Contents
These are the key developments on day 1,105 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Here is the situation on Wednesday, March 5:
Fighting
- Ukraine’s military said it attacked oil-pumping infrastructure in Russia’s Rostov region as well as an oil refinery in the Samara region overnight. The military’s statement said the attack on Samara started a fire, and that “powerful explosions” took place in the vicinity of a gas transmission facility in Rostov.
- French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu said Russia displayed “aggressive behaviour” by flying an SU-35 fighter dangerously close to a French surveillance drone over the eastern Mediterranean. He said the jet made three successive close passes, and said it was intentional and unacceptable.
- A Russian drone attack on Tuesday killed one person and cut off power, water and heating in Ukraine’s Black Sea port of Odesa for the second day, regional Governor Oleh Kiper said. Drone attacks damaged critical infrastructure as well, he added.
Politics and diplomacy
- Russia’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the United States’ decision to halt military aid to Ukraine would be “the best contribution to the cause of peace” between Moscow and Kyiv.
- Finnish intelligence agency Supo said ending Russia’s war on Ukraine would free up Kremlin resources to “influence” other countries and branded Russia an “aggressive, expansionist state that is prepared to use all means to achieve its political goals”.
- Ukraine is still “absolutely determined” to continue cooperation with the US, said Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal after the public spat between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He also said Kyiv would do everything necessary to withstand Russia’s aggression.
- Shmyhal said Ukraine has the military capacity to maintain its front line against Russian forces, despite the US’s decision to withhold assistance. However, he said Ukraine would continue to work with Washington via all available channels.
- Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke about a possible peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, Starmer’s spokesperson said. He said both Starmer and Trump are focused on the same outcome of ensuring a secure and lasting peace in Ukraine.
- Interfax-Ukraine reported Shmyhal as saying that Kyiv is open to peace discussions, but that territorial losses are off the table. “We do not discuss and cannot discuss Ukraine’s territorial losses. We can talk about a peace plan that includes certain stages,” he reportedly said.
- Zelenskyy said he wants to “make things right” with Donald Trump, calling their earlier spat “regrettable”. He also said he wants to work under Trump’s “strong leadership” to ensure a secure, lasting peace in Ukraine.
- Trump, in his address to the US Congress, welcomed Zelenskyy’s willingness to sign the minerals deal and said Zelenskyy had made the declaration to him earlier via a letter.
- Zelenskyy, in his nightly video address, said he had instructed his defence minister and other government officials to clarify information regarding the suspension of military aid to Kyiv, “because people should not be left to guess”.
- Zelenskyy said on X that Ukraine is ready to negotiate as soon as possible, and that peace with Russia is possible if Moscow agrees to certain conditions. He proposed the release of prisoners, and a truce in the sky and at sea as a first step to ending the war.
- Citing four people familiar with the situation, Reuters reported that the US and Ukraine plan to sign the minerals deal that fell through earlier after the Oval Office clash between Trump and Zelenskyy.
- US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent refuted the report, saying the deal is not on the table “at present”.
