Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukrainian experts are heading to the Middle East to provide expertise on combatting Iranian drone attacks.
Kyiv is hoping to leverage its experience with drone warfare in exchange for new supplies of US air defence missiles, amid concerns that the Middle East conflict could stretch global supplies.
Asked how Kyiv intended to help the United States and its Gulf allies counter drone attacks, Zelensky said it was “too early to say anything else at this stage”, adding that experts would arrive on site in the coming week and “assess the situation and help”.
Ukraine has highlighted its expertise in drone warfare since the outbreak of the joint US and Israel attack on Iran, and has expressed interest in supplying interceptor drones to counter Iranian “Shahed” UAVs in exchange for Patriot air defence systems.
Ukraine was already facing a shortage of costly PAC-3 interceptor missiles supplied by the United States, and officials fear a prolonged conflict with Iran could further disrupt supplies.
Key Points
- Ukraine says Russia used new weapon to attack Kharkiv
- Russian ballistic missiles strike Ukraine's residential building
- Zelensky speaks to Saudi crown prince, offers help to down Iranian Shahed drones
- Death toll in Kharkiv attack rises to 10 as Russian missile hits apartment building
Ukrainian drone specialists travelling to Middle East, Zelensky says
03:33 , Shweta SharmaVolodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that Ukrainian drone specialists would travel to the Middle East “next week”, as Kyiv seeks additional US air defence missiles in exchange for its battlefield expertise in countering drones.
Ukraine is facing a shortage of the costly PAC-3 air defence missiles supplied by the United States, and officials fear that a prolonged conflict in the Middle East could further disrupt supplies.
Asked how Kyiv intended to help the US and its Gulf allies counter drone attacks, Zelensky said it was too early to provide details.
“It is too early to say anything else at this stage,” he said, adding: “I think that next week, when the experts are on site, they will assess the situation and help.”
Netherlands' new PM to strengthen sanctions against Russia’s 'shadow fleet'
03:18 , Shweta SharmaUkraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky said he and the newly elected Dutch prime minister Rob Jetten discussed joint arms production and strengthening sanctions against Russia’s “shadow fleet” during talks in Kyiv.
Speaking at a joint briefing, Zelensky said Russia’s war effort depended heavily on revenue from oil exports and urged European countries to take stronger steps to curb the movement of tankers transporting Russian oil.
“Russia’s war directly depends on Putin’s ability to earn money from oil. That is why it is so important for European countries to stop the movement of tankers carrying Russian oil, which are still numerous in European seas,” Zelensky said.
He also emphasised Ukraine’s unique experience in defending against Iranian-made drones used by Russia.
“It is important that we are producing weapons together with the Netherlands – and we will certainly continue and expand this joint work,” Zelensky said on X, adding that the two leaders had discussed investment and possible production volumes in detail.
In recent months, Ukraine has stepped up efforts to establish joint arms production with European countries, opening several factories to manufacture drones.
The full story: Trump administration and Democrats at odds over risk to US weapons stockpiles from Iran war
03:00 , James ReynoldsThe U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran have raised concerns among Democrats and others about diminishing American stockpiles of certain weapons, illustrating a long-standing production problem that some experts say could present challenges if another conflict emerges.
Missile defense systems are under the most strain, according to experts, with Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, interceptors in high demand in Ukraine and Israel, respectively.
Here’s why it matters:
Trump administration and Democrats at odds over risk to US weapons stockpiles from Iran war
Russia intercepts 234 drones in nine hours
02:48 , Shweta SharmaRussia’s defence ministry said on Sunday that its air defence units had intercepted 234 drones over various parts of central and southern Russia over a nine-hour period, including six drones headed towards Moscow.
The ministry reported no damage or casualties during the period from 2pm to 11pm. The governor of the Bryansk region, which borders Ukraine, said one farm worker was injured.
The Russia-installed governor of the eastern Donetsk region areas under Moscow’s control said a Ukrainian military attack killed a family of four in the town of Hirnyak near Pokrovsk – a Ukrainian logistics centre that has long been under pressure from Russian forces.
A representative of Russia’s Investigative Committee, now operating in Russian-held areas of Ukraine, said Ukrainian shelling had damaged a children’s clinic in Donetsk, the region’s main city.
In pictures: Firefighters work to extinguish fires following Russian attacks in Kharkiv
02:00 , James Reynolds
Three killed in Russian attacks across Ukraine, local authorities say
01:00 , James ReynoldsRussian attacks in Ukraine killed at least three people and injured 20 others, including at least one child, regional authorities said on Sunday.
Ukraine’s airforce said Russia launched 117 drones overnight into Sunday. Ukrainian forces managed to down 98, they said.
Donetsk oblast reported that Russian attacks killed one civilian and injured 10 others in the Ukrainian-controlled part.
Kharkiv Oblast reported two people were killed in Russian drone and glide bomb attacks, which injured seven others, including a child.
Five were reportedly injured in Kherson oblast following artillery and air strikes hitting seven apartment buildings and 18 private homes.
Russia loses 930 troops in a day, Ukraine says
00:01 , James ReynoldsRussia has lost 1,273,290 troops since the start of the full scale invasion in 2022, according to Ukraine’s armed forces.
The number includes 930 casualties suffered over the past day.
The figures, reported early Sunday, are broadly supported by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, which assessed 1.2m casualties since Feb 2022 earlier this year.
That figure included killed, missing and wounded.
Russia attacks Ukraine's gas production for the second day, Naftogaz says
Sunday 8 March 2026 23:00 , James ReynoldsRussia has been attacking Ukraine's gas production facilities in the central Poltava region for two days, causing damage, Ukrainian state energy firm Naftogaz said on Sunday.
"A number of critical infrastructure facilities have been shut down. Damage and losses have been reported," Naftogaz said in a statement.
