Moscow has claimed it has captured another Ukrainian village after a major Russian port was hit in a drone strike.
Russia's Defence Ministry said on Sunday its forces had captured the village of Kivsharivka in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported. The battlefield report could not be independently verified.
Meanwhile, Russia's Ust-Luga port, one of its largest petroleum export outlets, was damaged on Sunday in a Ukrainian drone attack that sparked a fire, Alexander Drozdenko, the governor of the northern Leningrad region said on Telegram.
It comes as overnight drone attacks involving more than 200 Russian drones killed five people and injured at least 16 across Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian air force.
The strikes targeted a port and a maternity hospital in Odesa, in what Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky described as a night of “pure terror”.
Meanwhile, US secretary of state Marco Rubio denied Zelensky’s assertion that the Trump administration is demanding Kyiv hand over its eastern Donbas region to Russia to receive American security guarantees in any ceasefire plan.
Rubio told reporters on Friday: “It's unfortunate he would say that because he knows that's not true and that's not what he was told.”
Read MoreZelensky condemns Russian drone strike on Odesa as ‘pure terror’ after maternity hospital hit
Zelenskyy visits Gulf Arab states to talk drone defense and seek strategic ties
Russia is backing Iran in attacks against American allies – while Trump attacks Nato
Russian spy satellites used to photograph Chagos military base for Iran, Zelensky claims
Key Points
- Russia says it has captured another Ukrainian village, state news agency reports
- Russia's Ust-Luga port damaged by Ukrainian drones and fire sparked, official says
- Zelensky condemns Russian strike as ‘pure terror’ after hospital hit
- Ukraine hits major oil refinery in Russia's Yaroslavl region, Kyiv says
- Ukraine agrees defence cooperation with UAE and Qatar as Zelensky visits Gulf
Ukraine has intensified attacks on Russia's fuel export infrastructure
05:50 , Arpan RaiUkraine has intensified drone attacks on Russia's oil and fuel export infrastructure this month, hitting all three of Russia's major western oil export ports, including Novorossiysk on the Black Sea and Primorsk and Ust-Luga on the Baltic Sea.
Those attacks have caused severe oil supply disruption for Russia, the world's second-largest oil exporter, and have hit Moscow just as oil prices exceeded $100 a barrel due to the Iran war.
Putin’s spring offensive in Ukraine has begun. Experts warn Trump has given Russia a window of opportunity
05:30 , Arpan RaiWith war raging in the Middle East, many, including President Volodymyr Zelensky, warned the conflict could hand Vladimir Putin a window of opportunity to accelerate his aggression against Ukraine.
Now, it appears those fears have come true with Russia launching its most brutal attack on the country since the war began on Tuesday, according to the Institute for the Study of War.
A barrage of nearly 1,000 drones were launched over a 24-hour period, killing at least six people. Russia launched 23 cruise missiles, seven ballistic missiles, hitting at least 10 locations, including a Unesco World Heritage site, according to Ukraine’s air force.
The onslaught affected 11 regions and seven cities were hit, marking it out as the largest aerial attack in a single day so far.
Putin’s spring offensive has begun. Experts warn US has given Russia an opportunity
Putin faces mutiny from Kremlin's biggest Ukraine war supporters
05:05 , Arpan RaiRussian president Vladimir Putin is likely facing heat over the intensifying Ukrainian offensive on Russian oil and exports facilities.
Television personalities who have supported Moscow’s war effort have started criticising the toll that the offensive is now taking on Russian soldiers.
“We’ve been kicked in the balls again,” Russian state TV anchor Aleksandr Sladkov said, referring to the five-day offensive against Russia’s leading oil facility in Ust-Luga.
“The port in Ust-Luga on the Gulf of Finland is burning again.”
Yuriy Podolyaka, Russia’s biggest pro-war blogger, has accused the Russian military of ineptitude.
“I don’t think we’ll be able to turn the tide here in the next few months,” he said, praising the Ukrainians.“Our enemy is very, very serious and incidentally, very fast-learning, much faster than we are."
One killed after Ukrainian drones attack southern Russia's Taganrog
04:45 , Arpan RaiA Ukrainian drone attack killed one person, triggered fires and damaged homes and industry yesterday in the southern Russian city of Taganrog, local officials said.
The regional governor said falling drone debris prompted the evacuation of an area hit by falling debris.
"Emergency crews are working at the site of the incident, where the debris fell," Yuri Slyusar, governor of Rostov region on Ukraine's eastern border, said on Telegram.
"Fires and damage have occurred. People have been evacuated."
