Russian president Vladimir Putin is planning to open four ground control stations to host long-range attack drones in Belarus, president Volodymyr Zelensky said, citing information from Ukraine's military intelligence service.
"There will be responses to this. And they will be felt,” he said.
Belarus, a long-time Russian ally, has been reluctant to take on an active role in the war but allowed Russian forces to pass through its territory at the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.
It has also agreed to host some Russian military assets, including nuclear-capable missiles.
Zelensky has warned Belarus is becoming increasingly involved in Russia's war as it drags on into a fifth year.
Meanwhile, Ukraine claims Russia has lost over 6,000 soldiers in just four days of "intensive assault operations" amid improving spring weather conditions.
Ukrainian commander Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi said Kyiv had largely managed to repel Russia’s renewed push to capture more Ukrainian land.
Key Points
- Zelensky says Russia will open control stations for long-range drones in Belarus
- Russia loses more than 6,000 troops in four days, says Ukrainian military
- Ukraine has 'irrefutable' evidence of Russia providing intelligence to Iran
- Ukraine diplomat urges strikes on Russian drone production over Iran shipments
Ukraine seeing violence 'worse than ever', says UN official
04:57 , Arpan RaiThe violence being meted out in the Ukraine war is "worse than ever" more than four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion, according to a UN official.
Rosemary DiCarlo, the head of UN political and peacebuilding affairs, said the conflict had caused “nearly 1,500 days of death, destruction and despair”, as she repeated the UN’s long-standing demand for a ceasefire.
She said at least 15,364 civilians were confirmed killed, including 775 children, and more than 42,000 others injured, though actual numbers are likely to be higher, since Russian president Vladimir Putin launched his offensive in February 2022.
“The suffering and destruction caused by the war in Ukraine can never be justified. The longer the war exists, the deadlier it becomes, with growing risks to regional and international security,” she said.
The official added that at least 188 civilians were killed in February alone, and 757 injured – a 45 per cent increase over the same period last year.
Russia loses more than 6,000 troops in four days, says Ukrainian military
04:27 , Arpan RaiRussian forces have suffered more than 6,000 casualties in the last four days after Vladimir Putin’s army attempted a renewed offensive to capture more land in Ukraine, officials said.
Ukrainian army commander Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi said the Russian operations were a “colossal pressure” and their forces were beaten back.
“The enemy tried to break through the defensive formations of our troops in several strategic directions at once… In total, the enemy conducted 619 assault actions during these four days,” he said.
The Russian command, he said, threw tens of thousands of soldiers into the “meat assaults”.
“Over four days of intensive assault operations, the enemy lost more than 6,090 soldiers killed and wounded,” Syrskyi said, adding that Kyiv largely managed to repel the offensive.
Ukraine has 'irrefutable' evidence of Russia providing intelligence to Iran, says Zelensky
03:57 , Arpan RaiUkraine's military intelligence has "irrefutable" evidence that Russia continues to provide intelligence to Iran and such activity can only prolong the war in the Middle East, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
"Russia is using its own signals intelligence and electronic intelligence capabilities, as well as part of the data obtained through cooperation with partners in the Middle East," he said on X after meeting the head of military intelligence.
Zelensky, later in his nightly address, said there was "growing evidence" of continued Russian efforts to funnel intelligence to Iran.
“This is clearly destructive activity and must be stopped as it only leads to further destabilisation. All decent states are interested in guaranteeing security and preventing a larger crisis," he said.
“Markets are already reacting negatively and this is significantly complicating the fuel situation in many countries. By helping the Iranian regime survive and strike more accurately, Russia is effectively prolonging the war,” he said.
The Kremlin last week dismissed a Wall Street Journal report that Russia was sharing satellite imagery and improved drone technology with Iran as "fake news".
Report by Chief of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine Oleh Ivashchenko.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 23, 2026
First, we have irrefutable evidence that the Russians continue to provide intelligence to the Iranian regime. Russia is using its own signals intelligence and electronic intelligence capabilities, as well… pic.twitter.com/ij5JE0XPkX
Zelensky says Russia will open control stations for long-range drones in Belarus
03:27 , Arpan RaiRussia plans to open four ground control stations for long-range attack drones in Belarus, president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday, citing information from Ukraine's military intelligence service.
Zelensky, who in recent months has repeatedly warned about Belarus becoming more involved in Russia's war against Ukraine, added in comments on X that he had instructed the service's chief to inform Kyiv's partners about these plans.
Earlier in the now four-year-old war, Zelensky said Belarusian assistance had for a time intensified the damage inflicted by Russian attacks until Ukraine took action against it.
