* Economy
* Sports
* Culture
{{dayPoint.date | date : 'd MMMM yyyy'}}
{{newsPoint.date \* 1000 | date : 'HH:mm'}} {{newsPoint.mark}}
{{newsPoint.title}}
{{newsPoint.title+ ' '}}
{{newsPoint.subtitle}}
All news
Press review: Europe pushes for Ukraine peace as Israel warns of renewed Gaza operation
=======================================================================================
Top stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, March 4th
© AP Photo/Virginia Mayo, File
MOSCOW, March 4. /TASS/. An end to US military support could ultimately cause the Ukrainian army to collapse; Europe continues to explore initiatives for Ukraine; and Israel warns of resuming military operations against Hamas. These stories have topped Tuesday’s newspaper headlines across Russia.
[Izvestia: What consequences to US military support halt could mean for Ukrainian army?](https://iz.ru/1848331/leonid-samuna/zakryvaiut-lavochku-ssha-mogut-polnostiu-ostanovit-voennuiu-pomoshch-ukraine)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Ukrainian armed forces’ combat capacity will sharply decrease in case Washington ends support to Kiev. Discussions of a radical shift in the United States’ Ukraine policy began after Vladimir Zelensky’s unsuccessful visit to the White House. Apart from ending military supplies, the US may stop the training of Ukrainian troops, Izvestia notes.
Read also
[Ukraine lacks troops to continue combat, US cannot provide enough arms, money, says Vance](https://tass.com/world/1921983)
In fact, Washington has already taken a number of measures against Kiev. The US Department of State decided to stop support for the repair of Ukraine’s energy grid. Apart from that, the Pentagon chief ordered US Cyber Command to halt all activities against Russia, including offensive cyber operations.
The Ukrainian army’s further capabilities will depend on the level to which the US reduces assistance, former Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolay Azarov believes. "The Ukrainian armed forces will not collapse at once but their efficiency will decline sharply. The United States is not just providing weapons to Ukraine. It is also providing intelligence in a real-time manner, coordinating strikes via the Starlink system and satellite networks.
Without this support, Ukrainian air defenses and missile systems will lose precision, while the army command will be deprived of the opportunity to see the full picture of what is happening along the line of combat," the ex-Ukrainian premier pointed out. If the Starlink system is turned off right now and intelligence stops coming in, the Ukrainian army’s collapse will be inevitable, Mikhail Mironyuk, associate professor with the Department of Politics and Management at the Higher School of Economics, said.
However, the expert is confident that Washington will continue covert supplies in order to maintain the minimum resilience of the Ukrainian army, but publicly, it will distance itself from Kiev. "The US has plenty of opportunities to make life difficult for the Ukrainian armed forces and the Main Directorate of Intelligence by undermining the sustainability of resistance, which could have unpredictable consequences. Still, the US does not want resistance to collapse. Even despite a public blowup between Kiev and Washington, the United States is not ready to abandon the Ukraine asset because it will indicate a recognition of its own failure, too. No one there will do such a thing," Mironyuk emphasized.
Media: Europe seeking peace efforts for Ukraine
-----------------------------------------------
A partial ceasefire in the air and at sea between Russia and Ukraine, as well as a suspension of strikes on energy infrastructure, will allow Ukraine and its allies to understand whether Russian leader Vladimir Putin is ready "to engage in meaningful negotiations about long-term peace," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said, commenting on President Emmanuel Macron's initiative, [Vedomosti](https://www.vedomosti.ru/politics/articles/2025/03/04/1095757-frantsiya-predlagaet-dlya-ukraini-vremennoe-peremirie)
writes.
Earlier, Macron confirmed that he and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had put forward an idea before US President Donald Trump of a month-long ceasefire in the air and at sea, with the parties to the conflict refraining from attacks on energy facilities. Macron’s initiative suggests that the Europeans are trying to demonstrate some activity in resolving the conflict in Ukraine and find their own place in the process, said Pavel Timofeyev, head of the Section for Regional Issues and Conflicts at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of World Economy and International Relations.
