The EU approved a €90 billion loan for Ukraine while Russian forces made minimal territorial progress in March, according to recent reports.
11:06 AM
The European Union has approved a €90 billion loan for Ukraine as the country continues its defense against Russian invasion, according to reports Wednesday.
The financial support comes as data suggests Russian troops made almost no territorial gains during March, marking a potential shift in the conflict's trajectory. Senior international correspondent Luke Harding noted the development in recent analysis of the war's current state.
Prince Harry made a surprise visit to Kyiv, further signaling international attention and support for Ukraine's position. The combination of financial backing, stalled Russian advances, and high-profile visits has prompted discussion about whether conditions may be improving for Ukraine.
On Thursday, Ukraine's General Staff reported Russia's cumulative combat losses since the invasion began on February 24, 2022, now total approximately 1,323,460 personnel. In the 24 hours preceding Thursday, Russian forces sustained 910 additional casualties, according to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Beyond personnel losses, Russia has lost significant military equipment. The General Staff documented losses including 11,892 tanks, 24,445 armored combat vehicles, 40,606 artillery systems, 1,753 multiple launch rocket systems, and 1,353 air defense systems. Russia has also lost 435 aircraft and 350 helicopters, along with 254,605 operational-tactical unmanned aerial vehicles. Additional losses include 4,549 cruise missiles, 33 warships and boats, and 2 submarines. Russia has also lost 91,256 vehicles and fuel tankers, plus 4,134 special equipment units. The data are being verified.
On Thursday, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that 193 Ukrainian servicemen are returning home as part of a prisoner exchange with Russia. The returning personnel include members of the Armed Forces, National Guard, State Border Guard Service, National Police, and State Special Transport Service. Among those returning are wounded soldiers and individuals against whom Russia has opened criminal cases. Zelensky stated that the servicemen had defended Ukraine on various fronts.
Zelensky emphasized the importance of ongoing prisoner exchanges and thanked units on the front lines for helping to replenish Ukraine's exchange pool. He also expressed gratitude to international partners assisting in the effort.
As of 22:00 on Wednesday, 144 combat engagements were recorded on the front line, including 28 Russian attacks in the Pokrovsk sector.
EU ambassadors backed the loan after Hungary lifted its veto. Final approval expected Thursday following pipeline restart.
Ukraine expects additional Council of Europe member states to join the Enlarged Partial Agreement on the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression before a May ministerial meeting in Chișinău.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy announced completion of repair work on the Russian oil pipeline damaged by strikes, linking the restoration to EU aid approval.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told CNN that peace efforts on Ukraine cannot wait for the Iran conflict to end, citing distraction from Russian aggression.
Ukrainian air defenses neutralized 667 of 703 detected aerial targets over 24 hours, including cruise missiles and hundreds of drones.
