Russia war latest: Putin’s forces surrender to army robots in battlefield first, Zelensky says

Ukrainian robots deployed into ‘most dangerous areas’ of frontline, says Zelensky
Ukraine says its forces have retaken territory in an operation using only unmanned robots and drones , the first time this has happened in the course of the war .

Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian soldiers surrendered when confronted by army robots after an advance "carried out without infantry and without losses on our side".

“For the first time in the history of this war, an enemy position was taken exclusively by unmanned platforms – ground systems and drones,” he said on X.

Zelensky said Ukraine has carried out 22,000 missions using unmanned systems in the past three months, saving potentially thousands of lives.

“This is about high technology protecting the highest value – human life," he added.

Earlier, Hungary’s incoming prime minister Péter Magyar indicated that he would end Budapest's refusal to allow the EU to loan €90bn to Ukraine, and that he would urge Russian president Vladimir Putin to end his war.

Ukraine to produce drones in Norway, Oslo says
Norway and Ukraine will strengthen their bilateral defence cooperation, including by producing Ukrainian drones in the Nordic country, the ⁠Norwegian government said on Tuesday.

"We can ⁠learn from the experiences that Ukraine is ​making ⁠in this hard-won fight ‌against the Russian aggression," prime minister Jonas Gahr Stoere told a joint press conference with Ukrainian ‌president Volodymyr Zelensky.

"It is crucial ‌that we learn from these experiences," he said.

Norway, along with the other Nordic and Baltic countries, has been a ⁠staunch supporter of Ukraine.

Former Nato chief accuses Starmer of inadequately funding defence
A former Nato chief and grandee of Keir Starmer's Labour Party criticised the British prime minister on Tuesday for failing to adequately fund defence, leaving the country unsafe.

George ⁠Robertson, who served in the 1990s as UK defence secretary before leading Nato, told the Financial Times there was a gap between Starmer's rhetoric and action on defence, and Starmer was "not willing to make the necessary investment".

Asked about Robertson's comments, Starmer's spokesperson told reporters Downing Street "completely" rejected the characterisation.

"It's vital to make the right decisions.

The prime minister is determined to ensure the ⁠defence investment plan is fit for the threats that we ​face," ⁠the spokesperson said.

Zelensky says Ukraine war negotiations are being sidelined by US due to Iran conflict
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky bemoaned on Tuesday that US-led peace efforts were being sidelined as Washington’s focus shifts to the war in Iran, warning that Kyiv was also seeing disruptions to deliveries of American weapons.

In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF, Zelensky said key US intermediaries, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, were “constantly in talks with Iran”, leaving them with “no time for Ukraine”.

He described both men as “pragmatic” and suggested they were seeking to draw greater engagement from Russian president Vladimir Putin in a bid to end the war.

But Zelensky cautioned that without stronger pressure from Washington, Moscow would feel emboldened.

Orban's defeat could unlock €90bn in support for Ukraine, EU official says
A political shift in Hungary could unlock up to €90bn in support for Ukraine and inject fresh momentum into Kyiv’s long-stalled bid to join the European Union, according to the bloc’s enlargement chief.

Speaking on the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank spring meetings, Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos described the election defeat of long-serving Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban as a “big win for Europe”.

“I expect, personally, that this will have a positive effect on the accession process,” she said.

Hungary under Orban had effectively blocked the funding package, tying its veto to a dispute with Ukraine over a damaged pipeline carrying Russian oil – a move that frustrated other EU leaders.

“With the €90 billion, we can cover the financial needs of Ukraine in 2026 and 2027,” Kos said
UK to send £752m payment to Ukraine
Britain will announce extra support for Ukraine worth millions of pounds on Wednesday as senior ministers hold a series of meetings with their international counterparts.

In Washington DC, chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to confirm a £752m payment to Kyiv ahead of a meeting with Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko.

The payment, part of a £3.36bn loan, is intended to help pay for weaponry including long-range missiles, air defence systems and drones.

Ms Reeves said: "This funding will help deliver the military equipment Ukraine needs as it defends itself against Russia's unprovoked war.

