LONDON — Russia and Ukraine exchanged massive 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 pressure stated 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 stated in an announcement posted to Telegram.
Russia’s Protection Ministry stated its troops shot down a minimum of 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 stated, throughout the assaults.
In Saratov, regional Gov. Roman Busargin stated one individual was killed and several other injured by a drone that fell close to a residential constructing. An industrial facility was additionally broken, Busargin stated.
This screengrab exhibits smoke and hearth rising from an industrial facility, which, in accordance with the governor of Russia’s Saratov area, was broken in a Ukrainian drone assault, in Saratov, Russia, on August 10, 2025.
Social Media/through Reuters
Ukraine seems to have been ramping up its drone strikes in current days. Up to now in August, Russia’s Protection Ministry has reported downing 1,117 Ukrainian drones — a mean of round 117 per day, marking a notable enhance on July’s day by day common of 97 drones downed.
For Ukrainian defenders, August has to date been quieter than July. Kyiv has reported dealing with 749 drones and 11 missiles up to now this month, a mean of roughly 75 drones and one missile every day.
July noticed Russia set a brand new file 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 help of its peace calls for.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and different Ukrainian officers have insisted that any negotiations should embrace Ukraine. Kyiv may also 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 stated.
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 stated, represent an try to “partition Ukraine.”
Talking from the White Home on Friday, Trump urged a settlement might embrace “some swapping of territories.” Zelenskyy swiftly rejected the proposal, saying Ukraine “is not going to give Russia any awards for what it has executed” and that “Ukrainians is not going to give their land to the occupier.”
“Our positions had been clear: a dependable, lasting peace is just 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 workers, stated in a Saturday assertion after participating in talks with Vice President JD Vance within the U.Okay.
Individuals 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 help for Kyiv in any peace negotiations.
“We welcome President Trump’s work to cease the killing in Ukraine, finish the Russian Federation’s battle of aggression and obtain simply and lasting peace and safety for Ukraine,” the assertion learn.
“We’re satisfied that solely an method that mixes energetic diplomacy, help to Ukraine and stress on the Russian Federation to finish their unlawful battle can succeed,” it added.
“Significant negotiations can solely happen within the context of a ceasefire or discount of hostilities,” the joint assertion stated. “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 pressure. The present line of contact needs to be the place to begin of negotiations.”
