Victorious news on 390th day of war: one million shells for AFU, Putin in lifetime isolation, new aid from US

Till death in isolation

The arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court may affect Putin's ability to travel abroad. In addition, it will remain in effect for the rest of his life, said The Hague prosecutor Geoffrey Nice.

"He (Putin - ed.) will remain an alleged criminal until and unless he submits himself for trial, or is handed over for trial and acquitted," he said.

At the same time, Nice believes that Putin's trial is unlikely because the ICC does not have the authority to arrest suspects without the cooperation of the government. Russia is not a member of the ICC, which means that the court located in The Hague has no authority there.

"This (Putin's trial - ed.) seems extremely unlikely, so he will remain an alleged criminal for the rest of his life," said Nice.

Marder infantry fighting vehicles and a million shells for the Armed Forces of Ukraine

The EU foreign and defense ministers have approved a plan to supply ammunition to Ukraine, which provides for the joint purchase of 1 million shells. This was announced by the Prime Minister of Estonia, Kaja Kallas.

“Ukraine needs ammunition and has asked for it. I proposed that EU member states jointly procure 1 million shells for Ukraine. Glad that EU foreign and defence ministers approved the initiative today,” she tweeted.

The day before, Radio Liberty correspondent Rikard Jozwiak reported that EU foreign ministers are planning to sign an agreement on a plan to jointly supply ammunition to Ukraine.

"EU foreign ministers should be able to sign the ammunition plan for Ukraine tomorrow – with the goal of providing 1 million artillery rounds for Kyiv in the course of the upcoming 12 months," he wrote on March 19.

In addition, according to German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, German Marder infantry fighting vehicles are already on their way to Ukraine. The Marder infantry fighting vehicle is designed to move soldiers across the battlefield. 

The German military has been using it since the early 1970s and has been constantly modernizing it. Today, these vehicles are being gradually decommissioned, but hundreds are still in service.

There is also good news from the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. He announced the decision to provide Ukraine with a new military aid package worth $350 million. The aid package includes: ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS); 155 mm artillery shells; 25 mm ammunition; High Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles (HARMs); 81 mm and 60 mm mortar systems and mortars; AT-4 anti-tank weapons systems; grenade launchers, small arms and ammunition, etc.

Sanctions against Iran continue

The Australian government has imposed a series of targeted financial sanctions against Iran. These include an organization and 13 individuals involved in the production and supply of drones to Russia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reminded that the Russian Federation used Iranian-made drones to attack Ukrainian infrastructure and civilians. They also noted that this sanctions list demonstrates that providing material support to Russia will have consequences for those involved.

In addition, the Australian Foreign Ministry imposed a number of targeted Magnitsky-style financial sanctions and a travel ban on 14 individuals. Targeted financial sanctions are also being imposed on 14 Iranian organizations involved in human rights violations in Iran. 

Among those subject to the restrictions are high-ranking law enforcement, political and military figures, including representatives of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, who participated in the brutal suppression of protests in the country.

At the same time, the EU expanded and extended sanctions against Iran for human rights violations. The sanctions now apply to 204 individuals and 34 legal entities and include an asset freeze, a ban on entry to the EU, and a ban on providing funds or economic resources to the persons on the list. There is also a ban on exports to Iran of equipment that could be used for repression and telecommunications monitoring equipment.

Accurate strikes by the Ukrainian Defense Forces

A deputy of the Kherson Regional Council, Serhiy Khlan, said that on March 19, the Ukrainian Defense Forces targeted the occupiers' ammunition depot in Nova Kakhovka with a precision strike. "Although there was only one strike, we were informed that the detonation was very powerful. Such detonation is an indication that the occupiers' ammunition depot was hit," said Khlan. He added that Ukrainian partisans are also actively working to liberate Ukrainian territories from the Russian occupiers. 

"Also in the evening there was a report that an explosion occurred in the center of Nova Kakhovka. The explosion occurred at the elevator, which has not been working lately. 

However, it was not the work of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. According to our information, it was the work of Ukrainian partisans. The occupiers' fuel and lubricants storage facility was liquidated at this elevator," he added.

Ukrainian border guards also did a good job. They destroyed a platoon stronghold of the occupying Russian troops along with ammunition, the State Border Guard Service reports.

"The other day, aerial reconnaissance of the State Border Guard Service found a pile of garbage in the Kupiansk direction. Later it turned out that it was moving. So, to prevent the garbage from spreading, we adjusted the art. As a result of coordinated actions of aerial reconnaissance and artillery units, a platoon stronghold with ammunition was destroyed," the statement reads.

In the evening report, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that the military aviation carried out 9 strikes on the areas of concentration of the Russian forces over the day. Rocket and artillery units hit 3 areas of enemy concentration, their weapons and military equipment.