Ukraine Breaking News Today Live on 03-28-2025

Ukraine’s state company Naftogaz needs to purchase gas for the next heating season, and Norway is helping.

The Norwegian government will provide €138.6 million ($149.6 million) in grants for Ukraine’s state-owned gas production company Naftogaz to import gas to secure heating and electricity for households, businesses and industry.

The financing, €85 million and €53.6 million in two grants ($91.5 million and 57.7 million respectively), will be provided through the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). 

The irony here is that Putin invaded Ukraine to weaken, undermine and capture Ukrainian sovereignty but the US, through this deal, actually would deal the killer blow to that very sovereignty.

If you thought the first US minerals deal with Ukraine was bad enough the new text reads even worse – this one makes that look like charity in comparison.

See FT piece and the link then to the leaked document.

Russian media said the ending of gas transit through Ukraine, unseasonal warm weather, and a decrease in demand from energy-intensive industries was responsible.

Russian gas production in February fell by 11.3% compared to the same level last year, which is even more than the 3% year-on-year decrease of in January. 

In absolute volumes, Russia produced 57.2 billion cubic meters (2 trillion cubic feet) in February.

With U-LEAD’s support, a landfill project has been developed to serve waste collection across 16 municipalities in the Sumy region.

The problem of waste disposal is not new for Ukraine. Landfills are gradually reaching the end of their service life. Some of them do not meet environmental safety standards at all. Post-war recovery and development are, in turn, impossible without an established waste management system. The return of citizens, construction of housing & social infrastructure, and attracting investment must take place with a clear understanding of what to do with waste, the amount of which will steadily increase.

The Konotop Municipality in Sumy Oblast was one of the first in Ukraine to approach the waste issue systematically. Together with the U-LEAD with Europe Programme, not only did the municipality develop a project for the construction of a modern landfill, but also, along with 15 other municipalities in the region, prepared harmonised local waste management plans.

Perspectives from across Europe on Paris and London announcing willingness to head a joint peacekeeping mission to Ukraine.

The leaders of around thirty countries convened in Paris on Thursday to discuss further support for Ukraine. Although there was no consensus on the deployment of peacekeeping troops to secure a potential ceasefire, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that a Franco-British mission was being put together and emissaries from both countries would be travelling to Ukraine in the next few days to discuss the plans. What can this achieve?

Ineffective group therapy

Without Trump’s backing the idea of sending European peacekeepers is unrealistic, writes Ukrainian political scientist Serhiy Taran on Facebook:

When did it start? What does it cover? Who’s involved? Is it being violated? How’s it being enforced? What do expert observers think? What comes next?

The White House led by President Donald J. Trump has pushed hard to force a ceasefire in the Russo-Ukraine War, and in March, US officials claimed a diplomatic break-through and a partial end to the shooting. That’s not really what’s happened.

 1. What are the official positions?

- The US position and what they’ve done: On March 25, US negotiators in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia announced they had gotten Ukraine and Russia to agree to a ceasefire covering military operations in the Black Sea. There were later announcements  that an agreement between the sides not to attack each other’s energy infrastructure had been reached as well. The US has acknowledged Russian conditions for the deal to go forward but neither sanctioned Russia nor given in to the Russian demands.

The exhibition in Brussels highlighted important issues about the challenges faced by Ukraine’s agricultural sector from the very first days of Russia’s full-scale invasion to the present.

The European Parliament hosted The Path of Grain, a photo exhibition organized by Kernel — Ukraine’s largest grain exporter and a global leader in sunflower oil — together with the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club (UCAB) and with support from the Mission of Ukraine to the EU.

This is the largest such repatriation since the Russo-Ukrainian War’s start

Kyiv said Friday it had received back the bodies of hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers killed during battles with Russia, in the largest such repatriation in more than three years of war.

The exchange of prisoners and return of their remains is one of the few areas of cooperation between Moscow and Kyiv since the Kremlin mobilized its army in Ukraine in February 2022.

Fighting for three years in various war zones, Maksym Nesmiianov, an infantry soldier in Ukraine’s Border Guard Service talked mental health, PTSD, and combat joys and losses with Kyiv Post.

A Russian Il-38N maritime patrol aircraft was seen flying close to the US Navy’s USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier group in footage shared on social media.

The US Navy reportedly intercepted a Russian Il-38N anti-submarine aircraft flying in close proximity to the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier group over the Pacific Ocean.

The incident is believed to have taken place earlier this month, although the exact date remains unclear.

Italian company Ariston regained control over its Russian subsidiary, as Russia makes another move to show warmth to the West, amidst sanctions relief talks.

Italian home appliance manufacturer Ariston Holding announced that it had regained control over its Russian subsidiary, as Russian leader Vladimir Putin lifted the seizure of its assets. 

Ariston Holding announced it in its press release on Thursday.

