Live Ukraine: Zelensky urges Republican House Speaker to adopt new military aid package

20:09

Zelensky urges Republican House Speaker to adopt new military aid package

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged the Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives for new military aid. In a message on

That support package has been on the shelf in the US House for months, because Johnson refuses to put it to a vote. Conservative Republicans, led by presidential candidate Donald Trump, oppose military aid to Ukraine. As a result, Ukraine is currently missing out on approximately 55 billion euros.

Zelensky can use that support now that his army is struggling with major ammunition shortages. The army has already experienced the consequences of this on the battlefield. The fall of Avdiivka last month was attributed by Zelensky to a shortage of weapons.

Ukraine also urgently needs support to strengthen its anti-aircraft defense system, Defense Minister Rustem Umyerov said today. Russia last week carried out the largest attack on Ukraine’s electricity grid since the start of the war.

Thom Canters

10:43

Ukraine: Large number of Russian drones intercepted again at night

Ukraine says it shot down 26 Russian drones last night. According to the Ukrainian army, the unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed over the east and south of the country.

The governor of the Zaporizhia region reports on Telegram that two women were injured in an attack in the region. In Kharkiv, in the northeast, several buildings, including a restaurant and shop, were damaged. A total of 28 drones were deployed in the nighttime attack, the military said. It is unclear what happened to the two planes that were not intercepted. Russian forces also fired several rockets towards Ukraine last night, but no injuries were reported.

Yesterday, the north and northwest of Ukraine were also bombarded with drones. According to the Air Force, 10 of the 13 aircraft fired that night were downed. Ukraine reports night-time drone attacks by Russia almost every day.

Maartje Geels

08:36

Ukraine’s foreign minister visits India

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba arrived in New Delhi on Thursday for a two-day visit. India has been an ally of Russia since the Cold War. Ukraine hopes to strengthen ties with a visit.

Kuleba will meet with his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, according to the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He will also pay tribute to the pacifist Mahatma Gandhi, who was murdered in 1948.

Last week, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. India has so far avoided making critical statements about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Indian government has emphasized that the country wants to contribute to conversations about peace.

Earlier this week, Modi reported via X that his country is providing humanitarian support to Ukraine. Just before that, he congratulated Russian leader Putin on his re-election.

03:55

Russian intelligence chief visits Pyongyang

The head of Russia’s foreign intelligence service SVR, Sergei Naryshkin, visited North Korea from Monday to Wednesday. The North Korean state news agency KCNA reported this on Thursday.

In the capital Pyongyang, Naryshkin met North Korean Minister of State Security Ri Chang-dae. They were talking about cooperation in the field of security, it is said.

After the West imposed sanctions on Moscow over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Russians turned to internationally isolated North Korea for support. The Russians not only used artillery ammunition in the war, but also reportedly North Korean-made ballistic missiles. According to the South Korean government, Pyongyang has delivered about 7,000 containers of weapons and ammunition to Moscow since July.

According to the United States, North Korea is seeking satellite technology and the modernization of its military equipment dating back to the Soviet era in return for its military support for Russia.

10:34 PM, Yesterday

Welcome to this blog

This was the most important news about the war in Ukraine on Wednesday, March 27:

• The EU has imposed new import tariffs on products from Ukraine. The EU is thus meeting the demands of, among others, farmers from Poland and other neighboring countries of Ukraine.

• Poland has removed a general from his position as commander of a European force after an investigation by its own intelligence service. It is unclear what the general would have done.

• Lucy Shtein, member of the Russian band Pussy Riot, has been sentenced in absentia to 6 years in prison for criticizing the war in Ukraine. Shtein now lives in Iceland.

Read yesterday’s full live blog here.