Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights
β‘οΈ Putin ready for ceasefire (kyivindependent.com/putin-ready-for-ceasefire-but-demands-guarantees-depriving-ukraine-of-aid/) but demands 'guarantees' depriving Ukraine of aid.
Russia is ready to agree to the U.S.-proposed ceasefire in Ukraine but demands guarantees that Kyiv will not mobilize or train troops, nor receive military aid during it, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on March 13.
β‘οΈ UK, France lead talks among 37 countries (kyivindependent.com/uk-france-lead-talks-between-37-countries-on-coalition-of-the-willing-in-ukraine-bloomberg-reports/) on 'coalition of the willing' in Ukraine, Bloomberg reports.
β‘οΈTrump's Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg, sidelined (kyivindependent.com/trumps-ukraine-envoy-sidelined-by-kremlin-nbc-reports/) by Kremlin amid peace talks, NBC reports.
β‘οΈUS toughens (kyivindependent.com/us-toughens-sanctions-on-russian-energy-payments/) sanctions on Russia's oil and gas industry on March 13 by not renewing an exemption that allows Russian banks to access U.S. payment systems to conduct energy transactions.
The move comes as U.S. President Donald Trump said on March 7 that he is considering imposing sweeping banking sanctions and tariffs on Russia until there is a ceasefire and peace agreement.
Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bombs (GLSDB) [are being sent again] to Ukraine, Reuters reported on March 13, citing sources familiar with the weapon. https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-to-receive-long-range-bombs-from-us-reuters-reports/
β‘οΈRussian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant (kyivindependent.com/russian-occupied-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-plant-part-of-peace-talks-trump-says/) part of peace talks, Trump says.
"We have been discussing with Ukraine land and pieces of land that would be kept and lost and all of the other elements of a final agreement," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
β‘οΈUS opposed (kyivindependent.com/us-opposed-to-frozen-conflict-in-ukraine-zelenskys-chief-of-staff-says/) to frozen conflict in Ukraine, Zelensky's chief of staff says.
β‘οΈ Ukraine receives $1.7 billion (kyivindependent.com/ukraine-receives-1-7-billion-from-canada-under-g7-loan-covered-by-russian-assets/) from Canada under G7 loan covered by Russian assets.
β‘οΈFinland announces $217 million military aid package (kyivindependent.com/finland-announces-over-200-million-military-aid-package-for-ukraine/) for Ukraine.
β‘οΈ French National Assembly backs resolution (kyivindependent.com/french-national-assembly-backs-resolution-for-more-ukraine-aid-seizure-of-russian-assets/) on seizing Russian assets.
China is more likely than the EU to replace Starlink (kyivindependent.com/china-more-likely-than-the-eu-to-replace-starlink-on-the-ukrainian-battlefield/) on the Ukrainian battlefield https://kyivindependent.com/china-more-likely-than-the-eu-to-replace-starlink-on-the-ukrainian-battlefield/
Fears of a Starlink shut-off at the front line have racked Ukraine. European satellite internet firms took the opportunity to step forward as replacements β but even collectively, they are unlikely to fill the void in coverage that Starlink's shut off would leave.
Today, Starlink satellite internet service dominates both worldwide and at Ukraineβs front lines. Moreover, Chinese rather than European competitors are building equivalent satellite constellations. If Ukraine is left waiting on an ally to provide an alternative to Starlink, Russia will likely get one from China first.
β‘οΈ Rheinmetall prepared to supply arms (kyivindependent.com/rheinmetall-prepared-to-supply-arms-for-possible-ukraine-peacekeeping-mission/) for possible Ukraine peacekeeping mission.
Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger said the company could provide "more than 2,000 items" for such a mission, including tanks, armored vehicles, electronic warfare systems, reconnaissance drones, and satellite technology.
John Bolton on how Putin plays Trump and why separating Russia from China is 'almost impossible' https://kyivindependent.com/putin-thinks-trump-is-an-easy-mark-john-bolton-says-in-interview/
β‘οΈ ECHR rules Ukraine failed (kyivindependent.com/echr-rules-ukraine-failed-to-prevent-violence-in-odesa-in-2014/) to prevent, investigate violence in Odesa in 2014.
The ECHR noted that Russian propaganda helped to instigate the clashes but acknowledged the plaintiffs' complaints that Ukraine failed to prevent the violence and adequately investigate it. The Ukrainian state was ordered to pay out compensations.
β‘οΈRussian diesel exports to Africa reportedly plummet (kyivindependent.com/russian-diesel-exports-to-africa-reportedly-plummet-amid-ukrainian-drone-strikes/) amid Ukrainian drone strikes.
Russian diesel exports to African countries nearly halved in February, dropping from 1.27 million tons in January to 684,000 tons, according to a report by the Price Index Center research project reviewed by RBC.
β‘οΈ Ukrainian drones strike covert UAV plant in western Russia, sources claim (kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-drones-strike-covert-uav-plant-in-western-russia-source-confirms/).
Drone production lines were located on the grounds of an aerated concrete plant in the village of Obukhovo in Kaluga Oblast's Dzerzhinsky district, a HUR source claimed.
β‘οΈ Ukrainian drones strike Tuapse oil refinery (kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-drones-hit-russias-tuapse-oil-refinery-reportedly-setting-fuel-tank-on-fire/) in Russia's Krasnodar Krai, governor says.
β‘οΈ Ukrainian drones strike Russian gas facilities, air defense missile depot (kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-drones-target-russian-gas-facilities-air-defense-missile-depot-source-claims/), source claims.
SBU drones struck a warehouse storing missiles for Russia's S-300/S-400 air defense systems, a security source told the Kyiv Independen
β‘οΈ Kyiv Mayor Klitschko announces more dismissals (kyivindependent.com/kyiv-mayor-klitschko-fires-top-officials-amid-corruption-probe/) of city officials amid corruption probe.
β‘οΈHungary seeks (kyivindependent.com/hungary-seeks-removal-of-russian-oligarch-fridman-from-eu-sanctions-list-ft-reports/) removal of Russian oligarch Fridman from EU sanctions list, FT reports.
β‘οΈ'Enough is enough' β Greenland PM criticizes (https://kyivindependent.com/enough-is-enough-greenland-pm-criticizes-trumps-annexation-efforts/)Β Trump'sΒ annexationΒ efforts.
β‘οΈMajority of Americans believe (kyivindependent.com/majority-of-americans-believe-trump-too-closely-aligned-with-russia-poll-finds/) Trump 'too closely aligned' with Russia, poll finds.
Some 56% of Americans believe that U.S. President Donald Trump is "too closely aligned" with Russia amid shifting U.S. foreign policy, a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on March 13 found.
β‘οΈ Finland sentences Russian neo-Nazi mercenary Yan Petrovsky to life for war crimes (kyivindependent.com/finland-sentences-russian-neo-nazi-mercenary-petrovsky-to-life-for-war-crimes/) in Ukraine.
Yan Petrovsky, co-leader of the Rusich paramilitary unit, was convicted of war crimes in Luhansk Oblast on Sept. 5, 2014, during Russia's invasion of Donbas.
β‘οΈRussian drone strike on Kharkiv injures (kyivindependent.com/russian-strike-on-kharkiv-kills-7-civilians-including-4-children/) 7, including 4 children.
Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson πΊπ¦β¬ βͺ - MAR 14, 2025
β Engagements up but still below average, casualties well above it however
β Equipment losses up as well, vehicles slightly above the average
β Increased strikes, π·πΊ airstrikes above average