Russia has lost more than 8,000 troops in the past week alone as it launches new offensives in the improving spring weather, according to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
“This week, we have observed attempts by the Russians to intensify their offensive efforts, taking advantage of more favourable weather conditions. As a result, the only tangible outcome for the Russian army has been an increase in their losses – more than 8,000 killed and seriously wounded Russian soldiers in just these seven days,” he said in his nightly address.
Zelensky also warned of a shortage of US-supplied Patriot air defence missiles if the Middle East conflict continues, saying Vladimir Putin will benefit from a “long war” in Iran.
He told the BBC that the US produces around 60 to 65 Patriot missiles a month, which equates to roughly 600 to 700 a year. He said 103 missiles were used in the Iran war on the first day alone.He said there will "definitely” be a deficit, and the question is now “when will all the stockpiles in the Middle East be exhausted”.
“For Putin, a long war in Iran is a plus,” as resources deplete, he added.
Key Points
- Zelensky says Russia attempted new offensive but faced massive casualties
- Zelensky says Putin will want a 'long war' in Iran
- Poland long suspected Hungary shared EU Council details with Russia, says Tusk
- Russia says it has captured a border village in Ukraine's Sumy
Kenyans fighting Russia's war in Ukraine to be granted amnesty
05:24 , Arpan RaiKenyan nationals enlisted by Russia to fight the war in Ukraine will now be granted amnesty on their return home, Kenya’s foreign minister said.
"So far 44 Kenyans have been safely repatriated back home while 11 have been reported missing in action/killed in action, 38 are currently hospitalised in various Russian hospitals under restricted access, leaving 160 Kenyans officers still actively involved," Musalia Mudavadi said in a statement.
The Kenyan foreign ministry said Mudavadi has negotiated a deal that allowed Kenyans currently on the front line and "unwilling to continue in the assignment disengaged and freed to travel back home".
At least 1,000 Kenyans were recruited to fight for Russia in Ukraine after being misled with false promises of jobs in Russia before being sent to the front lines, an intelligence report said.
Russia says it has captured a border village in Ukraine's Sumy
04:54 , Arpan RaiRussia said its forces have captured Potapivka, a tiny village near the Russian border in Ukraine’s northern Sumy region.
“As a result of determined actions, units of the Northern grouping of soldiers established control over the village of Potapovka in the Sumy region,” the Russian defence ministry said, using a Russian name for the village.
Ukraine did not immediately respond to the Russian defence ministry’s claims.
The Russian army has been ramping up its efforts to establish a “buffer zone” in the Sumy region for months, but Ukraine has largely repelled these advances and says Moscow has struggled to establish a meaningful foothold in the region.
Zelensky says Putin will want a 'long war' in Iran
04:24 , Arpan RaiVolodymyr Zelensky has said he has a “very bad feeling” about the consequences of the conflict in the Middle East for his country.
“You see that our diplomatic meetings, trilateral meetings, are constantly postponed. There is one reason: war in Iran,” he said, speaking to the BBC in an interview.
“Putin will want a long war. For Putin, a long war in Iran is a plus,” he said.
Ukraine offering expertise and support to Gulf countries
03:54 , Arpan RaiUkraine is working with Gulf countries everyday and providing expertise and “real” support, Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
”Other countries of the world should now also make their contribution to stabilisation,” he wrote on social media.
“We all need joint decisions and joint work so that there is more security for everyone. I thank everyone who contributes to coordination and shared results.”
Zelensky says Russia attempted new offensive but faced casualties
03:24 , Arpan RaiRussian forces have attempted to intensify offensive efforts over the past week, taking advantage of more favourable weather conditions, although that resulted in an increase in its casualties, Volodymyr Zelensky said.
"In the Donetsk region, our positions have not significantly changed over the past week,” he said.
"In the Kharkiv region and in border communities of the Sumy region, we are observing attempts by the occupier to advance from the border – Russian units carrying out these attempts are being destroyed," Zelensky said.
A meeting with Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov. This week, we have observed attempts by the Russians to intensify their offensive efforts, taking advantage of more favorable weather conditions. As a result, the only tangible… pic.twitter.com/qpNVY6tcYP
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 22, 2026
Poland long suspected Hungary shared EU Council details with Russia, says Tusk
02:54 , Arpan RaiPoland's prime minister Sunday said Poland "had our suspicions" in response to a Washington Post report that Hungary's government has for years provided Russia with detailed information from EU Council meetings.
