Russia launched the largest aerial attack on Ukraine over a 24-hour period since the war began on Tuesday, pounding Ukrainian cities with 948 drones.
Ukraine's Air Force said that 556 drones had been fired since 7am GMT on Tuesday, hitting targets including a Unesco World Heritage site in Lviv.
The 17th century St Andrew's Church, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, is over 400 years old.
At least five people were killed in the attacks, while dozens more were injured.
In his nightly video address on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the latest attacks "clearly shows that Russia has no intention of really ending this war".
The morning strikes followed a large-scale missile and drone attack on multiple Ukrainian cities through Monday night, which killed at least five people and injured 16 others.
The explosions were reported from the cities of Poltava and Zaporizhzhia shortly before 3am.
Meanwhile, Poland scrambled fighter planes and allied aircraft to respond to the Russian strikes, though it later confirmed that “no violations of the country’s airspace were observed”.
Key Points
- Russia launched largest aerial attack on Ukraine over a 24-hour period
- Russia's spring-summer offensive is underway, think tank says
- Ukraine's foreign minister calls on UNESCO to respond to Russia attack
- Ukraine has 'irrefutable' evidence of Russia providing intelligence to Iran, says Zelensky
- Poland scrambles warplanes to protect airspace from major Russian attack
Russia attacks Ukraine with more than 900 drones in one of its largest air attacks
03:29 , Arpan RaiRussia carried out a rare day-long aerial attack on Ukraine yesterday, officials said, firing 948 drones over a 24-hour period and killing at least seven people.
The assault began in the early hours of Tuesday morning, with Ukraine's air force confirming at least 392 drones and missiles were fired from Russia overnight, including 23 cruise missiles.
The major onslaught was followed by another 556 drones in the daytime, a pattern rarely seen during the four-year war, and making it possibly the largest aerial attack in a single day so far.
Russia launched swarms of Iranian-designed Shahed drones, hitting at least seven cities, Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said on X.
Russia intensifies frontline attacks in spring offensive
03:04 , Arpan RaiKyiv says a long-awaited spring offensive by Russia is now under way along parts of the roughly 1,250-kilometre (750-mile) frontline snaking along eastern and southern Ukraine.
The commander-in-chief of Ukraine's armed forces, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, said Russian troops have in recent days made simultaneous attempts to break through defensive lines in several strategic areas.
“Fierce fighting unfolded along the entire line of contact," Syrskyi reported on Monday, saying Russia had launched 619 attacks in four days.
“The occupiers are attempting to bring up new units and are preparing to continue attacks," Syrskyi said, adding that Ukraine had deployed reinforcements to counter the assaults.
It was not possible to independently verify the battlefield claims.
The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, said Syrskyi's report backed up its assessment that Russia's spring-summer offensive is now underway.
Russia escalated its strikes from 17 March and has moved heavy equipment and more troops to the front line, the ISW said late Monday.
Libya tows drifting Russian 'shadow fleet' tanker to avert a Mediterranean spill
02:00 , Holly EvansLibyan authorities were towing a Russian tanker drifting in the Mediterranean for the past three weeks, after the vessel was damaged in a suspected sea drone attack, officials said Tuesday.
The Arctic Metagaz is part of Russia’s so-called shadow fleet transporting fossil fuels in violation of international sanctions over Moscow’s war on Ukraine.
Libya's coast guard said that the tanker, which carries liquefied natural gas, was being towed to a safe zone off the town of Zuwara on Libya’s western coast.
Read the full article here:
Libya tows drifting Russian 'shadow fleet' tanker to avert a Mediterranean spill
Russia launches first internet satellites to rival Elon Musk’s Starlink
01:00 , Holly EvansRussia has announced the launch of 16 low-orbit satellites, signalling its ambition to create a competitor to Elon Musk's Starlink network.
The aerospace firm Bureau 1440, which is developing a low-Earth-orbit system for global broadband data, confirmed it deployed its initial batch of operational satellites on Monday.
Despite this step, Russia remains significantly behind Starlink, which has amassed over 10,000 satellites in orbit since its first operational launch in 2019.
