Russia and Ukraine exchange drone attacks in the midst of peace conversations maneuvers

London – Russia and Ukraine exchanged large waves of attack drones during the night until Sunday when the two combatants maneuvered before Friday’s planned summit in Alaska between the president of the United States, Donald Trump, and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Ukraine Air Force said that Russia launched 100 drones to the country during the night, of which 70 were demolished or suppressed in another way. Thirty drones affected in 12 locations, he said in a statement published on Telegram.

The Russian Ministry of Defense said its troops demolished at least 126 Ukrainian drones during the night.

Temporary restrictions were introduced on flights at airports in the southwest of the country in Vladikavkaz, Grozny, Saratov and Kaluga, said the federal air agency of Russia, Rosaviatsiya, during the attacks.

In Saratov, the regional governor Roman Busargin said that a person was killed and several wounds by a drone that fell near a residential building. An industrial installation was also damaged, Busargin said.

The Ukrainian general personnel then confirmed the attack against Saratov, saying in a statement that was heading to an oil refinery there. “The Saratov oil refinery is one of the key facilities of the fuel infrastructure of the Russian Federation involved in providing oil products to occupation troops,” said the general personnel. “Its annual processing capacity is up to 7 million tons of oil.”

“The Ukraine Defense Forces continue to take systematically aimed at reducing the enemy’s military and economic potential to force him to stop the armed aggression against our state,” he added. “All the affected objects in the territory of the Russian Federation involved in ensuring their criminal war against Ukraine brings us closer to peace.”

Ukraine seems to have been increasing his drones attacks in recent days. So far in August, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that 1,117 Ukrainian drones demolished, an average of around 117 per day, which marks a notable increase in the daily average of July of 97 demolished drones.

For Ukrainian defenders, August has so far been quieter than July. Kyiv has reported that he faces 749 drones and 11 missiles so far this month, an average of approximately 75 drones and a missile every day.

Julio saw Russia establish a new record number of air attacks, launching a total of 6,443 drones and missiles in Ukraine throughout the month, with a daily average of around 201 drones and six missiles per day.

While long -range attacks and grinding first -line combat continue, both Kyiv and Moscow are also maneuvering in the diplomatic front.

Since Trump announced that he would meet with Putin in Alaska on Friday, Ukrainian officials have faced a diplomatic offensive to reinforce Western coalition in support of their peace demands.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other Ukrainian officials have insisted that any negotiation must include Ukraine. kyiv will not officially give in any territory, will accept limitations in its armed forces or eliminate its ambitions to join NATO and the European Union, said Zelenskyy.

However, Putin demands that Ukraine yield several regions, not all of which are controlled by Russian troops, in the south and east of the country, accept edges on the size and sophistication of their military and are permanently excluded from NATO.

Russia’s demands, said Zelenskyy, constitutes an attempt to “partition Ukraine.”

Speaking from the White House on Friday, Trump suggested that an agreement could include “some exchange of territories.” Zelenskyy quickly rejected the proposal, saying that Ukraine “will not give Russia any prize for what he has done” and that “the Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupant.”

“Our positions were clear: a reliable and lasting peace is only possible with Ukraine at the negotiating table, with full respect for our sovereignty and without recognizing the occupation,” said Andriy Yermak, the influential chief of Zelenskyy cabinet, in a Saturday statement after participating in the conversations with the vice president JD Vance in the United Kingdom in the United Kingdom in the United Kingdom in the United Kingdom in the United Kingdom.

The French president, Emmanuel Macron, German Foreign Minister Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk were among European leaders to sign a joint statement that expresses their support to kyiv in any peace negotiation.

“We welcome the work of President Trump to stop the murder in Ukraine, put an end to the war of aggression of the Russian Federation and achieve fair and lasting peace and security for Ukraine,” reads the statement.

“We are convinced that only an approach that combines active diplomacy, support for Ukraine and the pressure on the Russian Federation to end its illegal war can succeed,” he added.

“Significant negotiations can only take place in the context of a high fire or the reduction of hostilities,” said the joint statement. “The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine. We remain committed to the principle that international borders should not be changed by force. The current contact line must be the starting point of the negotiations.”