"We now have information from our intelligence that Russia intends to continue using the territory of Belarus and temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine to build ground control stations for long-range drones," he said.
"There will be responses to this. And they will be felt,” he said.
Ukraine diplomat urges strikes on Russian drone production over Iran shipments
02:57 , Arpan RaiMoscow's shipment of modernised drones to Iran made Russian drone production sites legitimate military targets, a top Ukrainian diplomat said, urging Western powers to equip Ukraine with weapons capable of hitting those sites.
Ukraine's permanent representative to the United Nations, Andriy Melnyk, said Russia's support of Tehran with modernised versions of its Iranian-designed Shahed drones and other military support, meant it was now Tehran's main accomplice in the Middle East war.
Moscow has been using the Shahed drones against Ukraine since early in its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
“The recent conflict in Iran has revealed how intertwined this crisis is with Russia's military invasion and the Kremlin's malign, imperialistic goals," he told a special Security Council session on the Ukraine war.
Russia's shipments of modernised versions of Iran's Shahed drones, using licences provided by Tehran, marked an unprecedented escalation that would allow Iran to attack Gulf countries and US forces in the region for a long period, destabilising the region and threatening the global economy, Melnyk said.
As a result, Russian drone production sites should be considered "legitimate targets for military strikes in the campaign against the mullah regime," he said.
Ukrainian drones strike Russian air defence systems
02:00 , Harriette BoucherUkraine destroyed two Buk air defense systems in a drone attack in Russia's Bryansk Oblast on Sunday.
Footage shared by Robert Brovdi, the commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, shows its military striking the two systems.
Mr Brovdi said a Buk-M3 surface-to-air missile system and a transporter-loader vehicle of a Buk-M2 system were destroyed.
'Irrefutable evidence' Russia is providing intelligence to Iran, Zelensky claims
01:00 , Harriette BoucherThere is “irrefutable evidence” that Russia is providing Iran with intelligence, Volodymyr Zelensky has claimed.
The Ukrainian president said on Monday night that Russia was using its own signals intelligence and electronic intelligence capabilities, as well as data obtained through cooperation with partners in the Middle East.
“There is growing evidence that the Russians continue to provide the Iranian regime with intelligence support. This is clearly destructive activity, and it must be stopped, as it only leads to further destabilisation,” Zelensky said.
“All decent states are interested in guaranteeing security and preventing a larger crisis. Markets are already reacting negatively, and this is significantly complicating the fuel situation in many countries.
“By helping the Iranian regime stay afloat and strike more accurately, Russia is effectively prolonging the war. There must be a response.”
Zelensky turns to African nation to solve Ukraine’s energy crisis
00:00 , Harriette BoucherUkraine is seeking to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Mozambique as it grapples with severe energy shortages caused by relentless Russian attacks on its production infrastructure.
President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed Kyiv's interest on Monday, after meeting with Mozambique's President Daniel Chapo.
Prior to the full-scale invasion, Ukraine met almost all of its gas needs through domestic production.
However, Russian strikes have significantly impacted this, leading to a loss of about half its gas output, according to Central Bank Governor Andriy Pyshnyi.
These attacks intensified last autumn, targeting crucial gas facilities in frontline regions across northeast and central Ukraine.
Speaking on the Telegram messaging app, Mr Zelensky suggested Kyiv could offer support to the southern African nation, which is battling an Islamist insurgency, in countering its security challenges.
He stated: "Ukraine is interested in additional energy supplies. Mozambique is interested in Ukraine's experience and technologies to strengthen its internal security and protect people from terror." No specific volumes of gas or details of any potential deal were provided.
Zelensky turns to African nation to solve Ukraine’s energy crisis
Ukraine wants to import gas from Mozambique, says Zelensky
Monday 23 March 2026 23:30 , Maira ButtPresident Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine is interested in importing liquefied natural gas from Mozambique as it struggles to meet its energy needs after years of conflict.
“Ukraine is interested in additional energy supplies. Mozambique is interested in Ukraine's experience and technologies to strengthen its internal security and protect people from terror,” he said on Monday but did not provide any further details.
Mozambique is a major African gas producer and in January the country and TotalEnergies TTEF.PA announced they would relaunch an LNG project that had previously been halted as the country battled with an insurgency.
The project has the capacity to produce 13 million metric tons of LNG annually and is expected to make the country a major gas exporter.
In pictures: The latest from the Russia-Ukraine conflict
Monday 23 March 2026 22:30 , Maira Butt
Watch: ISS captures images of Russian missile strike on Kyiv from space
Monday 23 March 2026 21:30 , Maira ButtHungarian PM orders probe into wiretapping of minister over Russia links
Monday 23 March 2026 20:30 , Maira ButtHungary’s prime minister Viktor Orban has ordered a probe on into what he called a wiretapping of his foreign minister on Monday.