Taganrog mayor Svetlana Kambulova reported widespread damage in the city. Emergency crews responded to 49 calls, she said. Eight people were injured.
"Due to falling drone debris, several residential houses, social sites, and industrial enterprises were damaged," she wrote.
Air defence units remained in action.
Taganrog is a port city at the eastern end of the Sea of Azov east of the border with Ukraine.
German defence giant under fire for comparing Ukraine drone makers to ‘housewives’
04:17 , Arpan RaiGerman defence giant Rheinmetall is facing flak after its CEO compared Ukrainian drone factories to “housewives” making weapons in their kitchens.
Armin Papperger, Rheinmetall’s CEO, was asked by the Atlantic in an interview whether Ukraine’s drone technology could disrupt his industry dominated by artillery, tanks and military vehicles.
“This is how to play with Legos,” Papperger said and compared major Ukrainian drone manufacturers to “housewives”.
“They have 3D printers in the kitchen, and they produce parts for drones," he said, adding: "This is not innovation."
“This is not the technology of Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, or Rheinmetall,” he said.
The comments were strongly condemned in Ukraine for underplaying the massive role Ukrainian drones had played in the war against Russia.
Volodymyr Zelensky’s adviser, Alexander Kamyshin, said the Ukrainian drones had managed to secure major success against Russia’s tanks.
Kamyshin said that in his visits to arms factories he had seen “Ukrainian women working equally with men often enough”, adding: “They deserve respect.”
Rheinmetall on Sunday tagged Kamyshin in a post and said: “We have the utmost respect for the Ukrainian people’s immense efforts in defending themselves. Every single woman and man in Ukraine is making an immeasurable contribution.”
The backlash has also reached social media where hashtag of #MadeByHousewives has trended on Ukrainian social media.
Ukraine’s prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko said “the people of Ukraine deserve not only utmost respect but to be heard – and learned from. Yes, Europe’s defence is powered by Ukrainian ‘housewives’,” she said, also adding the #MadeByHousewives hashtag.
Yes, Europe’s defense is powered by Ukrainian “housewives.”
— Yulia Svyrydenko (@Svyrydenko_Y) March 29, 2026
Ukrainian women are indeed an essential part of Ukraine’s war effort and of Europe’s security.
They have stepped with courage into many areas once seen as male-dominated, bringing energy, discipline, and…
Recap: Three dead in Russian attack on Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine, police say
04:00 , Bryony GoochA Russian strike on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk killed three people and injured 13 on Sunday, police said, one of several attacks in frontline areas. Ukraine's national police said a boy of 13 was among the dead.
A statement said Russian forces used glide bombs in the strike on Kramatorsk, which has been a frequent target throughout the four-year-old war pitting Kyiv against Moscow.
Kramatorsk came under a new attack two hours after the initial strike.
Other cities hit in Russian attacks included the nearby town of Oleksiievo-Druzhkivka and the city of Sloviansk, farther north.
Kramatorsk and Sloviansk are heavily defended cities lying on what has been dubbed the "fortress belt" -- seen as key targets in Russia's slow westward advance to capture Donetsk Region.
Reuters could not independently verify battlefield accounts.
Zelensky discusses security partnership with Jordan's king
03:57 , Arpan RaiUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said he discussed a possible security partnership involving anti-drone defence on Sunday with Jordan's King Abdullah amid rising tensions due to the Iran conflict.
“We discussed a possible partnership in the security sphere and the overall situation in the Middle East and the Gulf region," Zelensky said.
Kyiv has offered its air-defence expertise and drone technology to countries seeking to counter Iran's drone attacks.
“From our own experience, we know that without a unified system, it is simply impossible to set up full-fledged protection of people and critical infrastructure," Zelensky wrote.
Ukraine, he said, had just such a system as in four years of war "we have had to fight against constant Russian strikes, including the use of Iranian drones".
He said Ukraine was offering expertise in the expectation that "those to whom we are making this proposal can help us strengthen ourselves".
Zelensky condemns Russian strike as ‘pure terror’ after hospital hit
03:00 , Bryony Gooch Zelensky condemns Russian drone strike as ‘pure terror’ after maternity hospital hit
Zelensky discusses security partnership with Jordan's king
02:00 , Bryony GoochUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said he discussed a possible security partnership on Sunday with Jordan's King Abdullah over defending against drone attacks amid rising tensions over the Iran conflict.
"We discussed a possible partnership in the security sphere and the overall situation in the Middle East and the Gulf region," Zelensky wrote on Telegram.
Zelensky is seeking support from Gulf states for Ukraine's war against Russia as Western military aid faces fresh uncertainty and Kyiv struggles to cover its budget deficit and fund domestic weapons production.
