LONDON — Russia and Ukraine exchanged giant waves of assault drones in a single day into Sunday as the 2 combatants maneuvered forward of Friday’s deliberate summit in Alaska between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Ukraine’s air power mentioned Russia launched 100 drones into the nation in a single day, of which 70 had been shot down or in any other case suppressed. Thirty drones impacted throughout 12 places, it mentioned in a press release posted to Telegram.
Russia’s Protection Ministry mentioned its troops shot down at the least 126 Ukrainian drones in a single day.
Momentary restrictions on flights had been launched at airports within the southwest of the nation in Vladikavkaz, Grozny, Saratov and Kaluga, Russia’s federal air company Rosaviatsiya mentioned, through the assaults.
In Saratov, regional Gov. Roman Busargin mentioned one individual was killed and a number of other injured by a drone that fell close to a residential constructing. An industrial facility was additionally broken, Busargin mentioned.
This screengrab reveals smoke and hearth rising from an industrial facility, which, based on the governor of Russia’s Saratov area, was broken in a Ukrainian drone assault, in Saratov, Russia, on August 10, 2025.
Social Media/by way of Reuters
The Ukrainian Basic Employees later confirmed the assault on Saratov, saying in a press release that it focused an oil refinery there. “Saratov oil refinery is likely one of the key amenities of the Russian Federation’s gasoline infrastructure concerned in offering oil merchandise to the occupation troops,” the Basic Employees mentioned. “Its annual processing capability is as much as 7 million tons of oil.”
“The Protection Forces of Ukraine proceed to systematically take measures geared toward decreasing the army and financial potential of the enemy with the intention to power it to cease the armed aggression towards our state,” it added. “Each affected object on the territory of the Russian Federation concerned in securing its prison struggle towards Ukraine brings us nearer to simply peace.”
Ukraine seems to have been ramping up its drone strikes in current days. To date in August, Russia’s Protection Ministry has reported downing 1,117 Ukrainian drones — a median of round 117 per day, marking a notable improve on July’s day by day common of 97 drones downed.
For Ukrainian defenders, August has up to now been quieter than July. Kyiv has reported dealing with 749 drones and 11 missiles to date this month, a median of roughly 75 drones and one missile every day.
July noticed Russia set a brand new report variety of aerial assaults, launching a complete of 6,443 drones and missiles into Ukraine throughout the month, with a day by day common of round 201 drones and 6 missiles per day.
Whereas long-range strikes and grinding frontline fight continues, each Kyiv and Moscow are additionally maneuvering on the diplomatic entrance.
Since Trump introduced that he would meet with Putin in Alaska on Friday, Ukrainian officers have gone on a diplomatic offensive to bolster the Western coalition in assist of its peace calls for.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and different Ukrainian officers have insisted that any negotiations should embody Ukraine. Kyiv will even not formally cede any territory, settle for limitations on its armed forces, or jettison its ambitions to affix NATO and the European Union, Zelenskyy has mentioned.
Putin, although, is demanding that Ukraine cede a number of areas — not all of that are managed by Russian troops — within the south and east of the nation, settle for curbs on the scale and class of its army and be completely excluded from NATO.
Russia’s calls for, Zelenskyy has mentioned, represent an try to “partition Ukraine.”
Talking from the White Home on Friday, Trump steered a settlement might embody “some swapping of territories.” Zelenskyy swiftly rejected the proposal, saying Ukraine “is not going to give Russia any awards for what it has accomplished” and that “Ukrainians is not going to give their land to the occupier.”
“Our positions had been clear: a dependable, lasting peace is simply doable with Ukraine on the negotiating desk, with full respect for our sovereignty and with out recognizing the occupation,” Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyy’s influential chief of employees, mentioned in a Saturday assertion after collaborating in talks with Vice President JD Vance within the U.Ok.
Folks have a look at a destroyed Russian fight drone at an exhibition in central Kyiv, Ukraine, on August 8, 2025.
Gleb Garanich/Reuters
French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk had been among the many European leaders to signal a joint assertion expressing their assist for Kyiv in any peace negotiations.
“We welcome President Trump’s work to cease the killing in Ukraine, finish the Russian Federation’s struggle of aggression and obtain simply and lasting peace and safety for Ukraine,” the assertion learn.
“We’re satisfied that solely an strategy that mixes lively diplomacy, assist to Ukraine and stress on the Russian Federation to finish their unlawful struggle can succeed,” it added.
“Significant negotiations can solely happen within the context of a ceasefire or discount of hostilities,” the joint assertion mentioned. “The trail to peace in Ukraine can’t be determined with out Ukraine. We stay dedicated to the precept that worldwide borders should not be modified by power. The present line of contact needs to be the place to begin of negotiations.”