The alleged wiretapping is said to have occurred as Orban’s government sought to deal with the fallout from a media report about its links to Russia before an April election.
“We are dealing with two serious issues: there is evidence that Hungary's Foreign Minister was wiretapped, and we also have indications of who may be behind it. This must be investigated immediately,” Orban wrote in a post on X on Monday.
The Washington Post reported on Saturday, citing a European security official, that foreign minister Peter Szijjarto had made regular calls during breaks at EU meetings for years to brief his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov with “live reports on what's been discussed.”
Szijjarto dismissed the report on Sunday as “fake news.”
An EU Commission spokesperson said that the reports were worrying and that they expected clarification from Hungary.
Russia to open control stations for long-range drones in Belarus, says Zelensky
Monday 23 March 2026 19:30 , Maira ButtRussia plans to open four ground control stations for long-range attack drones in Belarus, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday, citing information from Ukraine's military intelligence service.
Zelensky, who has repeatedly warned about Belarus becoming more involved in Russia's war against Ukraine, added that he had instructed the service's chief to inform Kyiv's partners about these plans.
Ukraine war briefing: Kyiv names spy ring chief as Hungarian military intelligence officer
Monday 23 March 2026 18:30 , Maira ButtUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that Russia lost over 8,000 troops in the past week due to intensified offensives taking advantage of improved spring weather.
Zelensky warned that a prolonged conflict in the Middle East could exhaust US-supplied Patriot air defence missiles, which would benefit Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Ukraine will no longer send its forces abroad for training, stating that Western allies lack the modern combat experience necessary for current operations, with the UK proposing to move training to Ukraine.
Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) identified a Hungarian intelligence officer as the leader of a spy ring operating in western Ukraine, accused of recruiting former Ukrainian servicemen.
Kyiv’s drones struck several large oil tanks at Russia's Primorsk port, forcing a pause in fuel loading and causing flights at St Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport to be grounded.
Russia's Saratov oil refinery halts work after drone attack, sources say
Monday 23 March 2026 17:30 , Maira ButtRussia’s Saratov oil refinery has been forced to shut down after a drone attack hit the facility on 21 March, sources with knowledge of the situation told Reuters.
The crude distillation unit at the refinery has been shut down since the bombardment, they said.
Ukraine’s military said on Saturday that it had hit the Rosneft ROSN.MM refinery.
Russian governor of Saratov, Roman Busargin, said that civilian infrastructure had been hit but did not give details.
During a trading session at the St Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange on Monday, the company made no offers for petroleum products.
Ukraine has 'irrefutable' evidence of Russia providing intelligence to Iran, says Zelensky
Monday 23 March 2026 16:30 , Maira ButtPresident Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Ukraine’s military intelligence has “irrefutable” proof that Russia has been providing Iran with intelligence.
“Russia is using its own signals intelligence and electronic intelligence capabilities, as well as part of the data obtained through cooperation with partners in the Middle East,” Zelensky said in a post on X on Monday after a meeting with the head of the country’s military intelligence.
The Kremlin denied a Wall Street Journal report last week that alleged Russia had shared satellite imagery and drone technology with Tehran as “fake news”.
Kyiv identifies spy ring chief as Hungarian military intelligence officer
Monday 23 March 2026 15:44 , Oisin McilroyThe Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) says it has identified a Hungarian intelligence officer as the leader of a spy ring operating in western Ukraine.
Initially arrested in Zakarpattia Oblast by the SBU in early 2025, Zoltán Andre had recruited at least two former Ukrainian servicemen, according to a statement posted on service’s official Telegram channel.
The officer reportedly directed these informants to “gathering information on the region’s military defences, local social and political sentiments, and the population’s likely reaction in the event of a Hungarian military incursion.”
Between 2016 and 2020, Andre operated undercover in Georgia and was actively conducting “reconnaissance and sabotage operations” in Ukraine as early as 2021, according to the SBU.
Andre allegedly provided a variety of rewards in exchange for information, including money, Hungarian citizenship, and narcotics.
Ukraine to wind down foreign training ties over allies' lack of experience
Monday 23 March 2026 14:54 , Oisin McilroyUkraine will no longer send its forces abroad to be trained by Western allies, believing they lack the modern combat experience necessary to train Ukrainian forces.
The move was announced by Yevhen Mezhivikin, a senior official in the Ukrainian military responsible for training, who said, “[Western forces] are detached from our realities, from current combat operations.”