Kyiv has offered its air-defence expertise and drone technology to countries seeking to counter Iran's drone attacks.
"From our own experience, we know that without a unified system, it is simply impossible to set up full-fledged protection of people and critical infrastructure," Zelensky wrote.
Ukraine, he said, had just such a system as in four years of war "we have had to fight against constant Russian strikes, including the use of Iranian drones".
He said Ukraine was offering expertise in the expectation that "those to whom we are making this proposal can help us strengthen ourselves".
Ukraine agreed on Saturday to cooperate on defence with the United Arab Emirates and Qatar after a visit to both countries by Zelensky, who also travelled to Saudi Arabia last week.
Ukrainian drone attack kills one in southern Russia's Taganrog, governor says
01:00 , Bryony GoochA Ukrainian drone attack killed one person and triggered fires on Sunday in the southern Russian city of Taganrog, prompting the evacuation of an area hit by falling debris, the regional governor said.
"Emergency crews are working at the site of the incident, where the debris fell," Yuri Slyusar, governor of Rostov region on Ukraine's eastern border, said on Telegram.
What is Russia’s shadow fleet and how is it helping Putin wage war in Ukraine?
Monday 30 March 2026 00:00 , Tara CobhamBritish prime minister Keir Starmer has given the UK military permission to board and detain Russian ships claimed to be part of a network of vessels that allows Moscow to export oil around Western sanctions.
The prime minister said he approved more aggressive action as Russian president Vladimir Putin was likely "rubbing his hands" at the spike in oil prices driven by the US-Israel war against Iran.
“That's why we're going after his shadow fleet even harder, not just keeping Britain safe but starving Putin's war machine of the dirty profits that fund his barbaric campaign in Ukraine,” Starmer said in a statement.
Read more here:
What is Russia’s shadow fleet and how is it helping Putin wage war in Ukraine?
Recap: Watch as Ukrainian firefighters tackle blazes after deadly Russian strike on Zaporizhzhia
Sunday 29 March 2026 23:00 , Tara CobhamPutin’s spring offensive in Ukraine has begun. Experts warn Trump has given Russia a window of opportunity
Sunday 29 March 2026 22:00 , Tara CobhamWith war raging in the Middle East, many, including President Volodymyr Zelensky, warned the conflict could hand Vladimir Putin a window of opportunity to accelerate his aggression against Ukraine.
Now, it appears those fears have come true with Russia launching its most brutal attack on the country since the war began on Tuesday, according to the Institute for the Study of War.
A barrage of nearly 1,000 drones were launched over a 24-hour period, killing at least six people. Russia launched 23 cruise missiles, seven ballistic missiles, hitting at least 10 locations, including a Unesco World Heritage site, according to Ukraine’s air force.
Maira Butt reports:
Putin’s spring offensive has begun. Experts warn US has given Russia an opportunity
Recap: Drone attack at major Russian Baltic oil port sparks massive blaze
Sunday 29 March 2026 21:00 , Tara CobhamZelensky visits Gulf Arab states to talk drone defence and seek strategic ties
Sunday 29 March 2026 20:00 , Tara CobhamUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday made unannounced visits to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, as Ukraine seeks to use its drone expertise to help Gulf Arab states blunt Iran's attacks during the war in the Middle East.
Zelenskyy said that Ukraine has already signed 10-year security agreements with Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and expects to shortly finalize a similar agreement with the UAE.
Ukraine has quickly grown into one of the world’s leading producers of cutting-edge, battle-tested drone interceptors that are cheap and effective. They are playing a key part in its defense against Russia’s full-scale invasion, which began on Feb. 24, 2022.
Read more here:
Zelenskyy visits Gulf Arab states to talk drone defense and seek strategic ties
Recap: Watch moment Russian drone hits 17th century medieval UNESCO site in Lviv
Sunday 29 March 2026 19:00 , Tara CobhamUkraine has intensified attacks on Russia's fuel export infrastructure
Sunday 29 March 2026 18:00 , Tara CobhamUkraine has intensified drone attacks on Russia's oil and fuel export infrastructure this month, hitting all three of Russia's major western oil export ports, including Novorossiysk on the Black Sea and Primorsk and Ust-Luga on the Baltic Sea.
Those attacks have caused severe oil supply disruption for Russia, the world's second-largest oil exporter, and have hit Moscow just as oil prices exceeded $100 a barrel due to the Iran war.
