Ukraine-Russia war latest: Musk says Kyiv frontline would fold if Starlink cut off, provoking Polish backlash

NewsWorldEuropeComes as Zelensky says Ukraine is ‘fully committed’ to peace ahead of meeting with US in Saudi Arabia

Zelensky sends condolences after deadly strikes kill multiple people in Donetsk region

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Russian troops have crept miles through a major gas pipeline to launch a surprise attack on Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region, according to pro-Russian war bloggers.

As part of a major offensive to eject Ukrainian soldiers from the western Russian region, some of the Russian special forces had spent several days in the pipe before attempting the surprise near the town of Sudzha, said Yuri Podolyaka, a Ukrainian-born, pro-Russian military blogger.

Thousands of Ukrainian soldiers seized about 1,300 square km of Russia’s Kursk region in August last year in what Kyiv said was an attempt to gain a bargaining chip in future negotiations and to force Russia to shift forces from eastern Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said Kyiv is “fully committed” to constructive dialogue with US representatives in Saudi Arabia next week and hoped to agree the next steps.

“Ukraine has been seeking peace from the very first second of this war. Realistic proposals are on the table. The key is to move quickly and effectively,” Mr Zelensky wrote on X.

Mr Zelensky said he would visit Saudi Arabia next week and after he meets with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday, Ukrainian diplomatic and military representatives would stay for a meeting the following day with the US team.

US representatives have already held two sets of talks with their Russian counterparts, the first of which was in Saudi Arabia.

Inside the Peaky Blinders unit in Ukraine launching devastating drone attacks on Putin’s forcesAlexander Butler9 March 2025 19:05

‘Say thank you’ Rubio tells Poland amid Starlink spatUS Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Poland’s foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski of “making things up” and suggested on Sunday he was ungrateful.

Poland pays for Kyiv to use the services of Elon Musk’s Starlink, which provides crucial internet connectivity to Ukraine and its military.

Musk, a high-profile figure in the administration of US President Donald Trump, said in a post on his X social media platform on Sunday that Ukraine’s “entire front line would collapse if I turned it (Starlink) off”.

He said he was “sickened by years of slaughter in a stalemate that Ukraine will inevitably lose”.

The US government has already revoked some access to satellite imagery for Ukraine and paused intelligence sharing, piling pressure on Kyiv as Trump seeks a swift end to the war, now in its fourth year after Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.

US negotiators pressing Kyiv for access to Ukraine’s critical minerals have raised the possibility of cutting the country’s access to the service, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters in February.

“Starlinks for Ukraine are paid for by the Polish Digitization Ministry at the cost of about $50 million per year,” Sikorski wrote on X later on Sunday.

“The ethics of threatening the victim of aggression apart, if SpaceX proves to be an unreliable provider we will be forced to look for other suppliers.”

Rubio hit back at Sikorski, saying in a post on X that he was “making things up” and that “No-one has made any threats about cutting Ukraine off from Starlink”.

“And say thank you because without Starlink Ukraine would have lost this war long ago and Russians would be on the border with Poland right now,” Rubio added.

Musk later said he would “never” cut Starlink off despite disagreeing with Ukraine.

Alexander Butler9 March 2025 18:30

Russia has carried out ‘hundreds of attacks’ against Ukraine this week, says ZelenskyVolodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia has carried out “hundreds of attacks” against Ukrainians this week.

Posting on X, Ukraine’s president said “around 1,200 guided aerial bombs, nearly 870 attack drones, and over 80 missiles” had been used by Moscow.

He said: “Every day, we work with our partners to ensure that decisions are made to provide life-saving support: air defence systems, investments in our defence production, and the strengthening of sanctions against Russia.

“We continue our efforts to bring a just peace closer and ensure reliable security guarantees.”

Alexander Butler9 March 2025 18:00

‘Ukraine frontline would collapse if I turned off Starlink,’ Musk saysElon Musk says the “entire frontline” in Ukraine would collapse if he chose to turn off his Starlink internet system.

Starlink terminals have played a vital role in securing communications in the war in Ukraine, with most battlefield positions equipped with their own terminal.

Last year, Ukraine said around 42,000 terminals were in operation across the military, hospitals, businesses and aid organisations.

Posting on X, Musk said Starlink was the “backbone of the Ukrainian army” and the “entire front line would collapse if I turned it off”.

He said he was “sickened by… years of slaughter in a stalemate that Ukraine will inevitably lose”.

Alexander Butler9 March 2025 17:30

Trump calls Zelensky ‘ungrateful’ and dodges question on whether he’s now backing Russia in Fox News interviewAlexander Butler9 March 2025 16:55

Watch: Crowds gather in Kyiv to demand release of POWs and honour poet Taras Shevchenko’s birthdayCrowds gather in Kyiv to demand release of POWs and honour poet Taras Shevchenko’s birthdayTara Cobham9 March 2025 16:30

Full story: Russian forces ‘crept through gas pipeline’ to ambush Ukrainian troopsRussian special forces walked for miles inside of a gas pipeline to strike Ukrainian units from the rear in the Kursk region, Ukraine’s military and Russian war bloggers reported.

According to Telegram posts by a Ukrainian-born, pro-Kremlin blogger, some Russian operatives walked about 15 kilometers (9 miles) inside the pipeline, which Moscow had until recently used to send gas to Europe.

Blogger Yuri Podolyaka claimed some Russian troops had spent several days in the pipe before striking Ukrainian units from the rear near the strategic border town of Sudzha.

Read the full story here:

Tara Cobham9 March 2025 16:00

Watch: Zelensky sends condolences after deadly strikes kill multiple people in Donetsk region

Zelensky sends condolences after strikes kill multiple people in Donetsk regionRussia fired two ballistic missiles on Dobropillya, a town in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region, and then launched a further strike while rescuers were responding to the first attacks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday, 8 March. Speaking in his evening address, Zelensky sent his condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims. “Missiles, along with a ‘Shahed’ drone, targeted the central part of the city. Nine residential buildings were hit. Also, the shopping center and stores were struck. Tragically, 11 people were killed. My condolences to their families and loved ones,” said the Ukrainian President.

Tara Cobham9 March 2025 15:30

EU remains committed to phase-out of Russian gas, von der Leyen saysThe EU remains committed to entirely phasing out the supply of Russian gas, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Sunday.

“I commit very clearly to phasing out the Russian gas … this is an absolute must,” von der Leyen told reporters in Brussels.

“We’ve been successful, but we always see of course that there are loopholes where we have to be careful and we have to work on.”

The EU remains committed to entirely phasing out the supply of Russian gas, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Sunday (REUTERS)Tara Cobham9 March 2025 15:01

Pro-Ukraine protesters dispute JD Vance’s account of confrontation he claims left his daughter, 3, ‘anxious and scared’Vice President JD Vance claims he was confronted by pro-Ukraine protesters in Cincinnati on Saturday while out walking with his three-year-old daughter, who became “increasingly anxious and scared” by their shouts, he said.

“Today while walking my 3 year old daughter a group of ‘Slava Ukraini’ protesters followed us around and shouted as my daughter grew increasingly anxious and scared,” Vance wrote on X.

“I decided to speak with the protesters in the hopes that I could trade a few minutes of conversation for them leaving my toddler alone. (Nearly all of them agreed.),” he continued.

My colleagues Oliver O’Connell and Alex Woodward report:

Tara Cobham9 March 2025 14:30