The main Ukrainian gas fields are located in the central Poltava region and in the north-east of the country in the Kharkiv region, bordering Russia.
Recap: Zelensky says US asking for Ukraine specialists to help combat Iran drones
Sunday 8 March 2026 22:00 , James ReynoldsRecap: Russian flag controversially flies once more at Winter Paralympics after country’s first medals
Sunday 8 March 2026 21:00 , James ReynoldsAs the Russia flag was hoisted for the first time at a Paralympics since 2014, it cut an incongruous image against the blinding white backdrop of the Dolomites.
A symbol that now looks strikingly unfamiliar at major sporting events returned at Milano Cortina as Russian para alpine skier Varvara Voronchikhina won bronze in the women’s downhill standing race.
It was the first time the Russian flag has flown at a Games since Sochi 2014, with the nation only confirmed as being allowed to compete in international competition in January.
Read Laura Howard’s full report from Cortina:
Russian flag flies once more at Winter Paralympics after country’s first medals
Three killed in Russian attacks across Ukraine, local authorities say
Sunday 8 March 2026 20:30 , James ReynoldsRussian attacks in Ukraine killed at least three people and injured 20 others, including at least one child, regional authorities said on Sunday.
Ukraine’s airforce said Russia launched 117 drones overnight into Sunday. Ukrainian forces managed to down 98, they said.
Donetsk oblast reported that Russian attacks killed one civilian and injured 10 others in the Ukrainian-controlled part.
Kharkiv Oblast reported two people were killed in Russian drone and glide bomb attacks, which injured seven others, including a child.
Five were reportedly injured in Kherson oblast following artillery and air strikes hitting seven apartment buildings and 18 private homes.
Russia loses 930 troops in a day, Ukraine says
Sunday 8 March 2026 20:00 , James ReynoldsRussia has lost 1,273,290 troops since the start of the full scale invasion in 2022, according to Ukraine’s armed forces.
The number includes 930 casualties suffered over the past day.
The figures are broadly supported by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, which assessed 1.2m casualties since Feb 2022 earlier this year.
That figure included killed, missing and wounded.
‘I lost my husband in the Ukraine war - I came to Dubai to be safe’
Sunday 8 March 2026 19:00 , James ReynoldsOlga Garbuz tells Anjana Sankar in Dubai how she fled Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine four years ago with her daughter, only to find war following her to the Gulf:
‘I lost my husband in the Ukraine war - I came to Dubai to be safe’
Russia 'intercepts 170 drones' in four hours
Sunday 8 March 2026 18:00 , James ReynoldsRussia's Defence Ministry said on Sunday its air defence units had intercepted 170 drones over various parts of central and southern Russia over a four-hour period.
No damage or casualties were reported. Two drones headed were headed for Moscow, it said.
The highest number - 73 - was recorded in Bryansk region bordering Ukraine.
Watch: Trump slams Fox News reporter for asking if Russia is aiding Iran in war
Sunday 8 March 2026 16:01 , Daniel KeaneRussia technically ready for oil supplies via Druzhba, first deputy PM says
Sunday 8 March 2026 15:00 , Daniel KeaneThe Russian section of the Druzhba oil pipeline was technically ready for oil supplies, Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov said.
"Everything is working on our side," Manturov told Russian state television correspondent Pavel Zarubin in comments broadcast on Sunday.
Zelensky says he discussed joint arms production with Dutch PM
Sunday 8 March 2026 13:47 , Daniel KeanePresident Volodymyr Zelensky and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten discussed joint arms production during a visit by Jetten to Kyiv.
"It is important that we are producing weapons together with the Netherlands and we will certainly continue and expand this joint work," Zelensky said on X.
"We discussed this in detail during the meeting investments, licenses, and possible production volumes," he added.
Will Russia helping Iran impact Putin's relations with US? Trump answers
Sunday 8 March 2026 12:30 , Arpan RaiDonald Trump has waved off a question about how Russia assisting Iran with critical intelligence might affect his view of the US-Russia relationship.
“They'd say we do it against them,” Trump responded. "Wouldn't they say that we do it against them?"
Ukraine, in the four years since it was invaded by Russia, has received US intelligence to help defend against incoming missiles from Russia as well as to help Kyiv hit certain Russian targets.
Britain operating four repair facilities in Ukraine
Sunday 8 March 2026 12:10 , Arpan RaiBritain disclosed on Saturday that it had four facilities used for the maintenance of military equipment in Ukraine, which are being used in the war with Russia.
"From the factory floor to the frontline, the UK is standing with Ukraine," Luke Pollard, Britain's Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, said in a statement.
The British defence ministry said that as part of their work the four facilities in Ukraine were repairing CVR-T armoured vehicles, Husky support vehicles, L119 light guns and AS-90 artillery systems, which Britain had donated.
Britain has been one of Ukraine's closest allies since Russia invaded its neighbour in February 2022, having committed more than 21.8 billion pounds ($29.2 billion) of support to Kyiv.
Controversy as Russian flag returns to Games podium
Sunday 8 March 2026 11:10 , Arpan RaiFor the first time in a decade, a Russian flag was raised on a Games podium as the country won two bronze medals in the men's and women's downhill standing events at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics.
Russia has been barred from competing under its national symbols for years over doping violations and the war in Ukraine.
The ban remained in place at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics but was lifted for the Paralympics following a decision by the International Paralympic Committee, prompting criticism from several countries.
On Saturday, Russian alpine skier Varvara Voronchikhina, 24, took bronze in the women’s downhill standing event, while her compatriot Aleksei Bugaev, 29, finished third in the men’s race.
Ukraine’s low-cost Shahed killers draw US and Gulf interest, but a wartime ban blocks sales
Sunday 8 March 2026 10:10 , Arpan RaiAs the war in the Middle East strains US missile stocks, Ukraine is hoping it can turn a wartime innovation – low-cost interceptors designed to shoot down Russian attack drones – into geopolitical leverage.
