MOSCOW: Russia said Saturday it had downed 126 Ukrainian drones overnight, mostly over its southern Volgograd and Voronezh regions, after Moscow rejected an immediate ceasefire proposed by the United States.
According to Russia’s defence ministry, 64 drones were neutralised over Volgograd and neighbouring Voronezh, while the remainder were targeted in Russia’s border regions.
The latest drone attacks come amid escalating cross-border strikes, with Ukraine also reporting the successful downing of 130 Russian drones over its territory.
Ukraine has intensified its drone attacks deep inside Russian territory throughout the ongoing conflict.
On Monday, Kyiv launched what was described as the largest drone assault on the Moscow region since the war began in 2022.
Putin seeks clarifications on ceasefire proposal
The latest hostilities coincide with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s guarded response to a proposed 30-day ceasefire.
Speaking alongside Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Moscow earlier this week, Putin expressed openness to a cessation of hostilities but stressed the need for further discussions.
“We agree with the proposals to end the war, but on the basis that such a cessation would lead to long-term peace and address the root causes of the crisis,” Putin stated.
He indicated that he wanted to discuss the details with US President Donald Trump, who has been actively engaged in diplomatic efforts.
The US proposal, formulated in consultation with Kyiv, was presented at negotiations in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
A joint statement released after the talks called for an “immediate, interim” 30-day ceasefire, with a focus on the exchange of prisoners of war, the release of civilian detainees, and the return of Ukrainian children who were forcibly transferred to Russia.
However, the proposal did not address key issues such as sanctions on Russia or security guarantees for Ukraine, which Moscow is expected to insist upon.
While Putin acknowledged that the ceasefire initiative was a “step in the right direction,” he emphasised that “there are issues we need to discuss with our American colleagues and partners, and, perhaps, have a call with President Trump to address them.”
Russia claims gains on battlefield
Meanwhile, Russia’s defence ministry announced on Saturday that its forces had recaptured two villages from Ukrainian control in the Kursk region, which borders Ukraine.
According to the ministry, Russian troops have taken control of the villages of Zaoleshenka and Rubanshchina, located north and west of Sudzha, a key town that Moscow had reclaimed earlier in the week.
Putin, addressing Russian troops on Friday, urged Ukrainian soldiers in Kursk to surrender, promising them “life and dignified treatment.”
His call was echoed by Trump, who reportedly appealed to the Kremlin to spare the lives of surrendering Ukrainian forces.
Ukraine, on the other hand, said it had downed multiple drones over 14 regions in the latest wave of Russian strikes.
Kyiv’s air force also reported that Moscow had launched two ballistic missiles as part of its overnight assault.
