Exclusives
 |
Before Russia's all-out war, Ukraine imported almost no weapons. Four years later, it buys more than any country on Earth. Even as Washington reduced military aid to Ukraine in 2025, European states, Australia, and Canada stepped up deliveries, with 25 countries buying US-made weapons under the PURL mechanism specifically for transfer to Kyiv, SIPRI reported. |
 |
How you rob a bank convoy in the EU: Be Hungary, bring an APC and machine guns, deport bank couriers, keep cash and gold as "evidence". Ukraine's Foreign Ministry says Hungary returned the seven couriers and kept $40 million, €35 million, and 9 kg of gold — held as "evidence" in a criminal case with no named suspect. |
 |
"I was prepared for the reprimand": Ukrainian Paralympian warned for "Stop War" earrings after winning gold. Oleksandra Kononova collected two individual medals at the 2026 Winter Paralympics — and a formal reprimand from the International Paralympic Committee for competing in earrings bearing the words "Stop War," which officials claimed the regulations did not permit. |
 |
Brent at $100, Urals at $91: the Iran war handed Moscow its best oil week in years. Washington is fighting Iran and bankrolling Moscow at the same time. |
 |
Russia's allies keep dying. Russia keeps doing nothing. Defense analyst explains the Axis of Evil's fatal flaw. The whole system runs on one thing. Take it away, and there's no axis at all. |
 |
Iranian foreign minister won't deny Russia is feeding Tehran intelligence on American warships. Araghchi described Iran's partnership with Russia as "very good" and ongoing — hours after NBC cited sources saying Moscow has been providing Iran with location data on US forces. |
|
Orbán's Hungary robbed Ukraine's state bank of $82 million — Oschadbank launches international legal fight to recover it. The Ukrainian state-owned bank confirmed the shipment was conducted under a valid international agreement with Raiffeisen Bank Austria, fully documented under European customs procedures, and carried by employees with up to 21 years' service. |
Military
Ukraine's drones killed a Tor in Donetsk. Then a Grad in Zaporizhzhia. Same day. Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces carried out both strikes in coordination with the Center for Deep Strikes.
Russia is fighting for city that's nearly empty. Prize it actually wants is 98 kilometers away.
Russia's advanced radar was called Gravestone. Ukraine just gave it appropriate send-off over Crimea. Without it, the S-300 can't see.
Russian battalion commander was waving his hand and walking straight toward Ukrainian troops. Nobody told him they were 7 km inside his lines. The drone filmed the whole thing.
Russia built its landing craft by copying Swedish design and equipped it with machine gun. Ukraine just sank this copy in Crimea. Russia produces its combat boats at a Kalashnikov factory.
Russian soldier flips side: Chornyi quits Moscow's army and joins Russian Volunteer Corps fighting for Ukraine. Russia told him the Ukrainians would cheer Moscow's troops.
Signed up to kill in Africa, refused to die in Ukraine: Russia's Africa Corps recruit flees to Philippines after GRU unit rerouted him to the front. A Moscow factory worker who signed up for the Africa Corps expecting overseas deployment told RFE/RL that Ukraine-bound assignments were the norm, with Africa reserved for a handful.
As of 9 MAR 2026, the approximate losses of weapons and military equipment of the Russian Armed Forces from the beginning of the invasion to the present day:
- Personnel: 1274040 (+750)
- Tanks: 11745 (+3)
- APV: 24167 (+10)
- Artillery systems: 38129 (+70)
- MLRS: 1675 (+2)
- Anti-aircraft systems: 1326
- Aircraft: 435
- Helicopters: 349
- UAV: 166640 (+2224)
- Cruise missiles : 4403
- Warships/boats: 31 (+1)
- Submarines: 2
- Vehicles and fuel tanks: 82289 (+188)
Intelligence and technology
FP-7 tested, FP-9 at 800 km approaching trials: Fire Point reveals Ukraine's ballistic missile roadmap. Chief designer Denys Shtilerman says both are priced at half what ATACMS costs and built to fire in numbers large enough that interception doesn't decide the outcome.
International
Ukraine sent drone experts to protect US bases in Jordan overnight. Last month, Kyiv destroyed 87% of Iranian-designed drones on its soil. A Patriot missile costs $3 million. A Shahed costs $50,000. Ukraine intercepted 57,000 Shaheds because it couldn't afford the math the Middle East uses.
Fico: "Slovakia is ready to take over the baton from Hungary, if necessary" — on blocking EU's Ukraine loan and Russia sanctions. The current go-to blocker of both the loan and sanctions is Hungarian PM Orbán, who may lose the April election.
Political and legal developments
Hackers attack Ukraine's Oschadbank after Hungary robbed it of $82 million, and opposition says Russian agents already in Budapest. Ukraine's state bank is fighting a legal battle in Hungary and a DDoS attack at home.
3,000 women march in wartime Kyiv demanding rights the state is quietly rewriting. First Women's March since Russia's full-scale invasion targets draft civil code, military harassment, and captive servicewomen.
Read our earlier daily review here.
