LONDON — Russia and Ukraine once more exchanged a collection of main in a single day drone strikes as the 2 sides maneuvered forward of a attainable resumption of ceasefire talks later this week.
Renewed talks — in the event that they do occur — would happen as each Kyiv and Moscow close to new data for the dimensions and depth of cross-border strikes, and as either side decide to additional scaling up long-range strike drone capabilities.
In Russia, the Protection Ministry mentioned Monday posts to Telegram that its forces downed 107 Ukrainian drones over seven Russian areas — together with 28 craft over Moscow area.
That adopted waves of Ukrainian assaults stretching from Saturday night time by Sunday, throughout which the Protection Ministry mentioned its forces shot down 221 drones — the very best each day whole reported by the ministry since June 6.
Sunday night time’s assaults prompted extra disruption at main airports, in keeping with Telegram posts by Artem Korenyako — a spokesperson for Russia’s federal aviation company Rosaviatsiya.
Firefighters work on the website of an condo constructing hit by a Russian drone strike in Kyiv, Ukraine, on July 21, 2025.
Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters
Korenyako mentioned non permanent restrictions on flights had been launched at Moscow’s Zhukovsky, Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo airports, in addition to the Strigino Worldwide Airport within the metropolis of Nizhny Novgorod, round 240 miles east of the capital.
Ukraine’s air pressure, in the meantime, mentioned Russia launched 426 strike and decoy drones into the nation in a single day, in addition to 24 missiles of assorted sorts. In a put up to Telegram, the air pressure mentioned 404 drones and all missiles had been intercepted or in any other case suppressed.
The air pressure added that 23 drones impacted in three places, whereas falling drone particles was reported in 12 places.
Kyiv was once more rocked by explosions. There, not less than one particular person was killed and 9 individuals injured, Kyiv Metropolis Army Administration head Timur Tkachenko mentioned in a put up to Telegram.
Six metropolis districts had been affected, Tkachenko mentioned, with residential buildings, a grocery store, a kindergarten and warehouse amenities had been amongst these broken and set ablaze.
The doorway to the Lukianivska metro station was additionally broken, Tkachenko mentioned. Residents of Kyiv retreat to metro stations nightly to shelter from Russian strikes.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned in a put up to Telegram that the Kharkiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Sumy, Khmelnytskyi, Kirovohrad, Mykolaiv, Poltava and Kherson areas had been all affected.
Throughout the nation, not less than two individuals had been killed and 15 injured, Zelenskyy mentioned.
“Solely actual strain on Russia can cease this aggression,” he wrote.
In a collection of later posts, Zelenskyy mentioned he met with new Protection Minister Denys Shmyhal and ordered the army to broaden Kyiv’s defensive and offensive drone capabilities.
All “wants of military aviation, the air pressure and all items that defend lives in our cities and villages should be totally met,” Zelenskyy mentioned.
“It’s essential to additionally guarantee a big enhance within the frequency and vary of our drone use in opposition to Russian targets,” he wrote. “Each website in Russia that Moscow makes use of for weapons manufacturing should develop into reachable for our protection forces.”
A customer at an exhibition takes a photograph of components of an Iranian-made Shahed drone in Kyiv, Ukraine, on June 27, 2025.
Alina Smutko/Reuters
Each side are rising the dimensions of their assaults. To date in July, Russia has launched a complete of 4,929 drones and 148 missiles into Ukraine, in keeping with Ukraine’s air pressure — at a mean of round 234 drones and 7 missiles every day.
June noticed 5,438 drones and 239 missiles fired into Ukraine, with a each day common of 181 drones and practically eight missiles.
And in Could, Russia launched a complete of three,835 drones and 117 missiles, for a mean of round 124 drones and practically 4 missiles every day.
Although smaller in scale, Ukraine additionally seems to be rising the depth of its drone assaults into Russia. To date this month, the Protection Ministry in Moscow has reported downing 2,303 Ukrainian drones at a mean of 109 per day.
In June, the ministry reported downing a complete of two,368 Ukrainian drones, with a mean of virtually 79 drones per day throughout the month. These figures had been down from Could, throughout which the ministry mentioned it shot down 3,611 drones with a mean of 116 per day.
Zelenskyy on Sunday appealed for brand spanking new talks with Russia in search of a ceasefire to finish Moscow’s full-scale invasion, in progress since February 2022 and nonetheless raging regardless of six months of efforts from President Donald Trump’s administration to pressure an finish to the preventing.
Rustem Umerov, who final week was moved from his position as protection minister to function secretary of the Nationwide Safety and Protection Council, “reported that he has proposed one other assembly with the Russian aspect for subsequent week,” Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram.
“The tempo of negotiations should be elevated,” the president mentioned. “Every part should be carried out to realize a ceasefire. And the Russian aspect should cease hiding from selections.”
On Monday, Zelenskyy mentioned Kyiv’s targets from the proposed talks can be “the return of prisoners, the return of youngsters who had been kidnapped by Russia and the preparation of the leaders’ assembly,” the final referring to his proposed assembly with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
On Sunday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov addressed Trump’s ultimatum — issued earlier this month — for Russia to conform to a ceasefire inside 50 days or face extra sanctions.
“Everyone seems to be already used to his moderately powerful and simple rhetoric,” Peskov instructed journalists. “On the similar time, he confirms his intentions to do all the pieces attainable to contribute to peaceable settlement.”
“In truth, President Putin has repeatedly spoken about his need to switch Ukrainian settlement to a peaceable route as quickly as attainable,” Peskov added. “It is a lengthy course of, it requires effort, and it isn’t simple. And, most certainly, an increasing number of individuals in Washington perceive this.”
As to a attainable assembly between Trump and Putin, Peskov replied, “It’s attainable, and over time it should undoubtedly occur. It’s essential.”
An explosion of a Russian drone is seen in Kyiv, Ukraine, on July 21, 2025.
Gleb Garanich/Reuters
“Maybe it will likely be essential for the fixation of some main agreements, which can be achieved over time, after an enormous quantity of labor has been carried out,” he continued. “However this time has not but come. This work is but to be carried out.”
“Russia is able to transfer quick,” Peskov mentioned. “The primary factor for us is to realize our targets. Our targets are clear, apparent, they don’t change. However the course of relies upon not solely on us.”
ABC Information’ Will Gretsky, Oleksiy Pshemyskiy and Tanya Stukalova and Joe Simonetti contributed to this report.
