Every day we will strive to provide a briefing of the important events of the last 24 hours. We'll focus on battlefield developments, new aid packages, and any important political signals. Click the briefing date below to expand it.
Invasion Briefing: March 14, 2025
Executive Summary
On the ground, intense fighting continues across northeastern and eastern Ukraine. Russian forces claim to have pushed Ukrainian troops out of most of the Kursk Oblast border salient, recapturing several villages and heavily damaging the town of Sudzha in the process (kyivindependent.com). Ukraine’s military acknowledges a “difficult situation” in that border area but vows to hold defensive lines as long as necessary (kyivindependent.com). Meanwhile, Ukrainian units achieved limited gains in Donetsk Oblast and even struck targets inside Russia, bolstering morale. Kyiv’s defenders also withstood a massive Russian drone barrage overnight, shooting down the majority of incoming Shahed drones and preventing serious damage(understandingwar.org). Overall, Ukraine’s armed forces report inflicting extremely heavy losses on the invaders (over 1,400 Russian casualties in the past day alone) (censor.net). Allies have responded to the ongoing conflict with renewed pledges of military and economic aid, underscoring unwavering international support for Ukraine’s resistance.
Russia and the United States remain at odds over a proposed 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin signaled he “agrees” with the idea in principle but attached preconditions – demanding that Ukraine halt mobilization, training, and the receipt of foreign military aid during the truce (kyivindependent.com). Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky sharply rejected these demands as “very manipulative,” arguing that Moscow is using them to delay or derail peace efforts and showing that “Russia needs war” rather than a genuine ceasefire (kyivindependent.com). Diplomatic talks in Jeddah saw Ukraine agree to the U.S.-proposed temporary truce (contingent on reciprocal Russian consent), but Putin’s stance now threatens a diplomatic standoff. Western leaders have urged Moscow to accept the ceasefire without caveats, warning of consequences if the Kremlin prolongs its aggression (reuters.com).
Battlefield Updates
- Kursk/Sumy Border: In Russia’s Kursk Oblast, Moscow claims its troops have retaken the town of Sudzha, which had been held by Ukrainian forces since a cross-border incursion last year(kyivindependent.com). The Russian Defense Ministry released footage of a ruined Sudzha and reported capturing nearby villages (Melovoi and Podol) as of March 13 (kyivindependent.com). Ukraine has not officially confirmed the loss of Sudzha, but independent analysts (DeepState and ISW) indicate Ukrainian units have largely withdrawn after intense Russian bombardment (kyivindependent.com). Ukrainian Commander Oleksandr Syrskyi acknowledged the “difficult situation” in this border sector while affirming that Ukrainian defenders will hold as long as “reasonable and necessary” (kyivindependent.com).
In northern Sumy Oblast (on the Ukrainian side of the border), Russian airborne and special forces have been probing across the frontier. Geolocated footage and Ukrainian officials confirm Russian units made minor advances north of Sumy city in recent days(understandingwar.org). Russian milbloggers speculate that the Kremlin may launch a larger offensive into Sumy (and possibly Chernihiv) in coming weeks (understandingwar.org), though Ukrainian border troops report successfully counterattacking and disrupting some Russian thrusts near the villages of Zhuravka and Basivka (understandingwar.org). So far, Russia’s push in this region appears limited and comes at a high cost in personnel. - Eastern Front (Donbas): Heavy fighting persists along the Donetsk and Luhansk front lines. Russian forces have conducted assaults near Lyman, Siversk, and Toretsk, reportedly achieving incremental gains on some approaches (understandingwar.org). Ukraine’s General Staff noted intensified Russian attacks in these areas, but no major territorial changes were confirmed in the past day. Further south in Donetsk Oblast, Ukrainian troops have counterattacked near Pokrovsk, managing to advance their positions. Ukrainian units seized most of the village of Shevchenko (south of Pokrovsk) from Russian control(understandingwar.org), a local tactical success that Ukrainian commanders say has improved their defensive depth in the sector. Russian sources corroborated that Ukrainian forces made marginal advances around Shevchenko and nearby locales, even as Russian troops continued piecemeal attacks on the outskirts of Pokrovsk(understandingwar.org). Bakhmut and Avdiivka, longtime hotspots, saw routine exchanges of fire but no significant movement over the last 24 hours (according to field reports). Across the eastern front, Russian assaults are increasingly relying on small infantry groups with fewer armored vehicles, indicating potential manpower strains(understandingwar.org).
- Ukrainian officials also report that Russian forces continue to commit atrocities – including the unlawful execution of Ukrainian POWs – in occupied areas (understandingwar.org), further stiffening Ukrainian resolve to resist. Notably, Ukraine’s military estimates roughly 1,410 Russian soldiers were killed or wounded in the past day of fighting (censor.net).
- Air and Drone Warfare: The past day saw large-scale air attacks and counterattacks. Overnight, March 12–13, Russian forces launched a massive swarm of Iranian-made Shahed kamikaze drones (and at least one Iskander ballistic missile) at Ukrainian cities(understandingwar.org). The Ukrainian Air Force reported 117 drones (including decoys) were fired from multiple directions, but Ukraine’s air defenses shot down 74 of them, and dozens more were neutralized by electronic jamming (understandingwar.org). Nevertheless, several drones got through: explosions were recorded in regions including Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Kyiv, and Zaporizhia(understandingwar.org). These strikes damaged some civilian infrastructure (power lines, industrial facilities) and injured at least one civilian, though no major casualties were reported.
