In an intense aerial confrontation, Ukraine and Russia exchanged significant drone strikes overnight Saturday. Both nations reported the deployment of over 100 enemy drones over their territories. This escalation comes shortly after a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, aimed at discussing a 30-day ceasefire in the ongoing conflict.
Governor Andrei Bocharov of Volgograd region stated that falling debris from drones caused a fire in the Krasnoarmeysky district, near a Lukoil oil refinery. However, no casualties were reported, and nearby airports temporarily halted their operations, as indicated by local media. This refinery has been a repeated target for Ukrainian forces since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion over three years ago, with one of the most recent attacks occurring in February.
Russia’s Defense Ministry reported that its forces successfully downed 126 Ukrainian drones, with 64 intercepted over the Volgograd region. Additional drones were neutralized in the Voronezh, Belgorod, Bryansk, Rostov, and Kursk regions, according to officials.
Simultaneously, Ukraine’s air force noted a significant drone assault from Russia, with 178 drones launched towards their territory overnight. The assault comprised both Shahed-type attack drones and others designed to confuse air defense systems. Ukrainian forces managed to shoot down 130 drones, while 38 failed to reach their designated targets.