Now one of the world's leading producers of interceptors, Ukraine is offering that expertise to the United States and its Gulf partners for the war in the Middle East, hoping to receive in return the high-end weaponry it can’t manufacture at home.
When Russia launched its full-scale invasion four years ago, Ukraine’s domestic arms industry was poor. Forced to innovate to survive, it has since built a fast-growing defense sector centered on low-cost drones — some designed specifically to counter Iranian-style Shahed drones of the kind that Russia now launches by the hundreds.
Ukraine’s low-cost Shahed killers draw US and Gulf interest, but a wartime ban blocks sales
Ukraine says Russia used new weapon to attack Kharkiv
Sunday 8 March 2026 09:10 , Arpan RaiRussian forces have deployed a new weapon in the latest strike on Ukraine, officials in Kyiv said after the attack on a residential building left 10 people dead.
The regional Prosecutors's Office said the building was hit by a new Russian cruise missile, known as Izdeliye-30.
Ukrainian reports said that the new subsonic air-launched weapon that Russia has recently started to use against Ukraine has a range of 1,500km (930 miles) and is equipped with a new satellite navigation system more resistant to jamming.
Death toll in Kharkiv attack rises to 10 as Russian missile hits apartment building
Sunday 8 March 2026 08:10 , Arpan RaiTwo children were among at least 10 people killed on Saturday in a Russian missile that hit a five-story residential building in Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, officials said.
At least 16 others were wounded. President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack and called for an international response. He said that Russia struck Ukraine overnight with 29 missiles and 480 drones, targeting energy facilities in Kyiv and other central regions and with damage reported in at least seven other locations across the country.
According to preliminary data, air defence systems downed 19 missiles and 453 drones with hits from 9 missiles and 26 strike drones recorded at 22 locations.
In Kharkiv, in Ukraine's northeast, emergency workers were combing the rubble, looking for survivors.
Among the dead was a primary schoolteacher and her son, a second-grade student, who were killed in their home and an eighth-grader who also died with her mother, according to the city's mayor, Ihor Terekhov.
Zelensky speaks to Saudi crown prince, offers help to down Iranian Shahed drones
Sunday 8 March 2026 07:40 , Arpan RaiUkraine president Volodymyr Zelensky said he had spoken to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman about the situation in Iran and the Middle East and restated Kyiv's offer to help deal with Iranian drones.
"Ukraine has been fighting against (Iranian-designed) 'Shaheds' for years, and everyone acknowledges that no other country in the world has such experience," the war-time president said.
"We are ready to help and expect that our people will also receive the necessary support,” he said.
I spoke with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud. We discussed the security situation in the Middle East and the Gulf region – the existing challenges and countering threats from the Iranian regime.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 7, 2026
Ukrainians have been fighting against “shahed” drones…
US supplying Ukraine-tested anti-drone systems to Middle East allies – report
Sunday 8 March 2026 07:10 , Arpan RaiThe US is supplying Ukraine-tested anti-drone systems to partners in the Middle East, reportedThe Wall Street Journal confirming growing international demand for Kyiv’s battlefield-proven technology capable of countering Iranian drone attacks.
The anti-drone systems are designed to intercept incoming drones and have been tested extensively in Ukraine, which has been fighting the Iranian aerial weapons since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.
Merops has proven effective against Russian drones in Ukraine and is being sent due to limited current anti-drone capabilities in the Middle East.
The Merops system is compact, uses artificial intelligence to identify and intercept drones, and can function even when satellite and electronic communications are jammed.
Delegations have visited factories and development centers to observe how Ukrainian engineers refine counter-drone tactics and systems based on real battlefield experience, the WSJ reported.
Will Russia helping Iran impact Putin's relations with US? Trump answers
Sunday 8 March 2026 06:40 , Arpan RaiDonald Trump has waved off a question about how Russia assisting Iran with critical intelligence might affect his view of the US-Russia relationship.
“They'd say we do it against them,” Trump responded. "Wouldn't they say that we do it against them?"
Ukraine, in the four years since it was invaded by Russia, has received US intelligence to help defend against incoming missiles from Russia as well as to help Kyiv hit certain Russian targets.
Trump downplays importance of Russia reportedly sharing intel with Iran
Sunday 8 March 2026 06:10 , Arpan RaiPresident Donald Trump said it was inconsequential if Russia was providing Iran information to help it target US military personnel and assets in the Middle East as the week-old war continued to rage.
The president dismissed the import of such information-sharing after he attended the dignified transfer for six Army reservists who were killed in a drone strike in Kuwait the day after the US and Israel launched a war on Iran that has unsettled the global economy.
Trump stopped short of confirming reports by the Associated Press and other news outlets that US intelligence officials believe Russia has provided Iran with such targeting information.
But if Moscow is passing on such details, he said Iran was getting little out of it.
“If you take a look at what's happened to Iran in the last week, if they're getting information, it's not helping them much," Trump told reporters on Air Force One as he flew to Miami, where he's spending the rest of the weekend.
Controversy as Russian flag returns to Games podium
Sunday 8 March 2026 05:40 , Arpan RaiFor the first time in a decade, a Russian flag was raised on a Games podium as the country won two bronze medals in the men's and women's downhill standing events at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics.
Russia has been barred from competing under its national symbols for years over doping violations and the war in Ukraine.
The ban remained in place at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics but was lifted for the Paralympics following a decision by the International Paralympic Committee, prompting criticism from several countries.
On Saturday, Russian alpine skier Varvara Voronchikhina, 24, took bronze in the women’s downhill standing event, while her compatriot Aleksei Bugaev, 29, finished third in the men’s race.
