Russia repels massive attack: Putin orders downing of 130 Ukrainian drones

Moscow advances amid a successful offensive by its troops in Donbas, on the eastern front

Russian anti-aircraft defenses repelled a massive attack last night and shot down 130 drones, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on its Telegram channel on Wednesday. According to the military report, 85 of the drones destroyed last night were shot down in the southern region of Krasnodar. The night attack forced the aeronautical authorities to suspend operations for several hours at the airport in the resort of Sochi, the only one in the Krasnodar region.

Another 30 unmanned aircraft were shot down over the Crimean peninsula, annexed by Russia in 2014. Ukraine, which faces a successful offensive by Russian troops in Donbas, on the eastern front, launches systematic drone attacks against Russian territory, in particular against its crude oil refineries and fuel depots.

Meanwhile, talks between Ukraine and the United States are moving forward to announce the final agreement on the distribution of Ukrainian rare earths and mineral resources that Donald Trump is demanding for the help provided to kyiv during the war.

21:45
Trump confirms that he will sign the agreement on rare earths with Zelensky this Friday

The president of the United States, Donald Trump, has confirmed this Wednesday the visit on Friday of his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, to the White House, where they are expected to sign an agreement on rare earths and the reconstruction plans for Ukraine once the conflict ends. "We are doing very well with Russia and Ukraine. President Zelensky is going to come on Friday. It is already confirmed and we are going to sign an agreement," Trump said during the first official meeting of his cabinet in this second term.

"We have been able to reach an agreement whereby we will get our money back and we will get a lot of money in the future, and I think that is the right thing to do," said the US president, who thanked the Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent, and the Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, for this agreement.

21:15
Ukraine confirms a more favorable agreement with the US while Zelensky announces a visit to Washington

Ukraine and the United States have reached an agreement on the future exploration of Ukrainian resources and the Ukrainian president could visit Washington to meet with Donald Trump as early as this Friday, Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on Wednesday.

20:45
Russia accuses Ukraine and Baltic countries of "Russophobic" policies at the UN

The Russian delegation to the UN Human Rights Council insisted on Wednesday on accusing Ukraine of discrimination and attacks against the Russian-speaking population on its territory, and extended this accusation to the Baltic countries, where there are also "Russophobic policies", in the words of Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin.

"Many Western states continue to perpetrate policies that ban Russian culture and media," said the deputy minister, who said that specifically in the Baltic nations of the former Soviet Union (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) "false arguments are used to attack ethnic Russians."

20:15
Zelensky plans to participate in a summit of leaders in London on Sunday

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, announced on Wednesday that he will participate in a summit together with other European leaders in the United Kingdom scheduled for Sunday to address security guarantees for his country in the event of a ceasefire with Russia.

"After the United States, if I go, we will see, I plan to visit London and we will meet there with the Europeans" at the invitation of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Zelensky told the media.

The Ukrainian leader did not specify the exact meeting he was referring to, but on March 2 the United Kingdom is scheduled to host a meeting of European leaders focused on security and defense issues, as reported by EFE.

19:45
Starmer seeks to bring positions closer in his visit to Trump with Ukraine as the axis

The British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, travels to Washington this Wednesday, where tomorrow, Thursday, he will meet with the President of the United States, Donald Trump, in an attempt to bring positions closer in the face of current tensions over sensitive issues such as the future of Ukraine.

Both politicians already met at an informal dinner in New York when Trump was still a candidate for the presidential elections, but it will be their first meeting since the Republican politician assumed power again, and it will be marked by the recent friction in relations between both sides of the Atlantic.

19:13
Russia launches criminal cases against 845 foreigners for fighting as mercenaries in Ukraine

Russia has launched criminal cases against 845 foreign citizens from 55 countries for fighting as mercenaries on the Ukrainian side, 589 of whom have already been declared wanted internationally, the chairman of the Russian Investigative Committee (IRC), Alexander Bastrikin, said today.

"Criminal cases have been launched against 845 foreigners from 55 countries and 589 mercenaries have now been declared wanted internationally," he wrote in an article published on Wednesday in the magazine 'Chelovek i Zakon' (Man and the Law). He added that investigations in 86 cases have been completed and "49 sentences have been handed down."