According to Yulia Semke, leading expert with the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at the Higher School of Economics, Macron’s plan is an attempt to persuade Trump to support an option that would be the most beneficial for the Europeans, but such a ceasefire could be used for additional arms supplies to Ukraine. Technically, restricting operations in the air is the most difficult aspect, Dmitry Stefanovich, researcher with the Center for International Security at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of World Economy and International Relations, observed. Russian International Affairs Council expert Andrey Frolov, in turn, believes that with continued fighting on the ground, such an initiative could be aimed at reducing Russia’s advantage in airpower, which Moscow would find harmful. A ban on strikes on energy infrastructure looks more promising, Stefanovich went on to say.
Most of Ukraine’s thermal power generation has already been put out of operation and repairs would take a long time. On the other hand, although Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries, pipelines, and storage sites don’t lead to strategic consequences, they still distract air defenses, the expert noted. The initiative to freeze the conflict for a month makes it clear that Europe is unable to understand the dynamics that are underway, Denis Denisov, an expert at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, told [Izvestia](https://iz.ru/1848164/ivan-dubrovin-anastasiia-kostina/znaki-nesoglasiya-evropejcy-protiv-otpravki-soldat-na-ukrainu)
. "Europe has found itself in a situation where it will only gradually be able to formulate its key positions, and those will not represent the entire continent but just some European countries," he stressed.
[Vedomosti: Israel threatens to resume military operations against Hamas](https://www.vedomosti.ru/politics/articles/2025/03/04/1095756-izrail-prigrozil-hamas-novoi-voinoi)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Military operations in the Gaza Strip will resume in case the Palestinian group Hamas refuses to extend the first phase of a ceasefire agreement and fails to release all Israeli hostages, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said late on March 2, a few hours after the first phase of the deal expired. Moreover, he also announced a complete ban on humanitarian aid supplies to war-torn Gaza, Vedomosti reports.
Hamas has rejected Israel’s demands, slamming them as blackmail and a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement. Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi said in an interview with Al Jazeera that the Palestinian movement would free Israeli hostages only after the Jewish state started the implementation of the second phase of the deal. The Egyptian and Qatari authorities, in turn, blamed Israel for trying to use hunger as a means of coercion.
Israel is using an approach of pressure in order to make Hamas accept its ceasefire terms, Lyudmila Samarskaya, researcher at the Center for Middle East Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of World Economy and International Relations, points out. According to her, the Jewish state is not ready to completely leave Gaza and is now looking for ways to stay there and maintain the ability to influence political processes.
The Israeli authorities seek to return all hostages in the first phase of the agreement so that they can resume military actions against Hamas and ultimately drive the Palestinians out of Gaza, which is what US President Donald Trump insists on, Russian International Affairs Council expert Kirill Semenov remarked.
"Clearly, the goals of destroying Hamas and resettling the Palestinian people cannot be achieved without Israel maintaining its presence in Gaza. This is why the Israelis have put forward certain changes to the deal," the expert explained. In Semenov’s opinion, neither Hamas nor Egypt and Qatar as international mediators will agree to Israel’s proposals. Accepting an extension of the first phase of the deal will lead to serious reputational losses, the Middle East expert said. "This is why I don’t rule out a resumption of the war in Gaza," he concluded.
[Izvestia: Joint Viking 2025 drill presents risk to Russia](https://iz.ru/1848160/roman-kretcul-andrei-fedorov-ekaterina-khamova/nauchat-manevram-kakie-ugrozy-dlia-rf-otrabatyvaiut-na-joint-viking-2025)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Joint Viking 2025 drill that kicked off in Norway on March 3 poses a risk to Russia’s northwest, primarily to the entire Northern Fleet, said experts interviewed by Izvestia. Even though the official goal is to practice defensive operations, the exercises also involve offensive elements, namely a landing on the coast at night. As many as 10,000 troops from seven NATO countries are taking part in the training.
According to the official statement, the exercise is aimed at practicing ways to defend against a potential invasion. However, in fact, the training of offensive operations is also expected to be held, which is clear from plans for a landing of troops, Admiral (Ret.) Sergey Avakyants, ex-commander of Russia’s Pacific Fleet, said. "This is in line with the common position of the United States’ European allies," he noted. "It’s a threat to our northern flank, and an explicit challenge to our Northern Fleet and our bases. We need to treat this quite seriously and take the relevant measures. We need to strengthen the Northern Fleet and related ground forces," the admiral specified. "Why hold maneuvers in such a defiant manner in a country that shares a border with us? This is clearly a message, as well as practical preparations," Avakyants concluded.