Hungary seizes millions of euros from two Ukrainian vehicles amid laundering probe
Sunday 8 March 2026 05:10 , Arpan RaiHungarian authorities have temporarily detained seven Ukrainian citizens and seized two armoured vehicles carrying tens of millions of euros in cash, amid suspicions of money laundering.
The incident, which occurred across Hungary, saw the individuals held on Thursday before their release on Friday.
Despite the Ukrainians being freed, Hungarian officials retained the substantial sum of money. This move has prompted a rebuke from Kyiv, with Ukraine accusing Hungary's Russia-friendly government of illegally confiscating the funds.
“We will not tolerate this state banditism,” Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X on Friday.
Hungary seizes millions of euros from two Ukrainian vehicles amid laundering probe
Ukraine says Russia used new weapon to attack Kharkiv
Sunday 8 March 2026 04:40 , Arpan RaiRussian forces have deployed a new weapon in the latest strike on Ukraine, officials in Kyiv said after the attack on a residential building left 10 people dead.
The regional Prosecutors's Office said the building was hit by a new Russian cruise missile, known as Izdeliye-30.
Ukrainian reports said that the new subsonic air-launched weapon that Russia has recently started to use against Ukraine has a range of 1,500km (930 miles) and is equipped with a new satellite navigation system more resistant to jamming.
Ukraine’s low-cost Shahed killers draw US and Gulf interest, but a wartime ban blocks sales
Sunday 8 March 2026 04:10 , Arpan RaiAs the war in the Middle East strains US missile stocks, Ukraine is hoping it can turn a wartime innovation – low-cost interceptors designed to shoot down Russian attack drones – into geopolitical leverage.
Now one of the world's leading producers of interceptors, Ukraine is offering that expertise to the United States and its Gulf partners for the war in the Middle East, hoping to receive in return the high-end weaponry it can’t manufacture at home.
When Russia launched its full-scale invasion four years ago, Ukraine’s domestic arms industry was poor. Forced to innovate to survive, it has since built a fast-growing defense sector centered on low-cost drones — some designed specifically to counter Iranian-style Shahed drones of the kind that Russia now launches by the hundreds.
Ukraine’s low-cost Shahed killers draw US and Gulf interest, but a wartime ban blocks sales
Russian ballistic missiles strike Ukraine's residential building
Sunday 8 March 2026 03:40 , Arpan RaiThe city of Kharkiv was targeted by Russian drones and missiles, and 11 people, including two children, were killed after a Russian ballistic missile slammed into a five-storey residential building, officials said.
"When we arrived here 20 minutes after the explosion, I thought I was going to have a stroke. I couldn't string two words together, and my legs were buckling," said Hanna, a resident of the destroyed building.
"It's good that I wasn't there with my child and that my father was with me. It was ordinary people who lived there. What were they targeting?”
Russia's defence ministry claimed its forces carried out massive overnight strikes on Ukrainian military-industrial complexes, military airfields and energy facilities but did not explain why the residential areas were targeted in a barrage of strikes, the Interfax news agency reported.
In Kharkiv, 15 people were also wounded, and 19 residential buildings were damaged by the Russian attacks, Kharkiv regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said.
Commercial and administrative buildings, electricity distribution lines, and cars were also hit, he said.
Zelensky speaks to Saudi crown prince, offers help to down Iranian Shahed drones
Sunday 8 March 2026 03:10 , Arpan RaiUkraine president Volodymyr Zelensky said he had spoken to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman about the situation in Iran and the Middle East and restated Kyiv's offer to help deal with Iranian drones.
"Ukraine has been fighting against (Iranian-designed) 'Shaheds' for years, and everyone acknowledges that no other country in the world has such experience," the war-time president said.
"We are ready to help and expect that our people will also receive the necessary support,” he said.
I spoke with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud. We discussed the security situation in the Middle East and the Gulf region – the existing challenges and countering threats from the Iranian regime.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 7, 2026
Ukrainians have been fighting against “shahed” drones…
Death toll in Kharkiv attack rises to 10 as Russian missile hits apartment building
Sunday 8 March 2026 02:36 , Arpan RaiTwo children were among at least 10 people killed on Saturday in a Russian missile that hit a five-story residential building in Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, officials said.
At least 16 others were wounded. President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack and called for an international response. He said that Russia struck Ukraine overnight with 29 missiles and 480 drones, targeting energy facilities in Kyiv and other central regions and with damage reported in at least seven other locations across the country.
According to preliminary data, air defence systems downed 19 missiles and 453 drones with hits from 9 missiles and 26 strike drones recorded at 22 locations.
In Kharkiv, in Ukraine's northeast, emergency workers were combing the rubble, looking for survivors.
Among the dead was a primary schoolteacher and her son, a second-grade student, who were killed in their home and an eighth-grader who also died with her mother, according to the city's mayor, Ihor Terekhov.
It’s too dangerous to see my own children, Ukraine’s president Zelensky admits
Sunday 8 March 2026 02:00 , James ReynoldsZelensky is tired, defiant, misses his family and may not run again as president, but first Ukraine has to win peace, the country’s leader tells the ‘World of Trouble’ podcast with world affairs editor Sam Kiley:
It’s too dangerous to see my own children, Ukraine’s Zelensky admits
Zelensky in contact with Saudi Arabia about dealing with Iranian drones
Sunday 8 March 2026 01:00 , James ReynoldsVolodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday he had spoken to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman about the situation in Iran and the Middle East and restated Kyiv's offer to help deal with Iranian drones.
"Ukraine has been fighting against (Iranian-designed) 'Shaheds' for years, and everyone acknowledges that no other country in the world has such experience," the Ukrainian president wrote on social media, about his conversation.
"We are ready to help and expect that our people will also receive the necessary support."
US turns to Ukraine for help in defending against drones
Saturday 7 March 2026 23:59 , James ReynoldsWith Iranian drones threatening American bases across the Middle East, the US has turned to Ukraine for help.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has offered up Kyiv’s air defence specialists and cheap drone interceptors, and suggested Ukraine would accept missiles for Patriot systems in exchange.
