Russia’s war on Ukraine entered its 1121st day on Friday, March 21, with both sides engaging in intense fighting. Key events include the Russian government imposing a state of emergency in the Saratov region after Ukrainian drones targeted a military airfield, resulting in injuries and damage.
According to reports, Russia claimed to have destroyed 132 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) across six regions, while Ukraine shot down 75 out of 171 drones launched by Russia. Russian drones killed two people and injured ten others, including children, in the city of Kropyvnytskyi.
The conflict escalated as both sides accused each other of attempting to sabotage peace efforts. Russia blamed Ukraine for targeting an oil depot in southern Russia, while Ukraine responded that Russia continued to strike at its energy system despite a supposed agreement with the US to hold fire.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store and addressed European leaders, asking them to approve €5 billion in funding for artillery shells. He also rejected the idea of Ukraine owning the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, which was floated by US President Donald Trump.
In a separate development, Russia and the US announced plans to meet in Saudi Arabia to discuss a possible ceasefire settlement. However, European countries were accused of planning to “militarise” themselves and become a “war party” instead of seeking peace.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/21/russia-ukraine-war-list-of-key-events-day-1121