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Russia launches first satellites to rival Elon Musk’s Starlink
Moldovan parliament backs energy state of emergency after power line put out of action
00:01 , Daniel KeaneMoldova's parliament approved the introduction of a 60-day energy state of emergency after Russian attacks in neighbouring Ukraine put out of action a power line providing the bulk of the country's energy needs.
Deputies approved the measure, introduced by Moldova's pro-European government, with 72 votes in favour in the 101-member chamber.
The Issacea-Vulcanesti line carries power from Romania to Moldova, passing through 40 km (25 miles) of Ukrainian territory.
Zelensky says only more pressure can persuade Russia to end war
23:00 , Daniel KeanePresident Volodymyr Zelensky has called on countries to step up pressure on Russia after a mass attack on Ukrainian cities.
In a statement, he said that only additional pressure and significant losses would persuade Moscow to end the four-year-old war against Ukraine.
"The scale of this attack clearly shows that Russia has no real intention of ending this war," Zelensky said in his nightly video address.
"Without additional and strong pressure on Russia, without tangible losses for them there n Moscow, no desire will develop to move away from the war or return to peace."
Russia launched largest aerial attack on Ukraine over a 24-hour period
22:47 , Daniel KeaneRussia launched the largest aerial attack on Ukraine over a 24-hour period since the war began on Tuesday, pounding Ukrainian cities with 948 drones.
Ukraine's Air Force said that 556 drones had been fired since 7am GMT on Tuesday, hitting targets including a Unesco World Heritage site in Lviv.
The 17th century St Andrew's Church, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, is over 400 years old.
At least five people were killed in the attacks, while dozens more were injured.
Russia's spring-summer offensive is underway, think tank says
22:00 , Holly EvansThe Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, said that recent battlefield reports support their assessment that Russia's spring-summer offensive is now underway.
Russia escalated its strikes from March 17 and has moved heavy equipment and more troops to the front line, the ISW said late Monday.
Each year, as the weather improves, Russia has moved its grinding war of attrition up a gear.
However, it has been unable to capture cities and has made only incremental gains across rural areas. Russia occupies about 20 per cent of Ukraine. That includes the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia seized in 2014.
Ukraine's foreign minister calls on UNESCO to respond to Russia attack
21:00 , Holly EvansUkraine's foreign minister Andrii Sybiha has urged the director-general of UNESCO to condemn Russia’s attack on Lviv’s historic city centre.
The 17th century St Andrew's Church, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in the city, caught fire in the bombardment.
"I urge UNESCO Director-General [Khaled El-Enany] to immediately respond to this crime in the strongest terms," Sybiha said in a post to X.
He said Kyiv would use "all available mechanisms" to protect its cultural heritage and "ensure accountability".
"Russia's brutal violations of international law must be met with accountability," he said.
He added: “Russia is doing exactly what the Iranian regime is doing in the Middle East, but in the middle of Europe. Russia proves its status of a terrorist state. And this is how it must be dealt with — through strength, not weakness, and increased pressure on all fronts.”
Russia brutally struck the central part of Lviv, a city of exceptional cultural value and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
— Andrii Sybiha 🇺🇦 (@andrii_sybiha) March 24, 2026
Damage was caused to the UNESCO World Heritage.
I urge UNESCO Director-General @UNESCO_DG to immediately respond to this crime in the strongest terms.
Ukraine… pic.twitter.com/jGAKmYdYUN
Ukraine discusses $1.4 billion DFC loan to restore gas production sites
20:00 , Holly EvansUkrainian energy minister Denys Shmyhal has discussed with US counterpart Chris Wright a possible $1.4 billion loan from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation to restore energy facilities at Ukraine's gas production sites, he said on Tuesday in a post on Telegram.
Ukraine is seeking international assistance to restore its energy system after a winter of Russian missile and drone strikes.
