Protests in Georgia and battles for Bakhmut: today's highlights

Protests in Georgia

On March 8, opponents of the draft law on “foreign agents” again gathered near the Georgian parliament building in Tbilisi. Opposition politicians demanded that the “Russian law” be immediately and unconditionally withdrawn from the parliament, that its initiators be held personally liable, and that all political prisoners “arrested for defending Georgia's European future” be released.

The protesters chanted “Georgia!”, “No to the Russian law!”, sang the national anthem, and brought flags of Georgia, the EU, Ukraine, and the United States. People surrounded the parliament building and tore down the fences, and law enforcement officers responded with water cannons and pepper spray.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine expressed solidarity with the Georgian people and noted that it also believes that the draft law on “foreign agents” in its current version contradicts European values and standards.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the protesters in Georgia who held Ukrainian flags: “There is no Ukrainian who does not wish success to our friendly Georgia. Democratic success. European success.”

Situation at the front

The main efforts of the Russians are focused on conducting offensive actions at the Kupiansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Shakhtarsk sectors.

Russian troops do not stop storming Bakhmut. Over the last day alone, 72 combat engagements took place in the Bakhmut sector, including 12 in the area of Bakhmut. The main assault force of the occupiers remains the Wagner PMC, although their losses amount to hundreds of people every day.

The American Institute for the Study of War suggests that Russian troops captured the eastern part of Bakhmut east of the Bakhmutka River after a controlled withdrawal of Ukrainian troops. The same was stated by the head of the Wagner PMC, Yevgeny Prygozhin, on March 8.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg admitted that Bakhmut may be completely captured in the coming days, but this does not necessarily mean a turning point in the war.

Explosions on the Nord Stream pipelines

Ukraine's Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov and Advisor to the Presidential Office Mykhailo Podolyak denied Ukraine's involvement in the Nord Stream gas pipeline bombings, following statements in Western media that cited intelligence reports.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and EU High Representative Josep Borrell warned against speculation about the cause of the pipeline sabotage and called for waiting for the results of the investigation.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius emphasized that it is necessary to “clearly distinguish whether it was a Ukrainian group, whether it could have happened on Ukrainian orders, or whether a pro-Ukrainian group [acted] without the knowledge of the government”.

“But I warn against hasty conclusions,” Pistorius said.

Prisoner exchange

Russian Human Rights Ombudsman Tatyana Moskalkova said that Ukraine allegedly refused to exchange 70 of its soldiers and published a list of prisoners.

Ukraine denies these claims: The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War told us that they are currently studying the published list. For Ukraine, this is a source of additional information, because Russia is hiding information about those it holds. And, according to preliminary information, the list includes people who have already been released.

Other news:

• Law enforcement officers searched the offices and branches of Ibox Bank. The Security Service of Ukraine said that bank officials had set up a mechanism to “legalize” money from unlicensed online casinos and bookmakers under the guise of providing innovative payment services.
• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived in Kyiv to discuss the continuation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
• The SBU uncovered an attempt to steal almost UAH 100 million worth of state gas.
• The Ministry of Justice plans to submit to the Rada a bill on civil partnerships for same-sex couples.
• The EU plans a “soft transition” to alternative legal statuses for refugees from Ukraine.
• Latvia hands over to Ukraine the first eight cars confiscated from drunk drivers.
• The EU approves an additional €2 billion for the fund that provides military support to Ukraine.