Russian forces attack Sumy Oblast with explosives, mortars

1:34 AM

Kremlin raises financial incentives to over $23000 amid military recruitment shortages.

Russia is increasing financial incentives for military recruits due to a severe shortage of new volunteers, Ukraine’s Military Intelligence (HUR) reported on March 23.

11:59 PM

Returning abducted Ukrainian children 'confidence building measure,' Waltz says amid peace talks.

U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz said on March 23 that the topic of Ukrainian children illegally abducted by Russia will likely be discussed at the peace talks, adding that they will serve as "confidence building measures" for negotiations.

10:01 PM

Putin does not 'want to take all of Europe,' Witkoff says.

In an interview with Fox News on March 23, U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff discussed negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, expressing his optimism about Russian President Vladimir Putin's commitment to peace.

8:21 PM  (Updated:  March 23, 2025 9:47 pm)

1 person dead, 3 officers injured following explosion at police station in Odesa Oblast.

A woman has died as a result of the explosion and there are additional casualties, regional police officials said.

9:23 PM

War update

Ukraine war latest: Russian drone attack on Kyiv leaves 3 dead including a 5-year-old girl and her father

2:19 PM  (Updated:  March 23, 2025 9:20 pm)

KI Insights

Ukraine calendar: Events to look out for this week

7:27 PM

Russian attacks on Kyiv 'undermine peace efforts,' Sybiha says.

"Russia's systematic and deliberate terror against civilians contradicts its own statements about peace and undermines peace efforts by the US and other partners," Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X.

6:47 PM

US, Ukrainian delegations hold 'technical' talks in Saudi Arabia to discuss partial ceasefire.

The meeting with a technical team comes a day before the U.S. plans to hold separate meetings with Ukrainian and Russian delegates on March 24

6:07 PM

Witkoff trashes Starmer's Ukraine peacekeeping plan.

Witkoff has also praised Vladimir Putin as being gracious, adding that he doesn’t regard the Russian president and war criminal as a "bad guy."

1:34 AM  (Updated:  March 23, 2025 5:23 pm)

Kyiv hit by massive Russian drone strike, 3 dead including a 5-year-old girl and her father.

The attacks hit multiple high-rise apartment buildings in the city, causing fires and evacuations. At least two people were killed, Ukraine's State Emergency Service reported.

4:36 PM

Ukrainian Air Force strike 'completely destroys' Russian troop position in Toretsk.

Among the casualties were airborne assault groups and drone operators.

3:22 PM

Ukraine's 3rd Assault Brigade liberates village of Nadiya in Luhansk Oblast, releases video of operation.

Several dead Russian soldiers are shown in the video, although the Brigade did not confirm the number of fatalities and casualties.

2:29 PM

Trump believes Ukraine war ceasefire could be agreed by Easter, Bloomberg reports.

The White House still believes it could achieve a truce by Easter, a symbolic date as both Western and Orthodox celebrations overlap this year, although it's prepared for a delay given the current impasse, sources told Bloomberg.

6:50 PM  (Updated:  March 23, 2025 12:55 pm)

War analysis

'No high expectations' — Ukrainian officials skeptical about upcoming Riyadh talks

12:55 PM

Starmer says he faced pressure from US to criticize Zelensky after Oval Office clash with Trump, NYT reports.

"We were under pressure to come out very critically with, you know, flowery adjectives to describe how others felt,” Starmer told the New York Times.

12:01 PM

Trump says efforts to end Ukraine war 'somewhat under control' just hours before deadly Russian drone strike on Kyiv.

"I don't think there's anybody in the world that's going to stop (Putin) except me," Trump said shortly before three people were killed in Kyiv by Russian drones.

11:33 AM

Ukrainian Railways website down due to 'technical failure'.

Customers are currently unable to buy tickets via the website or the app, but they can still be purchased at ticket offices.

10:24 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 903,480 troops in Ukraine since Feb 24, 2022.

The number includes 1,470 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

7:00 AM

Italy suspends Starlink purchase negotiations with SpaceX amid Musk controversy.

"It seems to me that everything has stopped ... the topic has moved from Starlink to the statements of and about the person," Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said.

6:05 AM

China considering joining Ukraine peacekeeping mission, Die Welt reports.

"The inclusion of China in a 'coalition of the willing' could potentially increase Russia's acceptance of peacekeeping forces in Ukraine," an unnamed EU diplomatic source reportedly told Die Welt.

5:43 AM

Ukraine to meet with US team 1 day ahead of US-Russia talks.

A U.S. technical team will meet with the Ukrainian delegation in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on March 23, a day before the U.S. plans to mediate "indirect talks" with Ukraine and Russia.

5:04 AM

Zelensky visits front-line troops, holds meeting in Kharkiv Oblast amid fears of renewed Russian offensive.

President Volodymyr Zelensky visited front-line troops and held a military command meeting in Kharkiv Oblast on March 22, as Ukraine prepares for a meeting with U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia on March 23.

3:21 AM

Netherlands allocates over $70 million towards Ukrainian energy security.

"A stable energy supply is a condition for the functioning of the economy, critical infrastructure, social and other spheres of life in Ukraine," Deputy Energy Minister Roman Andarak said on March 22.

1:52 AM

Czechia willing to contribute troops for peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, Pavel says.

"If there is a strong group of European nations willing to provide security guarantees to Ukraine, my strong conviction is that (the) Czech Republic should be among them," Czech President Petr Pavel said on March 22.

10:45 PM

Russia aims to make 'some progress' during upcoming talks in Saudi Arabia.

Russian senator Grigory Karasin, who will lead Moscow’s delegation, told local Zvezda TV that he and FSB advisor Sergey Beseda would enter the negotiations with a "combative and constructive" approach.