Key developments on March 17:
- Russia claims capture of Stepove in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukraine denies
- Ukrainian drones attack fuel facility in Russia's Astrakhan Oblast, governor claims
- Ukrainian long-range drone successfully completes 3,000-kilometer test, Zelensky says
- Territorial integrity, military size, alliances — FM Sybiha sets 3 'fundamentals' for potential peace talks
- Zelensky signs law permitting Ukrainian troops to operate abroad during martial law
- Seoul, Kyiv discuss transfer of North Korean POWs to South Korea
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed Russian forces captured the Ukrainian village of Stepove in Zaporizhzhia Oblast on March 17.
Ukraine's Southern Defense Forces spokesperson Vladyslav Voloshyn denied the statement.
Stepove, with a pre-war population of 118 people, is located 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the villages of Pyatykhatky and Mali Shcherbaky in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. All three settlements were under Russian occupation in 2022 and 2023.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that its military had taken control of Stepove. However, Voloshyn told the Kyiv Independent that Ukrainian forces did not lose ground in the Zaporizhzhia sector of the front line.
"This is a method of information warfare — the enemy claims that it is there before it has entered. I do not confirm the information that Russia entered the settlements of Stepove, Mali Shcherbaky, or Shcherbaky and took them under control," Voloshyn said.
"Fierce fighting continues in this area. The enemy is trying to change the configuration of the combat line in its favor. In total, six combat engagements were registered in the Orikhiv sector over the last day. The day before yesterday, there were 19," Voloshyn added.
According to Voloshyn, since March, Russian forces have intensified their assaults in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Since the beginning of spring, there have been over 130 clashes in the Orikhiv sector alone.
The Ukrainian military warned in fall 2024 that Russian forces were ammassing in Zaporizhzhia Oblastin preparation for a southern offensive. Heavy fortifications were constructed around the regional capital of Zaporizhzhia ahead of the possible invasion.
The area near Stepove was the main axis of Ukraine's southern counteroffensive in 2023, which led to the liberation of the settlement of Robotyne but achieved no major breakthrough.
Yuliia Taradiuk
Ukrainian drones attack fuel facility in Russia's Astrakhan Oblast, governor claims
Ukrainian drones attacked a fuel and energy facility in Russia's Astrakhan Oblast on March 17, causing a fire, regional governor Igor Babushkin claimed.
"Overnight, the Ukrainian Armed Forces again attempted a massive drone attack on facilities located in the region, including a fuel and energy complex," Babushkin claimed.
Russia's Defense Ministry said its forces had destroyed 13 drones over the oblast. Babushkin reported that fallen debris caused a fire at the facility, and one person was hospitalized.
The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify these claims.
Astrakhan Oblast is located in southwestern Russia and borders Kazakhstan. The city of Astrakhan is almost 800 kilometers (500 miles) from the front line in Ukraine.
Ukraine has increasingly targeted Russia's energy and military infrastructure to disrupt Moscow's war effort. Overnight on March 14, Ukrainian drones struck the Tuapse oil refinery in Russia's Krasnodar Krai, igniting a gasoline storage tank.
Kyiv has focused on hitting Russian refineries, oil depots, and defense industry sites, aiming to limit Moscow's ability to sustain its full-scale invasion.
Ukrainian long-range drone successfully completes 3,000-kilometer test, Zelensky says
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on March 17 in his evening address that a Ukrainian long-range drone has successfully completed testing, demonstrating its ability to fly 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles).
"There is good news about long-range drones. Our drone has passed a 3,000-kilometer test," Zelensky said following a meeting of the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the top command and control body for Ukraine’s defense and security forces.
Kyiv uses long-range drones to strike deep into Russian territory, targeting military infrastructure such as airfields, oil refineries, and logistics hubs.
During the meeting, participants also discussed a new long-range missile developed by Ukraine, the Long Neptune.
"We can say that we are satisfied with the results of the strikes. But we need to produce more missiles, more drones, and we will be talking about this with our partners this week," Zelensky said.
Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk earlier said that the Ukrainian Navy is the only structure of the Ukrainian Armed Forces that uses the Long Neptun missiles.
