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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.
US to withdraw from group investigating Russian leadership for crimes against Ukraine, NYT reports
The Hague-based International Center for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine is a judicial hub supporting national investigations into the crime of aggression committed by the Russian leadership, including President Vladimir Putin, and Moscow’s allies against Ukraine.
The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek
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9:14 AM
Ukrainian drones strike fuel facility in Russia's Astrakhan Oblast, governor claims.
"Overnight, the Ukrainian Armed Forces again attempted a massive drone attack on facilities located in the region, including the fuel and energy complex," Astrakhan Oblast Igor Babushkin claimed on March 17.
8:47 AM
US to withdraw from group investigating Russian leadership for crimes against Ukraine, NYT reports.
The Hague-based International Center for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine is a judicial hub supporting national investigations into the crime of aggression committed by the Russian leadership, including President Vladimir Putin, and Moscow's allies against Ukraine.
8:39 AM
Trump plans to call Putin on March 18 to discuss war in Ukraine.
"I'll be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday. A lot of work's been done over the weekend," U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters.
8:10 AM
General Staff: Russia has lost 895,450 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022.
The number includes 1,210 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
7:27 AM
Ukraine ceasefire faces battlefield challenges, envoy says.
"There is a nuclear reactor that supplies quite a bit of electricity to the country of Ukraine. That’s got to be dealt with," Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, said on March 16.
6:15 AM
Lviv airport could reopen by late spring, general director says.
If there is a positive outcome regarding the end of the war, Lviv's international airport could resume flights as early as April or May this year.
5:40 AM
Erdogan tells Trump that Turkey supports US efforts to end Russia's war.
Turkey has positioned itself as a potential mediator in Russia's war against Ukraine, now in its fourth year, by maintaining diplomatic and economic ties with both nations while supporting Ukraine's sovereignty.
4:38 AM
'Plan A is get the shooting to stop' — Rubio says as US pushes for ceasefire in Ukraine.
Speaking on CBS’s "Face the Nation" on March 16, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that the primary goal is to secure a ceasefire before moving forward with broader negotiations for a permanent resolution.
2:58 AM
Lithuania backs EU plan for $43.5 billion in military aid to Ukraine, Reuters reports.
Lithuania ranks among Europe's top defense spenders, allocating 2.85% of its GDP to defense in 2024, according to NATO estimates.
12:51 AM
Kremlin dismisses ceasefire as tactic to buy time for Ukraine’s military.
"The Russian army is advancing on all fronts, and under these circumstances, the ceasefire could be viewed as a way to allow Ukraine to strengthen its position," Yuri Ushakov, a close adviser to Vladimir Putin, told media on March 16.
11:27 PM
Zelensky announces upcoming Ramstein summit in Brussels.
"We are preparing for Brussels," Zelensky said. According to the president, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov is currently organizing the next meeting of the Ukrainian Defense Contact Group (UDCG).
10:57 PM
New Canadian PM discusses security guarantees, bilateral cooperation in call with Zelensky.
Newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney discussed increasing pressure on Moscow, particularly by imposing additional sanctions against Russia's banking sector and its so-called "shadow fleet" of oil tankers.
9:57 PM
No more lost territory, return of deported children — Kyiv names red lines for peace deal, Independent reports.
"It is not reasonable to demand that, for example, Zaporizhzhia or Kherson be fully handed over — that sounds like a f*** off to us," a high-level Ukrainian official said.
9:12 PM
West can send troops to Ukraine without Russia's permission, Macron says.
"Ukraine is sovereign – if it requests allied forces to be on its territory, it is not up to Russia to accept or reject it," French President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview with Le Parisien.
7:45 PM
UK proposes Western peacekeeping mission of 10,000 troops in Ukraine.
The proposed contingent would include around 10,000 troops, mostly provided by the U.K. and France, U.K. military sources told the Sunday Times. Thirty-five countries would assist with weapons, logistics, and intelligence support.
7:03 PM
Suspect pleads guilty to murder of Odesa activist Demyan Hanul.
Serhii Shalaiev, the man detained and charged with the killing of Ukrainian activist Demyan Hanul, pled guilty to the murder in a closed court hearing on March 16.
6:23 PM
Ukraine appoints Andrii Hnatov as new chief of General Staff.
Hnatov, who was formerly appointed as the deputy chief of the General Staff in February, will be replacing Anatolii Barhylevych, who took the role in February 2024.
5:32 PM
Air Force says 47 Russian drones shot down overnight.
Russian troops attacked Ukraine with 90 drones, targeting Kyiv, Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, Cherkasy, Zhytomyr, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, and Odesa oblasts, according to the Air Force's report.
4:15 PM
Trump-Putin phone call expected this week, US hopes for ceasefire within weeks, envoy says.
“I expect that there will be a call with both presidents this week, and we’re also continuing to engage and have a conversation with the Ukrainians,” Witkoff told CNN after meeting Putin in Moscow on March 13, as cited by Reuters.
Fierce battles in Kursk amid ceasefire talks | Ukraine This Week.
The Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur covers the top stories impacting Ukraine this week. First in everyone’s concerns is the ongoing ceasefire negotiations and the latest developments in Ukraine’s Kursk operation.
2:41 PM
US launches airstrikes on Iranian-backed rebels as Trump orders 'decisive' military action.
"Today, I have ordered the United States Military to launch decisive and powerful military action against the Houthi terrorists in Yemen," Trump said in a post on Truth Socials.
12:22 PM
Ukraine confirms withdrawal from Sudzha in Russia's Kursk Oblast
Without confirming the withdrawal with a statement, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces posted the latest battlefield maps on social media, which showed a complete retreat from Sudzha.
11:07 AM
Trump denies reports on his envoy waiting for Putin, calls media 'sick degenerates'.
"The fake news, as usual, is at it again!" Trump said in a post on Truth Social. "Why can't they be honest, just for once?"
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