Search for ambassadors, first Leopard 2 crews trained, ammunition procurement: last night's highlights

Search for ambassadors

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched an open search for Ukrainian ambassadors due to a "staff shortage". Currently, ambassadorial positions are vacant in 21 countries. Given equal professional performance, preference will be given to women, as "diplomacy has long been unfair to their career development."

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba noted that there is a special focus on African countries, and applying to these countries "automatically increases your chances."

Ukrainian Leopard 2 crews trained

The first group of Ukrainian soldiers learning to drive Spanish Leopard 2A4 tanks will complete their training this week.

The 55 Ukrainian servicemen who are currently completing their training in Spain include both professionals and reservists, aged 21 to 60. Each crew consists of a commander, a driver, a loader and a gunner, as well as 15 technicians, five of whom are mechanics, five are electricians and five are weapons specialists.

Procurement of ammunition

Bloomberg cites sources as saying that the European Union may sign a plan to jointly purchase ammunition for Ukraine as early as next week. So far, the countries have not decided on the amount and mechanism of financing. The bloc is also considering how to provide Ukraine with the 155-mm rounds it needs this year.

Currently, the EU has about 15 manufacturers of 155-mm shells in 11 countries. However, there is no accurate estimate yet of how much the industry can increase capacity over the next few months, one source said.

Fighting in Donbas

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the fighting in eastern Ukraine "very tough and painful" but emphasized the need to destroy the military power of the Russian occupation forces.

On the evening of March 13, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that the fighting in Bakhmut was continuing. Russian troops continue to focus their main efforts on conducting offensive operations on the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiyivka, Maryinka, and Shakhtarsk axes. They continue to try to reach the administrative border of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.

Other news:

• Ukraine's real gross domestic product in the fourth quarter of 2022 decreased by 31.4% compared to the same period last year.
• The Ukrainian side said that the agreement on the grain initiative, which is supported by guarantors — Turkey and the UN, provides for an extension of 120 days, not 60 days, as proposed by Russia.
• The United States has been encouraging Chinese President Xi Jinping to talk to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The White House believes that this will help China hear the Ukrainian point of view.
• The White House has sent the US Congress a draft defense budget for fiscal year 2024, which provides for record peacetime spending of $886 billion.
• Russian occupation forces shelled six communities in Sumy Oblast on March 13. There were 94 hits.