Ukrainian soldier says front line situation is 'tense but not critical'
19:00 , Holly EvansA Ukrainian soldier fighting near the city of Lyman in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, whose complete capture is one of Russian president Vladimir Putin's main invasion goals, said Russian forces have intensified assaults in recent days but failed to achieve a breakthrough, despite increasing bombardments and repeated ground attacks.
Russian troops had earlier sought to isolate Lyman by targeting logistics routes before escalating their offensive, according to the soldier, who gave only his call sign King, in keeping with the rules of the Ukrainian military.
Ukrainian units repelled initial assaults, destroying advancing Russian columns and inflicting significant losses in armored vehicles and personnel, he said.
In response, Russian forces have increased airstrikes on the town, including the use of powerful glide bombs.
"The situation is tense, but not critical," King said.
Russia launches 619 attacks in four days
18:00 , Holly EvansThe commander-in-chief of Ukraine's armed forces, Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, said Russian troops have in recent days made simultaneous attempts to break through defensive lines in several strategic areas.
"Fierce fighting unfolded along the entire line of contact," Syrskyi said Monday on the Telegram messaging app, with Russia launching 619 attacks in four days.
"The occupiers are attempting to bring up new units and are preparing to continue attacks," Syrskyi said, adding that Ukraine had deployed reinforcements to counter the assaults.
It was not possible to independently verify the battlefield claims.
Man killed and 13 injured in Ukrainian drone attack in Kursk region
17:30 , Holly EvansOne man was killed and 13 people were injured in a Ukrainian drone attack on an agricultural enterprise in Russia's Kursk region, a local governor said on Tuesday.
The Kursk region borders Ukraine.
Meanwhile a Russian daytime drone attack on the Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia on Tuesday killed at least one person and injured 11 others, the regional governor said.
Poland scrambles fighter jets after Russian launches drone and missile attack on Ukraine
17:00 , Maira ButtPoland scrambled jets on Tuesday after Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone attack on Ukraine overnight.
The Nato country’s Armed Forces’ Operational Command said that a pair of fighter jets and an early warning aircraft had been deployed after detecting long-range Russian missiles striking Ukraine nearby.
Ground-based air defence systems and radar reconnaissance also reached a “maximum state of readiness”, it said.
“These actions are of a preventive nature and are aimed at securing the airspace and its protection, particularly in areas adjacent to the threatened regions,” Poland’s army said in a statement on X.
“The Operational Command of the Armed Forces is monitoring the current situation, and the subordinate forces and resources remain ready for immediate response.”
Read the full story below
Poland scrambles fighter jets after Russia launches drone attack on Ukraine
In pictures: Unesco World Heritage site bombed in Russian attack
16:16 , Maira Butt
Russia 'launches over 400 drones' at Ukraine in rare daytime attack
16:00 , James ReynoldsRussia launched over 400 drones at Ukraine on Tuesday in a rare daytime attack, air force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat told Reuters.
Local authorities had previously said air defence was engaging targets near the capital, Kyiv, and the western city of Lviv, which is several dozen kilometres (miles) from the Polish border.
Recap: Ukraine and US still need to work out security guarantees, says Zelensky
15:10 , James ReynoldsUkraine and the United States still need to "work through" the security guarantees agreement that Kyiv has long sought from Washington, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday.
Security guarantees were one of the topics discussed over the weekend between Kyiv and Washington's representatives at a meeting in Florida.
“Meetings at the leadership level are needed to truly resolve these issues,” he wrote on social media.
“I have instructed the team to continue working as actively as possible with partners so that diplomacy is substantive and that, in particular, humanitarian issues such as prisoner exchanges are resolved.”
EU backs off permanent ban on Russian oil imports as Trump's Iran war bites
14:25 , James ReynoldsThe European Commission will no longer submit a legal proposal to permanently ban Russian oil imports over Moscow's war in Ukraine on April 15 as previously planned, an updated EU legislative agenda showed on Tuesday.
An EU official, however, said the proposal had not been cancelled and would still be published though no longer by the mid-April date due to "current geopolitical developments".
The US-Israeli war on Iran is creating the biggest oil supply disruption in history, according to the International Energy Agency, sending global crude prices soaring.
