Russia and Ukraine Accuse Each Other of Launching Large-Scale Drone Attacks
[Global Times correspondent in Russia, Xiao Xinxin] TASS reported on the 25th that from late night on the 24th to early morning on the 25th, Ukraine launched the largest drone attack on Russian territory in over a year, with a total of 389 Ukrainian drones shot down and intercepted by Russian air defense systems.
According to reports, information from the Russian Ministry of Defense shows that the last time Ukraine launched a nighttime drone attack with over 300 drones on Russian territory was on March 10 of last year, when the Russian air defense systems shot down and intercepted 337 Ukrainian drones.
Currently, the high-intensity mutual attacks between Russia and Ukraine are ongoing. According to a report from the Ukrainian news agency on the 24th, the Russian military launched nearly a thousand drones into Ukrainian territory in one day, marking one of the largest single-day drone attacks by Russia against Ukraine. According to data from the Ukrainian Air Force, from 18:00 on the 23rd to 18:00 on the 24th, the Russian military launched a total of 948 drones into Ukrainian territory.
Regarding the negotiation process on the Ukraine issue, Ukrainian President Zelensky stated in a video address on the evening of the 24th that there has been no substantial progress, as the Russian side is not willing to move towards peace. Additionally, U.S. President Trump stated on the 24th local time that he hopes to see Russian President Putin and Zelensky sit down at the negotiating table to reach an agreement.
On the 25th, Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported that Russian presidential press secretary Peskov stated that the Russian side is continuing to maintain contact with the U.S. on the Ukraine issue through existing channels and is receiving information related to the negotiation process between the U.S. and Ukraine. Each round of negotiations on the Ukraine issue brings the solution closer, but resolving the Ukraine issue must take into account Russian interests.
According to the Ukrainian Truth newspaper on the 24th, the U.S. is pressuring Ukraine alongside Russia to withdraw troops from the Donbas region. Sources familiar with the negotiations stated that Ukraine spent a lot of time trying to persuade the U.S. to abandon the idea of forcing Ukraine to withdraw troops, instead proposing the establishment of some kind of "economic zone" or other plans. However, in the end, all efforts were in vain, and Ukraine again heard the demand to "withdraw troops," leading to a cyclical negotiation process. Sources indicated that the U.S. believes that if Ukraine cannot make concessions on key issues, this may force the U.S. to completely withdraw from the negotiation process and shift its focus to issues such as Iran and the U.S. midterm elections. The U.S. is willing to provide Ukraine with real security guarantees after the troop withdrawal.
Ukraine launched its largest drone attack on Russia in over a year, with 389 drones intercepted by Russian air defense from the night of the 24th to the morning of the 25th. Concurrently, Russia fired nearly 1,000 drones into Ukraine in a single day. Negotiations between the two nations continue without significant progress, as both sides maintain high levels of military activity.
- Ukraine conducted its largest drone attack on Russia in over a year, with 389 drones shot down.
- Russia's air defense systems intercepted the drones during the attack.
- The attack occurred from the night of the 24th to the morning of the 25th.
- Russia launched nearly 1,000 drones into Ukraine in a single day around the same time.
- Negotiations between Ukraine and Russia are ongoing but show no substantial progress.