"I don’t rule out that these activities are aimed at distracting our forces from the special military operation. However, the battle for the Arctic is yet to come. Ten thousand troops is quite a lot, especially because this is the Norwegians’ native region and they have some experience operating in the Arctic. Provocations are possible and we have to be prepared for them," military expert, Captain First Rank (ret.) Vasily Dandykin stressed.
Divisions between the Donald Trump administration and its European allies are unlikely to affect the course of the drill this year, Nikita Lipunov, junior researcher with the Institute for International Studies at Moscow State Institute of International Relations, observed. "Washington will continue to take part in the exercises. The US is interested in that because this is a way for Washington to pursue its policy of containing Russia and demonstrate its ability to project its power via the northern Atlantic into northern Europe, up to the Russian border. It’s also in the interests of European allies, for whom transatlantic reinforcements are crucial," the analyst explained.
[Rossiyskaya Gazeta: Sanctions on Russian oil unlikely to be lifted after failed US-Ukraine talks](https://rg.ru/2025/03/03/razoshlis-bochkami.html)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The breakdown of talks between US President Donald Trump and Vladimir Zelensky leaves Washington with no alternative: if it wants to be a peacemaker, it needs to continue dialogue with Russia. The new White House administration could make a grand gesture by lifting at least some of the sanctions on the Russian oil industry, but it did not materialize; moreover, on February 27, Trump extended last year’s restrictions for another year, Rossiyskaya Gazeta writes.
No one expected Trump to cancel the price cap on Russian oil or lift sanctions on Russian LNG production projects. However, the last blacklists that Joe Biden approved right before the end of his presidential term on January 10, 2025, are driving up oil prices, which is not entirely in Washington's interests.
According to National Energy Security Fund Director Konstantin Simonov, the move to extend old sanctions was politically motivated. The US currently has no plans to change anything. The positive thing is that neither will it rush to introduce new restrictions because this would look odd amid the launch of dialogue between Washington and Moscow, the expert clarified.
Valery Andrianov, associate professor at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, believes that the lifting of sanctions is too great a bargaining tool to use without Russia making any real concessions. However, formal sanctions are not so important at this point as their strict observance, Andrianov emphasized. In particular, it’s about the possibility of secondary sanctions against Russia’s trading partners. It seems that the threat of such restrictions is now diminishing.
Still, this does not mean that there won’t be any new sanctions in the near future. Simonov is confident that the European Union will step up its activities as it has chosen to be Ukraine’s strongest backer. The danger is that, spurred by political slogans, the EU may impose sanctions without careful consideration, causing harm not only to Russia but also to Europe, as was the case in 2022. The focus of new restrictions could be on LNG.
A paradoxical situation may arise where US companies will start returning to Russia’s oil and gas industry, while European ones will continue to comply with sanctions. This would undermine the European oil and gas business, providing the Americans with significant competitive advantages.
_TASS is not responsible for the material quoted in these press reviews_
[Press review: EU boosts Kiev’s military power while London disrupts Ukraine peace talks\
\
Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, March 7th\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/pressreview/1923797)
[FACTBOX: What we know about clashes between security forces, Assad supporters in Syria\
\
The domestic security authority imposed curfews in Latakia, Tartus, and Homs amid ongoing clashes that have become the fiercest since the change of power in Syria in December 2024\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1923971)
[IOC’s Bach urges international federations to review restrictions for Russian athletes\
\
"The mission of the Olympic Movement is to unify," Thomas Bach said in an interview with AP\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/sports/1924431)
[Russia, US request UNSC consultations on Syria — Russian mission\
\
"We expect the Danish presidency to appoint them at ten in New York (2:00 p.m. GMT) on March 10," Russia’s First Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Dmitry Polyancky said\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/politics/1924669)
[Massive baby-trafficking scheme catering to foreigners uncovered in Ukraine\
\
According to the investigation, the criminal group consisted of 12 people\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1656291)
[Putin advises Gazprombank to partner with Musk\
\
"When he is finished reforming administrative agencies in the US, he will get back go back to science," the Russian leader noted\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/economy/1917323)
[One killed, two wounded as Syrian military patrol runs into ambush in Latakia — report\
\
According to the report, the patrol ran into the ambush near the town of al-Haffa\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1924453)
[France can deploy nuclear weapons in other European states — envoy\
\
