Defeat of Ukrainian national team and publicity for suspended sentence in rape case: today's highlights

Defeat of the national team

Ukraine's national football team lost to England 0:2 in the first match of the Euro 2024 qualifiers away from home. In the first half, the English created more dangerous chances and managed to convert their advantage into goals. Thus, in the 37th minute, Harry Kane scored, and Bukayo Saka scored in the 40th minute.

During the match, our team was supported by many Ukrainian fans at the stadium.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba made a bet with his British counterpart James Cleverly on who would win a soccer match between the two teams. It seems that Kuleba now owes Cleverly a bottle of Ukrainian wine.

Publicity for a suspended sentence for rape

The Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, said that he had taken personal control of a rape case in Zakarpattia when a court gave a suspended sentence to three teenagers who had raped a minor. The Ombudsman sees this as a violation of the child's right to protection and fair trial.

Lubinets promises to thoroughly analyze the actions of the judge, the prosecutor's office, and the local child protection service, whose employee represented the girl in court and, as it turned out, is the mother of one of the boys.

At the same time, local journalist Vitalii Glagola said that lawyer Masi Nayyem is ready to gather a group of lawyers to defend the girl and prepare an appeal, and TV presenter Masha Efrosinina has found “one of the best psychologists in Ukraine” for the girl. Glagola assures that there will be an appeal.

Mine explosions

On March 26, four people were injured in Kherson Oblast as a result of Russian mine explosions. All of them are in hospitals with serious injuries. Eyewitnesses say that one of them had a mine explode in his hands because he was picking them in a field.

World reaction to Russia's intentions to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine responded to Russia's intentions to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus. The Ukrainian side calls on the international community to counteract Russia's actions and demands that an extraordinary meeting of the UN Security Council be convened immediately.

NATO criticized Russia's intentions to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus but noted that it currently sees no changes in Russia's nuclear posture.

At the same time, the European Union promised to respond to Russia's move with new sanctions. EU Chief Diplomat Josep Borrell emphasized that the deployment of Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus “would mean an irresponsible escalation and a threat to European security”. According to him, Belarus can still stop this, it is its choice.

Possible combat helicopters from North Macedonia

At the next government meeting, the Ministry of Defense of North Macedonia will propose to transfer 12 Mi-24 combat helicopters to Ukraine. In return, North Macedonia may buy eight multipurpose helicopters.

The number of victims of shelling in Zaporizhzhia has increased

A boy born in 2004, who was injured on March 22 as a result of the occupiers' attack on Zaporizhzhia with a Smerch multiple rocket launcher system, died in hospital. He had an open head injury. Thus, the death toll from the attack on Zaporizhzhia increased to two.

Situation at the front

The General Staff reported that the Russian occupation forces are focusing their main efforts on conducting offensive actions in the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Marinka directions. Ukrainian defenders repelled more than 50 attacks there over the last day alone.

The spokesman for the Eastern Group of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Serhii Cherevatyi, said that Ukrainian troops managed to stabilize the situation in the battle for Bakhmut and that they can see and control the enemy's actions. However, the Kupiansk-Lyman direction remains the leader in terms of the number of artillery strikes by the occupiers.