The proposal would fix into law a full phase-out of Russian oil imports by no later than end-2027. The European Union has already legislated a phase-out by late 2027 of gas imports from Russia.
Recap: Russia sustains major losses as Ukraine beats back offensive
13:39 , James ReynoldsThe Russian army has sustained more than 6,000 casualties in the last four days as Ukraine beat back an attempt at a fresh offensive.
Ukrainian Army Commander Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Monday that Russian forces tried to overwhelm Ukrainian defensive formations in several directions, amounting to 619 attacks in four days.
“Over four days of intensive assault operations, the enemy lost more than 6,090 soldiers killed and wounded,” he said, adding that Ukraine managed to largely repel the offensive.
UK says it 'will not cease' support for Ukraine and its people
11:00 , Arpan RaiBritain will continue to support Ukraine and its people, the UK chargé d’affaires to the UN told a Security Council meeting yesterday.
“Russia is now firing over 5,000 drones per month in Ukraine, five times higher than in 2024. The burden on Ukrainian civilians is immense,” James Kariuki said.
He said there have been more 50,000 Ukrainian civilian casualties and over 15,000 killed since Russia started its war.
“Mr President, the UK fully supports the diplomatic efforts of our US colleagues to secure a peace that guarantees Ukraine’s long-term security, sovereignty, and prosperity.
“We call on Russia to end its war of choice, immediately and without pre-conditions.
“The UK will not cease in our support for Ukraine and its people,” he said.
Ukraine seeing violence 'worse than ever', says UN official
10:40 , 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
10:10 , 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.
Moscow security agencies put on higher alert over threat of attack from Ukraine
09:55 , Arpan RaiRussia's Federal Security Service (FSB), police and national guard in Moscow have been put on higher alert due to intelligence that there is a threat of a sabotage attack from Ukraine, Russia's state RIA news agency reported today.
The FSB, the main successor to the KGB, had received intelligence that Ukraine planned acts of sabotage and attacks on "government officials, military personnel of the Russian Defence Ministry and law enforcement officers”, according to the Russian state agency report.
Lieutenant General Vladimir Alexeyev, deputy head of Russia's GRU military intelligence service, was shot three times in February with a Makarov pistol equipped with a silencer in an apartment block on the Volokolamsk highway in northern Moscow. He survived the attack.
Ukraine has 'irrefutable' evidence of Russia providing intelligence to Iran, says Zelensky
09:40 , 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".
Russia's drone-hit Primorsk resumes oil loadings, data and sources show
09:23 , Arpan RaiRussia's Baltic Sea port of Primorsk has resumed crude oil loadings following a suspension of operations due to drone attacks, according to two industry sources and LSEG ship-tracking data.
Two of Russia's main Baltic Sea outlets, Primorsk and Ust-Luga, halted operations on Sunday after drone attacks. Ust-Luga resumed exports on Monday.
The local governor said the fuel reservoirs at Primorsk had caught fire following the drone attacks.
LSEG data showed that the oil tanker Anlan has been set up for loading at Primorsk's port facilities this morning.
A Ukrainian drone attack damaged fuel reservoirs at the oil export hub of Primorsk in northwestern Russia, regional authorities said yesterday.
Russian strikes in Ukraine cut Moldova's key power link to Europe
09:15 , Arpan RaiRussian strikes overnight on energy infrastructure in Ukraine disconnected Moldova's key power link with Europe, president Maia Sandu said this morning.
"Alternative routes are in place, but the situation remains fragile. Russia alone bears responsibility," she said in a statement on social media website X.
Five killed in Russia's overnight attacks on Ukraine
09:13 , Arpan RaiAt least five people have been killed and 16 others have been injured after Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone attack on multiple Ukrainian cities overnight, local officials said.
The explosions were reported from the cities of Poltava and Zaporizhzhia shortly before 3am.
Ukraine’s air force warned the country of incoming Russian ballistic missiles around 2.45am local time.
The large-scale attacks killed two in the Poltava region, with Zaporizhzhia, Kherson and Kharkiv each reporting one death, reported AFP.