The Post, citing several current and former European security officials, found that the Hungarian government under Viktor Orban has long offered Moscow access to sensitive discussions within the European Union.
Hungarian foreign minister Péter Szijjártó regularly calls during breaks in EU council meetings to provide his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, with "direct reports on what was discussed" and possible solutions, according to the Post report.
"The news that Orban's people inform Moscow about EU Council meetings in every detail shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone," Polish PM Donald Tusk said on X.
"We've had our suspicions about that for a long time. That's one reason why I take the floor only when strictly necessary and say just as much as necessary."
Szijjártó called Tusk's comments "fake news”.
What are Patriot missiles and what role do they play in Iran and Ukraine wars
02:00 , Harriette BoucherThe US and South Korean militaries are discussing moving some of the American Patriot missile defence systems based in South Korea to be used in the war against Iran.
South Korean foreign minister Cho Hyun on Friday was responding to a question at a parliamentary hearing and said the two nations were working closely together. The decision on the deployment of weapons and military personnel would be made on a case-by-case basis, he said.
Earlier reports said the US troops stationed in South Korea relocated their Patriot missile defence batteries to Osan Air Base from other US bases, in signs that US Forces Korea (USFK) could deploy part of its critical air-defence assets to the Middle East as the conflict escalates.
What are Patriot missiles and what role do they play in Iran and Ukraine wars
Zelensky: Repair works 'ongoing' as latest Russian drone attacks leave thousands without power
01:00 , Harriette BoucherUkrainian drones strike Russian air defence systems
00:00 , Harriette BoucherUkraine destroyed two Buk air defense systems in a drone attack in Russia's Bryansk Oblast on Sunday.
Footage shared by Robert Brovdi, the commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, shows its military striking the two systems.
Mr Brovdi said a Buk-M3 surface-to-air missile system and a transporter-loader vehicle of a Buk-M2 system were destroyed.
Russia attempting to intensify offensive efforts, Ukraine says
Sunday 22 March 2026 23:00 , Harriette BoucherRussia is ramping up its offensive efforts and taking advantage of more favourable weather conditions, Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
The Ukrainian president also stated that Russia was trying to advance the border in occupied areas.
“As a result, the only tangible outcome for the Russian army has been an increase in their losses – more than 8,000 killed and seriously wounded Russian soldiers in just these seven days.” the Ukrainian president said.
“We also have information that the Russian command has finally managed to figure out where their units are actually located on the frontline and how this differs from the official reports submitted up the chain of command.”
“Some of their brigade-level commanders have already been replaced as punishment for false reporting. However, this will not help the occupier.
“In the Donetsk region, our positions have not significantly changed over the past week. In the Kharkiv region and in border communities of the Sumy region, we are observing attempts by the occupier to advance from the border – Russian units carrying out these attempts are being destroyed.”
“In the Oleksandrivskyi direction, active operations by our assault and airborne units continue – I thank every warrior.”
New POW exchange possible after US talks, Zelensky suggests
Sunday 22 March 2026 21:01 , Harriette BoucherTalks between the US and Ukraine concluded in Miami on Friday, with Volodymyr Zelensky suggesting after the meeting that a new prisoner of war exchange could be possible.
Following the discussions, Chief Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov said: “We continued discussing key issues and the next steps within the negotiation track. Particular attention was paid to aligning approaches for further progress toward practical results.”
The Ukrainian president has pushed the US for trilateral negotiations with Russia to resume.
In a post on social media, Zelensky said: “It is important that none of us is forced to return to war in a few months or years, which means that security guarantees for Ukraine and for all of Europe must be sufficient for a reliable peace.
“I expect that after the negotiating team returns to Ukraine, we will discuss in detail all aspects of the meetings, which for now cannot be safely discussed over the phone.
“There are signals that further exchanges may be possible, and this would be good news and confirmation that diplomacy is working. We hope this will happen.”
