UNITED States Senator Lindsey Graham has warned Putin will make the US ‘’pay now or later’’ and should expect ‘’more conflict’’ if Russia win war against Ukraine.
It comes after Ron DeSantis, the Governor of Florida, suggested that Russia’s war in Ukraine should not be one of America’s “vital national interests.”
Taking to Twitter, Graham wrote: ‘’If Putin loses in Ukraine, then the world resets in all the right ways.
‘’If he wins in Ukraine and the west capitulates just like in the past, more conflict is coming.’’
He added: ‘’When it comes to Putin, you either pay now or pay later. ‘’If you do not understand that success by Putin in Russia invites aggression by China against Taiwan, then you have seriously miscalculated one of the most obvious nexuses in the world.”
Read our Ukraine war blog below for the latest news…
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Pictured: Ukrainian soldiers take part in interactive shooting training
This shooting range for the National Guard of Ukraine was purchased by the Lviv City Council.
It will help prepare the military for training on the training ground with real weapons and save ammunition for weapons.
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Latest: Russian fighter jet smashes into US Reaper drone over the Black Sea
The Russian Defence Ministry has said Russian fighter jets didn’t fire their weapons or impact the US drone that came down in the Black Sea.
Read the full story here.
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Oleksii Reznikov honours Ukrainian Volunteer Day
Ukraine’s Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov has today honoured Ukrainian Volunteer Day.
Taking to Twitter, he wrote: ”Today is Ukrainian Volunteer Day. We honour those who willingly, without an order of the state, stood up to defend Ukraine.
”In 2014, in 2022 or in any other year of war. Honour to the patriots who continue to serve.
”Eternal memory to all fallen volunteers. Glory to Ukraine!”
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Inside the UK led training programme for Ukrainian recruits
Known as Operation Interflex, the UK led training programme for Ukrainian recruits provides them with battlefield skills, enabling them to defend their homeland against Russian aggression.
The training is for new volunteer recruits who have joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine with little to no previous military experience to teach them the skills required to survive and be effective in frontline combat.
Since the start of the training programme back in June 2022, over 10,000 recruits have taken part in training – which has been extended with an aim of training up to 20,000 in 2023.
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In pictures: Ukrainian civilians receive humanitarian aid
Ukrainian civilians received humanitarian aid from volunteers and Ukrainian Army members.
Credit: Getty 
Credit: Getty -
US drone collides with Russian fighter jet
An unmanned US drone has collided with a Russian fighter jet over the Black Sea.
The collision caused the MQ-9 drone to crash, in spite of two Su-27 planes attempting to intercept the aircraft by dumping fuel in front of it.
US Air Force general James Hecker said: “Our MQ-9 aircraft was conducting routine operations in international airspace when it was intercepted and hit by a Russian aircraft, resulting in a crash and complete loss of the MQ-9.
“In fact, this unsafe and unprofessional act by the Russians nearly caused both aircraft to crash.
“US and Allied aircraft will continue to operate in international airspace and we call on the Russians to conduct themselves professionally and safely.”
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DeSantis says supporting Ukraine not a ‘vital’ US interest
Governor of Florida Ron DeSantis, who is expected to challenge Donald Trump for the 2024 Republican nomination and run for president, has said supporting Ukraine’s heroic resistance against Russian invaders is not a ‘vital’ US interest.
DeSantis tweeted: “While the US has many vital national interests… becoming further entangled in a territorial dispute between Ukraine and Russia is not one of them.
“The Biden administration’s virtual ‘blank check’ funding of this conflict for ‘as long as it takes,’ without any defined objectives or accountability, distracts from our country’s most pressing challenges.”
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Russian losses rise to over 160,000
Ukraine’s armed forces claimed that Russia has lost a further 740 troops within the past 24 hours.
Russian forces also faced heavy losses in machinery as 10 tanks and 16 artillery systems were destroyed.
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UK’s MoD releases latest intelligence update
The UK’s Ministry of Defence has released their latest map of how the war in Ukraine is unfolding on the ground.
MoD tweeted: “The illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is continuing.
“The map below is the latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine – 14 March 2023.
“Find out more about the UK government’s response: http://ow.ly/awWc50NhOCY
“#StandWithUkraine”
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Mariupol school children forced to raise Russian flag in ‘patriotic education’
According to Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko, school children in Russian-occupied Mariupol have been forced to listen to Russia’s national anthem and raise the country’s flag in “patriotic education.
Goncharenko tweeted: “In occupied Mariupol, schoolchildren are forced to raise the Russian flag and listen to the Russian anthem. Now it’s all called ‘patriotic education.’
“Children are forced to listen to the anthem of the country that wiped out their city and killed thousands of people.”
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32 countries join coalition supporting creation of special tribunal agains Russia
According to Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s foreign minister, 32 countries have joined a coalition supporting the creation of a special tribunal to hold Russia to account for its illegal invasion.
Mr Kuleba tweeted: “Two more countries have joined the Coalition for the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine.
“32 states are now working together to hold Russia’s top political and military leadership accountable.
“Putin and his associates will stand trial.”
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Putin claims Russia is richer following Western sanctions
Vladimir Putin claimed Russia’s economy has grown stronger since Western countries imposed sanctions following his country’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking to factory workers in a helicopter manufacturing facility today, Putin said: “It turned out, for many of us, and even more so for Western countries, that the fundamental foundations of Russia’s stability are much stronger than anyone thought.
“We have increased our economic sovereignty many times over.
“After all, what did our enemy count on? That we would collapse in two to three weeks or in a month.”
