Key developments on March 10:
- No threat of encirclement for Ukrainian troops in Russia's Kursk Oblast, Syrskyi says
- Russia attempting to gain foothold in Sumy Oblast, Border Guard warns
- Ukraine strikes Samara Oblast refinery producing fuel for Russian fighter jets, bombers, source claims
- Ukraine to propose ceasefire at sea, in sky during talks with US this week, media outlet reports
- US military aid freeze could be 'resolved' during talks with Ukraine this week, Rubio says
- 'Nobody really has cards' in potential peace talks between Russia, Ukraine, Trump says
Ukrainian units are not currently under threat of encirclement in Russia's Kursk Oblast, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on March 10.
Syrskyi's statement follows reports on Russian and North Korean troops launching an attack on the Ukrainian-held town of Sudzha in Kursk Oblast. Russian forces have made a breakthrough south of the Ukrainian-held town of Sudzha in Kursk Oblast, potentially threatening to cut off some of the Ukrainian positions in the Russian region.
Russian troops have destroyed Ukrainian troops' logistics in Kursk Oblast, and Ukrainian soldiers face the risk of encirclement, a Ukrainian soldier and a medic deployed in the region told the Kyiv Independent on condition of anonymity on March 7.
"There is currently no threat of encirclement of our units in Kursk Oblast. The units are taking timely measures to maneuver to favorable defense lines," Syrskyi wrote on Facebook.
Ukrainian forces "control the situation" on the border between Sumy and Kursk oblasts, according to Syrskyi. Yet, several settlements on the border no longer exist, as they have been destroyed by Russian attacks, he added.
Russia has been suffering heavy losses both in personnel and equipment, according to Syrskyi. Near the village of Plekhove, Russian forces lost an infantry battalion in four days of fighting, he said.
Ukraine's commander-in-chief added that he had decided to reinforce Ukrainian troops in Kursk Oblast with "the necessary forces and means," including electronic warfare and drones.
Concerns about the Ukrainian operation in Kursk Oblast, ongoing since August 2024, have mounted over the weekend amid reports of Russian advances.
The development came shortly after the U.S. cut off military and intelligence support for Ukraine, allegedly to push Kyiv to the negotiating table.
A potential loss of the Kursk salient or Russian advances in Sumy Oblast would likely weaken Ukraine's negotiating position as it prepares for initial rounds of talks with the U.S. in Saudi Arabia.
Natalia Yermak
Russia attempting to gain foothold in Sumy Oblast, Border Guard warns
Russian forces are attempting to establish a foothold near Novenke, a Ukrainian village in Sumy Oblast near the border with Russia's Kursk Oblast, State Border Guard spokesperson Andrii Demchenko said on air on March 10.
The news comes after Russia reportedly achieved a breakthrough in Kursk Oblast, seeking to encircle the Ukrainian forces fighting there and penetrate the Ukrainian border.
"These are small assault units, composed of a few people. They try to penetrate our territory, accumulate forces, and advance further into Ukraine, probably to cut off logistical routes," Demchenko said on national television.
Moscow's troops have been reportedly trying to push toward Novenke, a village lying 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of the regional center, Sumy, for several weeks.
Ukrainian artillery and drone units continue attacking Russian troops, preventing them from accumulating forces, the spokesperson added.
Ukraine strikes refinery producing fuel for Russian aircraft, source claims
Ukrainian military intelligence's (HUR) drones struck the Novokuybyshevsk oil refinery in Russia's Samara Oblast overnight on March 10, a source in the agency told the Kyiv Independent, confirming earlier reports.
The statement came after Russian and Ukrainian sources reported an attack against the facility earlier the same day. Ukraine has systematically targeted Russian oil refineries, military sites, and warehouses deep behind the front lines to undermine Moscow's capacity to wage its all-out war.
The refinery's "capacity amounts to 8.8 million metric tons of oil per year, making it one of the 10 largest (refineries) in Russia," said Andrii Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council.
The plant produces gasoline, diesel fuel, and fuel oil, "which are critically important for transport and military equipment," the official added. This includes jet fuel used by supersonic aircraft such as Su-27 fighter jets and Tu-22 bombers, the HUR source claimed.
Samara Oblast residents reported loud explosions overnight, Astra wrote, adding that a fire was recorded at the Rosneft-run oil facility. According to the HUR source, the facility was hit at around 2 a.m. local time. The refinery was not sufficiently protected by anti-drone defenses, the source added.
The city of Novokuybyshevsk lies roughly 900 kilometers (560 miles) from the front line in Ukraine. The facility was previously attacked at least twice in March 2024.
"This refinery is strategically important for the Russian military as it ensures a stable fuel supply for military operations," Kovalenko said.
The Russian pro-state agency RBC reported a fire at a warehouse in Novokuybyshevsk that covered an area of 1,500 square meters later the same day, without mentioning a drone attack. No casualties were reported.