“The United Kingdom is the first country to propose moving all training to Ukraine and concentrating efforts on specific centres and areas of activity to avoid dispersing them,” Mezhivikin added.
Since July 2022, the UK has hosted tens of thousands of Ukrainian recruits under Operation Interflex, with 56,000 trained by June 2025.
Other nations have also contributed instructors, including Canada, New Zealand, Romania, and Denmark.
Orban orders probe into 'wiretapping' of minister over Russia links
Monday 23 March 2026 14:35 , Daniel KeaneHungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has ordered a probe into what he called a wiretapping of his foreign minister as his government sought to deal with the fallout from a media report about its links to Russia before an April election.
Orban faces his toughest reelection bid of the past 16 years on 12 April as the centre-right opposition Tisza party leads most polls with a wide margin.
"We are dealing with two serious issues: there is evidence that Hungary's Foreign Minister was wiretapped, and we also have indications of who may be behind it. This must be investigated immediately," Orban tweeted on Monday.
Ukraine in talks with Mozambique over fuel-security exchange deal
Monday 23 March 2026 13:49 , Oisin McilroyUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky held a phone call with his Mozambican counterpart President Daniel Chapo regarding the possibility of the east African country supplying Kyiv with gas.
In exchange, Ukraine would provide security expertise. Mozambique has been gripped by an islamist insurgency in the country’s Cabo Delgado region for years, with over a million people displaced since 2017.
“Ukraine is interested in additional supplies of energy resources. Mozambique is interested in our Ukrainian experience and technologies to strengthen internal security and protect people from terror,” Mr. Zelenskyy said.
Ukrainian has been on a concerted charm offensive across the African continent since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, opening eight new embassies in countries including Mauritania, Côte d’Ivoire and the Republic of the Congo.
Operations at key Russian Baltic Sea port halted by Ukrainian drone strikes
Monday 23 March 2026 13:21 , Oisin McilroyUkrainian drones have hit several large oil tanks at the Russian port of Primorsk, forcing it to pause fuel loading.
Not far from the Finnish border, Primorsk is Russia’s most important loading port in the Baltic Sea.
Satellite imagery captured on Monday shows smoke rising from the port’s oil terminal and large fires still burning hours after the last drones were reported in the Leningrad Oblast.
Flights were grounded nearby at St Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport for at least fifteen hours on Sunday, with drone attack alerts remaining active throughout the day and night.
Russian officials said 60 drones were intercepted over Leningrad Oblast during the attack.
Reports on Hungary sharing EU information with Russia 'concerning,' EU spokesperson says
Monday 23 March 2026 11:56 , Daniel KeaneReports about Hungary sharing information about the European Union with Russia are concerning, an EU Commission spokesperson has said.
The Washington Post reported on Saturday that Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto made regular phone calls during breaks at EU meetings to provide his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, with reports about discussions and possible solutions, citing a European security official.
The spokesperson said they expected Hungary to clarify the situation.
Watch: ISS captures images of Russian missile strike on Kyiv from space
Monday 23 March 2026 11:33 , Daniel KeaneZelensky says Russia attempted new offensive but faced more than 8,000 casualties
Monday 23 March 2026 11:00 , Arpan RaiRussian forces have attempted to intensify offensive efforts over the past week, taking advantage of more favourable weather conditions, although that resulted in an increase in its casualties, Volodymyr Zelensky said.
“This week, we have observed attempts by the Russians to intensify their offensive efforts, taking advantage of more favorable weather conditions. As a result, the only tangible outcome for the Russian army has been an increase in their losses – more than 8,000 killed and seriously wounded Russian soldiers in just these seven days,” he said.
"In the Donetsk region, our positions have not significantly changed over the past week,” he said.
"In the Kharkiv region and in border communities of the Sumy region, we are observing attempts by the occupier to advance from the border – Russian units carrying out these attempts are being destroyed," Zelensky said.
Elon Musk helps put Ukraine on offensive against Putin's troops
Monday 23 March 2026 10:25 , Arpan RaiUkrainian soldiers fighting off Russian advances on the war frontline have said the loss of Starlink access to Russia has been essential to their counter-offensive.
“It came at a critical moment,” a soldier who goes by the call sign Konosh, from the Timur Special Forces Unit in Ukraine’s military intelligence directorate told the Wall Street Journal.
“Without Starlink, they were basically pushed back to Cold War-era communications,” he said.
A Ukrainian commander confirmed that once Starlink was cut off, so did the number of drones coming towards them.
“Before, if the enemy spotted our group, even a single soldier, they wouldn’t let him go. They would throw everything at him,” said Oleksiy Serdiuk, the commander of the Brotherhood unit of the Timur Special Forces Unit.