After top advisers to US President Donald Trump leaked their Yemen war plan to a journalist by mistake, the Pentagon chief is now rumored to have a Russian email account.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is under scrutiny after reports surfaced that he might have opened an account with the Russian email service mail.ru.

This comes as a new twist as the Signal chat scandal involving senior Trump administration officials continues to unfold.

The attack comes as Moscow says a 30-day truce on energy infrastructure has been in effect since March 18, but both Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of repeatedly breaking it.

The Ukrainian state oil and gas operator said Friday that Russian forces had struck its facilities overnight, despite Kremlin claims to have halted strikes on energy sites in Ukraine.

“The enemy shelled Naftogaz Group’s facilities. This is the eighteenth combined attack on the Group’s infrastructure since the start of the full-scale war and the eighth since the beginning of this year,” the group said in a statement.

Military analysts are abuzz after open-source satellite images revealed the presence of as many as seven US Air Force B-2 “Spirit” bombers and a fleet of support aircraft on the Indian Ocean island.

Open-source satellite imagery produced by Planet Labs on March 25 showed the presence of up to seven US Air Force B-2 Spirit strategic bombers on the island of Diego Garcia – three on a parking apron / live ordnance loading area and probably four more in hardened shelters. Alongside them on the tarmac were several KC-135 Stratotanker air refueling aircraft and three C-17 transport planes.

This build-up sparked some social media to wonder if the deployment of these strategic assets signaled a readiness to increase US strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen. However, others suggested that the presence of refueling aircraft indicated the potential for a longer-range strike – with Iran being the favorite as the intended target.

Dmytro “Ben” Bendikov left journalism for the frontlines. On March 18, he made the ultimate sacrifice near Nadiya in Luhansk - days later, the village was liberated.

Dmytro “Ben” Bendikov was a journalist, an editor, and a warrior. He traded his pen for a rifle, enlisting to defend Ukraine despite having no previous military experience. On March 18, near his birthplace in the Luhansk region, he gave his life for his country’s freedom.

This is the story of a man who lived with courage, humor, and an unbreakable spirit - on the front lines of both journalism and war.

The Dutch defense minister warned that after peace in Ukraine, Russia could launch a sudden attack on the Baltics under the guise of military drills, as past war tactics show.

Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans has warned that Russia could mass hundreds of thousands of troops near the borders of the Baltic states under the guise of military exercises, which could in fact serve as cover for a sudden attack.

Russia could carry out a “large-scale” troop deployment approximately a year after a ceasefire or peace agreement in Ukraine, Defense News reported on March 27, citing a speech by Brekelmans at a security conference, where he referred to assessments by the Dutch military intelligence service.

The Ukrainian president said the terms of the deal are constantly being revised, and he will not travel to the US soon to sign it until they are set.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday that he will not be traveling to the US soon to sign the newly revised resources deal “because the conditions are constantly changing.”

A Ukrainian lawmaker outlined the new terms on Thursday and criticized them for being “downright HORRIBLE” as they demand more resources than previous versions and contain no security guarantees, among other terms that favored the US but not Ukraine.

Russian Defence Ministry said Ukraine fired rockets at the Sudzha gas metering station in the Kursk region as well as 19 drones at the Saratov oil refinery in central Russia.

Russia on Friday accused Ukraine of firing rockets and more than a dozen drones at its energy infrastructure, violating what Moscow says were pledges by Ukraine to halt such strikes.

Moscow insists a 30-day truce on energy infrastructure has been in effect since March 18, but the monitoring of it is unclear and both Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of repeatedly breaking it.

Ksenia Petrova, who worked legally at Harvard, has been detained since Feb. 16. She had fled from arrest in Russia for anti-Putin statements and now risks being deported back.

A Russian scientist, Ksenia Petrova, living and working legally in the United States, is now facing deportation back to Russia after she was detained at Boston Logan International Airport on Feb. 16 while returning from France.

Petrova had fallen afoul with Russian authorities because on Feb. 27, 2022, just days after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, she posted on her Facebook page a call to impeach Russian President Vladimir Putin. She was subsequently arrested, according to the Guardian, then managed to flee, first to the former Soviet republic of Georgia and then to the United States, to continue her research on genomes.

The recommendation is part of the EU Preparedness Union Strategy, a new plan aimed at strengthening Europe’s ability to “react swiftly when a disaster hits.”

The European Commission is calling on citizens to prepare for emergencies by keeping at least a three-day supply of essentials, including food, water, medicine, batteries and important documents.

The recommendation is part of the EU Preparedness Union Strategy, a new plan aimed at strengthening Europe’s ability to handle crises like “natural disasters, cybersecurity threats and geopolitical tensions and conflicts.” The strategy outlines 30 key actions to improve readiness across the bloc.

Putin proposed the UN could head a transitional administration for Ukraine as a path for peace, sparking sharp criticism from Kyiv and a cautious response from the US.

Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that Russia allegedly holds the initiative on the front line and hinted that it could “finish off” Ukrainian forces.