The Russian strikes disconnected Moldova's key power link with Europe, president Maia Sandu said this morning.
“Alternative routes are in place, but the situation remains fragile. Russia alone bears responsibility," she said.
Poland scrambled fighter planes and allied aircraft to respond to the Russian strikes, though it later confirmed that “no violations of the country’s airspace were observed”.
Ukraine diplomat urges strikes on Russian drone production over Iran shipments
09:10 , 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.
Poland scrambles warplanes to protect airspace from major Russian attack on Ukraine
09:03 , Arpan RaiPolish Air Force said it scrambled fighter planes and allied aircraft to protect Poland’s eastern airspace in the early hours today after Russia launched a major missile and drone attack on Ukraine.
Poland’s Armed Forces Operational Command (DORSZ) announced on X that Polish and allied air forces had been deployed, including the on-duty fighter pair and early warning aircraft.
Ground-based air defence and radar reconnaissance systems were also activated, they said.
Around 7am local time, DORSZ said the pre-emptive operations had ceased and “no violations of the country’s airspace were observed”.
Russia launched 426 drones and missiles at Ukraine, air force says
08:52 , Arpan RaiRussia has launched 392 drones and 34 missiles in an overnight attack targeting Ukrainian cities, Ukraine's air force said this morning.
Air defence units shot down or neutralised 25 missiles and 365 drones, the air force said in a post on Telegram.
Zelensky says Russia will open control stations for long-range drones in Belarus
08:40 , 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.
Kyiv identifies spy ring chief as Hungarian military intelligence officer
08:10 , Arpan RaiThe 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.
Russia's Saratov oil refinery halts work after drone attack, sources say
07:40 , Arpan RaiRussia’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.
Watch: ISS captures images of Russian missile strike on Kyiv from space
07:10 , Arpan RaiPhoto: Russia's oil terminal set ablaze in Ukraine drone attack
06:40 , Arpan RaiThe Russian port of Primorsk, near the Finnish border, suffered damage in the latest round of drone attacks, the region's governor announced on Monday 23 March 2026, with Ukraine claiming responsibility.
One killed in Russian drone attack on electric train in Ukraine's Kharkiv region
06:30 , Arpan RaiA Russian drone attack on an electric train in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region killed a 61-year-old passenger, local prosecutors said this morning.
According to preliminary information, a Russian first-person-view drone (FPV) struck a carriage of the train that was at a station in a village of Slatyne at the time, the Kharkiv regional prosecutor's office said on Telegram.
Watch: Putin loses more than 8,000 troops in seven days, says Zelensky
06:15 , Arpan RaiUK says it 'will not cease' support for Ukraine and its people
05:57 , Arpan RaiBritain will continue to support Ukraine and its people, the UK chargé d’affaires to the UN told a Security Council meeting yesterday.
“Russia is now firing over 5,000 drones per month in Ukraine, five times higher than in 2024. The burden on Ukrainian civilians is immense,” James Kariuki said.
He said there have been more 50,000 Ukrainian civilian casualties and over 15,000 killed since Russia started its war.
“Mr President, the UK fully supports the diplomatic efforts of our US colleagues to secure a peace that guarantees Ukraine’s long-term security, sovereignty, and prosperity.
“We call on Russia to end its war of choice, immediately and without pre-conditions.
“The UK will not cease in our support for Ukraine and its people,” he said.
Russia recruits university students to fight Putin’s war
05:27 , Arpan RaiRussian authorities are increasingly turning to university students to bolster its army, according to a report in the Moscow Times.
At the Lunin College of Transport Technologies, college director Maria Kirsanova recently addressed students and urged them to “defend their Fatherland”.
“Who put the fear into you? Who will protect us?” she asked at a meeting with students, which was recorded by one of the attendants and published online.
“Are you all cowards here sitting and being scared for your lives?” she said, pulling up students for what she called a fear of returning home “in zinc coffins”.
Russia has struggled to keep finding new recruits for its grinding war of attrition in Ukraine, with its casualties rising into the hundreds of thousands.
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.
