Friday, March 31
9:06 PM
Slovenia, Ukraine sign declaration supporting Ukraine’s move toward EU, NATO membership. Slovenia is the ninth country to sign the declaration of support for Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic integration, after the Czech Republic, Belgium, Montenegro, Lithuania, Poland, Italy, Latvia and Iceland.
8:56 PM
Air Force: Ukraine starts using US-made “smart bombs” kits. Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat confirmed on March 31 that Ukraine was already using U.S.-made Joint Direct Attack Munition-Extended Range (JDAM-ER) guided kits for aerial bombs.
8:52 PM
Lukashenko says Russia could place strategic nuclear weapons in Belarus ‘if necessary’. Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko in an address to the nation spoke of the possibility of placing Russian strategic nuclear weapons in Belarus, just a few days after Russian dictator Vladimir Putin threatened to deploy nuclear weapons to its neighbor.
7:28 PM
Kyiv Independent podcast 'Power lines' nominated for British ARIAS award. The podcast "Power Lines: From Ukraine to the World," co-produced with Message Heard, and co-hosted by the Kyiv Independent's Anastasiia Lapatina and Jakub Parusinski, was nominated on March 30 by U.K.'s Radio Academy for the Audio and Radio Industry Awards (ARIAS).
7:23 PM
Moscow Patriarchate representatives again block access to Kyiv monastery. A commission of Ukraine's Culture Ministry charged with conducting an inventory of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra property was once again denied access by representatives of the Russian-controlled Ukrainian Orthodox Chkyivurch of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP), RFE/RL reported.
6:41 PM
Zelensky, European leaders honor memory of civilians killed in Bucha, discuss additional military aid. President Volodymyr Zelensky met with the prime ministers of Slovakia, Slovenia, and Croatia on March 31 following a ceremony marking the one-year anniversary of the liberation of Bucha, a town now synonymous with Russian war crimes against civilians.
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5:09 PM
Southern Command: Explosions in Crimean Dzhankoi hinder Russia's transfer of weapons. Recent explosions in the Crimean town of Dzhankoi have restricted Russia's ability to transport military equipment and ammunition, particularly Kalibr missiles, said Ukraine's Southern Command spokesperson Natalia Humeniuk.
5:01 PM
Report
Ukraine changes combat bonus system, soldiers warn it might lower morale.
4:48 PM
Belarus weekly
Belarus Weekly: Putin threatens to place tactical nukes in Belarus
4:27 PM
Japan expands ban on exports to Russia, includes drones, metals. The updated list includes drones, metals, optical and measuring devices, boilers and machinery, construction equipment, vehicles, air- and spacecraft and their parts, as well as electrical equipment.
2:55 PM
Podcasts
This Week in Ukraine Ep. 1 –Why Ukraine keeps up costly defense of Bakhmut?
2:54 PM
UK Defense Ministry: Russia likely struggles to restore counter-battery radar stocks. Russia will likely struggle to replace the counter-battery radars it has lost in Ukraine as these systems depend on supplies of high-tech electronics halted by international sanctions, the U.K. Defense Ministry reported on March 31.
1:42 PM
Russian landmine explosion kills 2, injures 1 in Kherson Oblast. Two electricians were killed, and one was wounded in an explosion caused by a Russian landmine in Kherson Oblast’s Posad-Pokrovske, the regional administration reported on March 31.
1:13 PM
Prosecutor General: Russian troops committed 9,000 war crimes in Bucha district. During the 33 days of occupation last year, Russian forces committed more than 9,000 war crimes in Kyiv Oblast's city of Bucha and its district, Ukraine's Prosecutor General Andrii Kostin said on March 31.
12:23 PM
PMs of Slovakia, Slovenia and Croatia arrive in Ukraine. Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger, Slovenian PM Robert Golob, and Croatian PM Andrej Plenkovic arrived in Ukraine on March 31 to take part in a meeting marking the one-year anniversary of the liberation of Kyiv Oblast's Bucha.
10:43 AM
2 killed, 20 injured as Russia attacks 9 Ukrainian regions over past 24 hours. Russian troops struck 117 Ukrainian settlements, damaging 70 infrastructure sites, Ukraine's Defense Ministry media center reported on March 31.
