Russia lost more than 1,700 troops this week on Tuesday, suffering its deadliest day of war against Ukraine in a sign that Moscow’s planned offensive has been foiled.
Ukraine’s general staff said it had killed or wounded 1,710 Russian troops on 17 March and destroyed 29 artillery systems as well as 230 vehicles and fuel tankers. The Russian forces have recorded losses between 700 to 900 troops per day on average in recent months, according to the Ukrainian military.
Ukraine said its unmanned systems force, which oversees drone strikes, was responsible for killing or wounding 900 Russian soldiers in a day and a half, after Moscow’s forces attempted to surge forward on the Zaporizhzhia front.
This comes as peace talks between Washington, Moscow and Kyiv are on a “situational pause, for obvious reasons” the Kremlin has said, as war in Iran continues.
Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters: “This is a situational pause, for obvious reasons,” in response to a front page story in Izvestia about the halt in talks which suggested the war could push Kyiv towards compromise.
Kremlin tightens security for senior military officials following assassinations
Ukraine has denied any involvement in the incident.
State media quoted FSB chief Alexander Bortnikov confirming Alexeyev’s recovery and stating that security for such high-ranking officials would “of course” be tightened.
On Thursday, the Kremlin also condemned what it called an intensification of Ukrainian attacks on Gazprom gas compressor stations serving two major pipelines, saying such incidents threatened critical infrastructure and international energy routes.
Arpan Rai20 March 2026 05:25
Kremlin decries Ukrainian drone attacks on energy infrastructure
Russia has said Ukraine’s drone attacks on energy sites in southern Krasnodar region connected to the TurkStream and Blue Stream gas pipelines which carry natural gas to Turkey via the Black Sea will affect the already volatile market.
Gazprom said at least 26 Ukrainian drones targeted three compressor stations between Tuesday and Thursday.
Gazprom said the compressor stations “ensure” the flow of natural gas through the two pipelines, which are the only remaining routes for Russian pipeline gas exports to Europe.
“As global energy markets are feeling unease… such irresponsible and thoughtless actions by the Kyiv regime can further destabilize the situation in the region and the entire world,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
Arpan Rai20 March 2026 04:50
Russia loses 1,700 troops in deadliest day of war this year
Russia lost more than 1,700 troops this week on Tuesday, suffering its deadliest day of war against Ukraine, military officials said.
Ukraine’s general staff said it had killed or wounded 1,710 Russian troops on March 17 and destroyed 29 artillery systems as well as 230 vehicles and fuel tankers.
Russia’s average daily losses have been recorded between 700 to 900 troops per day in recent months, in data shared by the Ukrainian military.
The increased death and injured toll among Russian forces could indicate Moscow’s planned spring offensive to capture more territory of Ukraine.
Ukraine said its unmanned systems force, which oversees drone strikes, was responsible for killing or wounding 900 Russian soldiers in a day and a half, after Moscow’s forces attempted to surge forward on the Zaporizhzhia front.
The Russian troops were attempting to move in using infantry, motorcycles and horses under cover of fog before being wiped out, said Robert Brovdi, head of the Ukrainian drone unit “Magyar’s Birds”.
Arpan Rai20 March 2026 04:29
Zelenskiy says Ukrainian negotiators heading to US for Saturday talks
President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukrainian negotiators were headed to the United States for new talks this weekend on a resolution to the four-year-old war pitting Kyiv against Moscow.
“There has been a pause in the talks. It is time to end that and we will do everything so that the talks can be truly meaningful,” Zelensky said in his nightly video address.
“The Ukrainian team… is already on the way and we expect a meeting on Saturday in the United States”, he said.
Arpan Rai20 March 2026 04:10
Orban’s veto ‘act of serious disloyalty’, says Germany’s Merz
German chancellor Friedrich Merz said the European Commission had been asked by leaders to find ways to pay out the loan, and called Viktor Orban’s veto an unprecedented “act of serious disloyalty”.
“This will leave its mark,” he said. “This is a serious violation of the principle of loyalty of the member states amongst each other, and it damages the standing of the European Union.”
Arpan Rai20 March 2026 03:50
EU will find ways to get loan to Ukraine, von der Leyen says
The EU will find ways to pay out the promised €90bn (£77bn) loan to Ukraine despite Hungary’s ongoing resistance, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said.
“We will deliver one way or the other,” von der Leyen told reporters after a summit in Brussels, where EU leaders failed to convince Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban to lift his blockade on the vital EU loan to Ukraine.
EU leaders condemned the “unacceptable” resistance by Hungary during their meeting, EU Council president Antonio Costa said.
“A deal is a deal, we need to honour our word. And no one can blackmail the European Council,” Costa said.
Arpan Rai20 March 2026 03:25
Watch: Kremlin says Ukraine peace talks on ‘pause’ as Iran war wages on
Joe Middleton20 March 2026 03:00
Ukraine counting on EU to unblock €90bn package, Zelensky says
A 90 billion-euro aid package from the European Union that is currently blocked by Hungary is critical for Kyiv as it faces a “very difficult” situation while fighting Russia, president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday.
In comments to the European Council, he added that Ukraine was working productively with the EU on restoring the Druzhba oil pipeline damaged by Russia, and that he has received signals from the US that peace talks with Russia may resume soon.
Arpan Rai20 March 2026 02:53
Estonia summons Russian diplomat after Russian jet violates Estonian airspace
Estonia has summoned the Russian charge d’affaires after a Russian fighter jet violated the Baltic country’s airspace on March 18, Estonian foreign minister Margus Tsahkna said on Thursday.
The violation occurred near Vaindloo Island in the Gulf of Finland, off Estonia’s northern coast, where a Russian SU-30 fighter aircraft entered Estonian airspace and remained for around one minute, Estonia’s foreign ministry said.
“The violation was responded to by a unit of the Italian Air Force, and there was no threat to Estonia’s security,” Tsahkna said.
Joe Middleton20 March 2026 01:00
Peace talks on a ‘situational pause’ says Peskov
The Kremlin said on Thursday that trilateral peace talks on Ukraine with the United States were on a “situational pause”.
Russia’s Izvestia newspaper said the Iran war had temporarily halted negotiations between Moscow, Washington and Kyiv. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia hopes the pause will end and another round of negotiations can be held.
He added that the widening of the war in the Middle East was destabilising energy markets, with global consequences including for Russia.
Joe Middleton20 March 2026 00:15