The women ready to take up arms to defend Finland
Sunday 22 March 2026 20:02 , Harriette BoucherFollowing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine four years ago, the demand for civilian firearms training in Finland has risen sharply, with much of the interest being female – Annabel Grossman meets the women who are learning shooting and survival skills in the face on a hostile neighbour:
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Zelensky: Repair works 'ongoing' as latest Russian drone attacks leave thousands without power
Sunday 22 March 2026 20:00 , Harriette BoucherIn depth: How Sean Penn became Zelensky’s closest US ally after Trump’s latest snub
Sunday 22 March 2026 18:00 , Amy-Clare Martin
How Sean Penn became Zelensky’s closest US ally after Trump’s latest snub
US-Ukraine talks to continue on Sunday as Zelensky hopes to revive peace negotiations
Sunday 22 March 2026 17:00 , Harriette BoucherTalks between Ukraine and the US are set to continue on Sunday after the two sides met in Miami yesterday.
Chief Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov said the two countries spoke about the next steps within the negotiation track, as Kyiv pushes for trilateral negotiations with Russia to resume.
Following Saturday’s talks, he said: “Particular attention was paid to aligning approaches for further progress toward practical results.”
The US negotiating team included special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law.
In his nightly video address, Volodymyr Zelensky said pursuing the talks was critical to clinching a deal.
“It is important for all of us in the world that diplomacy continues and that we are trying to end this war. ... No one wants this war.
“The most important thing is to understand how ready the Russian side is to move toward a real end to the war and whether they are prepared to do so honestly and decently.”
Zelensky says Ukraine will agree to peace talks 'anywhere but Russia'
Sunday 22 March 2026 16:10 , Amy-Clare MartinZelensky has said Ukraine will support peace talks on “any date and any place, but certainly not in Russia”.
Discussing negotiations on Sunday with Laura Kuennsberg, he said: “Our group is talking to the American side every day. I know that Americans are talking to the Russians every day too.
“The American side, because of this war in Iran, said that it was ready to host both sides in America. We confirmed our participation, but the Russians are against meeting in the United States of America.
“That's why, for the time being, we're trying to focus on America proposing a date and place. Ukraine will support any date and any place, but certainly not in Russia.”
Russia launched more than 1,500 drone attacks over past week
Sunday 22 March 2026 15:35 , Harriette BoucherRussia has fired close to 1,550 drone attacks against Ukraine, and more than 1,260 guided aerial bombs over the past week, Volodymyr Zelensky said.
“Over that same week, due to the easing of sanctions, Russia increased its crude oil sales to finance its war,” the Ukrainian president added.
At least six civilians have been killed and 29 others injured by Russian attacks over the past day, local authorities reported.
Eased sanctions on Russia are helping to finance war, Zelensky says
Sunday 22 March 2026 15:18 , Harriette BoucherVolodymyr Zelensky said easing sanctions on Russia have resulted in an increase in Russia’s crude oil sales, which are helping finance its invasion of Ukraine.
The Ukrainian president has urged allies to continue applying pressure on Russia, saying its shadow fleet must not feel safe.
He said: “Revenues give Russia a sense of impunity and the ability to continue the war.
“That is why pressure must continue and sanctions must work. Russia’s shadow fleet must not feel safe in European waters or anywhere else.
“Tankers that serve the war budget can and must be stopped and blocked, not just let go. I thank every leader who makes such decisions. This is what brings a dignified peace closer.”
Recap: Zelensky's warning over missile shortages as Trump 'concentrates on Iran'
Sunday 22 March 2026 15:10 , Amy-Clare Martin
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned of a missile shortage and says Putin will benefit from a “long war” in Iran.
Appearing on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, he said:
- He has a “very bad feeling” about the impact of the war in the Middle East on the efforts to end the conflict in Ukraine
- Donald Trump is “concentrating on Iran” and trilateral peace talks are “constantly postponed”
- He added that there will “definitely be a deficit” of Patriot missiles available to come to Ukraine’s aid if needed, saying it presents “another challenge”
- Called for Starmer and Trump to meet to “reload the relationship”, saying we need a strong NATO that is “ready to defend”
How Ukraine's front line became a laboratory for drone innovation
Sunday 22 March 2026 14:40 , Amy-Clare Martin
How Ukraine's front line became a laboratory for drone innovation
In pictures: The aftermath of a Russian drone strike
Sunday 22 March 2026 14:10 , Amy-Clare MartinAuthorities confirmed that a man and woman were killed after a Russian drone strike hit Zaporizhzhia in southeastern Ukraine on Saturday.
