US Defense Minister: 'This is critical phase of conflict.'

The Flamingo missile, built by controversial defense manufacturer Fire Point, has only been used by Kyiv on a handful of occasions since being first unveiled last summer, with its reported use increasing since November 2025.

The number includes 1,300 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

Russian forces launched a drone attack on the city of Odesa overnight on March 28, injuring at least 10 people, including a child, in strikes on civilian infrastructure.

Ukrainian drones struck an oil refinery in the central Russian city of Yaroslavl overnight on March 28, Telegram news channel Exilenova Plus reported.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on March 27 that President Volodymyr Zelensky's claims about Ukraine withdrawing from the Donbas region in exchange for security guarantees are untrue.

The denial comes amid reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin had urged major businesses to make contributions to the state budget.

"As Putin continues his abhorrent attacks across Ukraine, my message is simple — there will be no let up in the U.K.’s support," British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.

The reopening of McDonald's restaurants — the first American fast food chain to enter Ukraine in the 1990s — is always met with great fanfare after Russia’s full-scale invasion forced the company to pause operations throughout the country.

The Kyiv Independent’s separate analytical unit, KI Insights, is excited to announce the launch of its podcast, Ukraine Insights — a show dedicated to unpacking Ukraine’s politics, security, economy, and international relations through in-depth, expert-driven conversations.

"The U.S. side is linking the entire situation to the resolution of the conflict in Ukraine," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

As winter ends, fighting on Ukraine’s southern front is intensifying, and drones are leading the battle. The Ukraine’s 423rd Separate Drone Battalion, known as the “Scythian Griffins,” operates in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. With both sides preparing for a larger spring and summer campaign, the battle for Ukraine’s south is entering a new phase.