KYIV, Ukraine — Intense air assaults were exchanged between Russia and Ukraine overnight on Saturday, with each nation reporting that over 100 enemy drones were launched over their territories. This surge in drone activity followed shortly after a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, who discussed the U.S. proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in the ongoing conflict.
In Volgograd, a blaze was ignited in the Krasnoarmeysky district due to falling drone debris, as confirmed by regional Governor Andrei Bocharov. The fire broke out near a Lukoil oil refinery, but details beyond this were sparse. Local news agencies stated that flights at nearby airports were briefly suspended. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported.
The refinery in Volgograd has consistently been a target for Ukrainian forces since Moscow initiated its large-scale invasion of Ukraine over three years ago. The most recent drone strike occurred on February 15. Russia’s Defense Ministry stated that of the 126 Ukrainian drones targeted, 64 were shot down in the Volgograd region, and others were intercepted in the Voronezh, Belgorod, Bryansk, Rostov, and Kursk regions.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s air force announced that Russia had unleashed a fleet of 178 drones over Ukraine overnight, which included Shahed-type attack drones and fake ones designed to disorient air defenses. Out of these, 130 were successfully shot down, with another 38 failing to reach their intended targets.
