Key developments on March 10: * Saudi Arabia prepping 'huge deal' for Ukrainian weapons amid Iranian drone threat * Ukraine strikes missile control systems plant in Russia's Bryansk Oblast, Zelensky says * Ukraine retakes most Russian-held areas in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast after weeks of counterattacks * Ukraine to get 35 Patriot interceptors in coming weeks, German media reports A Saudi Arabian arms company has signed a deal to buy Ukrainian-made interceptor missiles, the Kyiv Independent ha

U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration have downplayed reports that Russia has been providing intelligence to Iran used to target American forces, drawing frustration from U.S. officials who spoke with the Kyiv Independent. The reaction comes amid reports that Moscow has shared with Tehran information on the location of U.S. military facilities — including ships and aircraft — since the escalation between the United States, Israel, and Iran began on Feb. 28. The controversy also co

Zelensky said Ukrainian forces struck a plant in Russia's Bryansk Oblast that manufactures control systems for Russian missiles. The facility, identified as Kremniy El, is one of Russia's largest microelectronics producers.

Ukraine is expected to receive 35 PAC-3 Patriot interceptor missiles in the coming weeks as Kyiv faces a shortage of air defense ammunition amid continued Russian missile attacks.

Janos Lazar, Hungary's construction and transport minister, has openly acknowledged a connection between the seizure of over $80 million worth of Ukrainian cash and gold last week and the suspension of oil shipments via Ukraine.

"Ukrainians will pay for that choice in blood," Alexander Kirk, a sanctions campaigner at the NGO Urgewald, told the Kyiv Independent.

Kyiv hopes to acquire PAC-2 and PAC-3 interceptors for Patriot air defenses in exchange, Zelensky told journalists.

Ukraine has nearly liberated the remaining Russian-occupied parts of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast after several weeks of counterattacks in the part of the front line where Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk Oblasts meet.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has increased the potential size of the country's armed forces, a move analysts say is tied to long-term military reforms aimed at strengthening Moscow's capabilities against NATO. According to a decree signed on March 4, the maximum number of Russian service members could reach 2,391,770 personnel. Of these, 1,502,640 will serve as active-duty troops — 2,640 more than before. But while the overall numbers are large, experts say they don't necessarily translate

The March 4 decree removes the deadline for residents of occupied Ukrainian territories to obtain Russian citizenship through a simplified process established by a 2022 Russian law, effectively making the policy permanent.

On Jan. 3, 2026, Nicolas Maduro was captured by U.S. forces in a dramatic military operation. Just 56 days later, a joint U.S.-Israeli airstrike killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran. For Vladimir Putin, watching from Moscow, these events were a pattern. A warning. Perhaps a prophecy. Authoritarian leaders are, above all else, students of each other's deaths. When a peer regime collapses, the lesson travels fast. This matters to Ukraine significantly because, for Putin,

Lawmakers urged Hungary's government to "avoid sending money or weapons to Ukraine" and instead support "international peace efforts," Hungarian government spokesperson Zoltan Kovacs said.

Maksym Krippa, who has splashed out on several landmark properties in central Kyiv during wartime, secured 100% ownership of Ukrainian development firm Graal LLC on March 7 via his investment fund ARS Capital, according to state registry records.

A Saudi Arabian arms company has signed a deal to buy Ukrainian-made interceptor missiles, the Kyiv Independent has learned, with one source within Ukraine's defense industry saying that Riyadh and Kyiv are negotiating a separate "huge deal" for arms that could be finalized this week. Iran’s recent air attacks across neighboring Gulf States amid the U.S. and Israel-led war against Tehran have kicked off a scramble for military equipment to combat ballistic missiles and Shahed attack drones. Wh

Since Dmytro Volynets studied mechanical engineering at university over a decade ago, he's worked in retail, call centers, and on a warehouse floor. Unable to join the army due to a spine injury, the 35-year-old has struggled to find a coherent career path related to his studies — even as several industries offering high paying jobs face labor shortages. In large part because of Russia's full-scale invasion, Volynets' story is typical right now in Ukraine — despite possessing some of the highe

Russia launched 137 drones against Ukraine overnight, the Air Force reported.

The number includes 950 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

Russian overnight attacks on March 10 struck the Ukrainian cities of Dnipro and Kharkiv, leaving at least 20 people injured as emergency crews continue assessing the damage.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on March 9 that France and its partners are preparing a naval mission to escort commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, once the most intense phase of the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran subsides.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump spoke by phone on March 9, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. During the call, Putin reportedly presented proposals aimed at resolving the war in Iran.

"Russian state hackers are engaged in a large-scale global cyber campaign to gain access to Signal and WhatsApp accounts belonging to dignitaries, military personnel and civil servants," Dutch intelligence agencies said March 9.

Editor's note: The story has been updated with the latest developments. The joint U.S.-Israel attack against Iran just gave Hungary fresh ammunition in its crusade against the EU sanctions on Russia. In the wake of Israeli attacks against Iranian oil facilities and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, global oil prices briefly climbed above the $100‑per‑barrel mark for the first time since 2022. Hungary's leader Viktor Orban urged the EU on March 9 to lift sanctions on Russian energ

The Iran war is hitting Ukrainians at the pump, as rising global energy prices ripple through the war-battered economy that is only just emerging from an energy crisis and significant bout of inflation. Diesel prices hit $1.64 a liter on March 9, according to Ukrainian fuel market analyst group A-95 Consulting, a 16% climb compared with one month prior. Petrol prices rose by 12% in the same period. "I’ve been working in this market for 25 years, and I don’t remember prices rising this fast," S

Key developments on March 9: * Counteroffensive ongoing on southern front line, Syrskyi says * Ukraine's Flamingo missile maker promises FP-9 ballistics will reach Moscow * Ukraine deploys interceptor drones, experts to protect US bases in Jordan, Zelensky says * 'He took on the most risky tasks' — Ukraine's 39th Tactical Aviation Brigade commander killed in action Ukrainian forces are continuing a "counteroffensive" on the southern front line, the country's top general Oleksandr Syrskyi s

As U.S. President Donald Trump concentrates on the confrontation with Iran, diplomatic efforts to end Russia's war against Ukraine appear uncertain. The latest round of trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. took place on Feb. 16. Another meeting planned for late February and later moved to early March was postponed shortly before Washington launched joint strikes on Iran with Israel. The next round had been expected to take place in Abu Dhabi and was meant to tackle the most d

"The FP-9 will be able to strike targets in Moscow easily," Fire Point's owner, Denys Shtilierman, said.

The spring in Ukraine has arrived, but thick layers of ice left over from the brutally cold winter will delay the start of the sowing season by two to four weeks, burdening struggling farmers with extra work amid wartime challenges.

At the end of December, the person manning the digital boards at PSE, Poland's national electricity operator, noticed a flurry of solar stations suddenly flicker off grid. Poland in the dead of winter can be a gloomy place. But the grid wasn’t seeing a drop-off in generation in line with the recent solstice. These were full disconnections, synchronized, at a time when the grid needed the power.. "They thought it was just a malfunction of the device because the plant was still producing power,

According to Syrskyi, one main attack grouping of Air Assault Forces alone regained control of 285.6 square kilometers.

The Air Force said the exact circumstances of his death were being established.

Their arrest involved an armored personnel carrier, and Hungary's Anti-Terrorist Center operatives carrying out the operation were armed with machine guns.

"We reacted immediately," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.