Anger after President celebrates death of ex-FBI director who led Trump-Russia probe
Sunday 22 March 2026 13:40 , Amy-Clare MartinRobert Mueller became a political enemy of Donald Trump after he expanded the 2016 election investigation to include the president.
Read the full story:
Trump celebrates the death of Robert Mueller, the ex-FBI director
What are Patriot missiles and what role do they play in Iran and Ukraine wars
Sunday 22 March 2026 12:40 , Amy-Clare MartinWhat are Patriot missiles and what role do they play in Iran and Ukraine wars
In depth: The women ready to take up arms to defend Finland
Sunday 22 March 2026 12:10 , Amy-Clare MartinFollowing Russia’s invasion on Ukraine four years ago, the demand for civilian firearms training in Finland has risen sharply, with much of the interest being female.
The Independent’s Annabel Grossman meets the women who are learning shooting and survival skills in the face of a hostile neighbour:
Zelensky says Trump is 'concentrating on Iran'
Sunday 22 March 2026 12:06 , Amy-Clare MartinPresident Zelensky said he has a "very bad feeling" about how the war in the Middle East will affect Ukraine.
He told BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme: "I have a very bad feeling about the impact of this war on the situation in Ukraine and the focus of America, it's more on the Middle East than on Ukraine unfortunately.
"Therefore, you see that our diplomatic meetings, trilateral meetings, are constantly postponed. There is one reason: war in Iran."
He added that Donald Trump is “concentrating on Iran”.
Recap: Four killed in Russian attacks on Ukraine on Saturday
Sunday 22 March 2026 11:40 , Amy-Clare MartinRussian attacks killed four people in southeastern Ukraine on Saturday, officials have said.
Authorities confirmed that a man and woman were killed after a house was killed in Zaporizhzhia.
In the Dnipropetrovsk region, officials said two people died in an area southeast of the main regional centre, and another five people were injured in attacks at multiple places.
Power was also cut to much of the northern region of Chernihiv.
US-UK tensions weakening NATO, Zelensky hints, as he calls for Starmer and Trump to meet
Sunday 22 March 2026 11:09 , Amy-Clare MartinUS-UK tensions are weakening NATO, President Zelensky has suggested.
The Ukraine president urged Donald Trump to meet with Keir Starmer to ensure a strong NATO is “ready to defend”.
In an interview on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, she asked: “Do you believe that President Trump and his actions have made the world more dangerous?”
Zelensky replied: “I believe that any split in NATO will weaken both sides. I would really like President Trump to meet with Starmer, with the main countries so that they have a common position. We want to be allies with that kind of NATO, a strong NATO where everyone respects one another and is ready to defend.
“I can't tell Trump what to do. Keir is a smart and very cool partner. Absolutely, we know there are emotions in everyone at different times. I think that Keir, he's in touch with President Trump. He can meet with him and reload the relationship again. It happens. I don't see a big problem. To be honest. I do not see a big challenge.
“Your history is stronger than the emotions of two or three people. Your history is simply stronger.”
Zelensky warns of missile shortage
Sunday 22 March 2026 10:35 , Amy-Clare MartinUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned of missile shortage as he says Putin will benefit from a “long war” in Iran.
“For Putin, a long war in Iran is a plus,” as resources deplete, he told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.
”In addition to energy prices, it means the depletion of US reserves and the depletion of air defence manufacturers. So we have a depletion of resources.
“So it is beneficial for Putin that the resources do not go to Ukraine, against whom he has directed his army, and he's fighting with he needs to weaken us. And this is a long process. The Middle East is one of the ways to do that.”
He said the US produces around 60 to 65 Patriot missiles a month, which equates to roughly 600 to 700 a year. In the first day of the Middle East war, 103 missiles were used, he warned.
He said there will be "definitely” be a deficit and the question is now “when will all the stockpiles in the Middle East be exhausted”.
Trilateral talks 'constantly postponed' due to Iran war, Zelensky says
Sunday 22 March 2026 10:17 , Amy-Clare MartinPresident Volodymyr Zelensky has said trilateral talks over the war in Ukraine are “constantly postponed” due to the war in Iran.
Appearing on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, he said: “I have a very bad feeling about the impact of this war on the situation in Ukraine, and the focus on America is more on the Middle East than on Ukraine.
“Unfortunately, therefore, you see that our diplomatic meetings, trilateral meetings are constantly postponed. There is one reason, war in Iran.”
