A Russian tanker wrecked in an alleged Ukrainian attack is floating in the Mediterranean and could cause an 'unprecedented environmental disaster'.
With no crew on board and a gaping hole in one side, the Arctic Metagaz, a shadow fleet vessel reportedly carrying 61,000 tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and 700 tonnes of diesel fuel, is adrift at sea following the alleged drone strike two weeks ago.
The ship is believed to be part of Putin's shadow fleet - a network of vessels sailing without a valid national flag used to circumvent sanctions on Russia.
It is drifting towards Malta away from Italian waters following the attack, which Moscow claims took place off the coast of Libya as it was carrying LNG from the port of Murmansk.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Korrespondent] 22.51 Europe may offer US President Donald Trump help in protecting the Strait of Hormuz from Iran if he agrees to provide all necessary support for Ukraine. This was stated by the President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, reports Politico.
20.42 The Ukrainian Armed Forces have expanded their capabilities to launch strikes deep into Russia. This was stated by the Secretary of the Russian Security Council Sergei Shoigu during a meeting in the Ural Federal District, the Russian propaganda media outlet TASS reports.
19.26 The city of Kostyantynivka in Donetsk region continues to collapse under daily attacks by the Russian army, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports.
18.57 A strategic reserve for Ukrainian companies to accumulate equipment for next winter will be created within the framework of the Energy Support Fund of Ukraine. This was announced by First Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Energy Denys Shmyhal on Telegram, following the results of the "energy Ramstein" in Brussels.
17.44 From the beginning of the day and as of 16:00, the Russian invaders organized 217 assaults on the front , which is more than three times higher than the previous day's figure as of this time. Such data was published by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
17.22 The authorities of the Russian city of St. Petersburg announced the shutdown of mobile internet in the city "for security reasons." This was reported by the St. Petersburg Committee for Informatization and Communications.
According to the Downdetector service, city residents reported a lack of mobile Internet on the morning of March 17.
17.06 The UN Global Compact in Ukraine has created a documentary series WE . It tells the stories of 10 Ukrainian companies that share their experience in the field of business and human rights. Metinvest Group's experience in veteran reintegration also became part of the series.
16:55 In Zaporizhia, a serviceman detonated a grenade near an apartment building, resulting in injuries. This was reported by the regional department of the National Police.
16.50 An FSB agent, who was detained in Kharkiv in April 2024, received 15 years in prison with confiscation of property. The SBU reported this on March 17. Among the main "targets" of the correction officer were reserve command posts and training centers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. To direct the attacks, the agent walked around the territory of the regional center and its surroundings, where he tried to detect military facilities, and after returning home, he reported to the occupiers. According to the case materials, he was in contact with an employee of the 9th department of the operational information department of the 5th FSB service.
16.27 A Russian drone hit a building in the Chernihiv region, where the district prosecutor's office, the RTCC and the SP work. This was reported by sources in law enforcement agencies and local authorities, Suspilne reports .
The attack damaged the building's facade, window glazing, and roof. There was no information about any casualties.
15.52 Over the past week, the Russian occupation army captured 34.41 sq km in Ukraine, which is less than the week before last – 43.49 sq km. The enemy has resumed its advance in two regions , Interfax-Ukraine reports based on the results of the analysis of maps by the OSINT project DeepState.
15.30 Britain will finance the creation of an artificial intelligence center under the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, which will be engaged in the implementation of technologies on the battlefield. This was reported by the press service of the British government.
"This team of experts, which has received support of 500 thousand pounds, will ensure the maximum use of artificial intelligence to gain an advantage on the battlefield," the message says.
14.42 On March 16-17, the Ukrainian military struck important military facilities of the Russian aggressors in the Bryansk region of the Russian Federation, and the temporarily occupied territories (TOT) of Crimea, Donetsk and Zaporizhia regions. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this on Tuesday.
14.39 Law enforcement officers detained five more pro-Kremlin agitators who called on Russians to continue shelling Ukraine and seize the entire territory of our state. The SBU press service reported this.
14.30 Three more organizers of the deportation of 213 Ukrainian children from Donetsk region to Russia have been reported under suspicion. The Prosecutor General's Office reported this on March 17. They are the self-proclaimed "Minister of Education and Science of the DPR", the "Head of the Donetsk Administration" and the director of a boarding school. They are accused of violating the laws and customs of war.
