Putin’s Forces Suffer Deadliest Day in Ukraine War | Russia-Ukraine Conflict News
Russia’s military suffered its deadliest day of the war in Ukraine this year on Tuesday, with Kyiv reporting the deaths or wounding of 1,710 Russian soldiers, as Moscow’s planned offensive appears to have stalled. The Ukrainian general staff attributed the high casualty count to a surge in drone strikes carried out by its unmanned systems force, which it said inflicted 900 casualties on the Zaporizhzhia front alone.
The reported losses approach amid a “situational pause” in peace talks mediated by the United States, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. The halt in negotiations, as reported by the Russian state news agency Izvestia, has raised concerns that the conflict could push Kyiv towards compromise, though the specific terms of any potential compromise remain unclear.
Simultaneously, Russia has reaffirmed its support for Iran, with President Vladimir Putin congratulating Iranian leaders on Nowruz, the Persian New Year, and pledging Moscow’s continued loyalty as a partner. This declaration follows weeks of heightened tensions in the Middle East, sparked by attacks on Iranian targets and a surge in global energy prices. Even as Russia has publicly voiced support, some Iranian sources suggest that the assistance received from Moscow has been limited.
The developments unfold as the U.S. Treasury Department removed two Russian citizens, Yurii Korzhavin and Lidiya Korzhavina, from its sanctions list. The move occurred as the Trump administration temporarily eased restrictions on Russian oil transit and purchases to address supply pressures resulting from the conflict in Iran. Moscow has also reportedly offered to curb intelligence-sharing with Iran if the U.S. Agreed to halt aid to Ukraine, a proposal Washington rejected last week, according to sources familiar with the matter.
On the ground in Ukraine, a Russian drone attack on the city of Zaporizhzhia killed at least two people and wounded two children, Ukrainian officials reported. This attack preceded expected U.S.-Ukraine talks, scheduled to grab place in Miami, aimed at reviving stalled negotiations. Most residents in Ukraine’s northern Chernihiv region were left without power following a separate Russian drone attack, with repairs currently underway. Ukraine also anticipates receiving the first tranche of a €90 billion loan from the European Union next month, despite Hungary’s continued veto of the funding.
In Russia, authorities have suppressed protests against the blocking of the Telegram messaging app, citing reasons ranging from “tree inspections” to snow removal issues and lingering COVID-19 restrictions. Activists have largely refrained from unauthorized rallies, mindful of the crackdown on dissent since the invasion of Ukraine began. Ukraine launched one of its largest barrages of drones at Russia overnight, with reports indicating that around 90 drones were shot down in the southern Rostov region and at least 27 intercepted over Moscow.