Russia's Defense Ministry claimed its forces had shot down nine Ukrainian drones overnight, including three over Samara Oblast, two each over the Voronezh and Oryol oblasts, and one each over the Belgorod and Kursk oblasts.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.
Francis Farrell
Ukraine to propose ceasefire at sea, in sky during talks with US this week, media outlet reports
The Ukrainian delegation will propose a ceasefire in the sky and at sea during the upcoming talks with the U.S. this week on ending the war with Russia, the Ukrainian media outlet Suspilne reported on March 10, citing a Ukrainian official speaking on condition of anonymity.
Ukrainian and U.S. delegations will hold talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on March 11 to discuss ending the war with Russia.
During the meeting, Ukraine will propose a ceasefire at sea and in the sky and a ban on long-range strikes, the source told Suspilne. The official added that such a ceasefire would be "easy to install and to monitor."
The Ukrainian delegation will also insist on releasing prisoners of war and is ready to sign an agreement on mineral resources with the U.S., according to the source. The mineral resource deal was derailed after a spat between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, U.S. President Donald Trump, and U.S. Vice President JD Vance at the White House on Feb. 28.
Oleg Sukhov
The U.S. delegation, in turn, will insist that Kyiv agree to a partial truce that would enable negotiations to stop the Russian invasion, Bloomberg reported on March 10.
Ahead of the meeting in Jeddah, Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, said on March 10 he expects substantial progress in negotiations with Ukraine.
"I think that we're going over there with an expectation that we're going to make substantial progress," Witkoff said in an interview with Fox News.
When asked about the possible signing of the mineral resource agreement in Saudi Arabia, Witkoff said, "All the signs are very, very positive."
Witkoff also said that the U.S. and Ukraine would discuss territorial issues, security protocols, and intelligence sharing.
The Ukrainian president previously announced that his Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, and Zelensky's Deputy Chief of Staff Pavlo Palisa would take part in the talks.
The U.S. delegation will be led by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and Witkoff.
The U.S. officials previously met with Russian representatives in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 18. The two sides discussed restoring bilateral relations and held preliminary peace talks without Ukraine's participation.
Oleg Sukhov
US military aid freeze could be 'resolved' during talks with Ukraine this week, Rubio says
The U.S. may resume military aid to Ukraine if there is progress during talks with Kyiv in Saudi Arabia this week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told journalists on March 10 en route to Jeddah, The Guardian reported.
"I think the notion of the pause in aid, broadly, is something I hope we can resolve. Obviously, what happens tomorrow will be key to that," Rubio said.
Following President Volodymyr Zelensky's clash with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Feb. 28, Washington suspended all military aid to Ukraine.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed on March 5 that the U.S. had also halted intelligence sharing, potentially limiting Ukraine's ability to detect Russian missile strikes and carry out long-range attacks.
Speaking about a potential truce, Rubio praised Ukraine's proposal for a ceasefire in the sky and at sea.
"I'm not saying that alone is enough, but it's the kind of concession you would need to see in order to end the conflict," he said.
Rubio also said that more details still needed to "be worked out" on the mineral resource deal between Ukraine and the U.S. The deal was derailed after the clash between Zelensky and Trump on Feb. 28.
Kate Tsurkan
Trump says Russia "doesn't have the cards" in peace talks with Ukraine
Neither Ukraine nor Russia "has the cards" in potential peace negotiations, U.S. President Donald Trump told journalists on March 10 ahead of talks between the U.S. and Ukraine in Saudi Arabia.
The Ukrainian and U.S. delegations are to hold talks on March 11 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on ending Russia's war. The participants are expected to discuss potential ceasefire options and a mineral resource deal between the U.S. and Ukraine.
"I say they (Ukraine) don't have the cards. Nobody really has the cards. Russia doesn't have the cards. What you have to do is you have to make a deal, and you have to stop the killing. It's a senseless war, and we are going to get it stopped," Trump said.
Trump's recent statement contradicts his previous ones, in which he claimed the opposite about Ukraine and Russia.
On Feb. 20, Trump said that Russia held "the cards" in any peace talks with Ukraine as they occupy a significant part of Ukrainian territory.
Eight days later, the U.S. president told his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, during a heated argument in the White House that he "was not in a good position" regarding the war and did not have "the right cards."
Following the spat in the Oval Office on Feb. 28, the U.S. suspended its military and intelligence aid for Ukraine. The Ukrainian delegation is expected to discuss the resumption of military aid in Saudi Arabia.
The delegations will also discuss territorial issues, security protocols, and intelligence sharing, according to Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff.
Note from the author:
Ukraine War Latest is put together by the Kyiv Independent news desk team, who keep you informed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you value our work and want to ensure we have the resources to continue, join the Kyiv Independent community.