Zelensky says Trump is 'concentrating on Iran'
Monday 23 March 2026 09:55 , Arpan RaiPresident Zelensky said he has a "very bad feeling" about how the war in the Middle East will affect Ukraine.
He told BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme: "I have a very bad feeling about the impact of this war on the situation in Ukraine and the focus of America, it's more on the Middle East than on Ukraine unfortunately.
"Therefore, you see that our diplomatic meetings, trilateral meetings, are constantly postponed. There is one reason: war in Iran."
He added that Donald Trump is “concentrating on Iran”.
Kenyans fighting Russia's war in Ukraine to be granted amnesty
Monday 23 March 2026 09:25 , Arpan RaiKenyan nationals enlisted by Russia to fight the war in Ukraine will now be granted amnesty on their return home, Kenya’s foreign minister said.
"So far 44 Kenyans have been safely repatriated back home while 11 have been reported missing in action/killed in action, 38 are currently hospitalised in various Russian hospitals under restricted access, leaving 160 Kenyans officers still actively involved," Musalia Mudavadi said in a statement.
The Kenyan foreign ministry said Mudavadi has negotiated a deal that allowed Kenyans currently on the front line and "unwilling to continue in the assignment disengaged and freed to travel back home".
At least 1,000 Kenyans were recruited to fight for Russia in Ukraine after being misled with false promises of jobs in Russia before being sent to the front lines, an intelligence report said.
Fuel reservoir in Russia's port of Primorsk on fire after drone attack
Monday 23 March 2026 08:55 , Arpan RaiA fuel reservoir in Russia's Baltic Sea port of Primorsk caught fire after a drone attack this morning, said Alexander Drozdenko, the governor of northwestern Leningrad region.
He said 35 drones have been shot down over the region in recent attacks.
💥 Russia: Massive Ukrainian drone strikes blew up vast areas of the Port of Primorsk, Russia's largest oil export terminal that processes 1.0-1.5 million barrels/day - 100 million tons of oil & oil products per year.
— Igor Sushko (@igorsushko) March 23, 2026
1,000km from Ukraine. https://t.co/ic2phlp6SR pic.twitter.com/m5iH5HpZ9G
Poland long suspected Hungary shared EU Council details with Russia, says Tusk
Monday 23 March 2026 08:25 , Arpan RaiPoland's prime minister Donald Tusk has said that the country "had our suspicions" in response to a Washington Post report that Hungary's government has for years provided Russia with detailed information from EU Council meetings.
The Post, citing several current and former European security officials, found that the Hungarian government under Viktor Orban has long offered Moscow access to sensitive discussions within the European Union.
Hungarian foreign minister Péter Szijjártó regularly calls during breaks in EU council meetings to provide his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, with "direct reports on what was discussed" and possible solutions, according to the Post report.
"The news that Orban's people inform Moscow about EU Council meetings in every detail shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone," Polish PM Donald Tusk said on X.
"We've had our suspicions about that for a long time. That's one reason why I take the floor only when strictly necessary and say just as much as necessary."
Szijjártó called Tusk's comments "fake news”.
Watch: Putin loses more than 8,000 troops in seven days, says Zelensky
Monday 23 March 2026 07:55 , Arpan RaiThe women ready to take up arms to defend Finland
Monday 23 March 2026 07:25 , Arpan RaiWith her freshly manicured long pink nails, Nicole pushes the next round of ammunition into the magazine and loads her rifle. She then adjusts her ear protectors, lies down and positions herself carefully behind the AK15.
The first shot misses her target, 100 metres across a snowy expanse, but the second hits with sharp clang and Nicole continues to make hit after hit, shifting into a seated position and then standing with the heavy gun pressed against her shoulder.
Earlier that day Nicole San Juan, 35, had come bounding into the shooting range in the Kanta-Häme region of Finland with fluffy Disney toys swinging off her backpack along with a glittery framed photo of herself and her boyfriend. Barely over 5ft tall, her slight frame stands out among the broad-shouldered, bearded men dressed in camo. But Nicole is far from alone.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, an increasing number of women in Finland are learning to shoot and familiarising themselves with firearms.
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Zelensky says Ukraine and US teams conclude talks, new POW exchange possible
Monday 23 March 2026 06:55 , Arpan RaiUkrainian and US delegations concluded a second day of talks in Florida on finding ways to end the four-year war with Russia, president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday.
Russian representatives were not present at the talks, which opened in Florida on Saturday. They were originally expected to attend the negotiations, which were due to take place in Abu Dhabi.
