ISW: Ukrainian army makes verifiable progress in Ukraine’s south, east

7:00 PM

Russia becomes India's top naphtha supplier, overtaking UAE, Reuters reports.

​​Russia has overtaken the United Arab Emirates as India's top naphtha supplier in the past year, as Indian refiners capitalize on discounted Russian shipments, Reuters reported on March 20, citing preliminary ship-tracking data.

6:24 PM

Trump didn't mention Russian-occupied Crimea during recent talks, Zelensky says.

President Volodymyr Zelensky's statement comes days after reports that the Trump administration was considering recognizing Crimea as Russian territory as part of a broader deal to end Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.

5:39 PM

Ukraine, US to hold talks in Saudi Arabia on March 24.

A U.S. delegation is also expected to meet with Russian representatives in Riyadh on the same day, March 24.

8:22 AM  (Updated:  March 20, 2025 5:33 pm)

Russia's Engels air base ablaze after Ukrainian drone strike, Kyiv says.

The Russian cities of Saratov and Engels were targeted in the heaviest drone attack against Saratov Oblast throughout the entire full-scale war overnight on March 20, Governor Roman Busargin claimed, reporting a fire at a local airfield.

4:20 PM

Putin's 'ceasefire' — Is Russia still bombing Ukraine? Yes

3:39 PM

Putin orders Ukrainians 'without legal status' to leave Russia, occupied territories by Sept. 10.

Ukrainian citizens residing in Russia and Russian-occupied territories must leave by Sept. 10 or "regulate their legal status," according to an official decree signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and published on March 20.

3:13 PM

Russia, US to hold talks on Ukraine in Saudi Arabia on March 24, Putin's aide says.

Russia and the United States will hold consultations in Riyadh on March 24 to discuss the war in Ukraine, Yuri Ushakov said.

3:02 PM

Ukraine's first Prime Minister Vitold Fokin dies at 92.

Following Ukraine's declaration of independence on Aug. 24, 1991, Vitold Fokin became the country's first prime minister and served until Oct. 1, 1992.

2:47 PM

Hungary wants Ukraine as 'buffer zone' between Russia, Europe.

"We do not see the security of Europe in the integration of Ukraine into defense systems, but we see the need for a buffer zone between Russia and European defense structures, which serves the interests of both Russia and Europe," Hungary's Europen Affairs Minister Janos Boka told the Financial Times.

2:07 PM

Western intel contradicts Trump's, Putin's claims on Ukraine's encirclement in Kursk Oblast, Reuters reports.

According to sources who spoke with Reuters, U.S. intelligence agencies, including the CIA, briefed the White House, saying that while Ukrainian troops are facing intense pressure from Russian forces, they are not encircled.

1:35 PM

Russia hasn't received requests from foreign companies seeking to return, Medvedev says.

“No one has officially applied yet. So, they are informally probing the ground,” Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, claimed.

1:26 PM

$5.4 billion on ammunition for Ukraine 'realistic' goal, EU's top diplomat says.

The EU is working on providing Ukraine with 5 billion euros ($5.4 billion) for ammunition, top EU diplomat Kaja Kallas said on March 20, as a much larger 40-billion-euro ($43 billion) package still lacks consensus.

12:35 PM

Kharkiv's Faktor Druk printing house fully restored after Russian missile attack.

Russian forces struck the printing facility on May 23, 2024, killing seven people and injuring 21. The attack destroyed more than 50,000 books and vital printing equipment.

12:03 PM

Zelensky arrives in Norway for talks with Norwegian PM.

"I look forward to constructive discussions on how Norway can best provide assistance to Ukraine in both the short term and the long term," Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said in a statement.

11:51 AM

Shoigu claims Ukraine's Constitution 'obstacle' to peace efforts, cites ban on territorial changes.

Russia sees Ukraine's Constitution as an "obstacle" to peace efforts as it does not permit territorial changes, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu said on March 19, according to state-owned TASS news agency.

11:40 AM

EU provides $1 billion in aid to Ukraine backed by frozen Russian assets.

"With today's payment of 1 billion euros, we are reiterating our steadfast commitment to Ukraine. We are helping the country's economy stay on course and rebuild critical infrastructure damaged by Russian aggression," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

11:14 AM

5 killed, 26 injured in Russian attacks against Ukraine over past day.

Ukraine's Air Force reportedly intercepted 75 of the 171 Russian drones launched overnight, including Shahed-type attack drones.

11:09 AM

Extending NATO's Article 5 to Ukraine would test Russia’s peace intentions, Meloni says.

"If Russia does not plan to invade its neighbors again, it is not clear why it should not accept security guarantees that are only defensive," Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said.

10:39 AM

'Berlin Wall is not an option' — Zelensky warns against dividing Ukrainian cities by contact line.

"There are regions, there are cities and towns that are cut off by one or another contact line, and if in some places you leave this line, you will simply leave these cities or towns without life; no one will return to half of the city," President Volodymyr Zelensky said, comparing such cities to divided Berlin during the Cold War.

9:48 AM

Zelensky says he and Trump discussed US help in restoring Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.

"Water supply, technical staff, and many more steps to ensure that in a year and a half to two and a half, the plant starts to bring money and electricity to people. This is my vision," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

4:50 AM  (Updated:  March 20, 2025 8:36 am)

'Massive' drone attack on Kirovohrad Oblast injures 10, including children.

Russia launched its "largest attack in recent years" on Kropyvnytskyi in Kirovohrad Oblast overnight on March 20, Governor Andrii Raikovych said.

8:29 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 899,470 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022.

The number includes 1,400 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

6:52 AM

Finland to lead international bomb shelter coalition for Ukraine.

Finland will seek out more international partners to partake in the coalition and assist Ukraine in building shelters in the face of regular Russian aerial attacks. Ministers from Finland and Ukraine signed the agreement on March 19.

5:34 AM

US, Ukrainian delegations to meet in Saudi Arabia in 'coming days,' Zelensky says.

Ukrainian and U.S. officials are expected to meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days for continued peace talks, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a post to social media on March 19.

3:55 AM

State Department did not delete investigation data into abducted Ukrainian children, spokesperson says.

The Trump administration cut funding to an initiative led by Yale University that tracked Russian war crimes, including the forced deportation of Ukrainian children. The database included thousands of Ukrainian children forcibly taken to Russia and there were concerns the data may have been deleted.