13.59 Russian troops launched 40 Lancet-type drones with removed warheads and additional batteries for the Lancet information project over Kyiv. This was reported by Advisor to the Minister of Defense Serhiy Beskrestnov.
Flash explained that the Russian Federation's task is to demonstrate the Lancet fragments in Kyiv to the residents and the leadership of the Russian Federation at any cost . Therefore, for this purpose, enemy troops "launch 40 Lancets on Kyiv ... " Shaheds with Lancet fragments are added to these drones , and in the morning "this whole flock flies to Kyiv."
He explained that since the Lancet is a close-in frontal attack weapon with a range of 30 to 80 km, for the sake of the project, the Russians removed the warhead from the UAV and replaced it with an additional battery. The launch was carried out from the closest point to Kyiv under favorable wind conditions towards the capital.
13.54 Not far from the border with Ukraine, Moldovan border guards found the wreckage of a drone, probably a Russian "Shahed".
The wreckage of the drone was found in the south of the country, in a field near the village of Tudora, approximately 500 meters from the state border with Ukraine. The village of Tudora is located near the Moldovan town of Palanka, through which the only land route to the south of the Odessa region runs.
The night before, Moldovan border guards recorded a violation of airspace by a drone visually similar to the "Shahed". It was flying at an altitude of about 150 meters and headed towards the village of Keplani. From Keplani to Tudora is about 13 km.
13.47 President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived on a visit to the United Kingdom. This was stated by the Ukrainian leader's spokesman Serhiy Nikiforov. The head of state will begin his visit to the United Kingdom with a meeting with King Charles III at Buckingham Palace.
13.13 There are prospects for a peaceful settlement in Russia's war against Ukraine . President Volodymyr Zelensky said this in an interview with the New York Post. At the same time, he noted that the signals that Vladimir Putin is sending to America are false and manipulative.
12.58 The security service has thwarted an attempt by the Russians to obtain advanced Ukrainian technologies in the fuel and energy complex. In Kyiv, the head of the department and two engineers of a design company who were helping the Russian Federation restore damaged oil refineries were detained.
The defendants were carrying out orders from a Russian engineering company that is engaged in the reconstruction of Russian refineries damaged by sanctions. For money, Kyiv designers developed design documentation for the repair of technological systems and units at Russian refineries.
To prepare the relevant drawings, diagrams and regulations of actions, the designers used the latest IT products. To contact the Russian customers, the defendants used closed chats in messengers and e-mail.
Security Service officers documented the crimes of the defendants and detained them at their places of residence. During the searches, smartphones and computer equipment with evidence of illegal activity were seized from the detainees.
SBU investigators informed them of suspicion of aiding an aggressor state. The perpetrators face up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property.
12.00 In the Novgorod region of the Russian Federation, drones attacked the aircraft repair plant AT 123 ARZ in the city of Staraya Russa. This was reported on March 17 by the Astra Telegram channel with reference to local publics. A hit was recorded in the first workshop of the enterprise. It is alleged that about seven UAVs were shot down. Official authorities of the region have not commented on this information yet. It is noted that AT 123 ARZ positions itself as the "leader in the service of transport aircraft of military and civil aviation of Russia". The plant performs a full cycle of repairs of aircraft, all its systems and engines, and is also a key executor of the Russian Federation's state defense order. In total, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the alleged destruction of 206 drones overnight in various regions.
11.58 SBI employees, together with the National Police, uncovered and blocked the illegal supply of firearms and ammunition from the combat zone.
Five servicemen serving in the Kharkiv and Donetsk directions were removing weapons, explosives, and ammunition from their units' arsenals and selling them. The suspects actually created an "online store" through which they sold the "goods."
They sent weapons, including grenade launchers, by mail to Odessa, and delivered large batches in person. They used an evacuation vehicle designed to transport wounded soldiers for transportation. Such illegal sales brought in over 1.5 million hryvnias per month.
SBI officers detained servicemen during a personal delivery of weapons and ammunition to Odessa. The shipment, worth $17,000, included machine guns, shots and grenades of various modifications, assault rifles, and cartridges of various calibers.