Village captured in Ukraine's Sumy region, reports claim
Sunday 22 March 2026 09:32 , Amy-Clare MartinRussia has captured a village in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region, according to unverified reports.
Russian forces have taken control of the village Potapivka, state-run RIA news agency claimed on Sunday, citing the Russian Defence Ministry.
Reuters news agency said they could not independently verify the battlefield report.
Russia says it thwarted drone attack near Bashkortostan refineries
Sunday 22 March 2026 08:48 , Amy-Clare MartinRussian air defences thwarted a Ukrainian drone attack on the city of Ufa in Bashkortostan region, regional governor Radiy Khabirov said.
Ukrainian drones were shot down near the city's oil refineries, Khabirov said, without naming the facilities.
Debris triggered a brief fire at a building under construction in one of the city's districts.
Bashkortostan, located in the Ural Mountains, has been repeatedly targeted by Ukraine. Its capital, Ufa, lies about 1,400km (870 miles) from the Russia-Ukraine border.
The media has unmasked Banksy, again. Art experts reveal what happens next
Sunday 22 March 2026 08:10 , Rituparna ChatterjeeReuters pieced together that a David Jones travelled to Ukraine with a well-known associate of Banksy's in late 2022 — just before the artist's work began appearing on buildings that had been bombed by Russia.
Banksy later confirmed that he'd created seven murals in the war zone, including one of a child flipping over a grown man who is wearing a black belt.
Read more here.
How Ukraine's front line became a laboratory for drone innovation
Sunday 22 March 2026 06:30 , Rituparna ChatterjeeIn recent years, Ukraine's domestic drone interceptor market has burgeoned, producing some key players who tout their products at international arms shows.
But it's on the front line where small teams have become laboratories of rapid military innovation – grassroots technology born of battlefield necessity that now draw international interest.
Read more here.
Former FBI Director Robert Mueller, who investigated Russia-Trump campaign ties, dies
Sunday 22 March 2026 06:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Former FBI Director Robert Mueller, who investigated Russia-Trump campaign ties, dies
Russian drone attack on village in Donetsk Oblast kills 63-year-old resident
Sunday 22 March 2026 05:39 , Rituparna ChatterjeeA Russian drone attack on a village in the Donetsk Oblast killed one person and injured four others, including a 15-year-old boy, the Donetsk Oblast prosecutor's office said.
A Russian Lancet drone struck a residential area of the Maidan village, killing a 63-year-old resident, while simultaneously damaging 35 nearby homes and vehicles, according to the Kyiv Independent.
Four other civilians, including a 30-year-old man, two women aged 52 and 65, and a 15-year-old boy, also suffered injuries, officials said.
Power and water supplies cut in parts of Kyiv
Sunday 22 March 2026 05:00 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarPower and water supplies were cut to parts of the capital Kyiv after what officials described as an incident on the power grid.
Russia has conducted a bombardment campaign against Ukrainian energy facilities throughout the war, causing regular, hours-long blackouts across the country.
Russian attack kills four in Zaporizhzhia
Sunday 22 March 2026 04:30 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarRussian attacks killed four people in southeastern Ukraine and left much of the northern region of Chernihiv without power, officials said.
Zaporizhzhia governor Ivan Fedorov said a morning strike on the city killed a man and a woman and injured six others, including two children.
In the adjacent Dnipropetrovsk region, officials said two people died in an area southeast of the regional centre, Dnipro.
Five others were injured in attacks at multiple locations. President Volodymyr Zelensky, in his nightly video address, noted Russian strikes in several regions across eastern and southern Ukraine.
Recap: US-Ukraine talks to continue on Sunday as Zelensky hopes to revive peace negotiations
Sunday 22 March 2026 04:00 , Harriette BoucherTalks between Ukraine and the US are set to continue on Sunday after the two sides met in Miami today.
Chief Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov said the two countries spoke about the next steps within the negotiation track, as Kyiv pushes for trilateral negotiations with Russia to resume.
Following Saturday’s talks, he said: “Particular attention was paid to aligning approaches for further progress toward practical results.”
The US negotiating team included special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law.
In his nightly video address, Volodymyr Zelensky said pursuing the talks was critical to clinching a deal.
“It is important for all of us in the world that diplomacy continues and that we are trying to end this war. ... No one wants this war.
