Russia launched a significant overnight attack on Ukraine, deploying 147 drones in a calculated offensive. Ukraine's military response was decisive, shooting down 83 of the drones, while 59 failed to reach their targets. This escalation marks another chapter in the ongoing conflict, as diplomatic discussions intensify on multiple fronts.
The international community watches closely as discussions unfold. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in Saudi Arabia for peace talks between the United States and Russian officials. Meanwhile, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov questions Europe's role in these talks, given some European politicians' stance on continuing the war. This sentiment is echoed by Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, who criticized a Paris meeting as an attempt to prevent peace.
On the ground, tensions remain high. Ukraine's Security Service claimed responsibility for an attack on an oil pipeline, asserting that Moscow's Ilsky oil refinery in Krasnodar was also targeted. Local reports confirmed at least 20 explosions in the area. In retaliation, Russia's Defence Ministry announced the recapture of the village of Sverdlikovo in the Kursk region and the settlement of Fyholivka in eastern Ukraine's Kharkiv region.
The diplomatic landscape is fraught with complexity. The Kremlin warned that European peacekeeping troop deployment plans could complicate future peace deals. Furthermore, Russia refuses to entertain territorial concessions to Ukraine in any forthcoming negotiations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is actively pursuing diplomatic avenues, meeting with UAE's Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and currently engaging with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss prisoner exchanges.
French President Emmanuel Macron convened an emergency meeting with European Union leaders to deliberate on the EU's response to Washington's peace dialogue with Moscow. These discussions are critical as Europe grapples with its role and influence in potential peace settlements.
In another development, the Caspian Pipeline Consortium reported that Ukrainian drones targeted one of its major oil pipelines at the Kropotkinskaya pumping station in southern Russia's Krasnodar region.