18:30
Zelensky says Ukraine welcomes final version of US deal

U.S. President Donald Trump initially asked Ukraine to contribute up to $500 billion in the deal. Trump later spoke of $350 billion in military aid offered by Ukraine, which kyiv was to return.

At the same press conference, Zelensky explained that the finalized agreement is preliminary and will open the door to more concrete agreements on the contribution and operation of the investment fund. The Ukrainian president said he hopes that at a later stage of the negotiations the security guarantees from the United States that Ukraine is asking for will be included.

18:25
Trump and Zelensky to sign minerals deal at White House on Friday

US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky will sign the agreement at the White House on Friday under which Ukraine will share its natural resources with the United States.

"President Zelensky is coming on Friday, it's already confirmed. We will sign an agreement that will be a great agreement," Trump said on Wednesday at the start of the first cabinet meeting of his new mandate.

Zelensky confirmed on Wednesday that kyiv has agreed with Washington on the final version of a first agreement for the creation of a common investment fund to which Ukraine will contribute profits from the future exploitation of its natural resources.

18:00
Kazakhstan holds consultations with Ukraine after attack on pipeline exporting crude to EU

Kazakhstan held diplomatic consultations with Ukraine after the bombing of the pipeline through which it exports the bulk of its oil to Europe via the Caspian Sea, Kazakh Energy Minister Almasadam Satkalíev said today.

"There is no doubt that consultations on repairing the damage were carried out through diplomatic channels," the Energy Minister said at a press conference. According to Satkalíev, "at the moment the repair of the damaged facilities is being carried out with the company's own resources."

17:20
The United States and Russia will meet tomorrow in Turkey to continue to finalize peace in Ukraine

Diplomatic attempts between the United States and Russia to stop the conflict in Ukraine continue after the initial meeting in Riyadh, a city in Saudi Arabia. On this occasion, and following the words of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during Zelensky's visit, on the possibility of Turkey hosting a new meeting, a new meeting will finally take place in Istanbul tomorrow, Thursday.

17:00
The number of casualties in Donetsk increases: seven people die in the last 24 hours

At least seven people have died as a result of the attacks launched by the Russian Armed Forces against the Ukrainian region of Donetsk in the last 24 hours, according to the governor of the area, Vadim Filashkin, who has also confirmed that there have been about 40 bombings in one day.

Earlier in the day, the governor had reported a battery of attacks against several towns and two deaths in the Toretsk and Yampil areas. In Kostiantinivka, another five people have lost their lives, as a result of bombings that have hit civilian targets, including homes.

16:20
The Spanish mission to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine has trained more than 7,000 soldiers

The European Union Military Assistance Mission in Support of Ukraine (Eumam UA) in Spain has trained more than 7,000 Ukrainian soldiers since November 2022.

According to the Defence Staff (EMAD), to date, the Spanish Armed Forces have taught 152 modules in more than 30 different specialties.

The courses, which are organised to complement the capabilities of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, have been very diverse: from Basic Recruit (basic combatant training courses), to more specific ones, such as Close Air Support, which is taught by the Air and Space Force in Cartagena, or the production of geospatial information (Vector Geospatial Data TM), which is taught in Madrid.

16:00
Sanchez assures that Europe will be "strong and united" against Ukraine

The president of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, assured this Wednesday that Ukraine, Spain and the world need a strong and united Europe and the Twenty-seven "are going to give it to them," he said.

Sánchez guaranteed this common response in a message on social media after participating in a videoconference meeting of the presidents of the European Council and Commission, António Costa and Ursula von der Leyen, respectively, with the leaders of the community countries.

15:30
Finland will allocate 660 million euros in defense to reinforce Ukraine

The Government of Finland has announced an ambitious military support program for Ukraine, with an investment of 660 million euros destined for the acquisition of defense equipment manufactured by Finnish companies to be sent to kyiv.

The Minister of Defense, Antti Häkkänen, stressed that, with this program, the country will reinforce its national defense industry while contributing strategically to the Ukrainian resistance. "Until now we have supported Ukraine with shipments of stocks, but now we will order a significant amount of products from our national companies," he said.

Contracts with companies will be established taking into account Ukraine’s critical needs, the effectiveness of products on the battlefield and the production capacity of Finnish industry. This new approach seeks to ensure a continuous supply of weapons and military technology at a key moment of the conflict.

