Ukraine war

Russian forces are urgently redeploying thousands of troops to the Lyman frontline in eastern Ukraine as Ukraine's 3rd Corps continues making large advances in the area. War monitoring reports describe a sense of panic within the Russian command over the situation around Lyman, signalling mounting pressure on Moscow's defensive lines there.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree immediately increasing the size of the Russian armed forces to 2,441,630 personnel, of whom 1,550,500 are military. The decree replaces all previous staffing decrees and marks the seventh expansion of the army's authorised strength since the start of the war in Ukraine.

An analysis circulating widely on Russian-language social media says that during 2026 Russian forces made only marginal advances in Ukraine, yet Moscow kept updating its official maps and territorial claims as if it controlled far more. According to the thread, the gap between Russian-claimed territory and the actual front line now exceeds 5,000 square kilometres, with the discrepancy documented across a series of maps. Commenters are debating what the mismatch says about how the Kremlin presents the war at home.

An update on the Ukraine war claims Russian forces are suffering major setbacks across the entire eastern front, describing the situation as a big loss for Moscow and saying Putin is reacting hysterically. The claim is circulating widely among people following daily battlefield developments in the conflict.

The BBC's Steve Rosenberg reports that Russia is facing growing economic difficulties, but the Kremlin shows no sign of scaling back its war in Ukraine. High spending on the military continues to strain the economy, yet the conflict drags on, raising questions about how long Moscow can sustain both the war and domestic stability.

A fire has broken out in an academy building in Kyiv, Ukraine. Details on casualties or the cause of the blaze have not yet been confirmed, and it is not clear whether the incident is linked to the ongoing war. Emergency services are understood to be responding, and people are following the story closely for updates on damage and any injuries.

Russia has started rationing fuel following a large Ukrainian drone strike that hit fuel infrastructure. Reports say Ukrainian long-range drone technology is outmatching Russia's jet-powered drones, forcing Moscow to restrict petrol supplies in parts of the country. The strikes mark an escalation in the drone war between the two countries, with Ukraine targeting refineries and depots deep inside Russian territory.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov delivered a fiery speech accusing European countries of deception over the Ukraine war, reportedly asking whether Moscow would 'fall for your tricks'. The remarks drew wide attention as tensions between Russia and Europe remain high, with the speech widely shared and debated across international media and social platforms.

Ukraine's Third Army Corps says it used ground robots armed with grenade launchers to attack Russian shelters, with infantry kept out of direct contact. Operators controlled the machines from positions tens of kilometers away. The unit claims no side has used similar tactics before in this war, drawing attention to the growing role of unmanned systems.

March data suggests Ukraine outshot Russia in the cross-border drone war for the first time, launching more long-range one-way attack drones into Russian territory than Russia fired into Ukraine. The reported shift highlights Kyiv's growing domestic drone production and deep-strike campaign against Russian oil refineries and military targets, marking a notable change in the three-year-old war's aerial exchange.

German outlet Der Spiegel has released 'Inside Russia (2)', a SPIEGEL TV documentary presenting exclusive reporting on life under Vladimir Putin's increasingly isolated dictatorship. The film offers viewers rare insights into how ordinary Russians and the political leadership are coping amid the country's international isolation and the ongoing war in Ukraine. It is drawing heavy attention internationally, with hundreds of thousands of viewers engaging with the documentary within days of release.

A Kyiv Post analysis examines what Vladimir Putin prioritizes more: protecting Russian oil refineries from Ukrainian drone strikes, or retaliating against Ukraine. The piece reflects ongoing debate over whether Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy infrastructure are forcing the Kremlin to divert air defenses and reconsider its strategy in the war.

Reports say Donald Trump is weighing inviting Vladimir Putin to the G-20, a move that would put the Russian leader at the same table as Western heads of state despite the war in Ukraine and international sanctions. Commentators describe the potential summit as an unprecedented diplomatic spectacle, with debate over whether it signals a serious push for peace talks or an uncomfortable rehabilitation of Moscow on the world stage.

Russia's defence ministry says its forces struck a cargo ship carrying supplies for Ukraine's armed forces. The ministry claims the vessel was loaded with munitions and other military cargo intended for Ukrainian troops. The claim has drawn attention amid ongoing strikes on shipping and logistics routes in the Black Sea region, with no independent confirmation yet reported.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived unexpectedly in Kyiv as Ukraine's war with Russia continues to dominate headlines. He announced Germany would supply thousands of interceptor drones to Ukraine. Other developing stories include a cargo ship sinking in the Black Sea en route to Italy, Estonia blaming Russia for an arson attack on defence contractor Milrem, and the Kremlin defending Jared Kushner over a reported murky deal.

Ukraine has for the first time used a domestically produced ballistic missile in its war against Russia, according to a Dutch liveblog covering the conflict. The development marks a step forward for Ukraine's homegrown arms industry as it seeks to reduce dependence on Western-supplied weapons. Dutch readers are following updates on the strikes and Russia's response.

A live world news broadcast is examining whether India could play a role in ending the Russia-Ukraine war, alongside segments on America's largest shipyard and the third anniversary of the October 7 attacks. The show frames India's diplomatic positioning between Moscow and the West as a potential factor in peace efforts, drawing attention amid ongoing global debate over the conflict.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has reportedly reversed his criticism of India and described its peace proposal for Ukraine as the best on the table, with Russian President Vladimir Putin also said to be open to it. The claimed turnaround by New Delhi's diplomatic interlocutors is drawing wide attention to India's growing role as a mediator in the Russia-Ukraine war.

Indian media report that India has proposed a three-point ceasefire plan to Russia and Ukraine, positioning New Delhi as a mediator in the conflict. The news is circulating alongside other India-related stories: the opening of an exhibition on Leo Tolstoy and Mahatma Gandhi in Delhi, Gandhi Jayanti events, and a Russian foreign ministry call for India to speed up the release of the crew of the detained tanker Unity.

India has shared a three-point peace proposal with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war. According to Dainik Jagran, the plan outlines steps New Delhi believes could open a path to negotiations. Details of the three points are being closely examined as interest in the war's possible end grows.

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine has for the first time used a domestically developed tactical ballistic missile, identified as the 'Pelikan'. The first launch drew wide attention, alongside the Kremlin's reaction to France's test launch of a nuclear-capable ballistic missile. The developments underscore accelerating military and nuclear signalling around the war.

Russia has reported an oil tanker on fire near Sochi, according to a report in the Dutch media's ongoing Ukraine liveblog. The incident comes amid continued attacks and disruptions in the Black Sea region tied to the war in Ukraine. Details about casualties, the ship's cargo or the cause of the fire were not immediately given in the report.

A Russian drone attempted to destroy a Ukrainian unmanned ground robot on the frontline but was disabled when the robot deployed an anti-drone net and caught it. The incident highlights how Ukraine's war is increasingly being fought machine against machine, with both sides deploying robotic systems and countermeasures in combat.