Mikhail Ulyanov stressed that there was no point for France in transfering nuclear weapons to other European countries\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/politics/1924099)
[Trump says talks with Xi Jinping possible\
\
"At some point I’ll meet with him," US President added\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1924701)
[Ukrainian forces likely to pull out of Russia’s Kursk Region within two weeks — newspaper\
\
The Kursk Region came under a massive attack from Ukraine on August 6, 2024\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/defense/1924317)
[US Department of State confirm Rubio’s visit to Jeddah\
\
It is expected that he will discuss ways of peaceful settlement of the conflict in Ukraine with the Ukrainian delegation\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1924597)
[UK coaches Ukrainian officials ahead of talks with US — media\
\
The Times noted that Powell advised Zelensky to conduct negotiations with the United States in a way that would create the impression that Russia was obstructing peace\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1924699)
[Russian army liberates Lebedevka in Kursk Region, Novenkoye farmstead in Sumy Region\
\
Ukraine’s armed forces lost over 350 troops and a tank in the Kursk area in the past 24 hours\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/defense/1924547)
[Ukrainian army loses over 50 people as Russian military liberated Konstantinopol\
\
"In the Donetsk People’s Republic as a result of successful actions by troops of the 36th motorized rifle brigade of Battlegroup East the settlement of Konstantinopol was liberated," the Defense Ministry reported\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/politics/1924595)
[Central Banks of Russia, Jordan become main sellers of gold among regulators in January\
\
The largest buyer of gold in January was the Central Bank of Uzbekistan\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/economy/1922439)
[Kremlin spokesman accuses France of lying, violating agreements\
\
Dmitry Peskov made the statement in response to comments by French President Emmanuel Macron, who said Russia wasn’t honest about the Ukrainian crisis\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/politics/1924429)
[British will have to return to Russia everything being "generously given away" — Volodin\
\
According to the Speaker of the Russian State Duma, Russia now "has every reason to respond in a similar way and confiscate British property" located in our country\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/politics/1924141)
[Vance says weapons supplies to Ukraine could resume if Kiev agrees to talks\
\
"When the Ukrainians come to the negotiating table, everything is on the table," the US Vice President stressed\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1922513)
[Germany concerned of F-35 jets deal with the US after decisions on Ukraine — Bild\
\
Germany specifically fears that F-35A to be supplied to the German armed forces will be fitted with the Kill Switch system and the US will simply deactivate them if necessary\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1924493)
[OPEC+ ready to start reducing output again in event of market imbalance — Novak\
\
The minister pointed out that the possibility of increasing oil production by OPEC+ countries had already been taken into account by the market, so this did not lead to significant volatility\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/economy/1924121)
[US finds it harder to engage with Ukraine than with Russia — Trump\
\
The US leader noted that the Russian side "has all the cards"\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1924261)
[Poland to seek access to nuclear weapons — PM\
\
According to the Polish prime minister, the political negotiations with France on the nuclear umbrella are "at a very advanced stage"\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1924171)
[Syria’s interim president vows not to let drag his country into civil war\
\
"Syria will stay strong and we will not let any foreign forces or local sides drag it into a turmoil or a civil war," Ahmed al-Sharaa vowed\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1924661)
[US company Maxar cuts off Ukraine's access to satellite images — news outlet\
\
Militarny pointed out that Maxar is the main supplier of commercial satellite images for the Ukrainian armed forces\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/defense/1923865)
[Demands by US for elections, peace settlement to end Zelensky’s career — senator\
\
Natalya Nikonorova added that Vladimir Zelensky has started to recognize how desperate his situation is even before his meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/politics/1924423)
[Romania’s Electoral Bureau refuses to approve Georgescu as presidential candidate\
\
According to the Agerpress news agency, clashes between Calin Georgescu’s supporters and the police erupted near the building of the Central Electoral Bureau immediately after its decision was made public\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1924653)
[NATO looking to divide up Western Ukraine among members — Russian diplomat\
\
"No NATO ally would ever receive the copious amounts of \[funds and weapons\] that non-member Ukraine has," Maria Zakharova argued\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/politics/1815009)
[UN calls for immediate cessation of executions on religious basis in northwestern Syria\
\
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, also called on Syria’s interim government to investigate these murders and take prompt measures to protect the civilian population\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1924651)
