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Why oil dropped 13% on a deal Iran says never happened?. Trump blinked. Iran said he blinked alone.
GUR: Russia is testing AI on its Lancet drones using Nvidia tech, working with Iran to upgrade Shaheds. "The technologies used today against Ukraine pose a potential threat to other regions of the world."
Ground operation in Iran would be disaster for US, says ex-Ukraine's army chief, who halted Russia's advance on Kyiv. Ukraine's former commander has seen what modern war does to armies.
Europe faces its emptiest storage in years as the pre-war gas cushion runs out. The pre-war cushion ends this week. Pakistan goes dark by the end of the month. Europe may reverse its Russian gas ban to survive what comes next.
US B-2 bomber with GBU-57 is one of most powerful aircraft on earth. Iran spent 30 years building something it cannot beat. Aviation analyst Tom Cooper has been monitoring Iran's underground weapons program since the mid-1990s.
Russia's secret aviation report: fighter jet clipped its own gate, a 500 kg bomb fell on takeoff, a gunship came home with a printer-paper-sized hole. Nine engine failures in three weeks. The 24-incident log covers mishaps around the turn of the year, with 9 involving engine failures across combat and transport aircraft types.
Military
"The enemy failed": Russia threw over 600 attacks at Ukraine's front in 4 days. Ukraine held the line – Syrskyi. Syrskyi says Russian forces lost more than 6,000 troops killed and wounded in the surge – and failed to break through anywhere.
Ukraine hits Primorsk – the Baltic port keeping Russia's shadow fleet in business. A hit on a fuel storage tank at Primorsk forced evacuations and shut down air traffic at Pulkovo Airport.
Russia backtracks on Crimea pledge, orders all mobilized residents to fight as losses mount. ISW says heavy casualties and a volunteer shortfall are pushing Moscow to tap mobilized reserves.
Training Ukrainian troops abroad turned into training Western militaries, after 12 years of war. Kyiv just moved classroom home. Ukraine suspended the program and opened its doors instead.
Intelligence and Technology
Germany just funded 15,000 of Ukraine's fastest drone hunters. STRILA hits 355 km/h and needs no GPS to find its target. It operates through the SineLink module, and is built to hunt Russian Shahed strike drones.
Ukraine may develop FPV drones to destroy helicopters, building on first Ka-52 downing. Engineers aim to overcome rotor turbulence. In March, Ukraine's Armed Forces have destroyed a Russian Ka-52 attack helicopter using an FPV drone, the first known case of an attack helicopter being taken down this way.
Zelenskyy: Russia plans to deploy control stations for long-range drones in Belarus. Russia is preparing to extend its long-range drone control network into Belarus, according to Ukrainian intelligence.
Czech defense firms tighten security after suspected arson at drone plant supplying Ukraine. Three Czech defense companies tightened physical security this week after a suspected arson at LPP Holding in Pardubice — a firm shipping AI-guided and strike drones to Ukraine.
Foreign tourists fined, two drones seized after unauthorized flights over Norway's main northern naval base. Six foreign nationals flew drones over Ramsund naval station — the Norwegian Navy's main base and logistics center in the north. Police fined all six and are investigating three.
International
Ukraine flew to Florida to compete with Iran for Trump's attention. It got "progress.". Umerov says the circle of unresolved issues is narrowing; Zelenskyy says Putin still does not want peace.
Finnish President: Trump's actions are making it harder to defeat Russia. Finland's President Alexander Stubb says Trump's decision to ease oil sanctions on Russia is "very damaging" for Ukraine and will deliver Moscow an estimated $150 million in additional daily revenue.
EU sidelines Hungary in closed-door meetings as diplomats cite suspected Kremlin back-channel. Hungary's government has been feeding Russia real-time information from closed EU meetings, a European security official told the Washington Post.
Historic NATO visit: Admiral Pierre Vandier meets Ukrainian Chief of General Staff Andrii Hnatov in Kyiv. Ukraine discusses air defense and Russia's offensive.
Defense minister: "Air defense is one of NATO's biggest challenges". A drone crossed into Lithuania from Belarus in the early hours of 23 March and exploded near the village of Lavišas — and neither the army nor border guards detected it, according to LRT.
Ukraine goes to the UN Security Council to remind the world Russia is still bombing it while all eyes are elsewhere. Kyiv says 1,770 drones, 1,530 guided bombs, and 86 missiles struck Ukraine in a single week.
Kenya announces amnesty for citizens conscripted into Russia's war – 160 still on the frontline. Nairobi secured a deal in Moscow to halt further conscription after 252 Kenyans were sent to Ukraine in six months.
Political and Legal Developments
Ukraine exposes Hungarian spy network hunting air defense positions in western regions. He operated from diplomatic mission (VIDEO). Former and active Ukrainian soldiers recruited, as money, perks, and drugs used as bait.
Russian recruiter found him in a World of Tanks chat. Threatened his mother and got him to plant two bombs in Bucha. Two police officers were injured.
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