The most important events of the war in Ukraine from Saturday, March 9 have been collected in this article. It is the 745th day of the war.
- CNN: The US was prepared for Russia to strike Ukraine with a nuclear weapon in the first year of the war.
- Turkey invited Russia and Ukraine to peace talks.
- The Pope spoke about handing over Ukraine in the war to a Swiss channel.
CNN: The US was afraid of a nuclear attack
The United States began thorough preparations for a possible nuclear attack on Ukraine at the end of 2022, CNN reported.
In the first year of the war in Ukraine, the US leadership prepared for Russia to resort to nuclear weapons. The threat was considered real.
According to the CNN reporter, who opens up about the tense situation in his book, the US leadership’s fear was based on intelligence. It wasn’t just about preparing for a hypothetical situation.
The summer of 2022 caused particular concern, when Ukraine succeeded in dispersing the Russian forces. Senior officials who spoke to a CNN reporter said there were fears Russia would resort to nuclear weapons if it lost territory it already claimed as its own. Silent plans were developed in case of a nuclear weapons situation.
The fear of nuclear weapons subsided when the war settled into a calmer phase at the turn of 2022-2023. Officials told CNN that statements from China and India about the risks of escalation also calmed the situation.
Pope Francis: Ukraine should dare to wave the white flag
Pope Francis said in an interview that Ukraine “should dare to wave the white flag” and negotiate an end to the war with Russia.
The Pope’s statements were reported by Reuters. Franciscus had given them to the Swiss TV channel RSI last month. The entire interview with the Pope is scheduled to be published in the cultural program later this month.
The Pope was asked what his position is in the debate, which weighs whether Ukraine should surrender because it has failed to repel Russia. Correspondingly, handing over would mean that it would, as it were, legitimize Russia’s actions. The interviewee used the phrase “white flag” in the context.
– I think the strongest party is the one who looks at the situation, thinks about the people, dares to wave the white flag and negotiate, the Pope said, referring to Ukraine.
Franciscus considers negotiation to be a strong word, because it usually reflects a loss and things going badly. Then it takes courage to start negotiations.
The 87-year-old Franciscus has already taken a stand on the situation in Ukraine by emphasizing a peace solution, but it is known that he has not previously talked about surrendering or losing.
In the same interview, the leader of the Catholic Church spoke about the war between Israel and Hamas in a different way: “Negotiation is never surrender.”
Pope Francis has wished for peace between Russia and Ukraine before.
Air attacks on both sides
Ukraine says it destroyed 12 Russian drones last night. Similarly, Russia announces that it destroyed 47 Ukrainian drones in the same night.
The Russian Defense Minister announced that Russia shot down Ukrainian drones in Belgorod, Kursk, Volgograd and Rostov on Saturday, reports TASS news agency. Most, 41 in total, were shot down in Rostov.
A large-scale airstrike possibly damaged a factory where aircraft are manufactured and repaired, the Kyiv Independent reported, based on information gathered from Telegram.
The Ukrainian army headquarters announced that Ukraine shot down 12 of the 15 drones launched by Russia, the Kyiv Independent reported. According to the headquarters, the drones were shot down in Dnipro, Donetsk and Poltava.
Turkey again offered to mediate
Turkey is ready to act as a mediator between Ukraine and Russia, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan new offer to find a solution on Friday.
Volodymor Zelenskyi visited Turkey as a guest of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Friday, March 8, 2024. AOP
President of Ukraine Volodymor Zelenskyi visited Istanbul and spoke with Erdoğan on Friday. The discussion discussed, among other things, the security of the Black Sea, the exchange of prisoners and food aid, Aljazeera reports.
Zelenskyi wrote in the X-message service after the discussion that an agreement was reached on joint defense projects as a result of the meeting. He also thanked Erdoğan for the president’s participation in the exchange of prisoners and announced that he had handed over the list of Ukrainians who are held captive in Russia in “inhumane conditions”.
– We must release them all, fighters and civilians, Zelenskyi said.
Turkey has also maintained its relations with Russia. the president of Russia Vladimir Putin was supposed to visit Turkey in February, but the visit was postponed.
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