“The most important thing is to understand how ready the Russian side is to move toward a real end to the war and whether they are prepared to do so honestly and decently.”
Ukrainian and US negotiators open latest round of talks in Florida
Sunday 22 March 2026 03:25 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarUkrainian and US negotiators seeking a settlement to the four-year war between Kyiv and Moscow opened their latest round of talks in Florida, with further discussions planned through the weekend.
Russian representatives were not present at the meeting.
“We continued discussing key issues and the next steps within the negotiation track,” chief Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov wrote on social media platform X.
“Particular attention was paid to aligning approaches for further progress toward practical results.”
Russian and Ukrainian negotiators have met at two rounds of US-brokered talks in the United Arab Emirates this year and another round in Geneva last month. Moscow and Kyiv agreed on prisoner exchanges, but no breakthroughs were achieved.
The White House described the latest meeting as “constructive,” with discussions “focused on narrowing and resolving remaining issues to move closer to a comprehensive peace agreement.”
Russia has lost nearly 1.3m troops since war began, report claims
Sunday 22 March 2026 03:00 , Harriette BoucherRussia has lost 1,286,940 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion in 2022, according to Ukraine’s military.
A report released on Saturday claimed that Russian forces had suffered 1,240 casualties over the past day.
Russia has also lost 11,790 tanks, 24,262 armoured combat vehicles, 84,518 vehicles and fuel tanks, 38,608 artillery systems, 1,691 multiple launch rocket systems, and 1,333 air defence systems, 435 aircraft, 350 helicopters, 188,985 drones, 33 ships and boats, and two submarines, the report said.
Moscow seeking to resettle 114,000 Russians in occupied Ukraine
Sunday 22 March 2026 02:00 , Harriette BoucherRussian authorities are reportedly aiming to relocate nearly 114,000 citizens to occupied Ukrainian territories by 2045.
According to theWashington-based Institute for the Study of War, Russia is already manipulating the demographics of occupied Ukraine by using financial incentives and work programs to draw Russians to the occupied areas.
At the end of 2025, Russia reportedly occupied 44,800 square miles of Ukrainian territory.
Russia thwarts protests over the blocking of a popular messaging app, but frustration persists
Sunday 22 March 2026 02:00 , Harriette Boucher
Russia thwarts protests over the blocking of a popular messaging app, but frustration persists
‘I survived 471 days in an underground bunker fighting for Ukraine against the Russians. This is my story’
Sunday 22 March 2026 01:01 , Harriette BoucherWhen Serhiy Tyshchenko arrived at the tiny underground mud bunker near Bakhmut, on the front line in eastern Ukraine, Joe Biden was president.
By the time he left, a new US leader was in charge and had largely taken Vladimir Putin’s side. Not only that, Donald Trump was trying to persuade Ukraine to give up the land Serhi had defended for 471 days.
In an extraordinary feat of endurance, Tyshchenko spent more than 16 months underground, close to suffocation, under constant Russian bombardment, suffering hunger and extreme thirst.
He survived multiple underground mud collapses – yet he emerged and continues to serve close to the front line.
Now 46, he missed two birthdays and all the landmarks in the lives of his five children while, from 13 July 2023 to 28 October 2025, he and his diminishing team dug an underground well for water.
Read the full article from our world affairs editor Sam Kiley here:
‘I survived 471 days in an underground bunker fighting the Russians. This is how’
Former FBI Director Robert Mueller, who investigated Russia-Trump campaign ties, dies
Sunday 22 March 2026 00:00 , Harriette BoucherRobert S. Mueller III, the FBI director who transformed the nation's premier law enforcement agency into a terrorism-fighting force after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and who later became special counsel in charge of investigating ties between Russia and Donald Trump's presidential campaign, has died. He was 81.
“With deep sadness, we are sharing the news that Bob passed away” on Friday night, his family said in a statement Saturday. “His family asks that their privacy be respected.”
At the FBI, Mueller set about almost immediately overhauling the bureau’s mission to meet the law enforcement needs of the 21st century, beginning his 12-year tenure just one week before the Sept. 11 attacks and serving across presidents of both political parties. He was nominated by Republican President George W. Bush.
The cataclysmic event instantaneously switched the bureau’s top priority from solving domestic crime to preventing terrorism, a shift that imposed an almost impossibly difficult standard on Mueller and the rest of the federal government: preventing 99 out of 100 terrorist plots wasn’t good enough.
