Russian missile attacks have continued on Ukraine overnight, despite Donald Trump warning Vladimir Putin to stop „pounding“ the country. Elsewhere, Ukrainian forces in the Russian Kursk region are „nearly surrounded“. Listen to the Trump 100 podcast as you scroll.
Saturday 8 March 2025 23:00, UK
Thank you for following our live coverage of the war in Ukraine today.
We’ll be back soon with more updates. Until then, here’s a rundown of what’s been happening over the last 24 hours:
Meanwhile, a Ukrainian soldier in a frontline combat regiment has said „it’s going to be very hard“ after Trump’s decision to pause US military support to Ukraine.
Watch this report from our security and defence editor Deborah Haynes below…
Earlier, we showed you pictures as Ukrainians gathered outside the US embassy in Kyiv to protest against Donald Trump’s stance on the war in Ukraine (see our 2.40pm post).
Meanwhile, JD Vance has said he was followed and „shouted“ at while walking with his three-year-old daughter as protests were also held in the US.
In a post on social media site X, the US vice president said his daughter grew „increasingly anxious and scared“.
„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,“ he said.
Vance explained „nearly“ all of them agreed, adding it was a „mostly respectful conversation“.
For context: It is not the first time Vance has been confronted after his involvement in the fiery Oval Office meeting with Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week.
Last weekend, protesters lined a road in Vermont where Vance and his family were due to arrive at a ski resort, with US media later reporting the family were moved to an undisclosed location.
As we’ve been reporting today, local authorities say at least 11 people have died after a Russian strike on the Ukrainian town of Dobropillia.
Five children were among those killed, the authorities added.
The video below shows an area being lit up by flashes of light and the sound of several loud, cracking explosions.
Donald Trump’s suggestion that it is easier to deal with Russia because they hold all the cards will trouble Kyiv, our US correspondent James Matthews has said.
Speaking on the most recent episode of the Trump 100 podcast, Matthews explained Ukraine may argue the reason Vladimir Putin holds all the cards is because of Trump.
Meanwhile, our US correspondent Mark Stone said Trump’s strategy over Ukraine is „baffling“, adding he „veers from one side to the other“.
„The dial keeps moving on Ukraine so much that we can’t keep up,“ he said.
Turning to the pause of US aid to Ukraine, Matthews said Trump’s comments over Putin „doing what anyone else would do“ is an acknowledgement from the US president that the actions he is taking is „weakening Ukraine militarily and strengthening Russia“.
Stone said it has been a „penny drop week“ for Europe with the realisation that America „is no longer a reliable ally“.
Listen to the latest episode of the podcast below.
You can also follow the podcast here, so you never miss an episode.
The US has reportedly rejected a Canadian proposal to establish a taskforce that would tackle Russia’s so-called shadow fleet of oil tankers.
According to Bloomberg, the US is pushing to strengthen language around China while watering down wording on Russia.
„Shadow fleet“ refers to the oil tankers concealed to overcome Western sanctions imposed on Moscow following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The draft statement reportedly shows the US pushed to remove the word „sanctions“ and wording citing Russia’s „ability to maintain its war“ in Ukraine by replacing it with „earn revenue“.
For context: It comes after Washington’s change of approach towards Moscow since Donald Trump returned to office, with US and Russian officials holding talks in Saudi Arabia last month over the war in Ukraine.
It also follows comments by Trump yesterday, in which he said he found it „more difficult“ to deal with Ukraine, suggesting it may be easier to deal with Moscow because „they have all the cards“.
He was also asked if Vladimir Putin was taking advantage of the decision by the US to stop sharing intelligence with Ukraine following a series of air attacks on Ukrainian cities in recent days.
„I think he’s doing what anyone else would do,“ Trump said.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Russia’s strikes on Ukraine show „they are not thinking about how to end the war“.
The Ukrainian president described the strike on Dobropillia as „one of the most brutal attacks“ and said it had been „carefully planned to cause maximum damage“.
In his nightly address, Zelenskyy said a state emergency service worker was among the 11 killed in the strike.
„Russia continues to prove with its cruelty, day after day, that nothing has changed for them in Moscow – they are not thinking about how to end the war, but how to destroy and capture more while the world allows them to continue,“ he said.
Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude to leaders and diplomats who have condemned the Russian strikes and „call things by their true names“.
„It’s important that we continue to coordinate all our efforts with our partners, ensuring effective defence and doing everything possible to bring peace closer,“ he added.
Overnight strikes on Ukraine are the result of Russia „feeling enouraged“ by a changing situation, Olexander Scherba, ambassador-at-large for Ukraine’s foreign ministry has said.
Speaking to our presenter Jonathan Samuels, Scherba said the war is about spirit, adding Donald Trump’s decision to pause military aid and intelligence sharing to Ukraine is an „added blow“ to the country.
Watch the full interview in the video below…
We’ve received some pictures showing the scene in the eastern Ukrainian town of Dobropillia after an overnight Russian strike.
Local authorities say at least 11 people have been killed in the town, with pictures showing the damage caused to an apartment building.
A Ukrainian soldier in a frontline combat regiment has said „it’s going to be very hard“ after Donald Trump’s decision to pause US military support to Ukraine.
Serhii, 45, said Trump’s move „cuts my heart“ and described it as a „betrayal“.
Watch this report from our security and defence editor Deborah Haynes below…
So far today, we have had the fallout from overnight strikes on Ukraine and heard from both US and Ukrainian officials ahead of talks in Saudi Arabia next week.
If you’re just joining us, here’s everything you need to know:
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Ukraine war latest: Moscow 'ignores Trump warning'; Ukrainians 'nearly surrounded' in Kursk – Sky News
