Russian drone attack on Zaporizhia killed a family and injured twelve people

On the evening of Friday, March 21, Russian forces launched an attack on Zaporizhzhia using Iranian-made kamikaze drones. The attack caused multiple explosions in the city, resulting in damaged houses and civilian casualties.

According to local authorities, 13 people were injured, and three were killed. Among the victims was a 17-year-old girl whose body was recovered from the rubble by rescuers. Later, the rescue teams discovered the body of her 41-year-old father. The 38-year-old mother of the girl died later due to the injuries.

Among the 12 injured victims is a 9-month-old infant, while one woman remains in extremely critical condition. Emergency response teams continue to work at the site of the attack.

Fallen Russian drone debris causes a fire on a residential building in Kyiv

On the evening of March 21, Russian forces launched an attack on Kyiv using drones, causing damage in the city's Podilskyi district.

According to Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, debris from a downed drone ignited a fire on the third floor of a four-story building. Emergency services responded quickly, evacuating four people from the affected building.

Firefighters managed to contain the blaze, and no casualties have been reported so far. Authorities continue to assess the situation.

The key points of the US special envoy Steve Wittkoof with Tucker Carlson

On March 21, 2025, Tucker Carlson interviewed Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump’s special envoy, discussing efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict. Here are Witkoffs main statements he made during the interview:

• The goal of the current talks is a 30-day ceasefire with a view to negotiating a full ceasefire during that period.
• The moratorium on naval strikes in the Black Sea will be implemented in the next week or so.
• There are still some details to be discussed on the bilateral energy infrastructure ceasefire.
• The US is focused on results and an agreement that the Ukrainian people can live with.
• Now is the best time to reach an agreement that Trump can implement.
• Ukraine has agreed to hold presidential elections. They will take place.
• Trump and Putin can meet in the coming months.
• The biggest problem in resolving the war is Crimea and the “so-called four regions: Donbas, Luhansk and two others” and the willingness to recognize them as Russian.
• Ukraine cannot join NATO because of the position of Russia and the United States, but the issue of providing it with security guarantees similar to Article 5 of the Alliance's Collective Defense Treaty remains open.

Upcoming Ukraine-US talks in Saudi Arabia will focus on how the ceasefire should look like

Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has clarified that the upcoming talks in Saudi Arabia will focus on technical discussions regarding ceasefire proposals, treating them as a bilateral Ukrainian-American negotiation rather than a broader political dialogue.

According to Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi, the meeting will center on the practical implementation of political-level decisions, addressing oversight, monitoring, and operational details. He emphasized that Ukraine is not involved in any direct U.S.-Russia talks, stating, "It's their choice. But we're preparing for the talks in Saudi Arabia as a bilateral Ukrainian-American event."

The discussions will include a military component, and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha will not be attending.

Kremlin claims it is not targeting Ukraine's energy facilities according to the agreement

Despite the Kremlin’s claim that Putin’s order to halt attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure is being observed, Russian forces have continued to strike Ukrainian cities, causing civilian casualties and damage.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reiterated on March 21 that Russian troops are "refraining from striking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure" under an agreement between the U.S. and Russia. However, within the past 24 hours, Russian attacks have hit Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, and Kropyvnytskyi, killing and injuring civilians, including children.

The so-called ceasefire does not appear to extend to civilian areas, as Moscow continues its intensive drone and missile campaign across Ukraine.

Putin wants to use peace talks to get concessions from Ukraine and US

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing Russians for a prolonged war in Ukraine while attempting to use upcoming ceasefire negotiations to extract preemptive concessions from Ukraine and the United States. The Kremlin has intensified narratives about the complexity of peace talks, the illegitimacy of Ukrainian leadership, and divisions between the US and Europe, reinforcing the idea that Russia will only agree to peace on its own terms. Putin has also warned Russian business leaders that the war will not end soon and that they must prepare for a long-term conflict.

As part of this strategy, Russia’s Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu has reiterated demands that Ukraine revoke its 2022 decree banning talks with Moscow before any discussions can take place. The Kremlin is also pressuring Ukraine to amend its constitution to acknowledge Russian control over occupied territories, including Crimea, Sevastopol, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts. These demands indicate that Moscow is not interested in genuine peace but in securing recognition of its territorial conquests before negotiations begin.

Furthermore, Russian officials are working to undermine Western unity by exacerbating tensions between the US and Europe. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov recently claimed that European militarization contradicts the supposed peace efforts of Putin and Trump, framing Europe as a "war party." This manipulation aims to weaken NATO cohesion and reduce Western support for Ukraine. Given these tactics, Ukraine and its allies must remain firm in their stance and avoid any one-sided compromises that could legitimize Russia’s illegal occupation of Ukrainian territory.