Speaking during the International Arctic Forum in Murmansk, Russia on March 27 he put forward a possible scenario to end the war: the establishment of a transitional administration in Ukraine under the auspices of the UN, the US, European countries, and Russia’s partners – mentioning BRICS members and North Korea.

Russia is preparing to launch a new offensive in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy and Kharkiv regions, Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

The Moscow Times reported on March 21 of a potential Russian offensive and that the Kremlin’s’s forces had made minor incursions into the Sumy oblast with a view to controlling supply routes.

“I can confirm that Putin is trying to get time and is preparing for a spring offensive,” the Ukrainian president said in an interview with French newspaper Le Figaro published on Wednesday. “We see preparations for this upcoming operation.”

A recent investigation exposed a Russian disinformation campaign, using a suspected Bulgarian spy to sway public opinion in Austria and German-speaking regions against Ukraine amid Russia’s war.

A recent investigation by Austria’s Directorate for State Security and Intelligence Services (DSN) has uncovered a large-scale Russian disinformation campaign orchestrated through a suspected Bulgarian spy. The operation aimed to manipulate public opinion in Austria and other German-speaking regions to discredit Ukraine amid Russia’s ongoing full-scale aggression against the neighboring nation.

The campaign, which targeted German-speaking countries with a particular focus on Austria, involved spreading false narratives both online and offline. Tactics included social media manipulation and the use of provocative materials – such as stickers and graffiti – designed to appear pro-Ukrainian but containing extremist content, thereby discrediting genuine support for Ukraine.

Trump has repeatedly said he hopes to meet soon with Russian President Vladimir Putin, likely in Saudi Arabia.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Thursday it was premature to expect high-level talks with Russia, while the United States weighs Moscow’s response to Washington’s efforts to end the Ukraine war.

Asked by a reporter if it was time for higher-level talks after indirect US negotiations with the two sides in Saudi Arabia, Rubio said: “I think you have to make more progress on a technical level.”

Russia’s Ministry of Defense has catalogued the extent of casualties caused by attack drones, findings which Kyiv’s commanders admit also apply to Ukraine’s armed forces.

At the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, conventional and rocket artillery ruled the battlefield and inflicted most troop casualties and destruction of armor and other heavy weapons.

As the war continued, the attrition of conventional weapon systems led Ukraine to rely more heavily on the use of first-person view (FPV) drones to make up the shortfall. The success of these unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to kill and destroy was such that they have become Kyiv’s weapon of choice – and Russia has followed.

Responding to pressure from Congress members, the program that gathers evidence on Ukrainian children abducted by Russia “should last six more weeks.”

Washington DC – The Trump Administration on Thursday informed the Congress that it has temporarily restored the funding of the Yale School of Public Health’s Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) unit that has played a key role in gathering evidence on Russian war crimes in Ukraine, hours before the program was set to expire.

“They should last six more weeks,” a senior administration official told Kyiv Post’s Washington correspondent when asked about the future of the program.

Latest from the Institute for the Study of War.

Key Takeaways from the ISW:

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated on March 26 that discussions are ongoing about the details of the temporary ceasefire agreements on energy infrastructure strikes and maritime operations in the Black Sea.
• Russia continues to strike Ukrainian critical and civilian infrastructure under the cover of the ceasefire on energy infrastructure strikes — which is not in line with US President Donald Trump’s goal of using the temporary ceasefire to facilitate a lasting peace in Ukraine.
• The Ukrainian General Staff reported that the March 19 to 20 Ukrainian drone strike against Russia’s Engels Airbase destroyed a large number of cruise missiles and strategic fuel reserves as Ukrainian officials reported that Russia is prioritizing the production of high-precision missiles.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia is preparing for a spring offensive in Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts.
• Ukraine’s European allies met in Paris for a Coalition of the Willing summit on March 27 to discuss their ongoing support for Ukraine, a monitoring system to ensure ceasefire compliance, and the possible deployment of a “deterrent force” in Ukraine.
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Borova, Toretsk, Pokrovsk, and Kurakhove. Russian forces recently advanced in Kursk and Sumy oblasts; near Lyman, Toretsk, and Pokrovsk; and in western Zaporizhia Oblast.
• The Volunteer Society for Assistance to the Army, Aviation, and Navy of Russia (DOSAAF), which promotes patriotic and military education and has been involved in Russian volunteer recruitment efforts, elected Denis Dobraykov as the new DOSAAF Chairperson on March 27.

An “unknown airplane over the Baltic Sea flying without a flight plan or activated transponder” and presenting a hazard to civil air traffic was an unwelcome Russian surveillance aircraft.

According to the German Air Force (GAF, or Luftwaffe), a Russian surveillance aircraft approached northeastern Germany on Thursday before it was escorted away by fighter aircraft.

The  Luftwaffe said on its WhatsApp communication channel that its Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) was activated at the Laage airbase near Rostock, on the Baltic coast in the northeast.