11.45 If we can stop Russia in Ukraine, we can stop many wars. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview with i24NEWS and the Jerusalem Post. Russia has influence in various regions – Africa, the Middle East, Europe and others, he noted.
11.32 In the Chernihiv region, in Novgorod-Siverskyi, as a result of a night strike by drones, houses, shops and power grids were damaged, almost 200 consumers were left without electricity, there are interruptions in gas supply. This was reported by the head of the Chernihiv OVA Vyacheslav Chaus. It is noted that at night the Russians hit shops in Novgorod-Siverskyi with Geraniums. A fire broke out at the place of arrival. The fire was extinguished by rescuers.
"Nearby houses were damaged. And also the power grid. Almost two hundred consumers are without electricity. There are interruptions in the gas supply," Chaus reported.
11.03 Russian troops killed five residents of Donetsk region and wounded six more people last day, March 16. This was reported by the head of the Donetsk regional state administration, Vadym Filashkin, on March 17. According to him, the Russians killed two people each in Alekseevo-Druzhkivka and Oleksandrivka, and one in Mykolaivka. Six more people in the region were wounded.
10.55 A sailor of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine was detained in Odessa , who was correcting Russian missile and drone strikes on the city. The SBU reported this. The Russian FSB recruited the sailor when he was looking for "easy money" in Telegram channels.
10.37 The State Bureau of Investigation reported suspicions of a businessman from Zhytomyr who justified Russian aggression. In conversations with colleagues and subordinates, the man denied Ukraine's right to exist, blamed the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the destruction caused by Russian missile strikes, and also expressed support for Russian policy and personally for dictator Vladimir Putin.
10.33 A resident of the village of Stefanivka in temporarily occupied Crimea resisted arrest and opened fire on police officers. Four of them were injured. This was reported by the press service of the occupation prosecutor's office.
It is noted that the incident occurred on March 16. "The deputy head of the district criminal investigation department, an operations officer and two seconded police officers arrived at the household in the village of Stefanivka to conduct operational and search measures. The owner of the house, not wanting to let them into the house, fired several times from a gun, causing multiple injuries to law enforcement officers," the report says.
After using an incendiary mixture, the man set fire to his car and tried to burn down the house. The shooter was injured by return fire. The occupiers claim that they were going to seize weapons from him, which were allegedly illegally stored, and explosives.
According to the occupation prosecutor's office, four police officers have been hospitalized. The suspect has been detained and is being investigated.
10.27 A system of military technology competence centers is being created in Ukraine under the Ministry of Defense. In the near future, a separate center will appear for each key area of modern warfare: drones, Middle Strike, Deep Strike, artillery, and others. This was announced by the Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Mykhailo Fedorov.
"The task of the centers is to constantly analyze the battlefield, technologies, and determine the next steps in development. In the technological war, the one who goes through the innovation cycle faster wins. The first such center is the Defense AI Center "A1", which we are implementing with the support of the UK government," he noted.
10.13 On Tuesday morning, four regions of Ukraine experienced new power outages due to attacks by Russian aggressors. Ukrenergo reported this. Emergency restoration work is already underway wherever security conditions currently allow.
09.41 Ukraine has been trying to stop the transfer of Shahed drones to Russia from the very beginning, directly appealing to Iran. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
According to the head of state, at the beginning of the full-scale war, Iran assured Ukraine that it had limited itself to a one-time supply of Russian drones, but these statements did not correspond to reality.
Iran not only transferred drones, but also trained the Russian military and helped establish their production.
Currently, according to Zelensky, the reverse process is taking place: Russia is transferring modernized technologies to Iran.
9.35 Two people were killed and nine others were injured in Russian drone attacks in Sumy region. The National Police of Ukraine reported this on March 17. It is noted that over the past 24 hours, residential areas, transport and critical infrastructure facilities in several communities of the region have been hit. The enemy targeted vehicles.
In Sadivska community, a drone hit a truck loaded with grain. A 40-year-old driver died on the spot as a result of the explosion. In Velykypysarivska community, a drone attacked a motorcycle on which a 48-year-old local resident was traveling. The man received injuries incompatible with life.
