Ukraine and Russia Exchange Heavy Drone Strikes as Ceasefire Talks Gain Momentum

The war between Ukraine and Russia raged on this weekend as both nations unleashed a massive barrage of drone attacks, intensifying hostilities amid growing international efforts to negotiate a ceasefire. Meanwhile, Russian forces reclaimed additional territory in the Kursk region, pushing Ukrainian troops further west.

As diplomatic pressure mounts, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed skepticism about a US-proposed ceasefire, while Donald Trump suggested that discussions between Washington and Moscow on the matter have been “productive.”

In the UK, Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that Putin will eventually have to engage in serious negotiations to bring an end to the conflict.

A virtual meeting, orchestrated by Downing Street, brought together representatives from around 25 countries, aiming to build a coalition willing to guarantee and enforce any potential ceasefire agreement in Ukraine.

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Ukraine reported that its air defenses downed 130 Iranian-made drones launched by Russia across multiple regions, while Moscow claimed it intercepted 126 Ukrainian drones targeting its southern and border areas. The latest wave of attacks highlights the increasing reliance on drone warfare as both sides seek strategic advantages.

Russia has ramped up its offensive in the Kursk region, an area where Ukrainian forces initially gained ground earlier in the conflict. Moscow’s defense ministry announced that its troops had secured the villages of Zaoleshenka and Rubanshchina, located near Sudzha, a key town that was recaptured earlier this week.

Putin urged Ukrainian forces in the region to surrender, stating: “If they lay down their arms, they will be guaranteed life and dignified treatment.” The Ukrainian military acknowledged the mounting pressure, publishing an updated battlefield map showing its troops retreating westward toward the border.

In retaliation, Ukrainian forces targeted a major oil depot in Russia’s Krasnodar region. The governor of Krasnodar, Veniamin Kondratyev, accused Kyiv of orchestrating the attack, stating that a petrol reserve station in the Black Sea city of Tuapse was hit. Russian authorities mobilized 188 firefighters to extinguish the massive blaze caused by the strike.

In Kryvy Rih, President Volodymyr Zelensky’s hometown, the casualty count from a Russian missile strike climbed to 14 wounded, including two children aged two and 15. The attack targeted residential buildings, leaving widespread destruction in the Dnipropetrovsk region.