10:03 AM
Minister: Ukrainian athletes to boycott joint competitions with Russians, Belarusians. The Ukrainian government has decided that Ukrainian athletes must boycott tournaments with Russian or Belarusian participants, including selection for the 2024 Olympics, Oleh Nemchinov, Minister of the Cabinet of Ministers, said on national television.
9:06 AM
General Staff: Russia has lost 173,360 troops in Ukraine since Feb 24, 2022. Ukraine's General Staff reported on March 31 that Russia had also lost 3,615 tanks, 6,977 armored fighting vehicles, 5,521 vehicles and fuel tanks, 2,675 artillery systems, 526 multiple launch rocket systems, 278 air defense systems, 306 airplanes, 291 helicopters, 2,248 drones, and 18 boats.
8:41 AM
Russian forces strike Zaporizhzhia. Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration reported early on March 31 that Russia targeted the regional capital and its outskirts with multiple rocket launchers.
7:30 AM
General Staff: Ukraine's forces down 9 Russian drones. Ukrainian troops downed nine out of ten Shahed-136 drones Russia used to target Ukraine overnight on March 31, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces said in their morning update.
5:26 AM
ISW: Putin unlikely to deploy troops from routine spring conscription cycle to Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on March 30 calling 147,000 citizens up for statutory military service. The Institute for the Study of War said in their update that the new conscripts will not increase Russian combat power in the short term.
4:05 AM
Pentagon: Ukrainian soldiers complete Patriot missile training. Pentagon spokesperson Patrick Ryder said on March 30 that 65 Ukrainian soldiers completed training on Patriot air defense systems at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and returned to Europe.
Friday, March 31
2:17 AM
War analysis
Can Russia afford to commit to a years-long war?
2:08 AM
Turkey ratifies Finland’s NATO bid. Turkey’s parliament voted in favor of Finland’s NATO accession on March 30. Turkey was the last country in the military alliance to approve the bid, clearing the way for Finland to become a NATO member.
1:00 AM
Russian forces attack 3 communities in Sumy Oblast, injuring 1. Russian forces attacked Krasnopillia, Bilopillia, and Seredyno-Buda, the Sumy Oblast Military Administration reported on March 30.
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by The Kyiv Independent news desk February 12, 2023 6:52 AM 1 min read
The Institute for the Study of War said in its latest update on Feb. 11 that the Russian military appears to have been unable to prepare its mobilized personnel to conduct effective mechanized offensive operations in the short period of time since their call-ups.
"The lack of adequate vehicles and ammunition is likely contributing to the ineffectiveness of Russian mechanized maneuver tactics thus far," the ISW added.
"The Russian military is unlikely to be able to scale its approach from the Bakhmut area to the wider (war) theatre because the tactics it is using in Bakhmut are more suited to dense urban environments and because Russian forces lack the number of elite formations needed to conduct a larger offensive in eastern Ukraine in the same fashion."
The Russian military command is deploying its most elite units to the Bakhmut area in smaller formations using urban infiltration tactics, according to the limited footage of Russian tactics in the area that ISW has observed.

The Kyiv Independent news desk
We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.
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FAQs
ISW: Russian military appears unable to effectively prepare mobilized personnel for war? ›
The Institute for the Study of War said in its latest update on Feb. 11 that the Russian military appears to have been unable to prepare its mobilized personnel to conduct effective mechanized offensive operations in the short period of time since their call-ups.
What is the manpower of the Russian army? ›Russia's total military manpower was estimated at 1,330,900 as of 2023. Of them, 830.9 thousand personnel were active, 250 thousand were reserve service members, and 250 thousand were paramilitary forces.
How strong is Russian military today? ›While the official strength of the Russian Armed Forces is 1 million (1.013 million), the true number has been far lower for many years. In 2016, the figure was 770,000 service personnel in all branches, and at the beginning of 2022, it could be estimated as 740,000-780,000.