9.17 Russian troops attacked Nikopol, Synelnyk and Pavlohrad districts of Dnipropetrovsk region with drones, aerial bombs and artillery, two people were injured. This was reported by the head of the OVA Oleksandr Ganzha on March 17. According to him, in Nikopol district the enemy struck at the district center, Marhanetska and Chervonogryhorivska communities. An agricultural company was damaged. In Synelnyk district, the Russians targeted Pokrovska and Ukrainska communities. A fire broke out.
Two private homes, outbuildings and a non-residential building were destroyed. Another private house was damaged. A 63-year-old woman was injured. In the Bohdanivska community of Pavlohrad district, two private houses were destroyed, three more were damaged. Cars were also damaged. A 30-year-old woman was injured.
09.13 Over the past 24 hours, 171 combat clashes have been recorded on the front . Russian troops are exerting the most pressure in the Kostyantynivka, Pokrovsky and Hulyaypil directions. The Defense Forces' aviation struck nine areas of concentration of Russian troops and equipment.
08.52 On the night of March 17, Russian troops struck the south of the Odessa region. Energy, industrial and port infrastructure facilities were damaged. This was reported by the head of the OVA, Oleg Kiper, in Telegram.
"The territories of enterprises and some equipment were damaged. Fires broke out in the area, which were quickly extinguished by rescuers. Fortunately, there were no deaths or injuries," he wrote.
Due to the attack, power outages are observed in some settlements. Critical infrastructure has been switched to backup power.
08.39 A Russian FPV drone hit a bus carrying employees of a company in the Kutsurubsky community of Mykolaiv region.
The Russian attack took place on the evening of March 16. A 69-year-old man and a 49-year-old woman were injured. They were hospitalized. As of this morning, doctors assess their condition as stable, of moderate severity.
08.21 On the night of March 17, Russian troops attacked Ukraine with 178 attack UAVs of the Shahed, Gerbera, Italmas type and drones of other types, about 110 of them - "Shaheeds".
Air defenses shot down/suppressed 154 enemy drones. 22 strike UAVs were recorded hitting 12 locations, as well as the fall of downed ones (fragments) at two locations.
The attack is ongoing, with several drones in the airspace.
07.54 From February 24, 2022 to March 17, 2026, the total combat losses of Russian troops on the territory of Ukraine amounted to approximately 1,280,860 people (+930 per day).
07.43 Sappers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs neutralized 39 unexploded warheads of Russian missiles of various types during the week.
In total, during the week, the State Emergency Service pyrotechnicians and the National Police explosives technicians went out to eliminate the consequences of shelling almost 90 times. They worked in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Poltava, Cherkasy, Zhytomyr, and Khmelnytskyi regions.
"One of the recent examples of pyrotechnicians' work is the neutralization of the warhead of a missile with which the occupiers recently tried to strike Kyiv. For more than two hours, eight pyrotechnicians from the State Emergency Service worked to eliminate the threat," said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Ihor Klymenko.
07.30 The head of the Zaporizhzhia OVA Ivan Fedorov reported that eight employees of Nova Poshta were injured as a result of the Russian attack. Six of them received concussion. Doctors assess the condition of two more people as moderate.
07.22 Russian troops attacked Zaporizhzhia on the morning of March 17, injuring seven people. The head of the OVA Ivan Fedorov reported this in Telegram.
"The enemy strike occurred near one of the terminals of the logistics operator. Seven employees were at work during the attack. Four received concussions, and three more received cuts to the head and body," he wrote.
Before that, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported about Russian drones and "high-speed targets" in the direction of Zaporizhia.
06.28 Russian soldiers leave the bodies of dead soldiers on the battlefield, taking only the heads and identification documents. This is evidenced by an intercepted conversation of the invaders, which the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine published on Facebook. The intelligence officers indicate that the commanders with the call signs "Fak" and "Alladin" directly follow such instructions from the higher leadership. As they themselves explain, it is difficult to remove a whole body, and if the body is at the scene of death for a long time, evacuation becomes an even greater "problem."
04.01 The Czech Republic expressed its readiness to lead a European mission to assess the condition of the damaged Druzhba oil pipeline located in Ukraine. According to the Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic, Karel Havlicek, the Czech Republic is ready to assemble a qualified team of specialists to inspect the damaged section of the pipeline. At the same time, Kyiv must provide access to European experts to carry out the work. At the same time, the Czech government's proposal has been criticized by the opposition.
