Sweden's accession to NATO, intention to appoint Zaluzhnyi as ambassador, demobilization of conscripts: highlights

Zaluzhnyi to become ambassador

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has approved the candidacy of Valerii Zaluzhnyi for the post of Ambassador of Ukraine to the United Kingdom. Zelenskyy said that it was Zaluzhnyi who spoke about the diplomatic direction of work after his resignation as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces.

Now the British government has to approve the candidate.

Sweden in NATO

The U.S. State Department has released the protocol on Sweden's accession to NATO. The country became the 32nd member of the North Atlantic Alliance.

Earlier, the accession was announced by the White House. The White House stressed that Sweden's presence in NATO would further secure the United States and other allies.

Demobilization of conscripts

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a decree on the discharge of conscripts.

Conscripts whose terms of service expired during martial law and were extended beyond the established terms are to be discharged in April-May 2024.

More than 10,000 drones from the UK

The United Kingdom has announced the allocation of about $416 million to provide the Ukrainian army with advanced drones through 2024.

This includes more than 10,000 drones, most of which are first-person view (FPV) drones, as well as strike, reconnaissance, and maritime drones.

Attack on Sumy Oblast

Russian forces launched an air and missile attack on the city of Sumy on the afternoon of March 7. As a result of the attack, fatalities have been reported. There are also injuries, preliminary, about 10 people.

Civilian infrastructure facilities were damaged, including a school, the central city hospital, the regional emergency medical center, and a water utility.

Czech Republic raises money for shells for Ukraine

Czech President Petr Pavel said that the Czech Republic has raised the necessary funds to purchase 800,000 artillery shells for Ukraine. Today, Norway has allocated approximately $153 million as part of this initiative, and the country has joined the coalition to strengthen Ukraine's air defense.

Situation at the frontline

In the Tavria sector, the frontline in the Orikhiv sector, near Robotyne, is getting "hot". There, the Russians are trying to cut off the Robotyne salient. The aggressor has increased the number of attacks in the area.

In general, the Tavria area accounts for the vast majority of combat engagements. For instance, out of 92 combat engagements on March 6, 57 took place on the Tavria axis.

Other news

• A Russian sabotage and reconnaissance group tried to infiltrate Sumy Oblast. The saboteurs were forced to retreat.
• The ukr.net website stopped working: its domain was disabled "for unknown reasons".
• The EU Parliament approved the extension of trade benefits for Ukraine and Moldova.
• WP: The US Congress demands an explanation from SpaceX about the appearance of their Starlink systems in Russia.
• The Dnipro metro station is reopening in Kyiv.