MOSCOW: Two people were killed in Ukrainian drone strikes in Russia’s border regions on Sunday, Russian officials said, ahead of talks in Paris to end the nearly four-year-old war.
In the Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said a Ukrainian drone struck a car carrying a family. One person was killed and two others were wounded, including a four-year-old child, the Governor said.
Meanwhile, another person was killed in a drone strike on a village in the neighbouring Kursk region, Governor Alexander Khinshtein said on Sunday.
Ukraine also reported casualties from overnight strikes. The country’s State Emergency Service said three people were wounded in drone attacks in the Kharkiv region late Saturday into Sunday.
Meanwhile, the death toll from a Russian missile strike on the city of Kharkiv on Friday rose to five after body parts were found under the rubble of a damaged building, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said on Sunday.
Moscow airports disrupted
The escalation came as Ukrainian drones also targeted areas near the Russian capital.
Three of Moscow’s four airports were temporarily closed to air traffic on Sunday after dozens of drones were launched towards the city, Russian authorities said.
Russia’s aviation regulator, Rosaviatsia, said flights were suspended at Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports between 1300 GMT and 1400 GMT to ensure flight safety.
The restrictions led to multiple delays, including at Vnukovo, Moscow’s second-busiest airport, Russian media reported.
Rosaviatsia spokesman Artem Korenyako said the airports partially reopened less than an hour later.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Russian air defences shot down at least 27 drones heading towards the capital.
Russia has repeatedly shut its airspace in response to Ukrainian drone attacks during the war.
Diplomatic efforts
The latest violence comes as diplomatic activity increases around a possible path towards ending the war.
National security advisers from Europe and other allied countries visited Kyiv on Saturday to discuss security guarantees and economic support for Ukraine, as a US-led diplomatic push gains momentum.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said preparations for peace proposals could now accelerate after Ukraine shared all relevant documents with 18 national security advisers. He said the documents include proposals on security guarantees.
Zelensky said representatives from Ukraine’s General Staff and military sector are due to meet on Monday in Paris, followed by talks among European leaders on Tuesday.
He said he hoped documents on security guarantees would be finalised during the meetings and added that discussions with US representatives were also planned.
