Ukraine-Russia war latest: Zelensky seeks Patriots in return for sending drone experts to Middle East
Zelenskyy says he's reluctant to repair pipeline that brings Russian oil to Central EuropeUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday that he would prefer not to repair a damaged oil pipeline that delivers Russian crude to Central Europe despite rising tensions with neighboring Hungary and Slovakia over interruptions to oil flows.Russian oil shipments to Hungary and Slovakia have been halted since 27 Jan after what Ukrainian officials say were Russian drone attacks that damaged the Druzhba pipeline, which crosses Ukrainian territory.The populist leaders of Hungary and Slovakia, which unlike most European Union countries continue to import Russian fossil fuels, have accused Ukraine of deliberately holding up supplies. Kyiv says that continuous Russian strikes mean that carrying out repairs puts technicians in danger, and that even if repaired, Druzhba would remain vulnerable to further attacks.In a news conference on Thursday, Zelensky expressed his reluctance to repair the pipeline despite Hungarian and Slovak demands.“To be honest, I wouldn’t restore it. This is my position," Zelensky said.Shweta Sharma9 March 2026 11:00Ukraine in pictures as humanitarian crisis deepensNew pictures from rural Ukraine show women and children gathering to receive aid at a support centre, where humanitarian assistance is distributed by volunteers.Millions of people remain displaced across the country, while repeated missile and drone attacks on energy facilities, homes and transport networks have left many communities struggling with power cuts, damaged housing and limited access to basic services.Frontline regions in the east and south have been particularly hard hit, with towns frequently coming under shelling and residents forced to rely on humanitarian aid for food, water and medical care. A local woman reacts as a volunteer hands her humanitarian aid on the occasion of the International Women's Day in the settlement of Velyka Novosilka (Velikaya Novosyolovka) in the Donetsk region, Russian-controlled Ukraine (AFP via Getty Images)A volunteer arranges packs of drinking water bottles to be distributed to local women on the occasion of the International Women's Day at an aid and support centre in the settlement of Velyka Novosilka (Velikaya Novosyolovka) in the Donetsk region, Russian-controlled Ukraine (AFP via Getty Images)Local women gather at an aid and support centre to get humanitarian aid distributed by volunteers on the occasion of the International Women's Day, in the settlement of Velyka Novosilka (AFP via Getty Images)A picture shows local residents housing in a basement shelter in the settlement of Velyka Novosilka (Velikaya Novosyolovka) in the Donetsk region, (AFP via Getty Images)Shweta Sharma9 March 2026 10:30Putin accuses West of 'systemic mistake' over UkraineVladimir Putin said the crisis in Ukraine stemmed from Western support for the 2014 change of power in Kyiv, accusing Western countries of making a “systemic mistake”.Speaking to journalist Pavel Zarubin on Russia’s Vesti programme, the Russian president said the conflict began after Western backing for the political upheaval in Kyiv, followed by developments in Crimea and eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region."One could say that everything happening now [in Ukraine] is undoubtedly a mistake, first and foremost by Western countries. A systemic mistake," he added, according to Tass news agency.Putin also accused Ukraine’s leadership of manipulating European countries, describing the situation as “the tail wagging the dog”."The situation is very strange. Because I get the impression that we are dealing with a case that is called ‘the tail wagging the dog,’ rather than the other way around," he said.He added that Western nations were now “reaping what they sowed” through their policies towards Ukraine, and warned that tensions had pushed the situation on global energy markets to the limit.Shweta Sharma9 March 2026 10:00It’s too dangerous to see my own children, Ukraine’s president Zelensky admits“Our children at school, they study and they have to run very quickly to shelters,” Zelensky told The Independent’s World of Trouble podcast in an exclusive interview.