"I am proud that the UK is a leading partner in providing vital support to Ukraine, and we will continue to step up to do more while keeping pressure on Russia."
Meanwhile, defence secretary John Healey will use a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG) to announce the UK's biggest ever drone package for Ukraine that will see 120,000 drones delivered to the country.

The package will include long-range strike drones, reconnaissance drones, logistics drones and those with maritime capabilities, with many produced by UK-based companies.

Mr Healey said: "This big boost of battle-proven drones will give Ukrainian forces the capability they need to defend their people and fight back against Russian aggression."
Ukraine joining EU is not achievable in immediate term, says Merz
As we earlier reported, Volodymyr Zelensky and German chancellor Friedrich Merz held a press conference on after a meeting in Berlin on Tuesday morning.

We can now bring you more lines from Merz, who announced plans to cooperate with Ukraine on drone and battlefield data technology.

He also urged Kyiv to push forward with reforms with an eye to joining the European Union in the future.

Merz said joining the EU would be a strategically important step, but added that it was not achievable in the immediate term.

Comment | The biggest winner from Viktor Orban’s ousting is Ukraine
As the long, dark night of Viktor Orban’s 16-year rule in Hungary came to an end this weekend, it wasn’t just the jubilant crowds crammed onto the bridges across the Danube that had a song in their heart.

There are few political events about which you can reach for a quote from 1970s soul band Hot Chocolate – but today, “Everyone’s a winner, baby, that’s no lie”.

For “the dictator”, as he was known in Brussels, has gone.

Hungary has certainly won, Europe has won, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin have lost their fifth-columnist ally on this continent, and Nigel Farage has lost a source of ideological inspiration.

But the biggest sigh of relief – at the sheer size of Peter Magyar’s election landslide – must have been in Kyiv.

Cliche or not, we shouldn’t hesitate to call the end of Orban as a game-changer for Ukraine.

In recent years, Volodymyr Zelensky and his people have conducted their astonishingly successful resistance to the Russian invasion with bravery, solidarity and ingenuity – and in spite of a shortage of funds.

The EU has long had a massive €90bn ready to lend to them – to pay for armaments, soldiers’ wages, and just to keep going – but the arrangement has been vetoed by the most stubborn and intractable of EU member states.

The Independent’s associate editor Sean O’Grady writes:
Inside Ukraine’s conscription crisis as two million dodge the draft
Ukraine is facing a major conscription crisis, just as Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that a protracted conflict in the Middle East will hamper its efforts to combat Russia’s invasion.

Earlier this year, Ukraine’s defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, admitted that Ukraine has 2 million draft-dodgers and hundreds of thousands more who are absent without leave (awol).

The Independent has spoken to Ukrainians on the ground about the reality of the situation, just as pressure mounts elsewhere for the war-torn country.

In recent weeks, the Trump administration has shifted its focus from Ukraine to the conflict with Iran, while peace talks have stalled, and Vladimir Putin has launched his spring offensive.

Kremlin admits internet restrictions are disruptive for Russians - but says they are necessary for security
The Kremlin has spoken out about internet restrictions, admitting they had caused disruption for many Russias but declaring that they are necessary for security reasons.

The restrictions, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov insisted, did not represent a return to the past.

Moscow has tightened its control over the internet since the start of its war in Ukraine in February 2022, blocking messenger apps and virtual private networks (VPN) used to bypass online censorship, and shutting down the mobile internet.

Peskov suggested that some of the measures were temporary in nature and would be lifted once it was safe to do so.

Others were related to tech companies not complying with Russian law, he said.

Kremlin says Hungary's new leader wants pragmatic dialogue with Russia
We heard earlier from Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who said Moscow satisfied that the new leader of Hungary, pro-EU Peter Magyar, wants to engage in pragmatic dialogue with Russia.

It comes after Peskov said on Monday that Moscow is looking forward to “continuing our highly pragmatic engagement with Hungary’s new leadership”.

"We noted Magyar’s statement regarding his willingness to engage in dialogue.

Naturally, this will be beneficial for both Moscow and Budapest," he said, adding that Russia was not sure what the stance of the new leadership would be.

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