[Russian, US delegations may meet in Saudi Arabia this week — media\
\
According to them, officials from the US administration will meet with both Ukrainian and Russian representatives in the coming days\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1924709)
[Putin congratulates women on International Women’s Day\
\
Putin wished success, health, well-being, and all the best to Russian women\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/society/1924309)
[More than two million people in Gaza have no food, essentials — TV\
\
Gaza residents have no funds to repair houses and organize shelters and "search for any available materials in the debris," Al Jazeera said\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1924495)
[Paris, London’s mediation will only complicate talks on Ukraine — Russian diplomat\
\
Andrey Kelin noted that the "chief peacemakers" - French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer - are seeking to outdo one another and "assume the leading role" in a bid to "keep afloat the Ukrainian project\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/politics/1924287)
[Canada's future PM Mark Carney has no trust in US\
\
He promised that Canada, by coming together, would succeed in "getting over the shock"\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1924707)
[Europe not to win arms race against Russia as Moscow has no intention of joining — Kremlin\
\
"We will focus on our own matters and secure our own interests," Dmitry Peskov emphasized\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/politics/1923649)
[Russia approaches talks on Ukraine in winning position — expert\
\
Mauricio Esteves believes that the primary losers in the Ukrainian conflict are Ukraine and Germany\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1916369)
[Russian army liberates Konstantinopol in DPR — top brass\
\
The Russian forces hit gas refining facilities that ensured the operation of Ukraine’s military enterprises\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/defense/1924579)
[Russia prefers diplomacy, but now must defend itself with special operation — Kremlin\
\
"But in conditions when the same Ukraine refuses dialogue and, moreover, legally prohibits such dialogue for itself, we continue the special military operation to ensure our interests," Dmitry Peskov pointed out\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/politics/1923933)
[Liberation of Lebedevka brings Russian army closer to Sudzha\
\
"With Lebedevka liberated, slightly over 10 km remains to Sudzha," the source said\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/defense/1924551)
[US against team to combat circumvention of anti-Russian sanctions in G7 — Bloomberg\
\
Washington blocked the Ottawa’s proposal to establish a team for closing of loopholes in anti-Russian restrictions\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1924489)
[Europe does not know how to resolve Ukraine crisis, Trump says\
\
The US president said that he had always had a good relationship with Russian leader Vladimir Putin\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1924323)
[Syria's interim leader sets committee to preserve civil peace after clashes in country\
\
On March 6, clashes broke out in various areas of the Latakia governorate between Syrian security forces and armed groups supporting former Syrian President Bashar Assad\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1924677)
[Poland’s former MFA deletes from Twitter his thanks to US for Nord Stream emergency\
\
On Wednesday, Radoslaw Sikorski tried to present an excuse, saying his speculations about the US involvement in damaging the gas pipelines were his personal working suspicion\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/society/1515423)
[Russia ready to show what true de-communization means for Ukraine - Putin\
\
Present-day Ukraine was wholly created by Communist Russia, Putin said\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/politics/1407587)
[UK unable to replace US in terms of intelligence for Ukraine — Russian envoy to London\
\
Andrey Kelin agreed that "all the hostile statements coming from London lack any real foundation"\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/non-political/1924301)
[Ukrainian army reinforcing troops in Seversk in attempt to retain hold of logistics center\
\
On March 6, Marochko told TASS that Kiev had been reinforcing troops in Seversk since the beginning of the week, with Ukrainian soldiers occupying the basements of residential houses and administrative buildings, hiding hardware in warehouses\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/defense/1924517)
[China, Russia to optimize visa regime — Chinese Embassy\
\
"We are now discussing these issues and will endeavor to optimize the visa regime and create more comfortable conditions for trips of citizens of the two countries and expansion of exchanges and cooperation," Zhang Wei told\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/society/1924485)
[Russia’a Ankalaev becomes new UFC light heavyweight champion\
\
Ankalaev's win brings him full circle from his first title shot at UFC 282 in December 2022 against Jan Blachowicz that saw Ankalaev fall short of claiming the interim belt\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/sports/1924527)
[US urges Syrian government to hold accountable those responsible for attacks on minorities\
\
"The United States stands with Syria’s religious and ethnic minorities, including its Christian, Druze, Alawite, and Kurdish communities, and offers its condolences to the victims and their families," US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1924613)