How is the US military compared to Russia? ›The US dominates the air with far more bases, fighter jets and bombers than Russia but Russia is superior on the ground with more tanks, artillery and land vehicles. At sea, the countries are more evenly matched, but here the US has the edge with more destroyers, submarines and aircraft carriers.
What is Russia's military ranked? ›Category | Troop ranks |
---|---|
Supreme and general officers | Major general Генера́л-майо́р Generál-mayór |
Senior officers or field grade officers | Colonel Полко́вник Polkóvnik |
Lieutenant colonel Подполко́вник Podpolkóvnik | |
Major Майо́р Mayór |
How much does a Russian Military make? As of Apr 12, 2023, the average annual pay for a Russian Military in the United States is $54,109 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $26.01 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,040/week or $4,509/month.
How strong is Russia's military compared to NATO? ›Comparison of the military capabilities of NATO and Russia 2023. As of 2023, NATO had approximately 3.36 million active military personnel compared with 1.33 million active military personnel in the Russian military.
Does the US have a stronger military than Russia? ›As per the army population, Russia has 142,320,790 soldiers while The US has 334,998,398 soldiers. The available manpower is 69,737,187 with Russia and 147,399,295 with the United States. This means the US army is at rank 3 while the Russian army is at Rank 9 in 2022.
How many soldiers can Russia mobilize? ›The announcement of mobilization was seen as a significant escalation of Russia's military efforts in the war with Ukraine. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that Russia had a "huge mobilization reserve" and planned to mobilize 300,000 recruits.
Is the US military stronger than China? ›People's Liberation Army (PLA) Major General Zhang Shaozhong ranked Chinese military power in 2020 in the fifth place behind the United States, Russia, Britain, and France, while PLAN surface power was ranked in the eighth place behind Japan and India.
Who has a stronger military than the US? ›
China wields by far the world's largest military, with 2.8 million soldiers, sailors and airmen—twice the American number. (The United States is number two; the only other countries with more than a million active duty troops are China's neighbors—Russia, India and North Korea.)
Is Russia more powerful than NATO? ›The combined total of Nato military personnel currently exceeds 5.4 million – around four times as many as Russia, according to Statista. It has about five times as many aircraft, four times as many armoured vehicles and three times as many military ships.
How many troops does Russia have left? ›Currently, the total number of contract soldiers is apparently less than 521,000. It is noteworthy that the last figure of servicemen under contract published before the invasion was 405,000 (March 2020), and the Ministry of Defence was going to employ 500,000 contract soldiers by 2027.
Who has the strongest army in the world? ›United States. The United States of America is a North American nation that is the world's most dominant economic and military power.
What is Germany's military rank? ›Officers are subdivided into Lieutenants (Leutnante), Captains (Hauptleute), Staff Officers (Stabsoffiziere) and Admirals (Admiräle) or Generals (Generäle). NCOs are divided into those with or without a sword knot lanyard (mit / ohne Portepee).
How much do US troops get paid? ›Rank | <2 Years Experience | 8 Years Experience |
---|---|---|
Private (E2) | $25,790.40 | $25,790.40 |
Private First Class(E3) | $27,118.80 | $30,571.20 |
Specialist or Corporal (E4) | $30,042.00 | $36,471.60 |
Sergeant (E5) | $32,763.60 | $43,902.00 |
Expats in Russia will find the cost of living to be reasonable. Although Russia cannot be regarded as a cheap country to live in, as a whole, it is more affordable than many Western countries. An expat's cost of living in Russia, however, will highly depend on their lifestyle.
How much does China pay its soldiers? ›What is the average salary of Republic of China Armed Forces Soldier? Republic of China Armed Forces Soldiers earn $30,000 annually, or $14 per hour, which is equal to the national average for all Soldiers at $30,000 annually and 75% lower than the national salary average for all working Americans.
Who is more powerful NATO or USA? ›NATO, which was formed in 1949, is the most powerful military alliance in the world.
What would happen if the US and Russia went to war? ›A full-on war would require major disruptions in the economy, which is already reeling under inflation and supply chain pressures. The U.S. would also have to shift its focus and resources away from the rising threat of China, which would put American strategy in the Pacific in a precarious position.