00.31 Moscow has been under attack by drones for the third day. In response, security measures have been tightened around the Kremlin, with mobile fire groups deployed. The Russian capital's mayor, Sobyanin, once again reported the alleged shooting down of six more drones flying towards the Russian capital, Russian media reported.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[NewsFront] 21:59 In the period from 13:00 to 20:00 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 35 Ukrainian aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles:
25 – over the territory of Krasnodar Krai,
Two – over the territory of the Republic of Crimea,
Two – over the territory of Belgorod Oblast,
Two – over the waters of the Black Sea,
One – over the waters of the Sea of Azov,
One – over the territory of Bryansk Oblast,
One – over the territory of Kursk Oblast,
One – over the territory of Stavropol Krai.
21:53 In the Khar'kov region, the "Severians" continue to massively open and destroy control points for Ukrainian Armed Forces UAVs, -video. 20:04 Appeared details of the Russian army's work in the Sumy direction during the liberation of the village of Sopych.
Despite the village's modest size, its assault dragged on for several weeks, with Russian forces initially evacuating civilians into Russian territory. The enemy actively counterattacked, including with armored vehicles, but was unsuccessful.
18:41 Ministry of Defense posted a selection of footage of the work of the Unmanned Systems Troops in various areas of the Central Military District.
17:55 Published footage of our assault troops' daily work.
16:50 In the Konstantinovsky direction, drone operators of the "Southern" group of forces continue to methodically knock out enemy equipment, -video.
16:18 In the Slavyansk direction, Russian Armed Forces fighters took up new positions south of the recently liberated Kaleniki, MAP.
14:41 In the period from 9.00 to 13.00 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 30 Ukrainian aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles:
16 UAVs were flying over the Krasnodar Territory,
Six UAVs were flying over the Sea of Azov,
Five UAVs were flying over the Leningrad Region,
Two UAVs were flying over the Republic of Crimea, and
One UAV was flying over the Republic of Adygea.
13:47 Posted a "hot" selection from drone operators at the Rubicon Center.
13:35 At the local regional military administrationstated, that in the village of Gorodnya in the Chernihiv region today a bomb hit the building of the Shopping Center.
12:45 Summary of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on the progress of the special military operation as of March 17, 2026
As a result of active operations, units of the North military group established control over the village of Sopych in the Sumy region.
The manpower and equipment of two mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and a territorial defense brigade were damaged in the areas of the settlements of Pavlovka, Proletarske, Miropolye, Kondratovka and Kucherovka in the Sumy region.
In the Khar'kov region, units of two mechanized, airmobile and motorized infantry brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were defeated in the areas of the settlements of Verkhnyaya Pisarevka, Izbitskoye, Vovchanskie Khutora, Veseloye and Udy in the Khar'kov region.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 270 service members, three armored combat vehicles, 13 vehicles, an artillery piece, three electronic warfare stations, and an Israeli-made RADA RPS-42 counter-battery station. Two ammunition depots and eight supply depots were destroyed.
Units of the "West" force grouping improved their position along the forward edge. They defeated the personnel and equipment of two mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and a territorial defense brigade near the settlements of Vasylivka, Novoosinovo, Grushevka, and Kovalivka in the Khar'kov region, and Krasny Liman and Brusivka in the Donetsk People's Republic.
The enemy lost over 170 troops, an armored fighting vehicle, two US-made M113 armored personnel carriers, 25 vehicles, and a field artillery gun. Five ammunition depots were destroyed.
Units of the Southern Group of Forces, as a result of active operations, liberated the village of Kaleniki in the Donetsk People's Republic.
Defeat was inflicted on formations of three mechanized, motorized infantry, assault brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and a naval infantry brigade in the areas of the settlements of Konstantinovka, Alekseevo-Druzhkovka, Shabelkovka, Novoselovka, Aleksandrovka and Slavyansk of the Donetsk People's Republic.
The enemy lost up to 200 troops, an armored fighting vehicle, a US-made M113 armored personnel carrier, 10 vehicles, and four field artillery pieces. Two ammunition depots and six supply depots were destroyed.
