Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights
Most NATO military leaders believe that Russia could attack the Alliance by 2029, said the head of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces, Karel Řehka.
Řehka clarified that he was not saying war is inevitable, but emphasized that it is a realistic possibility.
The world is on the brink of a gas crisis of “apocalyptic proportions,” Bloomberg reports.
Following an Iranian attack, the major Ras Laffan gas plant in Qatar has shut down for the first time in three decades, while the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is further disrupting supplies.
Fuel and gas prices are rising almost hourly. Asian countries are cutting purchases or paying record prices, while poorer nations are beginning to face blackouts. If the shutdown continues, the shortage could last for months or even years.
Europe and Asia could ultimately find themselves competing intensely over limited gas supplies. [Trump has unleashed something here, hasn't he? stupid, stupid man]
Oil prices for immediate delivery have reached $150 per barrel in some markets, the Financial Times reports.
Amid escalation in the Middle East, the market has split: Brent futures rose to $114 per barrel, while physical deliveries “here and now” are trading significantly higher.
For example, Omani crude, which can bypass the Strait of Hormuz, has already traded at nearly $154 per barrel.
Experts explain the gap by noting that futures prices reflect expectations of stabilization, while the physical market is already reacting to supply shortages and disruptions.
The United States has announced the lifting of sanctions against Belaruskali, the Belarusian Ministry of Finance, and the Development Bank of Belarus.
U.S. Special Envoy John Cole said the restrictions have been permanently lifted, including measures against the potash industry introduced in 2021. The decision to ease sanctions was announced in December 2025.
The move is linked to agreements between the United States and Belarus, under which Minsk released a number of political prisoners. According to the U.S., this includes more than 200 people.
Trump’s special envoy also said that preparations are underway for a visit by Alexander Lukashenko to the United States.
A large convoy of trucks labeled as “Humanitarian Aid” has departed Tajikistan for Iran, drawing scrutiny amid documented defense ties between Tehran and Dushanbe and broader concerns over regional logistics networks.
The convoy raises a key question about its contents, given the lack of transparency, Tajikistan’s role in Iranian drone production, and well‑established Central Asian transit routes also used for Russia–Iran logistics.
The development has prompted comparisons to Russia’s covert military supply operations in Ukraine during the early phase of its 2014 invasion. Russia transferred weapons, ammunition, and military equipment to Ukraine's Donetsk region under the guise of humanitarian aid.
Russian state television openly voices support for Iran. As oil revenues rise, Russian propagandists are growing increasingly bold in their criticism of the United States. t.me/United24media/40790
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi said that Hungary is politicizing the issue of repairing the Druzhba pipeline.
He added that instead of explaining to Hungarian citizens why the country has failed to diversify its energy supplies, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is focusing his rhetoric on Ukraine.
Iran attacked a key oil refinery in Saudi Arabia, posing new threats to global oil supplies, according to Reuters.
The SAMREF refinery in the Saudi port city of Yanbu on the Red Sea was hit. The facility, owned by Saudi Aramco and ExxonMobil, processes oil and prepares fuel for export.
According to the agency, citing sources, the damage was minimal, but the attack itself is significant due to Yanbu’s role in the global energy sector. Following the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the port has become one of the main alternative routes for oil exports from Persian Gulf countries.
Yanbu, along with the port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, now serves a critical function, carrying a significant share of oil supplies to the global market while bypassing the war zone. Fujairah has previously been attacked, partially halting its operations.
Despite the limited damage, strikes on such key facilities increase the risk of supply disruptions and could further push up global oil prices.
Russia’s budget is coming apart at the seams. The war is extraordinarily expensive for Russia, and unlike Ukraine, it has no partners to help carry the burden. Its only real lifeline is the price of oil, which is why it is so important to preserve sanctions against Russia and prevent the Kremlin from turning oil revenues into ballistic missiles.
A photo has emerged of a single Leopard 1A5BE fitted with a Cockerill 3105 unmanned turret equipped with a 105mm Cockerill HP gun in Ukraine.
This experimental tank was previously transferred to Ukraine by the Belgian company Cockerill.
A border guard from Volyn has become the European champion in jiu-jitsu.
Sergeant of the Volyn border detachment Bohdan Mochulskyi won a gold medal at the European Championship.
At night, Russian forces attacked the Zaporizhzhia district, carrying out two strikes that destroyed private homes.
A 30-year-old woman was killed, while a 48-year-old man and a 10-year-old boy were injured, said Ivan Fedorov, head of the regional military administration.
Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson 🇺🇦 @ragnarbjartur.bsky.social
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⚡️ RUSSIA'S WAR AGAINST UKRAINE — MAR 20, 2026
■ Casualties remain high (highest 7-day total of 2026 so far)
■ Significant land-based equipment losses, both armored and unarmored
■ Overnight 🇷🇺 attacks remain below average, all drones; interception rate below average
■ 8 🇺🇦 strikes reported; 🇷🇺 air strikes and shelling above average; 30-day strike ratio <18×