“We received a request from the United States for specific support in protection against ‘Shaheds’ in the Middle East region,” he announced earlier this week, adding that he gave instructions to “provide the necessary means and ensure the presence of Ukrainian specialists” to guarantee security in the region.
Here’s how Ukraine could help the US with its war in Iran:
Zelensky offers technology to shoot down Iran Shahed drones saving US millions
Controversy as Russian flag returns to Games podium
Saturday 7 March 2026 23:00 , James ReynoldsFor the first time in a decade, a Russian flag was raised on a Games podium as the country won two bronze medals in the men's and women's downhill standing events at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics.
Russia has been barred from competing under its national symbols for years over doping violations and the war in Ukraine.
The ban remained in place at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics but was lifted for the Paralympics following a decision by the International Paralympic Committee, prompting criticism from several countries.
On Saturday, Russian alpine skier Varvara Voronchikhina, 24, took bronze in the women’s downhill standing event, while her compatriot Aleksei Bugaev, 29, finished third in the men’s race.
Britain operating four repair facilities in Ukraine
Saturday 7 March 2026 22:00 , James ReynoldsBritain disclosed on Saturday that it had four facilities used for the maintenance of military equipment in Ukraine, which are being used in the war with Russia.
"From the factory floor to the frontline, the UK is standing with Ukraine," Luke Pollard, Britain's Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, said in a statement.
The British defence ministry said that as part of their work the four facilities in Ukraine were repairing CVR-T armoured vehicles, Husky support vehicles, L119 light guns and AS-90 artillery systems, which Britain had donated.
Britain has been one of Ukraine's closest allies since Russia invaded its neighbour in February 2022, having committed more than 21.8 billion pounds ($29.2 billion) of support to Kyiv.
White House says 'it does not matter' if Russia is helping Iran bomb US bases
Saturday 7 March 2026 21:00 , James ReynoldsThe White House on Friday addressed reports that Russia may have supplied Iran with information on the location of US military facilities, including ships and aircraft, in the Middle East since the explosion of hostilities last Saturday.
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed concerns about the report in an interview with Fox News, saying the administration does not comment on ‘intelligence reports leaked to the press’.
She added: “Whether or not this happened, frankly, it does not really matter, because President Trump and the United States military are absolutely decimating the rogue Iranian terrorist regime.”
A US official told the Washington Post that Moscow may see the move as retaliation for US support to Ukraine since 2022.
Recap: Peace talks on ice during Iran crisis
Saturday 7 March 2026 20:00 , James ReynoldsA new round of US-mediated talks between Russia and Ukraine planned for this week was postponed because of war in the Middle East, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“Right now, because of the situation around Iran, there are not yet the necessary signals for a trilateral meeting,” Zelenskyy said this week. “But as soon as the security situation and the overall political context allow us to resume that trilateral diplomatic work, it will be done.”
Read the full story:
Zelenskyy says Russia-Ukraine talks on ice as countries in Mideast seek Kyiv's drone expertise
Watch: Zelensky plans to expand 'security 'cooperation' from partners as Ukraine provides support in US-Iran war
Saturday 7 March 2026 19:00 , James ReynoldsZelensky: Trump using up all his missiles on Iran risks leaving Ukraine short against Putin
Saturday 7 March 2026 18:00 , James ReynoldsIn an exclusive interview with The Independent’s world affairs editor Sam Kiley, Volodymyr Zelensky said his country may be left more vulnerable by the Iran conflict, but he needs weapons to force Putin to genuine peace:
Zelensky: Trump using up all his missiles on Iran risks leaving Ukraine short
In pictures: Firefighters respond to Russian missile strike in Kharkiv
Saturday 7 March 2026 17:00 , James ReynoldsRussia launched a barrage of drones and missiles at Ukraine overnight, damaging infrastructure and killing at least 10 people, including two children, officials said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that Russia launched 480 drones and 29 missiles targeting the energy sector and railway infrastructure across the country.
"There should be a response from partners to these savage strikes against life," Zelenskiy said on the Telegram app.
Regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said onTelegram that the missile damaged a five-storey residential building in one of the districts of Kharkiv. Rescue workers are on site to clear up debris, he said.
US turns to Ukraine for help in defending against drones
Saturday 7 March 2026 16:00 , James ReynoldsWith Iranian drones threatening American bases across the Middle East, the US has turned to Ukraine for help.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has offered up Kyiv’s air defence specialists and cheap drone interceptors, and suggested Ukraine would accept missiles for Patriot systems in exchange.
“We received a request from the United States for specific support in protection against ‘Shaheds’ in the Middle East region,” he announced earlier this week, adding that he gave instructions to “provide the necessary means and ensure the presence of Ukrainian specialists” to guarantee security in the region.
Here’s how Ukraine could help the US with its war in Iran:
Zelensky offers technology to shoot down Iran Shahed drones saving US millions
Ukraine's interceptor drone makers look at exports to the Gulf as Iran war flares
Saturday 7 March 2026 15:00 , Daniel KeaneUkrainian manufacturers of cheap interceptor drones designed to knock out enemy unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) say they have the capacity to export in large volumes, amid enquiries from the United States and Middle East prompted by the Iran war.
Hundreds of drones based on Iran's Shahed model and now made in Russia fill Ukraine's skies during frequent attacks, and many are downed by air defences including Western missiles, fighter jets, truck-mounted guns and interceptor drones.
Watch: Ukraine brings back 200 prisoners of war in swap with Russia
Saturday 7 March 2026 14:00 , Daniel KeaneRussia says it struck Ukrainian military and energy sites overnight, Ifax reports
Saturday 7 March 2026 13:00 , Daniel KeaneRussian forces carried out massive overnight strikes on Ukrainian military-industrial complexes, military airfields and energy facilities, the Interfax news agency reported on Saturday, citing the Russian Defence Ministry.
