Russia launched over 620 drones and long-range missiles during the night, resulting in four fatalities, Ukraine reported on Saturday. The country is urging for new sanctions against Moscow to halt these unprecedented attacks.
In recent months, both Kyiv and Moscow have intensified aerial assaults, while U.S.-led negotiations for a ceasefire in the ongoing three-year conflict have stalled.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky indicated that “26 cruise missiles and 597 attack drones were deployed, with more than half identified as ‘Shaheds’,” referring to the Iranian-manufactured drones.
The Ukrainian air force reported successfully intercepting 319 Shahed drones and 25 missiles, while noting that one missile and approximately 20 drones struck “five locations” without further details.
Zelensky stated that the attacks resulted in at least two deaths and 20 injuries in Chernivtsi, located in the western part of the country, away from the eastern and southern frontline areas.
In Lviv, also in the west, six individuals were injured, while in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, two people lost their lives, and another three sustained injuries in Kharkiv, according to local officials.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed it targeted facilities within Ukraine’s military-industrial sector in Lviv, Kharkiv, and Lutsk, as well as a military airfield.
On Friday, Ukrainian drone and artillery strikes resulted in three fatalities in Russia.
U.S. special envoy Keith Kellogg is scheduled to arrive on Monday for his latest visit to Ukraine, as peace efforts spearheaded by Washington struggle to gain traction.
The Kremlin reiterated its disapproval of a European peacekeeping force in Ukraine after French President Emmanuel Macron mentioned that Kyiv’s allies had a plan “ready to go in the hours following a ceasefire.”
U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Thursday but later indicated that there had been no advancements towards resolving the conflict.
The Kremlin stated that Putin remains committed to Russia’s objectives in the war but will still participate in discussions.
Moscow asserts that its mission in Ukraine is to eradicate the “root causes” of the conflict and has insisted that Kyiv abandon its aspirations to join NATO.
In the Belgorod region of Russia, bordering Ukraine, a drone reportedly “struck the Belgorod Arena sports complex, where classes were ongoing,” according to regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, who noted that there were no injuries.
He also reported that one individual died following a separate attack that hit a residence in Shebekino.
On Thursday, Zelensky mentioned that Trump provided him with definite timelines for the resumption of U.S. weapon shipments and is expected to make a statement regarding Russia on Monday.
The announcement from Washington earlier this month about a pause in certain arms deliveries to Ukraine was a significant setback for Kyiv, which heavily depends on Western military assistance.
On Saturday, Zelensky called on his Western allies to deliver “more than just signals” to put an end to the war initiated by Russia in February 2022.
“The volume of Russian air strikes necessitates prompt action, which can be addressed immediately through sanctions,” he asserted.
Zelensky specifically urged for restrictions against those who “assist Russia in producing drones and benefiting from oil.”
Oil exports are crucial to the Russian economy, particularly given the current Western sanctions.
Western sanctions implemented after the invasion excluded grain and fertilizer exports from Russia, the world’s largest fertilizer producer.
However, prices surged, raising concerns over food insecurity.
In July 2022, the United Nations brokered an agreement with Russia to facilitate the export of food and fertilizer in order to curb global price increases.
However, the U.N. announced on Friday that the agreement would not be renewed upon its expiration on July 22.
Russia has consistently expressed dissatisfaction, arguing that the deal does little to safeguard it from the repercussions of secondary sanctions.