The US team is led by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, president Donald Trump's son-in-law.
"It is clear that the US side's attention at the moment is focused primarily on the situation surrounding Iran and the wider region, but Russia's war against Ukraine must also be brought to an end," Zelensky said in an evening address.
"There are indications that further (prisoner of war) exchanges may take place, which would indeed would be very good news and confirmation that diplomacy is working. We hope this will come to fruition," he added.
Zelensky did not specify whether the talks would continue, when or where they might take place, or in what format.
Elon Musk helps put Ukraine on offensive against Putin's troops
Monday 23 March 2026 06:24 , Arpan RaiUkrainian soldiers fighting off Russian advances on the war frontline have said the loss of Starlink access to Russia has been essential to their counter-offensive.
“It came at a critical moment,” a soldier who goes by the call sign Konosh, from the Timur Special Forces Unit in Ukraine’s military intelligence directorate told the Wall Street Journal.
“Without Starlink, they were basically pushed back to Cold War-era communications,” he said.
A Ukrainian commander confirmed that once Starlink was cut off, so did the number of drones coming towards them.
“Before, if the enemy spotted our group, even a single soldier, they wouldn’t let him go. They would throw everything at him,” said Oleksiy Serdiuk, the commander of the Brotherhood unit of the Timur Special Forces Unit.
High-level Nato delegation reaches Ukraine for first time since Russian invasion
Monday 23 March 2026 05:55 , Arpan RaiA high-level Nato military delegation led by Admiral Pierre Vandier arrived in Kyiv for the first time since the beginning of the conflict with Russia, a senior Ukrainian official said yesterday.
“For the first time during a full-scale war, a Nato military command of this level visited Ukraine - a delegation led by Admiral Pierre Vandier, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation," said Pavlo Palisa, deputy head of Ukraine's presidential office, on Telegram.
The two sides discussed the participation of Ukrainian troops in Nato's military exercises in the capacity of a conditional adversary.
The future of the Nato-Ukraine joint centre was also discussed, he said.
Fuel reservoir in Russia's port of Primorsk on fire after drone attack
Monday 23 March 2026 05:33 , Arpan RaiA fuel reservoir in Russia's Baltic Sea port of Primorsk caught fire after a drone attack this morning, said Alexander Drozdenko, the governor of northwestern Leningrad region.
He said 35 drones have been shot down over the region in recent attacks.
Kenyans fighting Russia's war in Ukraine to be granted amnesty
Monday 23 March 2026 05:24 , Arpan RaiKenyan nationals enlisted by Russia to fight the war in Ukraine will now be granted amnesty on their return home, Kenya’s foreign minister said.
"So far 44 Kenyans have been safely repatriated back home while 11 have been reported missing in action/killed in action, 38 are currently hospitalised in various Russian hospitals under restricted access, leaving 160 Kenyans officers still actively involved," Musalia Mudavadi said in a statement.
The Kenyan foreign ministry said Mudavadi has negotiated a deal that allowed Kenyans currently on the front line and "unwilling to continue in the assignment disengaged and freed to travel back home".
At least 1,000 Kenyans were recruited to fight for Russia in Ukraine after being misled with false promises of jobs in Russia before being sent to the front lines, an intelligence report said.
Russia says it has captured a border village in Ukraine's Sumy
Monday 23 March 2026 04:54 , Arpan RaiRussia said its forces have captured Potapivka, a tiny village near the Russian border in Ukraine’s northern Sumy region.
“As a result of determined actions, units of the Northern grouping of soldiers established control over the village of Potapovka in the Sumy region,” the Russian defence ministry said, using a Russian name for the village.
Ukraine did not immediately respond to the Russian defence ministry’s claims.
The Russian army has been ramping up its efforts to establish a “buffer zone” in the Sumy region for months, but Ukraine has largely repelled these advances and says Moscow has struggled to establish a meaningful foothold in the region.
Zelensky says Putin will want a 'long war' in Iran
Monday 23 March 2026 04:24 , Arpan RaiVolodymyr Zelensky has said he has a “very bad feeling” about the consequences of the conflict in the Middle East for his country.
“You see that our diplomatic meetings, trilateral meetings, are constantly postponed. There is one reason: war in Iran,” he said, speaking to the BBC in an interview.
“Putin will want a long war. For Putin, a long war in Iran is a plus,” he said.
Ukraine offering expertise and support to Gulf countries
Monday 23 March 2026 03:54 , Arpan RaiUkraine is working with Gulf countries everyday and providing expertise and “real” support, Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
”Other countries of the world should now also make their contribution to stabilisation,” he wrote on social media.
