The Russo-Ukrainian War: List of Major Events, Day 389

As the Russo-Ukraine War enters its 389th day, we take a look at the key developments.

Here is the situation as of Sunday, March 19, 2023:

fighting

• The Ukrainian military said that its forces outside the eastern city of Bakhmut managed to keep Russian units at bay until ammunition, food, equipment and medicine could be delivered to the defenders.
• Russia Wagner mercenary group Its founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said it plans to recruit about 30,000 new fighters by mid-May.
• Two people were killed and 10 wounded in a Russian attack in the eastern city of Kramatorsk on Saturday, a governor said, accusing Moscow of using cluster bombs in the attack.

• President Vladimir Putin Toured MariupolAlmost a year after Moscow claimed to have captured the strategic port city. This is the first visit of the Russian leader to the Donbass region since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine in February last year.
• Putin flew to Crimea on Saturday for an unannounced visit to celebrate the ninth anniversary of Moscow’s annexation of the peninsula from Ukraine.

Diplomacy

• Treasury deal Black Sea exports Or Ukrainian grain has been renewed for at least 60 days — half of the intended period — after Russia warned that any further extension beyond mid-May would depend on the removal of some Western sanctions.
• President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff said three senior US security officials held a video call with a group of their Ukrainian counterparts to discuss military assistance to Kiev.
• President Xi Jinping heads to Russia on Monday hoping for a breakthrough over Ukraine as China seeks to position itself as a peacemaker.