Reuters could not independently verify the battlefield report.
Zelensky says Russia's 'savage strikes' killed seven overnight
Saturday 7 March 2026 12:00 , Arpan RaiVolodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of carrying out “savage strikes” by using ballistic missiles and nearly 500 drones overnight on Ukrainian cities.
“Russia used 29 missiles, nearly half of them ballistic, and 480 drones, most of them “shaheds,” against Ukraine. They targeted energy infrastructure in Kyiv, the Khmelnytskyi and Chernivtsi regions, and the railway in the Zhytomyr region,” he said.
There must be a response from partners to these savage strikes against life, Zelensky said.
He also accused Russia of continuing to attack Ukrainian cities. “Russia has not abandoned its attempts to destroy Ukraine’s residential and critical infrastructure, and therefore support must continue,” he said.
Russian energy demand seeing 'significant' bump from Iran war, Kremlin says
Saturday 7 March 2026 11:00 , Arpan RaiThe war in Iran has fuelled a significant bump in demand for Russian oil and gas, the Kremlin said on Friday, boosting exports which have been battered in recent years by sanctions linked to Russia's war in Ukraine.
The Iran conflict, now in its seventh day, has left the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping chokepoint, all but shut, cutting countries off from a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.
"We are seeing a significant increase in demand for Russian energy resources in connection with the war in Iran," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday, saying Russia "remains a reliable supplier" of both oil and gas, including LNG. On Thursday, the U.S. Treasury issued a 30-day waiver allowing India to buy Russian oil currently stuck at sea, following months of US pressure on New Delhi not to purchase Russian barrels.
Peskov declined to disclose possible volumes that could be shipped to India under the waiver.
Ukraine foreign ministry advises against travel to Hungary
Saturday 7 March 2026 10:30 , Arpan RaiUkraine's Foreign Ministry said it advises Ukrainians against travel to Hungary due to the inability to guarantee their safety amid arbitrary actions by the Hungarian authorities.
The ministry also called on Ukrainian and European businesses to take into account the risks of any business activity in Hungary after Kyiv accused Budapest of "taking hostage" seven state bank employees who were shipping around $82 million in cash and gold.
Hungary's Orban stakes election on anti-Ukraine campaign
Saturday 7 March 2026 10:10 , Arpan RaiHungarian prime minister Viktor Orban, who has maintained close relations with the Kremlin while escalating an aggressive anti-Ukraine campaign ahead of crucial elections next month, has called Ukraine Hungary's "enemy," and accused Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky of seeking to provoke an energy crisis in order to sway the 12 April vote.
"The best way for the Ukrainians to achieve their demands on Hungary is if they get rid of the national government and the prime minister who is standing in their way," Orban said in statements to state radio on Friday.
While he did not directly mention the detention of the bank vehicles, Orban alluded to the incident, saying: "We will stop things that are important to Ukraine passing through Hungary until we get the approval of the Ukrainians for oil shipments."
"The Ukrainians will run out of money sooner than we will run out of oil," he added.
Trailing in most polls behind a popular center-right challenger, the populist Orban has staked the election on convincing voters that Ukraine poses an existential threat to Hungary's security.
In office since 2010, the EU's longest-serving leader has claimed that if he loses the election, the European Union will force Hungary into bankruptcy by cutting Russian energy imports, and that Hungarian youth will be sent to their deaths on the front lines in Ukraine.
Zelensky visits war frontline in the east to meet Ukrainian troops
Saturday 7 March 2026 09:50 , Arpan RaiUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said that he had visited the eastern front line on Friday.
Zelensky gave awards to troops defending the positions near Druzhkivka and Kostiantynivka, cities in the eastern Donetsk region where Russia has concentrated its forces. Moscow was preparing for a spring offensive there, he said.
"It is important not only from the point of view of defending our state on the battlefield, but it is also very important geopolitically," Zelensky told soldiers from the 28th separate mechanised brigade in a video posted on his Telegram channel.
"The stronger we are in the eastern direction, the stronger we are in the talks process,” he said.
Under pressure from US president Donald Trump's administration, Ukraine and Russia held several rounds of talks trying to find a diplomatic solution on how to end the war, now in its fifth year.
Command post of the 81st Separate Airmobile Slobozhanska Brigade. The warriors are currently defending Slovyansk from the north – the Yampil and Siversk directions. I spoke with the defenders and presented them with state awards. I thank the fighters for their service. The… pic.twitter.com/xACvfvfbw0
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 6, 2026
Kyiv summons Hungarian envoy over detention of Ukrainians
Saturday 7 March 2026 09:30 , Arpan RaiUkraine's foreign ministry said it summoned Hungary's acting charge d'affaires in Kyiv over the detention of Ukrainian nationals in Budapest.
A ministry statement said Ukraine reserves the right to respond, including via sanctions and other restrictive measures against those involved in "unlawful" actions.
Russia providing Iran intelligence to target US forces – report
Saturday 7 March 2026 09:15 , Arpan RaiRussia is providing Iran with targeting information that includes locations of US warships and aircraft in the Middle East, the Washington Post reported, citing three officials familiar with the intelligence.
The extent of Russia's support to Iran was not entirely clear but the Iranian military's own ability to locate US forces has been degraded since the US and Israel launched strikes against Tehran last week, the Post reported.
The war has since escalated, triggering retaliatory strikes by Iran, and ensnared its neighbours as it seeks to impose a high cost on the US, Israel and their allies.
The US military has identified six reserve soldiers killed in Kuwait when a drone slammed into a US military facility in Port Shuaiba. Trump and other senior officials have warned the conflict will likely result in more US military deaths.
A White House spokesperson did not directly comment on the alleged Russian support to Iran.