“We all need joint decisions and joint work so that there is more security for everyone. I thank everyone who contributes to coordination and shared results.”
Zelensky says Russia attempted new offensive but faced casualties
Monday 23 March 2026 03:24 , Arpan RaiRussian forces have attempted to intensify offensive efforts over the past week, taking advantage of more favourable weather conditions, although that resulted in an increase in its casualties, Volodymyr Zelensky said.
"In the Donetsk region, our positions have not significantly changed over the past week,” he said.
"In the Kharkiv region and in border communities of the Sumy region, we are observing attempts by the occupier to advance from the border – Russian units carrying out these attempts are being destroyed," Zelensky said.
A meeting with Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov. This week, we have observed attempts by the Russians to intensify their offensive efforts, taking advantage of more favorable weather conditions. As a result, the only tangible… pic.twitter.com/qpNVY6tcYP
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 22, 2026
Poland long suspected Hungary shared EU Council details with Russia, says Tusk
Monday 23 March 2026 02:54 , Arpan RaiPoland's prime minister Donald Tusk has said that the country "had our suspicions" in response to a Washington Post report that Hungary's government has for years provided Russia with detailed information from EU Council meetings.
The Post, citing several current and former European security officials, found that the Hungarian government under Viktor Orban has long offered Moscow access to sensitive discussions within the European Union.
Hungarian foreign minister Péter Szijjártó regularly calls during breaks in EU council meetings to provide his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, with "direct reports on what was discussed" and possible solutions, according to the Post report.
"The news that Orban's people inform Moscow about EU Council meetings in every detail shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone," Polish PM Donald Tusk said on X.
"We've had our suspicions about that for a long time. That's one reason why I take the floor only when strictly necessary and say just as much as necessary."
Szijjártó called Tusk's comments "fake news”.
What are Patriot missiles and what role do they play in Iran and Ukraine wars
Monday 23 March 2026 02:00 , Harriette BoucherThe US and South Korean militaries are discussing moving some of the American Patriot missile defence systems based in South Korea to be used in the war against Iran.
South Korean foreign minister Cho Hyun on Friday was responding to a question at a parliamentary hearing and said the two nations were working closely together. The decision on the deployment of weapons and military personnel would be made on a case-by-case basis, he said.
Earlier reports said the US troops stationed in South Korea relocated their Patriot missile defence batteries to Osan Air Base from other US bases, in signs that US Forces Korea (USFK) could deploy part of its critical air-defence assets to the Middle East as the conflict escalates.
What are Patriot missiles and what role do they play in Iran and Ukraine wars
Zelensky: Repair works 'ongoing' as latest Russian drone attacks leave thousands without power
Monday 23 March 2026 01:00 , Harriette BoucherUkrainian drones strike Russian air defence systems
Monday 23 March 2026 00:00 , Harriette BoucherUkraine destroyed two Buk air defense systems in a drone attack in Russia's Bryansk Oblast on Sunday.
Footage shared by Robert Brovdi, the commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, shows its military striking the two systems.
Mr Brovdi said a Buk-M3 surface-to-air missile system and a transporter-loader vehicle of a Buk-M2 system were destroyed.
Russia attempting to intensify offensive efforts, Ukraine says
Sunday 22 March 2026 23:00 , Harriette BoucherRussia is ramping up its offensive efforts and taking advantage of more favourable weather conditions, Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
The Ukrainian president also stated that Russia was trying to advance the border in occupied areas.
“As a result, the only tangible outcome for the Russian army has been an increase in their losses – more than 8,000 killed and seriously wounded Russian soldiers in just these seven days.” the Ukrainian president said.
“We also have information that the Russian command has finally managed to figure out where their units are actually located on the frontline and how this differs from the official reports submitted up the chain of command.”
“Some of their brigade-level commanders have already been replaced as punishment for false reporting. However, this will not help the occupier.
“In the Donetsk region, our positions have not significantly changed over the past week. In the Kharkiv region and in border communities of the Sumy region, we are observing attempts by the occupier to advance from the border – Russian units carrying out these attempts are being destroyed.”
“In the Oleksandrivskyi direction, active operations by our assault and airborne units continue – I thank every warrior.”
New POW exchange possible after US talks, Zelensky suggests
Sunday 22 March 2026 21:01 , Harriette BoucherTalks between the US and Ukraine concluded in Miami on Friday, with Volodymyr Zelensky suggesting after the meeting that a new prisoner of war exchange could be possible.
Following the discussions, Chief Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov said: “We continued discussing key issues and the next steps within the negotiation track. Particular attention was paid to aligning approaches for further progress toward practical results.”
