Russia, Ukraine ramp up drone attacks overnight despite truce talks

Two people were killed when two Russian bombings hit Ukraine’s Engels military base in Saratov, southwest of the nation, overnight, killing two people as a result of Ukraine’s use of drones to bombard it.

As President Trump presses both Russia and Ukraine to agree to a ceasefire after more than three years of fighting, both countries increased their aerial attacks on Thursday.

After Russia dropped more than 30 glide bombs on the border regions, according to Ukrainian officials in the northeastern Sumy and Kharkiv, two people were killed and several others were hurt.

14 people were hurt in the Kropyvnytskyi drone attack, which occurred hundreds of kilometers from the front line, and damaged the rail network.

The most extensive enemy attack occurred in “Kropyvnytskyi.” Regional governor Andriy Raikovych, “Peaceful residential buildings were destroyed.”

According to the Ukrainian Air Force, 171 drones made up the Russian barrage, including those that fell on Kropyvnytskyi, out of which 75 were shot down. Electronic jamming systems deducted another 63 or lost them.

The Ukrainian military reported on Thursday that Ukraine attacked Russia’s Engels airbase in the Saratov region with attack drones overnight, which set off a fire and explosions there.

According to an official from the Security Service of Ukraine, the airbase also has a warehouse that houses cruise missiles and glide bombs, as well as Russian strategic bombers used to attack Ukraine.

According to Al Jazeera’s Dorsa Jabbari, who is based in Moscow, “it is significant because… the city houses Russia’s strategic bomber fleet.” This is the largest attack to date [since the war started in February 2022] and this is not the first time this region has been targeted. There has been a declaration of emergency.

Ten people were hurt in the attack, according to the regional authorities. Additionally, according to Jambari, damage was sustained to the city’s main hospital and 30 civilian homes.

This is yet another indication that Ukraine isn’t serious about reaching a peace agreement, according to the Russian defense ministry.

Following Vladimir Putin’s commitment to halt strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure for a 30-day period, this latest wave of tit-for-tat attacks comes. However, he refused to abide by a full ceasefire.

Regarding each nation’s energy infrastructure, “it’s only a partial ceasefire.” Additionally, it hasn’t yet been put into practice. According to Assed Baig, a reporter from Kyiv, “the details will be clarified when negotiations take place in Saudi Arabia in the coming days.”

Fighting is still ongoing, he continued. The Ukraine’s “red line” is that they won’t recognize the territory occupied by the Ukrainians as belonging to the Russian Federation. So until the end of the war, we’ll still be a long way off.

Soon to start peace talks are anticipated.

Further US-Russian discussions are possible on Sunday or the first of the week, according to the Kremlin, as Saudi Arabia and Washington are scheduled to discuss them in Saudi Arabia on Thursday.

Regardless of any discussions between Washington and Moscow, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated that Europe must continue to support Ukraine strongly.

As he made his way to a summit of European Union leaders on Thursday, the outgoing chancellor said, “We must continue our support with a clear position that a just peace must be possible for Ukraine.”