[Press review: Zelensky seeks talks as Europe hesitates to introduce military service\
\
Top stories from the Russian press on Thursday, March 6th\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/pressreview/1923105)
[Zimbabwe doing everything possible to join BRICS, top diplomat says\
\
The African country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Amon Murwira also noted that Zimbabwe could learn from Russia how to find local solutions to local challenges\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1924321)
[China, Russia, Iran to hold joint exercise in March\
\
"The maneuvers will take place in the waters not far from the port of Chabahar in Iran," the statement reads\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1924529)
[Hungary’s Orban questions EU’s capacity to provide more military aid to Ukraine\
\
The Brussels summit showed that, further down the road, "the Europeans would like to sponsor the Ukrainian army"\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1923843)
[Conflict in Ukraine will stop if sanctions placed on country’s oligarchs — Musk\
\
"That is the key to the puzzle," he wrote on the X social network\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1924539)
[Paris to send weapons worth $211 mln to Kiev using interest from frozen Russian assets\
\
It would be used for "delivery of 155mm shells as well as AASM gliding bombs, which arm the Ukrainian Mirage 2000 fighter jets," according to La Tribune newspaper\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1924587)
[Press review: EU opposition backs US aligned approach as Russia mediates talks with Iran\
\
Top stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, March 5th\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/pressreview/1922659)
[Israel breaks Gaza deal by cutting off power supplies to enclave — Hamas\
\
Movement spokesman Izzat al-Risheq accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of seeking to delay the implementation of the agreement on Gaza and attempting to "impose a new plan that serves only his own interests"\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1924671)
[IN BRIEF: What we know about explosions and impact on infrastructure in Ukraine\
\
An air alert was announced throughout the country at night\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/politics/1923839)
[Russia’s Battlegroup Center makes Ukraine lose up to 600 troops in past day\
\
According to Alexander Savchuk, the battlegroup’s units continued to move deeper into enemy defenses\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/defense/1924335)
[US fears Kiev may sell software for Storm Shadow missiles — expert\
\
British-made Storm Shadow missiles have reportedly become "useless" for the Ukrainian military, as their deployment requires U.S. intelligence\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1924209)
[Ukraine signs memorandum with Iris-T air defense systems manufacturer\
\
According to Ukrainian defense ministry, the memorandum provides for a three-fold increase of air defense missiles supplies\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1924663)
[Syria’s new president sets up committee to investigate hostilities in western governorates\
\
The committee of seven members is tasked to investigate "crimes against civilians"\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1924635)
[Some 400 US citizens killed in hostilities in Ukraine — former Pentagon official\
\
"We know that at least 400 Americans have died whether they are contractors or in uniform. Our administration won't say this," he said\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1737071)
[Rada abandons bill on military commissars' responsibility for illegal mobilization\
\
Ukraine declared a nationwide state of general mobilization on February 24, 2022, and has extended it several times since\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1924673)
[Mark Carney to become Canada’s next prime minister\
\
Mark Carney has been elected as the new leader of Canada’s ruling Liberal Party\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1924687)
[Russia’s nuclear-powered sub Dmitry Donskoy withdrawn from service\
\
It will await utilization at a naval base in Severodvinsk together with two other units of this project, head of the Russian Movement for Navy Support Vladimir Maltsev said\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/defense/1571657)
[Maritime Security Belt 2025 international drills kick off in Iran’s Chabahar\
\
The drills involve warships of the Russian, Iranian, and Chinese Navies\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/defense/1924633)
[Orban wants to ask Macron if it is wise for France to continue supporting Ukraine\
\
The Hungarian PM emphasized Ukraine had failed to defeat Russia over the three years when the US was in the camp of Kiev’s Western supporters\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1922959)
[Kiev not yet willing enough to reach peaceful settlement, Trump says\
\
"Well, I think they would sign the minerals deal. But I want them to want peace," US leader noted\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/world/1924697)
[Russian forces strike mercenary concentrations, airfields in western Ukraine — expert\
\
In addition, airfields with concentrations of NATO-standard and Soviet-made warplanes were hit, according to Vitaly Kiselyov\
\
Read more](https://tass.com/politics/1923953)
[Musk says Ukraine’s front line would collapse in case of disconnection from Starlink\
\
Celebrity entrepreneur also stated that he is "sickened by yea