Russia unleashed its most intense drone barrage on Ukraine since the 2022 invasion overnight into Sunday, just hours after the first direct talks between the two sides in years collapsed without a cease-fire agreement.
President Vladimir Putin spurned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s offer to meet face-to-face in Türkiye after he himself proposed direct negotiations, although not at the presidential level, as an alternative to a 30-day cease-fire urged by Ukraine and its Western allies, including the U.S.
Talks in Istanbul on Friday broke up after less than two hours without a cease-fire, although both sides agreed on exchanging 1,000 prisoners of war each, according to the heads of both delegations.
Ukraine’s intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, said on Ukrainian television Saturday that the exchange could happen as early as next week.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he plans to speak by phone Monday with Putin, and will then speak to Zelenskyy and leaders of various NATO countries, about ending the war in Ukraine.
Russia fired a total of 273 exploding drones and decoys, Ukraine’s air force said Sunday. Of those, 88 were intercepted and a further 128 lost, likely having been electronically jammed. The attacks targeted the country's Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk regions.
Yuriy Ihnat, Head of the Communications Department of the Ukrainian Air Force, told The Associated Press that the barrage was the biggest drone attack since the start of the full-scale invasion.
Russia’s previous largest known single drone attack was on the eve of the war’s third anniversary, when Russia pounded Ukraine with 267 drones.
Kyiv regional Gov. Mykola Kalashnyk said a 28-year-old woman was killed in a drone attack on the region and three other people, including a 4-year-old child, were wounded.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defenses shot down seven Ukrainian drones overnight, and a further 18 on Sunday morning.
Earlier Saturday, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed that its forces had taken control of another village in Ukraine.
The settlement of Oleksandropil in the Donetsk region was captured in an operation carried out by the Tsentr (Center) group of forces, the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry also claimed that all other army groups improved their positions and advanced along the entire frontline.
It said the Russian air defense systems shot down three U.S.-made JDAM-guided aerial bombs, a HIMARS rockets and 80 drones overnight.
Ukraine has yet to comment on Russia's claims, and independent verification is challenging due to the ongoing armed conflict.