"The Iranian regime is being absolutely crushed. Their ballistic missile retaliation is decreasing every day, their navy is being wiped out, their production capacity is being demolished, and proxies are hardly putting up a fight," White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said.
Russia was in dialogue with representatives of Iran's leadership, the Kremlin said on Friday. It declined to provide details when asked by reporters whether Moscow was helping Tehran.
Watch: Zelensky plans to expand 'security 'cooperation' from partners as Ukraine provides support in US-Iran war
Saturday 7 March 2026 08:45 , Arpan RaiUK discloses four maintenance facilities operating in Ukraine
Saturday 7 March 2026 08:25 , Arpan RaiThe UK is operating four facilities in Ukraine to carry out repair and maintenance work for armoured vehicles and other military equipment being used in the war with Russia, the British ministry of defence said this morning.
The facilities, which had not previously been divulged, were set up using both British and Ukrainian workers, operated under contracts issued by Britain's defence ministry.
"From the factory floor to the frontline, the UK is standing with Ukraine," Luke Pollard, defence readiness and industry minister said in a statement.
"Our pioneering facilities are helping keep Ukraine's defiant armed forces in the fight against (Russian president Vladimir) Putin's brutal attacks, and British firms are boosting long-term industrial production in Ukraine and partnering with Ukrainian companies to benefit both our nations,” he said.
“Britain has been one of Ukraine's closest allies since Russia invaded its neighbour in February 2022, having committed more than £21.8bn ($29.2bn) of support to Kyiv,” he said.
The British defence ministry said that as part of their work the four facilities in Ukraine were repairing CVR-T armoured vehicles, Husky support vehicles, L119 light guns and AS-90 artillery systems, which Britain had donated.
A fifth facility was also being planned, it said.
Oil, railway stations and grain warehouse among targets of Russian air attack overnight
Saturday 7 March 2026 08:04 , Arpan RaiIn Kharkiv, seven residential apartment houses, commercial and administrative buildings, electricity distribution lines, and cars were damaged by the Russian attacks, Syniehubov said.
Ukrainian officials said that Russia attacked four railway stations and other railway infrastructure in central Ukraine and port infrastructure in the southern Odesa region, setting on fire containers with vegetable oil and damaging a grain warehouse.
In photos: Russia attacks Ukraine with nearly 500 drones and a dozen ballistic missiles
Saturday 7 March 2026 07:56 , Arpan Rai
The Paralympics are welcoming Russia back to the Winter Games – and this is just the start
Saturday 7 March 2026 07:56 , Arpan RaiIn the days after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) arranged a call involving all of its eclectic membership. The 100 or so IOC members include a Mongolian banker, a Cape Verdean schoolteacher, a Fijian doctor, the Grand Duke of Luxembourg and HRH Princess Anne, and they jumped on a Zoom to discuss what to do about Russia.
The point was made by IOC president Thomas Bach that the invasion of another sovereign nation deserved strong sanctions, but his proposal to ban Russia from global sporting events was met with plenty of opposition. One south Asian member spoke up to ask why, if that was the IOC’s policy on war, Britain wasn’t banished for invading Iraq.
The tension in that meeting spoke to a wider geopolitical reality – that Europe’s fury at Russia’s invasion wasn’t, and still isn’t, replicated around the world. Over the past 12 months, Russia has begun a slow creep back into the sporting fold. The International Judo Federation announced full reinstatement last year, and Fifa president Gianni Infantino has made clear that football is heading in the same direction under his watch.
Russia is back at the Paralympic Games – and this is just the start
Zelensky says Russia's 'savage strikes' killed seven overnight
Saturday 7 March 2026 07:31 , Arpan RaiVolodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of carrying out “savage strikes” by using ballistic missiles and nearly 500 drones overnight on Ukrainian cities.
“Russia used 29 missiles, nearly half of them ballistic, and 480 drones, most of them “shaheds,” against Ukraine. They targeted energy infrastructure in Kyiv, the Khmelnytskyi and Chernivtsi regions, and the railway in the Zhytomyr region,” he said.
There must be a response from partners to these savage strikes against life, Zelensky said.
He also accused Russia of continuing to attack Ukrainian cities. “Russia has not abandoned its attempts to destroy Ukraine’s residential and critical infrastructure, and therefore support must continue,” he said.
Since last night, work has been ongoing to clear the rubble of a residential building in Kharkiv following a Russian ballistic missile strike. A whole section was destroyed, and the upper floors of a neighboring building were damaged. Unfortunately, as of now, it is known that 7… pic.twitter.com/f3Jr8mPCWN
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 7, 2026
Why Ukraine's homegrown defence is answer to Iran's Shahed drones
Saturday 7 March 2026 07:25 , Arpan RaiThe homegrown Ukrainian munitions have transformed Kyiv's air defence as it faces hundreds of Shahed-type drones launched by Russia every night.
The drones, which come in both winged and copter forms, are piloted by humans who steer them towards their targets. They are equipped with advanced communications systems, allowing them to reach a high altitude, and can reach a speed of around 330km per hour before striking their target, officials say.
“It needs to be faster than Shahed, which flies 200km per hour, and this drone has to find, catch and destroy it,” Serhii Beskrestnov, a consultant to the Ukrainian military, told Politico last August.
Volodymyr Zelensky has been in contact with the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, and the UAE president Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, about the use of Ukraine’s anti-drone technology.
Russian strike kills seven, including two children, in Kharkiv, governor says
Saturday 7 March 2026 07:16 , Arpan RaiA Russian missile strike killed at least seven people, including two children, in Ukraine's city of Kharkiv, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said this morning.
Syniehubov said the missile damaged a five-storey residential building in one of the districts of Kharkiv. Rescue workers are on site to clear
Russia providing Iran intelligence to target US forces – report
Saturday 7 March 2026 06:55 , Arpan RaiRussia is providing Iran with targeting information that includes locations of US warships and aircraft in the Middle East, the Washington Post reported, citing three officials familiar with the intelligence.
