March 11, 2022

Daily News Brief

March 11, 2022

Top of the Agenda

Russia Expands Range of Ukraine Air Strikes 

Russia extended the range of its air strikes (NYT) to now reach parts of Ukraine’s northwest and southwest. Russian forces have also attacked twenty-six health-care facilities across the country, the United Nations said. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his army to deploy foreign fighters to the conflict zone, and Russia’s defense minister said thousands of people from the Middle East are ready to fight.

More than 2.5 million people have fled Ukraine (BBC) since the war broke out, the United Nations said. The European Union (EU) aims to double its military aid (Reuters) to Ukraine, while U.S. President Joe Biden is expected to call for a downgrade (Bloomberg) in Russia’s trade status, which would pave the way for new U.S. tariffs on Russian goods.

Analysis

“Russia now turning its military operations to Ukraine’s west, with strikes on Lutsk ([Northwest Ukraine], near the Polish border) plus Ivano-Frankivsk. Important to watch if this [equals] an opening move to enable Russia to block Western arms coming in via Poland, the key, but not sole, entry point,” Defense Priorities’ Rajan Menon tweets.

“[Military] aid alone is unlikely to be decisive in swaying the war in Ukraine’s favor, and it will incur an inherent risk of escalation. But it represents a way to give Ukraine a fighting chance while limiting the risk of a direct confrontation between the United States and Russia,” CFR’s Stephen Biddle writes for Foreign Affairs.

CFR offers analysis, explainers, podcasts, and more on the war in Ukraine.

Pacific Rim

China Amplifies Claims About U.S. Backing for Ukrainian Biolabs

At Russia’s request, the UN Security Council will hold a session today (AP) to consider reports of U.S. financing for biological weapons labs in Ukraine. U.S. officials denied the accusations, and the United Nations said it received no evidence to back the claims. Chinese news organizations and social media have actively disseminated the allegations.

China: Authorities locked down the city of Changchun (FT), home to nine million people, as a rise in COVID-19 cases there and in cities across China challenges the country’s zero-tolerance strategy toward the coronavirus.

For Foreign Affairs, CFR’s Yanzhong Huang discusses the vulnerabilities in China’s zero-COVID strategy.

South and Central Asia

Pakistan Says Unarmed Indian Missile Landed in Its Territory

A Pakistani military official said the projectile endangered passenger airplanes before crashing in Pakistan’s Punjab Province. He called for India to explain (Dawn) why the incident occured.

Turkmenistan: The country holds its presidential election tomorrow. In the region of Mary, public-sector workers and their families were instructed to vote for the son of the current president, RFE/RL reported.

Middle East and North Africa

Iran Nuclear Talks Paused Due to ‘External Factors’

The near-complete negotiations stalled (Axios) as Russia demands that sanctions due to its war with Ukraine will not hinder its trade with Iran. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the talks paused due to “external factors.”

CFR’s Steven A. Cook writes that a new Iran deal means old chaos.

Yemen: A joint U.S.-Saudi operation freed two Yemeni-American women (National) who had been held captive by the Houthi rebels since March 2021, U.S. and Saudi officials said.

Sub-Saharan Africa

South Africa’s Ramaphosa Speaks With Putin, Signals Mediation Role

President Cyril Ramaphosa said South Africa had been “approached to play a mediation role” (Bloomberg) in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. He spoke to President Putin by phone yesterday.

Somalia: U.S. military commanders have asked President Joe Biden to station several hundred troops (WSJ) in Somalia to help counter the spread of al-Qaeda affiliate al-Shabab. Hundreds of U.S. commandos operated in the country until President Donald Trump ordered their withdrawal.

This Backgrounder looks at al-Shabab.

Europe

European Central Bank Announces Phaseout of Stimulus

The bank announced that it will slow its pandemic bond-buying program (Bloomberg) beginning in May. Many analysts had predicted it would delay these plans due to the war in Ukraine, but the announcement suggests that inflation concerns overrule those about weaker economic growth.

Americas

Chile’s Youngest-Ever President Takes Office

Thirty-six-year-old Gabriel Boric, a leftist former student protest leader, is expected to champion (Reuters) social and economic reforms, as well as stricter environmental regulations.

Colombia: While meeting with Colombian President Ivan Duque at the White House yesterday, Biden announced that the United States is designating Colombia (WSJ) a major non–North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ally.

United States

2020 Census Likely Undercounted Racial Minorities

A post-census survey of randomly selected geographic areas found that the 2020 census undercounted Hispanic, Black, and Native Americans and overcounted white and Asian Americans. For Hispanics, the undercount was worse than in the 2010 census (WaPo).

Friday Editor’s Pick

Al Jazeera talks to Iraqis who have been overlooked in government efforts to support women who were abducted and raped by members of the self-declared Islamic State.

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