- In response, Ukraine took the fight to the enemy’s skies. Late on March 12, Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR) drones attacked a covert Russian UAV production facility in Kaluga Oblast (western Russia) (kyivindependent.com). The target was a camouflaged drone factory hidden at an industrial plant in the village of Obukhovo. Ukrainian sources claim the strike ignited a fire that disabled parts of the drone production line (kyivindependent.com). The governor of Kaluga reported that Russian air defenses shot down 25 Ukrainian drones over the region, but "falling debris" still set an industrial site ablaze and lightly injured one plant worker (kyivindependent.com). In total, Russian authorities claim downing 77 Ukrainian drones overnight across multiple oblasts (30 over Bryansk, 6 each over Kursk and Voronezh, etc.) (kyivindependent.com).
New Aid Packages
Multiple new aid packages and support measures for Ukraine were announced in the last 24 hours:
- Finland – Military Aid: Finland unveiled its 28th military aid package to Ukraine, worth about €200 million, which includes a significant batch of artillery shells and munitions (szru.gov.ua). This sizable package bolsters Ukraine’s artillery capabilities, directly addressing one of Kyiv’s most critical needs on the front.
- Sweden – Humanitarian & Reconstruction Aid: Sweden’s government announced SEK 1.4 billion (approximately $138 million USD) in new assistance for Ukraine (szru.gov.ua). These funds are earmarked for Ukraine’s recovery and development, as well as urgent humanitarian needs, helping rebuild infrastructure and support civilians affected by the war.
- Canada – Financial Support: The Canadian government transferred 2.5 billion Canadian dollars (about $1.7 billion USD) to Ukraine as part of the G7’s Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) initiative(szru.gov.ua). This innovative program uses proceeds from frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine’s budget. The infusion of Canadian funds will shore up Ukraine’s finances, ensuring the government can continue essential services and defense procurement.
- Denmark – Energy Security Aid: Denmark allocated €98 million to strengthen Ukraine’s energy sector, particularly to purchase equipment that will fortify Ukraine’s energy infrastructure (szru.gov.ua). This aid, under the Ukraine-Denmark Energy Partnership, aims to help Ukraine repair and protect its power grid from Russian attacks and keep the lights on through the next winter.
- European Union & Others – Ongoing Support: The European Union is preparing to expand its military aid fund for Ukraine, with discussions of including more air defense systems and ammunition in the next package (szru.gov.ua). In addition, a coalition of European leaders signaled increasing assistance: Germany’s Chancellor vowed to boost support, and France’s National Assembly approved a resolution to confiscate frozen Russian assets to finance aid to Ukraine(szru.gov.ua). These moves, while not single packages, demonstrate a broader ramp-up in aid.
Political Updates
Intense diplomatic efforts continued alongside the fighting. Ceasefire negotiations remain the focal point: During U.S.-mediated talks in Jeddah on March 11, Ukraine agreed to a 30-day ceasefire proposal on the condition that Russia also abides by it (kyivindependent.com). However, Putin’s March 13 response has cast doubt on the truce. The Kremlin leader said he in principle supports a temporary ceasefire “idea” but then demanded sweeping concessions – insisting that Ukraine must stop mobilizing troops, halt all training, and refuse any Western military aid during the ceasefire period (kyivindependent.com). These conditions would effectively freeze Ukrainian capabilities while allowing Russia to regroup, and they directly undermine the U.S. and Ukrainian position. President Zelensky reacted with skepticism and outrage in his nightly address, stating that Putin is “afraid to say directly” that he wants to continue the war, so instead he sets conditions that make any truce impossible(kyivindependent.com). Zelensky emphasized that such preconditions are unacceptable and accused Moscow of bad faith, saying Russia’s actions prove it “needs war” and intends to keep trying to kill Ukrainians rather than genuinely seek peace (kyivindependent.com). Ukraine’s stance, backed by its allies, is that a ceasefire should not come with strings attached that handicap Ukraine’s self-defense. Kyiv and Washington both oppose any “frozen conflict” scenario that would merely give Russia time to rearm for a later attack (kyivindependent.com).
Meanwhile in Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump struck a cautiously optimistic tone despite Putin’s equivocation. On March 13, Trump called Putin’s initial remarks “very promising” but acknowledged the proposal was “not complete.” He indicated willingness to meet with Putin directly to push the ceasefire forward (kyivindependent.com). Trump revealed that U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators have already been discussing details of a potential peace deal, including sensitive questions of territorial control(kyivindependent.com). In an Oval Office press briefing, Trump noted that issues like “who gets the [Zaporizhzhia] power plant” and what “pieces of land” each side would keep or relinquish have been on the table(kyivindependent.com). He stressed that reaching a ceasefire is “phase one,” to be followed by complex negotiations on a final settlement. Thus far, Moscow’s public position remains maximalist, but pressure is mounting: Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan added his voice on March 14, endorsing the U.S.-Ukraine ceasefire plan and urging Russia to accept it without delay (szru.gov.ua). Erdoğan, often a go-between, called for good faith from Putin, aligning with Western leaders on this issue.
International support for Ukraine’s cause remains robust. The European Parliament weighed in, passing a resolution condemning any attempts to blackmail Kyiv into an unjust peace and urging continued support (szru.gov.ua). Poland’s Foreign Minister confirmed that the U.S. has resumed full arms shipments and intelligence sharing with Ukraine via Poland’s supply hubs, following the recent talks (reuters.com).