against national sovereignties. 

The question of gas: Qatar, one of the world's top suppliers of liquefied natural gas (LNG), has been thrust into the limelight as European states rush to find alternatives to the Russian gas that has powered their economies for decades, while Moscow presses on with its brutal war in Ukraine.

The European Union depends on Russia for about 40% of its natural gas. This week, German economy minister Robert Habeck left the Qatari capital, Doha, with an understanding to have Qatar supply it with gas. Germany currently has no terminals to receive direct shipments of LNG from Qatar, but it plans to build two.

Read more here about Qatar's key role in supplying gas.

Britain's Ministry of Defence said Saturday in its latest intelligence update that Russia prefers “indiscriminate” bombardments and will likely continue using “heavy firepower” on urban areas. 

“Russian forces are proving reluctant to engage in large scale urban infantry operations, rather preferring to rely on the indiscriminate use of air and artillery bombardments in an attempt to demoralise defending forces,” the ministry said. 

Russia "continues to besiege" several major Ukrainian cities, including Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Mariupol, the ministry added. 

When Vladimir Putin's forces last approached a capital city, they leveled it.

As the invasion of Ukraine enters its second month, Russian forces are digging in on the outskirts of Kyiv — and there are fears they could be preparing for the same indiscriminate scorched-earth tactic used in the Chechen capital of Grozny in 1999.

Kyiv is one of Ukraine's many jewels — a city more than 1,500 years old, a once-bustling capital of 2.8 million people, and home to irreplaceable international treasures, including architectural landmarks and cultural monuments.

Here are some of the sites experts say are at risk:

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These are some of the historical sites at risk in Kyiv

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In a video address on Friday, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said the country's military had dealt "powerful blows" to Russia, and thanked all those who were helping defend the nation.

Russian losses: Zelensky claimed that more than 16,000 Russian soldiers had been killed since the war began, a far higher number than the estimate Russia put forth Friday. CNN cannot independently confirm these figures.

"By restraining Russia's actions, our defenders are leading the Russian leadership to a simple and logical idea: talk is necessary. Meaningful. Urgent. Fair. For the sake of the result, not for the sake of the delay," he said. "16,000 Russian servicemen have already died. For what? What does it give and to whom?"

Any negotiations with Russia must guarantee Ukraine's sovereignty and the country's territorial integrity, he added.

Civilian evacuations: The President added that Ukraine had established 18 evacuation corridors this week, allowing more than 37,000 people to escape "blocked cities" — including more than 26,000 residents from Mariupol, which has been under relentless shelling for weeks. "The situation in the city remains absolutely tragic," Zelensky said.