Victory Chronicles-DAY 1105

Multiple U.S. media outlets have confirmed that President Donald Trump has paused military assistance to Ukraine after a public spat with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the White house on Feb. 28.

Reuters was the first to report on the news and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on March 4 that reports from border checkpoints and a U.S. aid hub in Jasionka confirm the suspension of military assistance to Ukraine. 

Speaking at a cabinet meeting, Tusk called the situation serious and urged government officials to remain focused. “The coming days and weeks will require full solidarity and decisive action,” he said. Tusk stressed that Poland must prepare for the challenges ahead, as the US decision complicates the situation for Ukraine and Europe.

The bicameral U.S. legislature allocated the assistance but Trump reportedly suspended it based on an executive order. The clash between Trump and Zelenskyy took place in front of cameras and journalists when during the Ukrainian president’s visit to sign a mineral extraction deal in exchange for solid security guarantees to end the Russo-Ukrainian war that Moscow initially started in 2014.  

More than 1,000 Ukrainian children of the 20,000 identified case of Russia having kidnapped and deported to Russia have been repatriated to their homeland as of December 2024, according to the Paris-based Le Monde newspaper. 

An international arrest warrant is out for Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin based on the forcible abduction of Ukrainian children in occupied territories. Russian officials have stated that some 700,000 Ukrainian children have actually been taken to Russia against their will, leaving a huge disparity of numbers as to the amount.

Russia attacks Odesa with strike drones. Russian attack drones targeted the Black Sea port city of Odesa overnight, damaging critical infrastructure and residential buildings, local officials said on March 4.

Fires ignited at multiple locations, but emergency responders quickly extinguished the blazes despite challenges posed by repeated air raid alerts. Psychologists from Ukraine’s State Emergency Service provided support to affected residents.

Preliminary reports indicate that at least four civilians were injured in the attack. More than 80 firefighters and 17 fire trucks were deployed to mitigate the damage.

Ukrainian Special Forces destroy Russian Malva (Hollyhock ) 2S43  Howitzer in precision strike. Ukrainian special operations forces destroyed a Russian 152-millimeter 2S43 Malva self-propelled howitzer during an aerial reconnaissance mission, according to the official Telegram channel of Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces.

During the operation, Ukrainian troops identified the advanced Russian artillery system at a concealed parking site. The Malva is a modern howitzer that Russia began producing in 2023.

Special forces operators relayed the coordinates to a friendly artillery unit and adjusted fire on the target. As a result of a precise strike, the Russian howitzer was completely destroyed.

Key Takeaways:

• Ukrainian military intelligence indicated that about 620,000 Russian soldiers are operating in Ukraine and Kursk Oblast, an increase of about 40,000 personnel compared to late 2024.
• Russian authorities reportedly exceeded their recruitment quotas in 2024 and January 2025, likely in part due to increased financial incentives for recruits and prison recruitment efforts that are unsustainable in the medium- to long-term.
• Russian forces continue to innovate their strike packages and leverage larger numbers of Shahed and decoy drones in an attempt to penetrate Ukraine’s air defense umbrella.
• Russian missile production has reportedly not significantly increased, but Russian forces appear to be prioritizing production of missile and drone variants that are more effective against Ukrainian air defenses.
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Pokrovsk, and Russian forces recently advanced near Velyka Novosilka and in Kursk Oblast.
• The Kremlin continues to promote its “Time of Heroes” veterans’ program as part of efforts to militarize the Russian government and society.

Senior soldier Bohdan Solomka, call sign “Pavarotti,” was killed on Jan. 20, 2024, during a combat mission near the village of Mala Tokmachka in Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhzhia region. He had turned 31 just a month earlier.

Solomka was born in Sarny, in Ukraine’s western Rivne region. He graduated from the Rivne College of Music and Rivne State University of Humanities as a choral conductor, but his true passion was singing.

Throughout his life, he was a soloist at a philharmonic, an actor in theater and film, a bodybuilding champion of Ukraine, and a fitness trainer.

Following Russia’s full-scale invasion, Solomka took up arms to defend his country.

He initially fought with Right Sector and later joined the 140th Separate Special Operations Center of Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces, serving as a senior rifleman and combat medic.

“He was an incredible person,” his wife, Anna, recalled. “He radiated charisma, warmth, and light. Anyone who met him never forgot him. He always gave wise advice, worked with orphans, organized children’s camps, and mentored teenagers. He was a devoted Christian, full of love, and a wonderful, loving husband.”

For his bravery, Solomka was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage, Third Class. He was laid to rest in the Alley of Heroes in his hometown. He is survived by his parents, two younger brothers—one of whom fought alongside him—and his wife.

*Bohdan’s story on the Heroes Memorial – a platform for stories about the fallen defenders of Ukraine.

• Pentagon denies report of halt in cyber operations versus Russia
• Former UK defense secretary: It is tragic to witness US siding with dictator Putin
• Ukraine will receive 400 thousand euros to study damage to the arch of the Chernobyl complex
• Estonian’s Foreign Affairs Minister Tsahkna: Europe must fill the gap left by the United States
• Ukraine’s Prime Minister: Ukraine produces about one-third of necessary weapons, we aim for 50% in 2025
• Australia ready to consider requests for peacekeeping involvement in Ukraine