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- Ukraine launches strikes on Russia’s nuclear-capable bombers.
- Seven dead, 69 injured in Bryansk, per Russian reports.
- Russia executes largest drone assault of the ongoing conflict.
As peace negotiations approached, both Ukraine and Russia intensified their military actions, engaging in one of the largest drone clashes to date. This included the destruction of a Russian highway bridge over a passenger train and a daring strike against nuclear-capable bombers located deep in Siberia.
After days of speculation about Ukraine’s participation, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Defense Minister Rustem Umerov would meet with Russian representatives for the second round of direct peace talks in Istanbul on Monday.
The initial round, held over a week ago, resulted in the largest prisoner exchange of the conflict, yet there was no indication of a mutual agreement to cease hostilities.
Amid ongoing discussions about peace, the violence persisted. At least seven individuals lost their lives, and 69 were injured when a highway bridge in the Bryansk region of Russia—adjacent to Ukraine—collapsed onto a passenger train en route to Moscow, carrying 388 people. No group has claimed responsibility for this incident.
On Sunday, Ukrainian forces targeted Russian long-range bombers equipped to carry nuclear weapons at a military site located exceptionally far from the front lines, over 4,300 km (2,670 miles) away, as reported by a Ukrainian intelligence official. This marked the first such operation at such a distant location from the active conflict zones.
The operation involved concealing drones packed with explosives inside wooden sheds and transporting them close to the air bases using trucks. According to the official, 41 Russian aircraft were impacted in this strike.
The Russian defense ministry later confirmed on Telegram that Ukraine had executed drone strikes against military airfields across five regions. It noted that while most attacks were successfully thwarted, two areas—Murmansk in the far north and Irkutsk in Siberia—sustained damage, resulting in multiple aircraft igniting. Fortunately, the fires were extinguished without any reports of casualties, although some suspects linked to the attacks were detained.
Overnight, Russia launched an unprecedented 472 drones at Ukraine, marking the highest nightly total recorded in the conflict, along with seven missile strikes.
According to Russian claims, forces advanced into the Sumy region of Ukraine, while open-source pro-Ukrainian maps indicated that Russia gained control of 450 square kilometers of Ukrainian land in May, representing its most rapid advance in at least six months.
U.S. President Donald Trump has called for a resolution between Russia and Ukraine, threatening to withdraw U.S. support if an agreement is not reached. This move would likely place the onus of Ukrainian support on European nations, which generally possess fewer financial resources and less military equipment than the U.S.
Trump envoy Keith Kellogg indicated that both parties would present their proposals for peace while acknowledging that, after three years of relentless conflict, significant gaps remain between the two sides.
In February 2022, following eight years of confrontation in Eastern Ukraine between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian forces, President Putin ordered a massive invasion of Ukraine. The U.S. estimates that more than 1.2 million lives have been lost or altered due to the war since then.
Although Trump has criticized Putin, labeling him as “crazy,” he has also acknowledged Zelensky’s efforts. He remains optimistic that a peaceful solution is possible and suggested that delaying negotiations could result in strict sanctions against Russia.
Last June, Putin outlined his initial terms for an immediate cessation of hostilities, which included Ukraine renouncing its aspirations for NATO membership and withdrawing all troops from the four Ukrainian regions claimed and largely held by Russia.
According to a draft seen by Reuters, Ukrainian delegates at the upcoming Istanbul talks would lay out a possible roadmap for a durable peace, emphasizing that no military restrictions would be placed on Ukraine after a peace settlement, no global acknowledgment of Russian sovereignty over occupied Ukrainian regions, and a demand for reparations to Ukraine.
The proposed document also indicated that the current positions of the front lines would serve as a baseline for discussions about territorial disputes.
Currently, Russia controls just under 20% of Ukraine, accounting for approximately 113,100 square kilometers—an area comparable to the size of Ohio.
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