Russia and Ukraine exchange drone attacks ahead of Istanbul talks

Russia’s defence ministry reported that its air defence forces had “intercepted and destroyed” 162 Ukrainian drones, most of them over border regions. It said 57 were brought down over the Kursk region and 31 over Belgorod.

The aerial exchanges came ahead of the second direct meeting between Ukrainian and Russian negotiators since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. The talks are expected to focus on military de-escalation and humanitarian issues.

Meanwhile, Ukraine claimed it had carried out one of its most daring operations inside Russian territory, targeting airbases and damaging several strategic bombers stationed deep behind enemy lines.
Ukraine also accused Russia of launching 80 drones—mostly Iranian-designed Shahed models—along with four missiles in an overnight assault that struck 12 locations across the country. Images from the eastern city of Kharkiv showed damage to residential buildings.

In the southern Kherson region, officials reported that a 40-year-old man was killed by Russian artillery fire in frontline territory.