KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – Despite growing international pressure to agree on a ceasefire, Russian forces have intensified their assault on Ukraine, employing drones and various weapons that resulted in the deaths of three individuals and injuries to dozens more. Officials reported the developments on Thursday.
The Ukrainian air force indicated that Russia unleashed a significant onslaught of 63 drones and decoys overnight, of which air defenses successfully intercepted 28 while an additional 21 were jammed. This aerial offensive aligns with a surge in Russian military activity along the eastern and northeastern fronts, where the combat extends across a front line exceeding 1,000 kilometers (over 600 miles).
In the eastern Donetsk region, which has become a focal point of Russian offensives, Ukraine’s police confirmed that two individuals were killed and six others were wounded within the past 24 hours. In the southern Kherson region, which remains partially occupied by Russian troops, one person was reported dead and 14 others injured. Additionally, updates from the Kharkiv region revealed that 15 individuals, including four children, sustained injuries due to Russian drone strikes during the night.
Kharkiv city mayor Ihor Terekhov reported that the drone strikes targeted residential areas, educational facilities, and kindergartens, emphasizing the resilience of the city. "Kharkiv is holding on. People are alive. And that is the most important thing," he stated.
In recent days, the Russian military has executed waves of drone and missile attacks, culminating in a record strike of nearly 500 drones on Monday and another wave of 315 drones alongside seven missiles overnight on Tuesday. Despite the widespread geographic impact of these bombardments, regions situated along the front lines have faced near-constant attacks utilizing short-range exploding drones and glide bombs.
In retaliation, Ukraine conducted its own drone strikes. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that air defenses managed to shoot down 52 Ukrainian drones early Thursday, including 41 over the Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine. Regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov indicated that three individuals were injured as a result of the Ukrainian assaults on Thursday.
This escalation in hostilities persists even amidst ongoing discussions concerning a potential ceasefire. During a meeting on June 2 in Istanbul, Russian and Ukrainian negotiators exchanged memorandums laden with conflicting terms, which both sides deem unacceptable, casting doubt on the prospect of a swift resolution.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, addressing leaders at a summit in Odesa for southeast European nations, pressed the European Union to strengthen its sanctions package against Russia. He criticized the proposed reduction of the price cap on Russian oil from $60 to $45 as insufficient, contending that a cap of $30 would genuinely alter Moscow's decision-making.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius made an unannounced visit to Kyiv on Thursday, where he remarked that Russia's recent military actions signal a lack of interest in pursuing a peaceful settlement at this time, according to the German news agency dpa. He underscored that the new German government remains committed to supporting Ukraine.
Pistorius stated, "Of course this will also be about how the support of Germany and other Europeans will look in the future – what we can do, for example, in the area of industrial cooperation, but also other support."