The Ukrainian president has pushed the US for trilateral negotiations with Russia to resume.
In a post on social media, Zelensky said: “It is important that none of us is forced to return to war in a few months or years, which means that security guarantees for Ukraine and for all of Europe must be sufficient for a reliable peace.
“I expect that after the negotiating team returns to Ukraine, we will discuss in detail all aspects of the meetings, which for now cannot be safely discussed over the phone.
“There are signals that further exchanges may be possible, and this would be good news and confirmation that diplomacy is working. We hope this will happen.”
The women ready to take up arms to defend Finland
Sunday 22 March 2026 20:02 , Harriette BoucherFollowing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine four years ago, the demand for civilian firearms training in Finland has risen sharply, with much of the interest being female – Annabel Grossman meets the women who are learning shooting and survival skills in the face on a hostile neighbour:
Zelensky: Repair works 'ongoing' as latest Russian drone attacks leave thousands without power
Sunday 22 March 2026 20:00 , Harriette BoucherIn depth: How Sean Penn became Zelensky’s closest US ally after Trump’s latest snub
Sunday 22 March 2026 18:00 , Amy-Clare Martin
How Sean Penn became Zelensky’s closest US ally after Trump’s latest snub
US-Ukraine talks to continue on Sunday as Zelensky hopes to revive peace negotiations
Sunday 22 March 2026 17:00 , Harriette BoucherTalks between Ukraine and the US are set to continue on Sunday after the two sides met in Miami yesterday.
Chief Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov said the two countries spoke about the next steps within the negotiation track, as Kyiv pushes for trilateral negotiations with Russia to resume.
Following Saturday’s talks, he said: “Particular attention was paid to aligning approaches for further progress toward practical results.”
The US negotiating team included special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law.
In his nightly video address, Volodymyr Zelensky said pursuing the talks was critical to clinching a deal.
“It is important for all of us in the world that diplomacy continues and that we are trying to end this war. ... No one wants this war.
“The most important thing is to understand how ready the Russian side is to move toward a real end to the war and whether they are prepared to do so honestly and decently.”
Zelensky says Ukraine will agree to peace talks 'anywhere but Russia'
Sunday 22 March 2026 16:10 , Amy-Clare MartinZelensky has said Ukraine will support peace talks on “any date and any place, but certainly not in Russia”.
Discussing negotiations on Sunday with Laura Kuennsberg, he said: “Our group is talking to the American side every day. I know that Americans are talking to the Russians every day too.
“The American side, because of this war in Iran, said that it was ready to host both sides in America. We confirmed our participation, but the Russians are against meeting in the United States of America.
“That's why, for the time being, we're trying to focus on America proposing a date and place. Ukraine will support any date and any place, but certainly not in Russia.”
Russia launched more than 1,500 drone attacks over past week
Sunday 22 March 2026 15:35 , Harriette BoucherRussia has fired close to 1,550 drone attacks against Ukraine, and more than 1,260 guided aerial bombs over the past week, Volodymyr Zelensky said.
“Over that same week, due to the easing of sanctions, Russia increased its crude oil sales to finance its war,” the Ukrainian president added.
At least six civilians have been killed and 29 others injured by Russian attacks over the past day, local authorities reported.
Eased sanctions on Russia are helping to finance war, Zelensky says
Sunday 22 March 2026 15:18 , Harriette BoucherVolodymyr Zelensky said easing sanctions on Russia have resulted in an increase in Russia’s crude oil sales, which are helping finance its invasion of Ukraine.
The Ukrainian president has urged allies to continue applying pressure on Russia, saying its shadow fleet must not feel safe.
He said: “Revenues give Russia a sense of impunity and the ability to continue the war.
“That is why pressure must continue and sanctions must work. Russia’s shadow fleet must not feel safe in European waters or anywhere else.
“Tankers that serve the war budget can and must be stopped and blocked, not just let go. I thank every leader who makes such decisions. This is what brings a dignified peace closer.”
Recap: Zelensky's warning over missile shortages as Trump 'concentrates on Iran'
Sunday 22 March 2026 15:10 , Amy-Clare Martin
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned of a missile shortage and says Putin will benefit from a “long war” in Iran.
Appearing on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, he said:
- He has a “very bad feeling” about the impact of the war in the Middle East on the efforts to end the conflict in Ukraine
- Donald Trump is “concentrating on Iran” and trilateral peace talks are “constantly postponed”
- He added that there will “definitely be a deficit” of Patriot missiles available to come to Ukraine’s aid if needed, saying it presents “another challenge”
- Called for Starmer and Trump to meet to “reload the relationship”, saying we need a strong NATO that is “ready to defend”