15:23
Ukrainian journalist and her surgeon husband killed in Russian drone attack in kyiv

A Russian drone attack on kyiv has resulted in the tragic deaths of Ukrainian journalist Tetyana Kulyk, head of Ukrinform's multimedia division, and her husband, Professor Pavlo Ivanchev, head of the Department of Surgery at Bogomolets National Medical University.

The attack occurred overnight in the suburb of Bucha, where a drone hit their home and caused a fatal fire.

15:15
Protests in kyiv against minerals deal between Ukraine and the US

A group of protesters gathered in front of the US embassy in kyiv on Wednesday to express their rejection of the minerals deal that is in the process of being signed between the two countries. With banners reading "Trump is not the US" and "No to the plundering of Ukraine," protesters denounced what they consider an unacceptable surrender of strategic resources amid the conflict with Russia.

14:57
Ukraine launches successful counterattack and recovers strategic positions in Pokrovsk

The Ukrainian army claimed on Wednesday to have carried out a successful counterattack near Pokrovsk, a key city in the east of the country that Russian forces are trying to capture. According to the military statement, Ukrainian troops managed to recover the town of Kotlyné, frustrating Russian attempts to reach the Pokrovsk-Dnipro highway, a fundamental route for supply and mobility in the region.

14:43
Zelensky conditions the success of the mineral agreement with the US on Trump's decision

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday that the future of the mineral agreement with the United States will depend on the position of President Donald Trump. According to Zelensky, this pact is part of a broader cooperation with Washington and could translate into key security guarantees for Ukraine in the search for a stable and lasting peace.

14:27
Germany calls for a European defense fund to strengthen the continent's security

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Wednesday called for the creation of a European defense fund with the aim of strengthening security and increasing the European Union's deterrence capacity.

In a statement, Baerbock said it would be a key step to make the EU's Stability and Growth Pact more flexible, allowing member states to increase their defense spending without excessive fiscal restrictions. However, she warned that this measure alone would not be enough to guarantee the protection of Europe.

"That is why we need a European defense fund that is up to the current challenges," the minister argued.

13:57
Russia announces the recovery of two settlements in Kursk after months of Ukrainian occupation

The Russian Ministry of Defense reported on Tuesday that its forces have regained control of the settlements of Pogrebki and Orlovka, in the western region of Kursk, where Ukrainian troops had crossed the border and taken up positions in August 2024.

Moscow presented the reconquest of these territories as a strategic advance, ensuring that the operation has allowed the expulsion of Ukrainian units that maintained a presence in the area. For its part, kyiv has not yet issued any comments on the Russian offensive in Kursk.

13:42

Macron briefs European leaders on meeting with Trump ahead of March 6 summit

French President Emmanuel Macron has briefed European leaders on the details of his meeting with US President Donald Trump on Monday.

European Council President António Costa called the briefing "very useful", especially ahead of the March 6 meeting, where EU leaders will discuss future support for Ukraine and strengthening European defence.

13:26

Polish PM criticises Trump's deals with Russia

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has launched a veiled criticism of Donald Trump on his X account, condemning "uncertainty, unpredictability and deals" in negotiations with Russia.

Tusk expressed concern about the possibility of Europe accepting Ukraine's capitulation, referring to talks between the Trump administration and Moscow, which some European governments fear could sacrifice kyiv's interests.

13:13

Russia rejects sending European peacekeepers, accuses West of 'deceiving' Ukraine

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said that the Kremlin strongly opposes the presence of a European peacekeeper in Ukraine, calling it a "deception aimed at flooding the country with weapons." However, he did not present evidence to support his accusations.

Lavrov's statements contrast with those of US President Donald Trump, who recently said that Vladimir Putin has no objections to the presence of a European mission on Ukrainian territory. For his part, the head of the Russian delegation in the negotiations with the United States called discussions about this possibility "empty rhetoric," according to the state agency TASS.

The initiative to deploy a peacekeeping mission was proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron and is supported by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as a guarantee of security for Ukraine against future Russian aggression.

12:45

The Kremlin rules out any territorial cession: "We will never sell"

Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov has been blunt in stating that Russia will not hand over or negotiate the occupied territories in Ukraine, assuring that these "will never be for sale."

In response to speculation about a possible agreement between US President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, Peskov insisted that the annexed regions are already part of Russia and their status is not subject to discussion.

