Russia launches the biggest aerial attack since the start of the war, Ukraine says
Russia has carried out its largest aerial assault on Ukraine since the war began in 2022, according to Ukrainian officials. The massive overnight attack, which took place on Saturday into Sunday, involved 537 aerial weapons — a dangerous mix of 477 drones and 60 missiles.
Ukraine’s air force reported that 249 of these weapons were shot down, and 226 were likely disabled through electronic jamming. Still, the scale of the attack was described as “the most massive airstrike” since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Widespread Damage and Casualties
The strikes targeted multiple regions, including western parts of Ukraine far from the front lines. According to local officials:
- Three people were killed in separate drone strikes in Kherson, Kharkiv, and Dnipropetrovsk.
- Another person died in an airstrike on Kostyantynivka.
- One civilian was killed when Russian shelling hit Kherson city.
- In Zaporizhzhia, the body of a 70-year-old woman was found in the rubble of a building destroyed by Russian fire.
In the Lviv region, a drone hit an industrial site in Drohobych, sparking a major fire and causing power outages in parts of the city.
Poland and NATO Allies React
Following the air assault, Poland and allied countries scrambled aircraft to secure their airspace, though no direct attack occurred outside of Ukraine.
Loss of Ukrainian F-16 Pilot
Tragically, one of Ukraine’s newly supplied F-16 fighter jets crashed after sustaining damage while intercepting Russian drones. The pilot did not survive.
Russia’s Advances and Clashes Inside Its Own Borders
On the front lines, Russia claimed it had captured the village of Novoukrainka in the Donetsk region, where fighting remains intense. Although their gains are slow, Russian forces continue to push forward, often at high costs in lives and equipment.
Meanwhile, inside Russia, Ukraine launched its own drone attacks:
- Two people were injured in the Russian city of Bryansk.
- At least seven Ukrainian drones were shot down in the area.
- Russia also said it downed three more Ukrainian drones overnight.
Intelligence Talks Between U.S. and Russia
In a surprising move, Russia’s foreign intelligence chief Sergei Naryshkin revealed he had a phone call with U.S. CIA Director John Ratcliffe, suggesting both sides are keeping communication lines open.
Peace Talks and Political Developments
Despite the recent violence, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that Moscow is ready to restart peace talks in Istanbul. However, earlier rounds of negotiations have ended without progress.
In a major policy shift, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree to withdraw Ukraine from the Ottawa Convention, which bans the use and stockpiling of anti-personnel landmines. Ukrainian lawmakers argue this step is necessary given that Russia is not a part of the treaty and continues to use landmines extensively.
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