Russia is preparing for a possible offensive by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the EU is buying weapons.

By TASS Video - March 24, 15:54 - Military operation in Ukraine

The General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces is preparing decisions in case of possible offensive operations by Ukraine, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev said on Friday.

He warned that Ukraine's attempt to retake Crimea would be grounds for Moscow to use any weapons, including those provided for by the nuclear doctrine.

France and Germany consider it necessary to try to increase interaction with China to "influence Russia," said French President Emmanuel Macron.

Poland will receive compensation from the EU Peace Fund for old weapons sent to Ukraine. This will allow Warsaw to significantly upgrade its own weapons fleet, said Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.

TASS has compiled the main information about the events in Ukraine and around it.

Operation progress

The Russian Armed Forces destroyed the ammunition depot of the Foreign Legion mercenary units in the DPR, said the official representative of the Russian Defense Ministry, Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov.

The military operation in Ukraine. Chronicle of events March 24, 2023

Operational-tactical and army aviation, rocket troops, and artillery of the RF Armed Forces defeated 87 artillery units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) at firing positions, manpower, and equipment in 109 districts. In the Odesa region, a hangar with unmanned aerial vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was destroyed, Konashenkov added.

Units of the Southern Group of Forces, with the support of aviation and artillery, over the past day destroyed over 380 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, he continued. In the Krasnolimansky, Kupyansky, Kherson, Yuzhno-Donetsk, and Zaporizhia directions, the losses of the enemy amounted to over 265 military personnel. In addition, the Armed Forces of Ukraine lost a significant amount of military equipment.

Foreign pilots for the Armed Forces

Citizens of other countries can be accepted for service in the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said Yuri Ignat, a representative of the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He said that Ukrainians working abroad on various types of aviation equipment, as well as citizens of other states, applied to serve in the Ukrainian Air Force.

Ignat noted that now the Ukrainian Air Force is operating Soviet equipment, so there are enough pilots. However, according to him, in the case of deliveries of F-16 fighter jets or other samples of Western equipment to Kyiv, foreigners may appear in the air force.

Medvedev about Crimea and not only

The General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces is preparing solutions in case of possible offensive operations by Ukraine, Deputy Chairman Medvedev said in an interview with Russian media, including TASS, as well as VKontakte users. At the same time, he warned that Ukraine's attempt to recapture Crimea would become the basis for the use of any weapons, including those provided for by the nuclear doctrine, expressing the hope that "our" friends "over the ocean understand this."

Medvedev is sure that Ukraine would not be able to conduct military operations without Western assistance since it is 100% dependent on it. At the same time, he acknowledged that Western supplies complicate the fulfillment of Russia's tasks: "The more they supply, the more difficult, of course, this is absolutely obvious."

Medvedev doubted that Ukraine would join the European Union, calling the promises on this occasion a hoax to reassure people. In fact, "this is nonsense, 100% lies," because Europe does not need Ukraine, especially since a "monstrous situation" has developed in the economy of this country. He said he did not know if the Europeans would support Ukraine after the end of the NWO.

Pressure on Russia through China

France and Germany consider it necessary to try to strengthen cooperation with China in the situation around Ukraine in order to "influence Russia," Macron said. He said that he and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz "have a common view, which is to try to come to the maximum cooperation with China in putting pressure on Russia in order to convince it not to use chemical and nuclear weapons" and to do everything for ending the conflict. In turn, Scholz called for China to contact "not only with the Russian president but also with the Ukrainian one."

Macron said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will accompany him on his upcoming trip to China in April.

Arms deliveries

The EU countries have agreed to provide permanent assistance to Ukraine, including on the issue of financing the supply of ammunition and expanding production capacity, the German Chancellor said following a two-day meeting of EU leaders held in Brussels. He elaborated that Germany had proposed that some other countries should also enter into contracts with industrial arms companies to "guarantee their own support" to Ukraine.

Commenting on the EU's desire to supply weapons to Ukraine and continue military operations there, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto expressed the opinion that it testifies to the irresponsible behavior of some powers, which is fraught with a new world war and nuclear conflict. "We do not want this, we want peace," he said, adding that from a geographical point of view, the conflict in Ukraine can be considered regional, but it "has global consequences."

Compensation for Poland

Before Easter, Poland will receive €300 million in compensation from the European Union for providing military-technical support to Ukraine, and after the holiday, Warsaw intends to receive another €500-600 million, Morawiecki said. He noted that this compensation "will come in handy for Poland."

"Instead of the old weapons that we handed over to Ukraine, we will be able to buy modern weapons and ammunition for European funds, create technological lines for the production of various types of weapons," he stressed. In total, last year Poland transferred military assistance to Ukraine in the amount of €2.2 billion.