Analysis: Russia is backing Iran in attacks against American allies – while Trump attacks Nato
Sunday 29 March 2026 17:00 , Tara CobhamDonald Trump’s response to this is to double down on his criticism of his allies and reveal that, while he rules in America, the US is sliding closer to being an outright enemy of the West.
According to several Western intelligence agencies and none other than the defence secretary of the United Kingdom, John Healey, Russia and Iran are “an axis of aggression” between Tehran and Moscow.
That aggression means that Iran has been getting Russian help, including the use of drones and electronic warfare and the tactical lessons the Kremlin has learned in the battlefields of Ukraine.
World affairs editor Sam Kiley writes:
Russia is backing Iran in attacks against American allies – while Trump attacks Nato
Watch: Russia launch overnight drone attack on Ukraine, reportedly damaging hospital
Sunday 29 March 2026 16:00 , Tara CobhamZelensky arrives in Jordan for 'important meetings'
Sunday 29 March 2026 15:00 , Tara CobhamUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that he had arrived in Jordan for "important meetings" as Kyiv seeks to shore up defence ties in the Gulf.
"Today in Jordan. Security is the top priority, and it is important that all partners make the necessary efforts toward it. Ukraine is doing its part. Important meetings ahead," he wrote on X.
Today in Jordan. Security is the top priority, and it is important that all partners make the necessary efforts toward it. Ukraine is doing its part. Important meetings ahead. pic.twitter.com/561KtqoglT
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 29, 2026
Ukraine says it struck Russia's Ust-Luga port for second time in a week
Sunday 29 March 2026 14:00 , Tara CobhamUkrainian long-range drones struck an oil terminal at Russia's Baltic port of Ust-Luga for the second time in a week, Kyiv's SBU security agency said on Sunday.
It added in a statement that the strike caused "serious damage" and a fire at the port, one of Russia's largest petroleum export outlets.
Finland reports suspected territorial violation by drones
Sunday 29 March 2026 13:09 , Tara CobhamFinland's defence ministry reported on Sunday a suspected territorial violation by unmanned aerial vehicles in the southeast of the country.
Nearby countries Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania earlier this week said several Ukrainian drones had crashed on their territory after going astray during attacks on Russian oil export facilities on the Baltic Sea coast.
Ukraine has stepped up drone attacks on Russian oil refineries and export routes over recent weeks in an attempt to weaken Russia's war economy and as peace talks, brokered by Washington, have stalled.
It was not immediately clear where the drones detected in Finland came from.
"Drones have strayed into Finnish territory. We are treating the matter very seriously," Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen wrote in a social media post, adding an investigation was ongoing.
On Sunday morning, several small, slow-moving objects flying at low altitude were detected over a maritime area and in southeastern Finland, the ministry said in a statement.
One drone fell to the ground north of the town of Kouvola and another east of Kouvola, it added.
The Finnish Air Force carried out an identification mission with an F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet, it said.
Russian spy satellites used to photograph Chagos military base for Iran, Zelensky claims
Sunday 29 March 2026 12:00 , Tara CobhamRussian spy satellites photographed a joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia after Iran launched two ballistic missiles at the site, Ukraine’s president has claimed. Volodymyr Zelensky stated that these images were taken "in the interests of Iran", alongside surveillance of other bases in the Middle East housing American and British troops.
This assertion escalates concerns about cooperation between Tehran and Moscow. The Ministry of Defence had previously indicated it was "highly likely" that Russia shared intelligence with Iran even before the outbreak of war last month, a sentiment now amplified by Mr Zelensky’s latest revelation.
In a post on X, Mr Zelensky said he had received an intelligence briefing on Saturday setting out Russian satellite activity.
Read more here:
Russian spy satellites used to photo Chagos military base for Iran, Zelensky claims
Russia says it has captured another village in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, state news agency reports
Sunday 29 March 2026 10:58 , Tara CobhamRussia's Defence Ministry said on Sunday its forces had captured the village of Kivsharivka in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported.
The battlefield report could not be independently verified.
Russia ‘using alcoholics from rehab’ and deploying them on Ukraine front line
Sunday 29 March 2026 10:00 , Tara CobhamRussian officials are reportedly deploying patients recovering from alcohol addiction to fight in the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
A Russian serviceman confirmed the arrival of new recruits in his unit, describing them as older, physically unfit, and struggling with alcohol dependency.
These individuals were reportedly rounded up from rehab facilities, specifically mentioning Petrozavodsk near the border with Finland.
The serviceman detailed that 'black recruiters' detained these men, confiscating their bank accounts and draining their funds.
Ukrainian officials have previously noted Moscow's strategy of relying on vulnerable and weak recruits to prolong its military campaign.