12:21
Lavrov meets Qatari emir amid key talks with US

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met Qatari emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in Doha as part of his diplomatic tour.

Lavrov, who is leading Russia's negotiations with the United States, held a meeting with the US delegation in Saudi Arabia last week and is now continuing his diplomatic strategy in the region.

12:05
Russia and the US to resume diplomatic talks in Istanbul

The Russian and US delegations will meet next Thursday in Istanbul to discuss the restoration of their respective diplomatic missions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed. Moscow has been without an ambassador in Washington since the departure of Anatoly Antonov last October.

For his part, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that both sides are working on reviving diplomatic relations in Washington and Moscow as part of ongoing dialogue for a possible resolution of the conflict in Ukraine.

11:47
Suspicion of arms trafficking: Russian ship docks in North Korean port

The presence of a large Russian ship in the North Korean port of Rajin has sparked new alarms about possible arms transfers between Russia and North Korea, Korea JoongAng Daily reports citing Radio Free Asia (RFA).

The 110-meter-long ship was seen unloading and loading containers at the dock at the port of Rason before setting sail on Friday. Satellite images from Planet Labs show a 100-meter-long line of containers, which has intensified suspicions that Moscow and Pyongyang could be strengthening their military cooperation in the midst of the war in Ukraine.

11:38
Ukrainian parliament reaffirms Zelensky's mandate amid international pressure

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has approved a resolution ratifying the legitimacy of President Volodymyr Zelensky and stressing that elections cannot be held while martial law remains in force. With 268 votes in favour and only 12 abstentions, the parliament has backed the continuity of the current leadership at a time when the Donald Trump administration has urged Ukraine to call elections and has called Zelensky a "dictator".

11:25
Concern in Europe over the presence of North Korean troops in Russia

International security experts have warned about the impact that North Korea's growing involvement in the war in Ukraine could have. During a round table organised by the German and Ukrainian embassies in Seoul, analyst Alyona Getmanchuk, from the New Europe Centre, warned that this collaboration between authoritarian regimes should not be underestimated.

According to experts, the presence of North Korean troops on Russian territory poses a direct risk to European security and global stability, as it shows a deeper strategic alliance between Moscow and Pyongyang.

11:12
Poland strengthens connectivity in Ukraine with 5,000 new Starlink terminals

Poland has announced the shipment of 5,000 Starlink terminals to Ukraine, in an effort to guarantee connectivity in both the civil and military spheres, according to Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski.

10:55
Russian attacks leave three dead in Kharkiv and kyiv

Ukrainian authorities have updated the death toll after the Russian attacks in the early hours of the morning, confirming the death of three people: two in the Kiev region and one in Kharkiv.

In addition to the impact on the capital, the fall of drone fragments has caused significant damage in the regions of Kharkiv, Sumi and Kirovograd. On the other hand, the energy company DTEK has reported that one of its infrastructures in Dnipropetrovsk has been attacked again

10:30
Russia and Ukraine negotiate a new exchange of children separated by the war

The Russian government is managing a new exchange of minors with Ukraine, in which 16 children will be transferred to Russia and 10 will be reunited with their families on Ukrainian territory, according to what the presidential commissioner for children's rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, revealed to the RIA agency.

10:01
UK reaffirms military support for Ukraine at top commanders' meeting

Ukrainian Army Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said he held a conversation with British defence chief Admiral Sir Antony Radakin, where they discussed the UK's continued military support for Ukraine and the situation on the battlefield.

During the meeting, Radakin reiterated London's commitment to providing military assistance to the Ukrainian Defence Forces, stressing that the UK will continue to actively support kyiv in its fight against the Russian invasion.

09:41
Ukraine highlights Russian losses, reaffirms resilience

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense recently shared on X an update on Russian losses from the start of the invasion on February 24, 2022, to February 26, 2025. The message, accompanied by the Virgil quote "They can conquer those who think they can"

09:27
Latvia warns: Putin seeks to weaken US in peace talks

Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze warned about President Vladimir Putin's true intentions in the peace talks on Ukraine. According to Braze, Moscow will try to achieve in diplomacy what it has failed to achieve on the battlefield: weakening the United States and restoring its influence over Ukraine.

