These are the important developments of the 1,125th day of Russia’s Ukrainian War.
Here is a summary of the key events for Tuesday, March 25th.
Ceasefire
US and Russian officials concluded the day’s talks in Saudi Arabia on Monday. Focusing on the narrow proposal for a maritime ceasefire between Kiev and Moscow in the Black Sea, it allowed the free flow of transport, part of a diplomatic effort that Washington hopes to pave the way for wider peace negotiations. White House sources said Riyadh’s consultations have progressed and “positive announcements” are expected in the “near future.” Russia was represented in consultations by former diplomat Grigory Karasin, who is now chairman of the Russian Senate’s Foreign Affairs Committee. Karasin said during a break in Russia’s talks that they were “creatively” going, and that they said the two countries discussed issues that are considered “stimulants” of bilateral relations. The joint statement between Washington and Moscow is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, Russian state media outlets Tass and Ria Novosti reported, citing sources from the Russian delegation. No further details were given. The British and French defence chiefs gathered again in London to discuss the Allied plans to protect the potential ceasefire in Ukraine, as part of British Prime Minister Kiel Starmer’s so-called “Willing’s Union.” The meeting was the third of its kind as it announced earlier this month that priorities would work to gather countries that could guarantee the halt of hostilities between Russia and Ukraine.
Fineting
Russian missiles struck the Ukrainian city of Smie, causing more than 80 people to be injured. Regional Governor Volodymyr Artiukh said several high-rise residential blocks have been damaged along with schools and hospitals. The Ukrainian prosecutor’s office said 17 minors were among the injured. The Ukrainian artillery attack killed six people, including three journalists, in the Russian-occupied Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine, said Leonid Passechnik, the Russian-produced governor. According to Pasechnik, a 14-year-old child was also killed in the attack. According to Pasechnik, the attack killed a journalist working in Russian Izvestia Media Outlet, Alexander Feddlechak, camera operator Andrei Panoff and driver Alexander Silkeli in the Russian state television channel Zvezda. Zvezda said another correspondent, Nikita Goldin, had been seriously injured in the attack. Russian news outlets quoted security sources saying the strike was carried out by a horsepower missile supplied to Ukraine by the US. Figures from the Ukrainian National Journalists show that 18 Ukrainian and foreign reporters were appointed and killed during the war. Another ten journalists were killed by bombs and artillery fire while not at work. Over 80 media employees were killed while serving in the Ukrainian military. The Ukrainian army said its forces destroyed four Russian helicopters stationed near the border. The aircraft were two MI-8 transport helicopters and two KA-52 combat helicopters. The media office of the Ukrainian Special Forces Unit is said to show multiple rocket launchers attacking helicopters stationed at airfields in Belgorod’s Russian border area. A powerful cyber attack has knocked out the online ticketing system of Ukraine’s provincial railway services, and long lines are lining up at the station after Kiev officials say they are “trying to destabilise” the situation. The Ukrainian railway company, which has been working on Russian missile strikes at various points during the war, did not explicitly say anyone thought it was behind the attack.
Politics and diplomacy
The Kremlin confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin has given President Donald Trump a portrait of his appointment as president of the United States. Putin gave the painting to Steve Witkov, a Trump special envoy group in Moscow earlier this month, and Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Russian president, said he reduced further comments in response to questions from journalists. President Trump said there is a high possibility that a strategic raw material deal with Ukraine will soon be agreed. Trump said U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bescent told him that the rare earth mineral agreement with Ukraine was as good as it was fixed. “They’ll sign up soon,” Trump said.
Local security
At a meeting of British and French military chiefs in London, British military commander Admiral Tony Laddachin said that two European nuclear forces “were stepping up to build stronger and deeper partnerships” after meeting his French counterpart, General Thierry Burcard. The two chiefs discussed efforts to “galvanize” Europe’s response to the situation in Ukraine. The Austrian DSN domestic intelligence agency said it had discovered a widespread Russian disinformation campaign centered around Bulgarian people who were accused of spying and spreading misinformation about Ukraine. DSN said it had admitted that the woman was working on behalf of Russia. He said that in 2022, when Moscow began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he changed public opinion in favor of Russia and against Kiev. Russia has launched a planned exercise involving YARS Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMS), citing the Russian Ministry of Defence, reports that the state-run RIA news agency is reporting. According to the ministry, the YARS ICBM regiments in the Sverdlovsk and Altai regions will be “deployed in field positions.”
Principality
A group of Republican and Democrats U.S. Senators have written to the Trump administration to promote the transfer. And urges them to transfer their allies. The letter was described as a rare example of senior Republicans publicly pressing the Trump administration as tougher for Moscow. The Czech Republic said the country’s industry minister Lucas Vrsek should ultimately cease receipt of Russia’s oil supply through the Durzva pipeline. The minister said the final decision was on Orlen Unipetrol, the refinery operator, which has been taking ownership of Poland since 2005. There has been no Russian oil flowing the Durzva Pipeline to the Czech Republic since March 4 due to payment issues due to US sanctions imposed on Russian banks.