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Putin plays victim by branding his war in Ukraine a fight for the existence of Russia
Vladimir Putin has claimed the very existence of the Russian state is in jeopardy due to his illegal war in Ukraine, making out the country is the one really fighting for its survival.
Speaking to factory workers at an aviation facility, the Russian president said: “… for us this is not a geopolitical task, but a task of the survival of Russian statehood, creating conditions for the future development of the country and our children.”
In reality, Western allies are supporting Ukraine against an imperial-style invasion by the Russian aggressors.
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Video shows fearless Ukrainian soldier taking on Russian troops in trench warfare firefight
Dramatic footage has shown the moment a fearless Ukrainian soldier battled Russian forces in an intense trench battle.
The video was shot from the soldier’s helmet in the battle for the town Bakhmut – which Vladimir Putin’s forces are desperately trying to seize.
The footage begins by showing the soldier opening fire on unseen Russian soldiers from a position of partial cover.
A second Ukrainian soldier can be seen tossing a grenade in front of him, which then explodes.
The Ukrainian soldiers then begin attacking a dugout, before the footage cuts to Ukrainian soldiers taking fire in a trench.
Read more here.
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Inside the UK led training programme for Ukrainian recruits
Known as Operation Interflex, the UK led training programme for Ukrainian recruits provides them with battlefield skills, enabling them to defend their homeland against Russian aggression.
The training is for new volunteer recruits who have joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine with little to no previous military experience to teach them the skills required to survive and be effective in frontline combat.
Since the start of the training programme back in June 2022, over 10,000 recruits have taken part in training – which has been extended with an aim of training up to 20,000 in 2023.
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How Ukrainian troops are defeating Putin’s invaders with Brit weapons
Hero Ukrainian troops are using a mixture of British weapons against Putin’s invaders.
Teams are manning M270 multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) and L119 howitzers to blitz Russian forces and “change the face of the war”.
One group using an MLRS, who trained for three weeks on Salisbury Plain, Wilts, were raining death on the occupiers from a vast pine forest hidden from surveillance drones.
The £140,000-a-pop rockets, now running low in Ukraine, can hit a 10ft square target from 52 miles and the launcher is so hated and feared by Russia that the crew have a squad of special forces bodyguards.
Read more here.
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Poland could provide MIG fighter jets to Ukraine within weeks
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said today his country could provide Ukraine with MIG fighter jets in the next four to six weeks.
Other Western countries who have supplied Ukraine with weaponry have refused to send war planes so far.
Warsaw said it would be prepared to send fighter jets in a coalition of countries.
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Moscow does not recognise ICC in The Hague
Following reports of the International Criminal Court in The Hague seeking its first arrest warrants against Russians due to the war in Ukraine, Moscow has said it does not recognise the court’s juristiction.
This morning Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, told journalists in Moscow: “We do not recognise this court; we do not recognise its jurisdiction.”
According to reports yesterday, the ICC is planning to formally open two war crimes cases and issue warrants for a number of Russian nationals deemed responsible for the targeting of civilian infrastructure in Ukraine and the mass abductions of Ukrainian children.
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Woman dies in Russian shelling of Kharkiv
According to local authorities, a 55-year-old woman has died in Russian shelling of the Kharkiv region.
The woman was killed when a missile struck a car in the city of Vovchansk. Kharkiv governor Oleh Syniehubov said she “died on the spot”.
Syniehubov also said Russia targeted civilian infrastructure, including a fire station in the city.
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Finland could join NATO before Sweden
According to Ulf Kristersson, the likelihood of Finland joining NATO before Sweden “has increased”.
But the Swedish prime minister added that it’s “not a question of if, but when” Sweden will join.
Turkey has so far stalled the Scandinavian countries’ applications, and is believed to be more against Sweden joining than Finland.
Speaking at a news conference in Stockholm today, Mr Kristersson said: “What we have encountered in recent weeks is that the probability of this happening at different times has increased,”
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In pictures: Aftermath of missile strike in Kramatorsk
A deadly Russian missile strike on Kramatorsk city centre killed one person and injured at least three others earlier today.
Below, see the devastation caused to residential buildings and heroic rescue operations underway.
Credit: Reuters 
Credit: Reuters 
Credit: Reuters -
Attack on Donetsk region kills one
The Ukrainian president has said one person was killed after a missile struck Kramatorsk city centre in the eastern Donetsk region.
At least three others were injured in the attack.
Posting on Telegram, Volodymyr Zelensky said: “Rescue operations are still ongoing.
“The evil state continues to fight against the civilian population. Destroying life and leaving nothing human.”
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UK’s MoD release latest intelligence update
The UK’s Ministry of Defence has claimed Russia’s “artillery ammunition shortages have likely worsened”.
They said: “This has almost certainly been a key reason why no Russian formation has recently been able to generate operationally significant offensive action.
“Russia has almost certainly already resorted to issuing old munitions stock which were previously categorised as unfit for use.
“A presidential decree of 03 March 2023 laid down measures for the Ministry of Trade and Industry to bypass the authority of the managers of defence industries who fail to meet their production goals.”
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Zelensky confirms one person has died and three injured in Kramatorsk
Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed on his Telegram channel that that one person has been killed and three people injured in the shelling of Kramatorsk in Donetsk region this morning..
Zelensky said: “Kramatorsk. A Russian missile hit the city center. Six high-rise buildings were damaged.
“At least three people were injured. One person died. My condolences to the family! Rescue operations are still ongoing.
“The evil state continues to fight against the civilian population. Destroying life and leaving nothing human.
“Every strike that takes an innocent life must result in a lawful and just sentence that punishes murder. It will definitely be that way.”