What is the 3 1 rule of combat? ›
The 3:1 rule of combat states that in order that for the attacker to win the battle, his forces should be at least three times the force of the defender.
Who is more powerful between Russia and China? ›STAT | China | Russia |
---|---|---|
Navy > Frigates | 48 Ranked 1st. 10 times more than Russia | 5 Ranked 1st. |
Navy > Destroyers | 27 Ranked 1st. 93% more than Russia | 14 Ranked 1st. |
Nuclear weapons > Nuclear warheads | 250 Ranked 4th. | 8,500 Ranked 1st. 34 times more than China |
Navy > Cruisers | 0.0 Ranked 28th. | 5 Ranked 1st. |
There are countless other examples like these from militaries from all around the world. So, it seems clear that military technology is at least ten years ahead of what we know about in the public domain.
Does the US have the strongest military ever? ›News Across the U.S.
According to Statista, the most powerful military in the world is the United States military. Statista uses an index with 50 different factors such as military might to budget to give each country a score.
For the past 14 years, most mobilization requirements were handled by the president's partial mobilization authority, which can activate up to 1,000,000 members of the Army Reserve for a period not to exceed 24 consecutive months.
How many men could Ukraine mobilize? ›General mobilization was announced for a period of three months. The presidential decree was approved by the Rada on 3 March 2022, and in accordance with it, men aged 18 to 60 will be mobilized. Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said that the Ukrainian authorities plan to mobilize 1,000,000 people.
How many troops does Ukraine have left? ›...
Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Ukrainian Armed Forces | |
---|---|
Active personnel | ~700,000 (2022) |
Reserve personnel | 1,000,000 (2022) |
Deployed personnel | 40,114 (2021) |
Expenditures |
An American naval expert has warned US military planners that the US Navy might lose to China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, which enjoys a substantial numerical advantage over the US, saying, “the side with the most ships almost always wins.”
Is the US Air Force stronger than China? ›In the category of Total Aircraft Strength, the U.S. is listed as operating 13, 233 aircraft, as compared to China's reported 3, 260 total aircraft.
Can US win nuclear war with Russia? ›Post-Cold War evidence reveals that American naval pressure had a major impact on Soviet policy making: Despite Moscow's priority of armaments over all other state needs, the U.S. showed it would still be able to fight and win a nuclear war.
What happens if the US goes to war with China? ›
A war would halt this trade (as well as American and allied shipments to China). U.S. supplies of many products could soon run low, paralyzing a vast range of businesses. It could take months to restore trade, and emergency rationing of some items would be needed.
Which country is most powerful between America and Russia? ›# | Country | Power Index |
---|---|---|
1 | People's Republic of China | 0.07 |
2 | Russia | 0.07 |
3 | United States of America | 0.07 |
4 | India | 0.1 |
The most elite special operations forces in the U.S. are known as the Green Berets, and while that alone is enough to spark debate, there's great reasoning behind it. Training includes harsh mental and physical undertakings, including the school that's widely regarded as the hardest: Combat Diving.
What is the hardest military training in the world? ›- Russian Alpha Group Spetsnaz. ...
- Israeli Sayeret Matkal. ...
- Indian Army Para Special Forces. ...
- US Army Delta Force. ...
- UK Special Air Services. ...
- Australian Commandos.
The United States of America maintains the strongest Air Force in the world by an impressive margin. As of late 2021, the United States Air Force (USAF) is composed of 5217 active aircraft, making it the largest, the most technologically advanced, and the most powerful air fleet in the world.
Who is the strongest NATO country? ›Armies. The biggest army in NATO, by a significant margin, is the United States Army with 485,000 regular personnel, as of 2021. The US army is followed by the Turkish Army with 260,200 personnel. Most European members of NATO have total active personnel for their armies in the tens of thousands.
Who is the strongest NATO in the world? ›Among the most powerful NATO members are Italy, France, the U.K., and the U.S. With over 1.39 million active military members and an aircraft fleet of 13,300, the U.S. military provides more personnel than the next six countries combined and more airpower than all other 29 NATO countries combined.