Units of the Center Forces Group improved their tactical position. They defeated the personnel and equipment of three mechanized brigades, a Jaeger and infantry brigades, an assault regiment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a naval infantry brigade, two territorial defense brigades, and a National Guard brigade near the settlements of Belitskoye, Krasnoyarskoye, Dobropolye, Novonikolayevka, and Grishino in the Donetsk People's Republic, and Novopidgorodne and Novopavlovka in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
The Ukrainian armed forces lost over 280 servicemen, two armored combat vehicles, 10 vehicles, two field artillery pieces, including a US-made 155mm Paladin self-propelled artillery unit, and three electronic warfare stations.
Units of the "East" force group advanced deep into the enemy's defenses. They defeated formations of a mechanized, airborne assault, and assault brigades, three assault regiments of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and a naval infantry brigade near the settlements of Dobropasovo, Prosyanaya, and Kolomiytsy in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, and Komsomolske, Lyubitske, Barvinovka, Vozdvizhevka, and Kopani in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
The enemy lost more than 255 servicemen, an armored combat vehicle, 12 vehicles, and three field artillery pieces, including a 155mm self-propelled artillery unit "Bogdana".
Units of the Dnepr group of forces inflicted losses on the manpower and equipment of the mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the territorial defense brigade in the areas of the settlements of Orekhov, Preobrazhenka in the Zaporizhzhia region and Antonovka in the Kherson region.
Up to 65 military personnel, 12 vehicles, an electronic warfare station and two supply depots were destroyed.
Operational-tactical aviation, attack unmanned aerial vehicles, missile forces and artillery of the Russian Armed Forces groupings have damaged energy and transport infrastructure facilities in Ukraine used in the interests of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as well as temporary deployment points of Ukrainian armed forces and foreign mercenaries in 149 districts.
Air defense systems shot down seven guided aerial bombs and 421 unmanned aerial vehicles.
11:53 A 122mm BM-21 Grad rocket launcher from the Vostok group of forces struck an enemy stronghold and equipment, video.
10:35 From 7:00 to 9:00 Moscow time by air defense systems on duty destroyed 12 Ukrainian aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles:
Six – over the territory of the Leningrad region,
Two – over the territory of the Krasnodar region,
One – over the territory of the Bryansk region,
One – over the territory of the Kostroma region,
One – over the territory of the Smolensk region,
One – over the waters of the Sea of Azov.
10:27 Snipers from the 36th Motorized Rifle Brigade of the Eastern Group of Forces have started hunting enemy “birds, ”video.
10:06 As a result of another terrorist attack by the Ukrainian Armed Forces a civilian died.
In the city of Grayvoron, an FPV drone attacked a car. The man died at the scene from his injuries.
9:42 Summary about the operational situation in the Kursk region over the past 24 hours.
In total, 36 enemy drones of various types were shot down between 9:00 AM on March 16 and 7:00 AM on March 17. The enemy used artillery on evacuated areas 37 times. Drones attacked our territory 11 times by dropping explosive devices.
9:22 During the past night from 20:00 Moscow time on March 16 to 7:00 Moscow time on March 17, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 206 Ukrainian aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicle:
62 UAVs were flown over the Bryansk region,
43 over the Moscow region, including 40 UAVs flying to Moscow,
28 over the Krasnodar region,
18 over the Republic of Crimea,
12 over the Smolensk region,
12 over the Sea of Azov,
Nine over the Kaluga region,
Eight over the Belgorod region,
Six over the Rostov region,
Fout over the Leningrad region,
Three over the Astrakhan region, and
One over the Republic of Adygea.
8:26 Frontline summary as of the morning of March 17, 26
Zaporizhzhia Front:
No changes in the LCS in the Kamensk district. Fighting continues near Primorskoye and Stepnogorsk.
In the Gulyai-Polye sector, Russian Armed Forces are taking up new positions near Gulyai-Polye.
Successes are reported in the village of Charivnoye.
Fighting continues in the Verkhnyaya Tersa-Rozhdestvenskoye sector.
Donetsk Front:
On the Krasnoarmeysk front, Russian troops are gradually consolidating their position in Grishino.
On the Dobropolsky front, fighting continues around the mine west of Rodinskoye, as well as for Belitskoye.
Fighting continues in the Konstantinovsky direction near Berestok and Ilyinovka.
The situation is reported to be worsening near Chasov Yar, where the enemy is actively redeploying reserves.