In an interview with the Associated Press, the Latvian diplomat stressed that despite the power difference between Russia (140 million inhabitants) and Ukraine (40 million), the Kremlin has only managed to control less than 20% of Ukrainian territory since the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022. In this scenario, she warned that the real challenge is not peace itself, but Moscow's intention to undermine US global leadership through negotiation.

09:17
Macron briefs Zelensky on his meeting with Trump and progress in peace negotiations

French President Emmanuel Macron briefed his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky on the details of his recent meeting with Donald Trump, in which they discussed the negotiation promoted by Washington between Moscow and kyiv to end the war.

In a message posted on his social networks, Zelensky described the conversation as "constructive", stressing that he coordinated plans and contacts with Macron to achieve an acceptable peace for Ukraine.

In addition, the Ukrainian leader shared with Macron the conclusions of his meeting with the leaders of the Nordic and Baltic countries, who visited kyiv in the framework of the third anniversary of the conflict unleashed after the Russian invasion.

09:04
kyiv increases production of its own weapons in its factories

President Volodymyr Zelensky assured that in 2024 Ukraine produced more than 150 pieces of artillery and manufactured 1.3 million drones, surpassing the combined production of all NATO countries in this field.

In addition, kyiv is working on the development of new models of hybrid drones with missiles and on the creation of its own air defense system, comparable to the most advanced in the world.

According to Zelensky, the Ukrainian military industry currently covers 40% of the army's needs, with the aim of increasing this figure to 50% by 2025, reducing its dependence on Western weapons.

08:46
Russian drone attack in kyiv leaves one dead and two injured

A nighttime attack by Russian drones against the kyiv region caused the death of one civilian, left two injured and caused fires in several homes, regional governor Mykola Kalashnyk reported on Wednesday.

Kalashnyk detailed on Telegram that the body of a person was found in the rubble of a house that burned down after the attack. In addition, at least five homes and two multi-storey residential buildings suffered significant damage as a result of the bombing.

08:37
Russia accuses Ukraine of drone attack in Tuapse, with no reported casualties

The Russian government has reported that Ukraine launched a drone attack in the early hours of the morning in the Krasnodar region in southern Russia, causing damage to several homes, including some in the Black Sea port of Tuapse.

The governor of the region, Veniamin Kondratyev, confirmed that three houses were affected, although no injuries were reported. In Tuapse, one of the houses caught fire, but the fire was quickly extinguished, according to Sergei Boiko, head of the municipality.

The Russian media SHOT, via Telegram, assured that Ukrainian drones were aimed at the port area and that residents heard around 40 explosions, possibly caused by the activation of Russian air defense systems.

08:17
Petro criticizes Zelensky's "stupidity" for "allowing himself to be manipulated" and handing Ukraine over to the US

The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, has criticized this Tuesday the "stupidity" of his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, when negotiating a natural resources agreement with Washington, given the possibility that in the next few days an imminent pact between the parties will be reached that includes the so-called 'rare earths'. "Zelensky's stupidity, and I say it with all the letters, for allowing himself to be manipulated by the Western Europeans, who do not know where they are going, whether towards Hitler, or towards nothing; they fight with their Slavic brothers and end up giving Ukraine to the Americans. Stupidity!", he said through his profile on the social network X.

08:15
This is the agreement for the distribution of Ukraine's mineral resources with the US

Ukrainian sources consulted by the British newspaper Financial Times have explained that there is already a final draft of the agreement for the distribution of rare earths between Ukraine and the US, as demanded by Donald Trump. It is dated this Monday and establishes a fund to which Ukraine would contribute 50 percent of the income from the "future monetization" of state-owned mineral resources, including oil and gas.

However, the document omits any reference to the US security guarantees that the Ukrainian authorities had originally insisted on in exchange for accepting the agreement. It also leaves for later questions such as the size of the US participation in the fund and the terms of the "joint ownership" agreements.

Although neither of the two parties involved has yet publicly confirmed the agreement, Ukrainian officials have indicated that it has received the 'green light' from the ministers of Justice, Economy and Foreign Affairs. However, they added that it is only a "framework agreement", that the jurisdiction of the agreement remains to be agreed and that the approval of the Ukrainian Parliament is still pending.

07:50

Good morning, we begin to tell you the latest news related to Ukraine, the attempts to pacify the country undertaken by Donald Trump and the negotiations for the US to obtain the rare earths that the country invaded by Russia possesses.