How many tanks has Russia lost in Ukraine? ›Ukraine claims close to 3,300 Russian tank losses. Oryx, an independent team of analysts that has tracked open-source intelligence on equipment losses throughout the war, estimated that more than 1,700 Russian tanks have been destroyed, damaged or captured.
How many planes has Russia lost in Ukraine? ›“[Russia has] downed over 60 Ukrainian aircraft,” he added. “Ukraine's downed over 70 Russian aircraft. So both of their integrated air and missile defense, especially when you're talking about going against aircraft, they've been very effective. And that's why they're not flying over one another's country.”
How many fighter jets does Russia have? ›Russia, on the other hand, has roughly 370 MiG-29, -31 and -35 fighters as well as 350 Su-27, -30 and -35 fighters, according to Flight International's almanac. Fighters such as the MiG-35 and Su-35 in Russia's fleet are also more advanced than Ukraine's.
How much equipment has Russia lost? ›
Russia has lost a total of at least 2,300 infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) and armored personnel carriers (APCs) since the war started, most older vehicles designed 40 years ago. A new heavy infantry fighting vehicle based on the Armata, the T-15, is nowhere to be seen.
Which country has the most advanced weapons in the world? ›The country with the most advanced military technology is the United States of America (USA). Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom are the other countries with the most advanced military technology in the world.
Which is the strongest defense force in the world? ›Overview. With the biggest defence budget on the planet, the United States of America has the strongest military in the world. The USAF (United States Air Force) is the most powerful Air Force on the planet.
Why is the US military so powerful? ›The U.S. Armed Forces has significant capabilities in both defense and power projection due to its large budget, resulting in advanced and powerful technologies which enables a widespread deployment of the force around the world, including around 800 military bases outside the United States.
What rank is the United States military? ›United States is ranked 1 of 145 out of the countries considered for the annual Global Firepower review. The nation holds a Power Index score of 0.0712 with a score of 0.0000 being considered exceptional in the GFP assessment. This country is a Top 5 world power according to the GFP index formula.
Does Poland have a stronger military than Germany? ›Poland already has more tanks and howitzers than Germany and is on course to have a much larger army, with a target of 300,000 troops by 2035, compared with Germany's current 170,000. Today, Poland's military is about 150,000 strong, with 30,000 belonging to a new territorial defense force set up in 2017.
How many US soldiers are in Germany? ›As of Feburary 2022, there were estimated to be approximately 35,221 active-duty United States military personnel in Germany, the highest of any European country.
Who has the largest army in the world? ›China has the world's largest standing army and navy, with Beijing announcing on Sunday the biggest increase to its military budget since 2019.
Who's got the biggest military in the world? ›In 2022, China had the largest armed forces in the world by active duty military personnel, with about 2 million active soldiers.
Who has the strongest military in the world? ›The world's four largest superpowers — The United States, Russia, China, and India — control 22,872 active military aircraft and they spent almost $1.17 trillion on defense in 2020, well more than double the combined defense expenditures of 16 other top military powers.
Who has the largest Air Force in the world? ›
# | Country | Number of Military Aircrafts |
---|---|---|
1 | People's Republic of China | 2,475 |
2 | United States of America | 2,171 |
3 | Russia | 1,172 |
4 | India | 777 |
PowerIndex of military forces in Europe 2023
Russia had the most powerful military in Europe according to its PowerIndex score, which compares the strength and capability of different countries. According to this ranking, the UK had the second strongest military in Europe, followed by France, and then Italy.
“[Russia has] downed over 60 Ukrainian aircraft,” he added. “Ukraine's downed over 70 Russian aircraft. So both of their integrated air and missile defense, especially when you're talking about going against aircraft, they've been very effective. And that's why they're not flying over one another's country.”
What is the most powerful defense country in the world? ›United States. The United States of America is a North American nation that is the world's most dominant economic and military power.
What is America's strongest weapon? ›B53 | |
---|---|
Place of origin | United States |
Service history | |
In service | 1962–1997 |
Production history |
Key Points. The United States has been ranked the most powerful country in Asia in a new Lowy Institute report. China's power has been affected by isolation and its zero-COVID policy. Australia was ranked sixth in the Asia Power Index.