“They have to do it. It doesn’t matter where they study, in the capital or closer to the front line, because the missile is not choosing where to go. They just bring destruction… So that’s why all our children are in danger.”Shweta Sharma9 March 2026 09:30Sweden boards cargo ship believed to be stateless in the Baltic SeaSwedish authorities are currently investigating a cargo ship in the Baltic Sea, which they suspect is a stateless vessel.The vessel, named Caffa, was sailing in Swedish territorial waters on Friday under a Guinean flag when it raised suspicions among officials, according to Swedish police.The Swedish Coast Guard subsequently boarded the ship to conduct a search and interviews, with particular concerns about its seaworthiness. Further information regarding the Caffa remains undisclosed at this time.Sweden last year said it would step up insurance checks on foreign ships in a move aimed at tightening controls on Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet ” of aging ships. Russia uses its shadow fleet to transport oil and gas or to carry stolen Ukrainian grain. The average age of the vessels is around 18 years, meaning they’re near the end of their life span and are more vulnerable to accidents, especially if they’re not well-maintained.Authorities have not said whether they believe the Caffa is part of the shadow fleet.Shweta Sharma9 March 2026 09:00‘I lost my husband in the Ukraine war - I came to Dubai to be safe’Ukrainian widow Olga Garbuz, who lost her husband to the war in Ukraine, came to Dubai with her daughter in 2022 to rebuild her life.“The war in Ukraine took many things from me and my daughter. My husband got killed. We got displaced multiple times. I cannot imagine going through any of these again,” Ms Garbuz tells The Independent.Her husband, Yuriy Volchkov, was killed in Kharkiv, a frontline city in eastern Ukraine, in March 2022, when the vehicle he was travelling in to distribute humanitarian aid was shot at by the Russians. He was 45 years old.Shweta Sharma9 March 2026 08:30Zelensky says Ukraine's support in Middle East should be 'beneficial for both sides'Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine is preparing to send experts to the Middle East to help protect civilians and support US troops deployed in the region, but said it is too early to release details.Writing on X, Zelensky said Kyiv had received requests about how it could assist civilians in the Middle East and American soldiers stationed in certain countries, adding that Ukraine had offered to deploy specialists and provide the necessary capabilities to help strengthen protection.“We have received some messages regarding how to help civilians in the Middle East and how to help American soldiers deployed in certain countries,” he said.“We responded: we will send experts and provide everything needed to protect them. Many issues are being discussed in this dialogue. If we are talking about increasing capabilities, we would very much like this to be a beneficial for both sides. We discuss this track.”“If we are talking about increasing capabilities, we would very much like this to be beneficial for both sides,” Zelensky said, adding that further details would become clearer after the first meetings once the experts arrive. Shweta Sharma9 March 2026 08:00Putin threatens shutting off Russian gas supplies to EuropeSpeaking to Russian state TV reporter Pavel Zarubin, Mr Putin stated: "And now other markets are opening up. And perhaps it would be more profitable for us to stop supplying the European market right now.“To move into those markets that are opening up and establish ourselves there."He clarified, however, that this was "not a decision, it is, in this case, what is called thinking out loud. I will definitely instruct the government to work on this issue together with our companies."Shweta Sharma9 March 2026 07:30Ukraine in brief: The key developments this morningUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian drone experts will travel to the Middle East next week, offering expertise in counter-drone warfare as Kyiv seeks additional US air defence missiles amid a shortage of PAC-3 interceptor missiles used in the Patriot air defence system. Zelensky met Dutch prime minister Rob Jetten in Kyiv on Sunday, where the two discussed joint arms production and expanding defence cooperation. During the talks, Zelensky also called for stronger sanctions against Russia’s “shadow fleet” of oil tankers, saying Moscow’s war effort depends heavily on revenue from oil exports. A Russian ballistic missile struck a five-storey residential building in Kharkiv overnight on Saturday, killing 11 people, including two children, and injuring at least 15 others, according to local authorities. Mayor Ihor Terekhov said the victims included a teacher and her nine-year-old son, as well as a 13-year-old girl and her mother. Regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said two boys aged six and 11 and a 17-year-old girl were among the injured. Airline stocks in Asia fell on Monday as surging oil prices and the escalating conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran added pressure on carriers already dealing with restricted airspace as travellers avoid routes through the Middle East. The conflict has pushed fuel costs higher, with oil prices jumping about 20% in early Monday trading to their highest levels since July 2022 amid fears of tighter supply and prolonged disruption to global shipments. Shweta Sharma9 March 2026 07:00Zelensky says war leaves Ukrainian children living under constant threatZelensky says war leaves Ukrainian children living under constant threatShweta Sharma9 March 2026 06:30