Later, he was special counsel in the Justice Department’s investigation into whether the Trump campaign illegally coordinated with Russia to sway the outcome of the 2016 presidential race. Mueller was a patrician Princeton graduate and Vietnam veteran who walked away from a lucrative midcareer job to stay in public service, and his old-school, buttoned-down style made him an anachronism during a social media-saturated era.
Former FBI Director Robert Mueller, who investigated Russia-Trump campaign ties, dies
Ukraine and US discuss moving closer to peace deal
Saturday 21 March 2026 23:00 , Harriette BoucherSpecial envoy Steve Witkoff said the US and Ukraine held “constructive” talks on Saturday, with discussions focused on “resolving remaining items to move closer to a comprehensive peace agreement.”
Talks between Kyiv and Washington are due to continue in Florida on Sunday.
Four dead in Russian attacks on Ukraine on Saturday
Saturday 21 March 2026 22:24 , Harriette BoucherRussian attacks killed four people in southeastern Ukraine on Saturday, officials have said.
Authorities confirmed earlier that a man and woman were killed after a house was killed in Zaporizhzhia.
In the Dnipropetrovsk region, officials said two people died in an area southeast of the main regional centre, and another five people were injured in attacks at multiple places.
Power was also cut to much of the northern region of Chernihiv.
Power and water cut off in parts of Ukrainian capital
Saturday 21 March 2026 21:59 , Harriette BoucherPower and water supplies were cut off in parts of Kyiv on Saturday night after an incident on the power grid, officials have said .
Kyiv's municipal administration said emergency crews were working to restore electricity and water to areas east of the Dnipro River.
US-Ukraine talks to continue on Sunday as Zelensky hopes to revive peace negotiations
Saturday 21 March 2026 21:51 , Harriette BoucherTalks between Ukraine and the US are set to continue on Sunday after the two sides met in Miami today.
Chief Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov said the two countries spoke about the next steps within the negotiation track, as Kyiv pushes for trilateral negotiations with Russia to resume.
Following Saturday’s talks, he said: “Particular attention was paid to aligning approaches for further progress toward practical results.”
The US negotiating team included special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law.
In his nightly video address, Volodymyr Zelensky said pursuing the talks was critical to clinching a deal.
“It is important for all of us in the world that diplomacy continues and that we are trying to end this war. ... No one wants this war.
“The most important thing is to understand how ready the Russian side is to move toward a real end to the war and whether they are prepared to do so honestly and decently.”
Russia offers to curb Iran support if US halts Ukraine aid - report
Saturday 21 March 2026 21:00 , Harriette BoucherRussia has reportedly offered to stop intelligence-sharing with Iran if the US agreed to do the same with Ukraine.
Moscow has stepped up intelligence sharing and military coordination with Tehran since US and Israeli strikes on Iran began three weeks ago, including reportedly supplying coordinates of American military assets in the region.
Washington, however, rejected the quid pro quo last week, two people familiar with the matter, told the Financial Times.
In pictures: Aftermath of a Russian drone attack in Zaporizhzhia
Saturday 21 March 2026 20:00 , Harriette BoucherComment: Netanyahu’s energy strikes on Iran are a possible war crime – and straight out of Putin’s playbook
Saturday 21 March 2026 19:00 , Harriette BoucherThe Israeli bombing of the South Pars gas field has chilling parallels to Russia’s bombing of Ukrainian infrastructure, which has been condemned as a possible war crime.
World affairs editor Sam Kiley writes that such a strategy will cause needless pain and do nothing to bring the regime to its knees:
Netanyahu’s energy strikes on Iran may be a war crime - inspired by Putin
Zelensky pays tribute to soldiers killed in village of Moshchun
Saturday 21 March 2026 18:00 , Harriette BoucherKremlin says Ukraine peace talks on 'situational pause'
Saturday 21 March 2026 17:00 , Harriette BoucherTwo women dead in Russia after Ukrainian shelling
Saturday 21 March 2026 16:15 , Harriette BoucherRussia and Ukraine have traded attacks that killed at least four people, after two women were killed in the Ukrainian shelling of the Belgorod border region.
Another person was wounded in the attack, according to governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.
In Ukraine, a man and a woman were killed and six people wounded, including two children, when a Russian drone hit a house in the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia.
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