The extent of Russia's support to Iran was not entirely clear but the Iranian military's own ability to locate US forces has been degraded since the US and Israel launched strikes against Tehran last week, the Post reported.
The war has since escalated, triggering retaliatory strikes by Iran, and ensnared its neighbours as it seeks to impose a high cost on the US, Israel and their allies.
The US military has identified six reserve soldiers killed in Kuwait when a drone slammed into a US military facility in Port Shuaiba. Trump and other senior officials have warned the conflict will likely result in more US military deaths.
A White House spokesperson did not directly comment on the alleged Russian support to Iran.
"The Iranian regime is being absolutely crushed. Their ballistic missile retaliation is decreasing every day, their navy is being wiped out, their production capacity is being demolished, and proxies are hardly putting up a fight," White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said.
Russia was in dialogue with representatives of Iran's leadership, the Kremlin said on Friday. It declined to provide details when asked by reporters whether Moscow was helping Tehran.
Zelensky offers Trump technology to shoot down Iran Shahed drones that could save US millions
Saturday 7 March 2026 06:25 , Arpan RaiAs Iran launches Shahed suicide drones across the Middle East in retaliation for ongoing US-Israeli attacks, countries are spending millions of dollars intercepting them.
The UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar are among the nations in the region that use sophisticated US-made air defences to intercept the relatively cheaply made, mass-produced drones fired by Iran.
With the conflict now in its seventh day, the US has turned to Ukraine, a country that shoots down Shahed-type drones fired by Russia every night, for assistance in defending its assets in the Middle East.
Zelensky offers technology to shoot down Iran Shahed drones saving US millions
US to send anti-drone system to the Mideast after successful use in Ukraine
Saturday 7 March 2026 05:55 , Arpan RaiAn American anti-drone system proven to work against Russian drones in Ukraine will soon be sent to the Middle East to bolster US defences against Iranian drones, two US officials said.
The system that is being sent, known as Merops, flies drones against drones. It is small enough to fit in the back of a midsize pickup truck, can identify drones and close in on them, using artificial intelligence to navigate when satellite and electronic communications are jammed.
Drones are hard to pinpoint on radar systems calibrated for spotting high-speed missiles and can be mistaken for birds or planes. The Merops system is designed to spot them and take them down. Crucially, the system also is cheaper than firing a missile that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars at a drone that costs less than $50,000.
While the US has used Patriot and THAAD missile systems to take down Iranian missiles successfully, there are limited effective anti-drone defences now in the Middle East, according to a US defense official, one of two officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military matters.
The US response to countering Iran's Shahed drones has been “disappointing,” the other US official said, particularly because the drones fired by Iran are a much more basic version of the same drone that Russia is continuously refining and updating in its war in Ukraine.
Russian ballistic missiles and drones kill four in Ukraine overnight
Saturday 7 March 2026 05:51 , Arpan RaiAt least four people were killed and 10 others were injured in Ukraine’s Kharkiv after Russia attacked Ukrainian cities with ballistic missiles and drones overnight, officials said.
Ukrainian officials also sounded a countrywide air raid alert in the early hours around 3am local time to caution locals across Ukraine against incoming Russian projectiles.
Kharkiv oblast governor Oleh Syniehubov said the region was targeted overnight and fires were reported as a result of a ballistic missile attack.
The attack killed four civilians and injured 10, including two children, the State Emergency Service said.
Kharkiv mayor Ihor Terekhov said the victims were found by the rescue services after a ballistic missile struck a multi-story residential building in Kharkiv’s Kyivskyi district, causing heavy destruction and a fire.
"A direct hit by a ballistic missile on a multi-story building in the Kyivskyi district has been confirmed. There is significant damage, a fire, and people may be trapped under the rubble," Terekhov said.
Explosions were first reported in Kyiv around 1.30am local time, reported the Kyiv Independent, followed by more blasts reported around 1.40am local time.
Kyiv mayor Vitalii Klitschko asked people in Kyiv to take cover. “Air defence forces are operating in the capital. Stay in shelters,” he said.
Russian ballistic missiles and drones kill four in Ukraine overnight
Saturday 7 March 2026 05:38 , Arpan RaiAt least four people were killed and 10 others were injured in Ukraine’s Kharkiv after Russia attacked Ukrainian cities with ballistic missiles and drones overnight, officials said.
Ukrainian officials also sounded a countrywide air raid alert in the early hours around 3am local time to caution locals across Ukraine against incoming Russian projectiles.
Kharkiv oblast governor Oleh Syniehubov said the region was targeted overnight and fires were reported as a result of a ballistic missile attack.
The attack killed four civilians and injured 10, including two children, the State Emergency Service said.
Kharkiv mayor Ihor Terekhov said the victims were found by the rescue services after a ballistic missile struck a multi-story residential building in Kharkiv’s Kyivskyi district, causing heavy destruction and a fire.
"A direct hit by a ballistic missile on a multi-story building in the Kyivskyi district has been confirmed. There is significant damage, a fire, and people may be trapped under the rubble," Terekhov said.
Explosions were first reported in Kyiv around 1.30am local time, reported the Kyiv Independent, followed by more blasts reported around 1.40am local time.
Kyiv mayor Vitalii Klitschko asked people in Kyiv to take cover. “Air defence forces are operating in the capital. Stay in shelters,” he said.
Kyiv summons Hungarian envoy over detention of Ukrainians
Saturday 7 March 2026 05:25 , Arpan RaiUkraine's foreign ministry said it summoned Hungary's acting charge d'affaires in Kyiv over the detention of Ukrainian nationals in Budapest.
A ministry statement said Ukraine reserves the right to respond, including via sanctions and other restrictive measures against those involved in "unlawful" actions.