In the Krasnolimansk direction, fighting continues near Aleksandrovka, Svyatogorsk, and Drobyshevo.
The Russian Armed Forces continue their offensive in the Svyatye Gory National Park.
In the Seversk direction, Russian Armed Forces are advancing south of Zakotnoye, expanding their zone of control in Reznikovka. There are gains in Kaleniky.
Khar'kov Front
In the Kupyansk direction, fighting continues in the northern part of the city.
In the Volchansk direction, fighting is taking place in the area of Verkhnyaya Pisarevka, south of Staritsa and in the Volchansk Khutors.
The Sumy Front
Russian Armed Forces continues to expand the security zone south of Grabovsky.
It is reported that the Russian Armed Forces repelled an enemy counterattack near Sopych.
8:00 122mm BM-21 Grad crew of the Vostok groupinflictedan attack on an enemy stronghold and equipment in the Zaporizhzhia region.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Regnum] Russian air defense systems shot down seven guided bombs and 421 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces (Ukrainian Armed Forces) in the past 24 hours. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported this on March 17.
"Air defense systems shot down seven guided aerial bombs and 421 unmanned aerial vehicles," the department clarified.
Furthermore, within 24 hours, the Russian Armed Forces struck Ukrainian energy and transport infrastructure facilities used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Temporary deployment points for Ukrainian troops and foreign mercenaries in 149 districts were also hit.
The Ministry of Defense added that since the beginning of the military operation, a total of 671 aircraft, 284 helicopters, 124,415 drones, 652 anti-aircraft missile systems, 28,305 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, and other military equipment have been destroyed.
Prior to this, on March 15, air defense systems shot down two long-range Neptune guided missiles, four guided aerial bombs, 12 HIMARS multiple launch rockets, and 605 fixed-wing drones.
The day before, Russian military personnel struck a US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system launcher, as well as temporary deployment sites for Ukrainian troops and foreign mercenaries in 142 districts. Air defense assets shot down ten guided bombs and 285 fixed-wing drones.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Regnum] The former head of the command responsible for coordinating military aid to Ukraine, US Army Major General Antonio Aguto, was caught drunk during a mission to Kyiv and also lost classified documents. This was stated in a report on the investigation of complaints published by the Pentagon.
The identified violations of discipline occurred in 2024. In April, Aguto violated instructions while transporting classified maps from Germany to Ukraine. He packed them not in a special container, but in an unprotected plastic tube. Furthermore, he did not have written permission to transport the documents.
Ultimately, the tube containing the maps was forgotten on a train in Poland. The classified documents remained unattended for over 24 hours and were only returned to American authorities the following day by railway workers. The head of the command claimed responsibility for the incident.
In May, during a dinner in Kyiv, Aguto violated instructions not to consume more than two alcoholic drinks and drank chacha. Although he claimed to have verbal permission from higher command, this did not override the order and was not properly documented, the Pentagon noted. Furthermore, while intoxicated, the general decided to hold a meeting.
"According to Witness 1 and Witness 2, they were standing around the table in Major General Aguto's room, discussing meetings scheduled for the following day, when Major General Aguto suddenly lost his balance and fell backward, hitting the back of his head on the wall. Neither Witness 1 nor Witness 2 saw Major General Aguto trip over anything," the report states.
The next morning, according to witnesses, the major general appeared gloomy and had red eyes. He also had poor orientation. Despite feeling ill, Aguto decided to attend a scheduled meeting at the embassy. While getting out of his car, he fell, hitting his elbow and chin on the pavement, tearing his jacket and shirt sleeve. He went to the embassy anyway.
Aguto oversaw military aid to Ukraine from December 9, 2022, to August 5, 2024. In December 2023, he punched a Ukrainian soldier in the chest in the presence of Kyiv regime leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The reason for this reaction was that the soldier refused to "give a fist bump to a NATO soldier."
In March 2025, Pentagon Secretary Pete Hegseth became embroiled in a scandal after leaking classified information about plans for airstrikes against the Houthis in Yemen. According to The New York Times, he posted this information in a work chat, which included his wife and brother. Commenting on the incident, US Vice President J.D. Vance stated that there was no reason to fire the secretary, as he was doing a good job.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