Ukraine has also developed long-range missile-drone hybrids, such as the Palianytsia and Peklo models, featuring turbojet engines as alternatives to cruise missiles. President Volodymyr Zelensky has set a target of producing at least 30,000 long-range drones in 2025.
Kollen Post
Territorial integrity, military size, alliances — FM Sybiha sets 3 'fundamentals' for potential peace talks
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha outlined three key conditions for future negotiations to end Russia's war against Ukraine in an interview with RBC-Ukraine published on March 17.
"I don't like this definition (red lines). There are fundamental things that are non-negotiable, that cannot be touched upon," Sybiha said when asked what Ukraine's red lines are in potential talks.
Sybiha stressed that Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty are non-negotiable, reaffirming that Kyiv will never recognize Russian-occupied territories as part of Russia. President Volodymyr Zelenskyvoiced this stance back on March 12.
Despite this, the Trump administration has suggested that Kyiv and Moscow must compromise on a peace deal, calling Ukraine's goal of restoring its pre-2014 borders "unrealistic."
Russian forces currently occupy roughly 20% of Ukraine, where reports of systematic repression, torture, and forced deportations continue to emerge.
According to Sybiha, the second key condition is Ukraine's right to choose its alliances. He emphasized that no country should have a veto over Ukraine's NATO and EU aspirations.
Kyiv officially applied to join NATO in September 2022, and in 2024, the alliance declared Ukraine's path to membership "irreversible," though no formal invitation has been extended.
Sybiha also underscored that Ukraine's ability to defend itself must remain unrestricted, meaning there can be no restrictions on the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
"Russia must be held accountable. These are all elements of a lasting peace," he said.
On March 13, President Vladimir Putin said Russia was willing to accept a U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire but demanded guarantees that Kyiv would halt mobilization, military training, and foreign aid deliveries — conditions that could leave Ukraine vulnerable to renewed aggression.
U.S. President Donald Trump is set to speak with Putin on March 18 to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. While Trump seeks to secure a deal, European allies and Ukraine warn that a rushed agreement without security guarantees may fail to ensure lasting peace.
Oleg Sukhov
Zelensky signs law permitting Ukrainian troops to operate abroad during martial law
President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a law allowing Ukraine's Armed Forces to be sent abroad during martial law, according to an official decree published on March 17.
The law aims to enhance defense cooperation with partner nations, particularly by enabling Ukrainian forces to participate in training and receive military equipment, lawmaker Oleksii Honcharenkoexplained.
"This will allow us to attract international support to strengthen Ukraine's defense faster and more effectively," Honcharenko posted on Telegram.
The legislation permits Ukrainian military units to be deployed to other countries for national security purposes, including repelling armed aggression, protecting sovereignty and territorial integrity, and exercising the right to self-defense under international law.
The law does not concern the deployment of Ukrainian troops for combat operations on Russian territory.
The decision to send military personnel abroad will be made by the president but requires approval from the Verkhovna Rada, the country's parliament. Deployments will be subject to a formal request detailing the mission's objectives, troop numbers, weaponry, and the conditions of their stay abroad.
Zelensky vetoed the bill in January and returned it to parliament with amendments clarifying the decision-making process and ensuring compliance with international law. Lawmakers approved the revised version in late February.
Kateryna Hodunova
Seoul, Kyiv discuss transfer of North Korean POWs to South Korea
Ukraine is negotiating with South Korea to hand over two North Korean soldiers taken prisoner by Kyiv, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported on March 17.
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha discussed the potential transfer of the North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) in a phone call.
Cho noted that under South Korea's Constitution, North Koreans are considered South Korean citizens, but the prisoners must express a desire to relocate.
Up to 12,000 North Korean troops were deployed to Russia's Kursk Oblast last fall to counter Ukraine's cross-border incursion launched in August 2024.
Ukrainian troops captured two North Korean soldiers as POWs on Jan. 11.
President Volodymyr Zelensky previously reported that North Korean forces fighting for Russia had suffered 4,000 casualties, with two-thirds of the losses being soldiers killed.
Ukraine's military intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, attributed the high losses to North Korea's lack of combat experience and its use of human wave attacks with limited equipment.
Note from the author:
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