On day 1104 of the war, Russia launched fewer drones compared to previous aerial attacks. Ukraine was targeted by 83 drones, with 46 targets shot down by air defense in seven regions. Another 31 drones disappeared from radar.
An attack on a residential area in the city of Kharkiv last night resulted in eight injured. A zoo garden was also hit, leading to the death of several animals.
Russia is preparing large-scale aerial attacks, with up to 500 drones simultaneously, according to the deputy chief of Ukrainian military intelligence. He warned that Russia is now focusing on attacks designed to cause maximum damage.
Ukrainian Ground Forces announced today that a Russian missile hit a military training ground in the Dnipropetrovsk region on Saturday, located 100-130 km from the front line.
Across the border, another Russian refinery caught fire. This time, the fire was caused by technical issues.
The Kremlin claims that European leaders are only prolonging the war, and Volodymyr Zelensky "must be forced to seek peace," attributing the incident at the White House to his lack of diplomacy.
Meanwhile, Viktor Orban asserts that European leaders gathered in London on Sunday aim to prolong the war in Ukraine instead of seeking peace, while "Hungary stands for peace."
On the other hand, China reaffirmed its position on the war on Monday and avoided commenting on the tense meeting at the White House between Trump and Zelensky.
Germany is getting down to business. The two parties negotiating the formation of the future government are considering a vast investment plan in defense and infrastructure that could reach several hundred billion euros.
The situation on the front
- Fewer drones - Russia launched fewer drones last night compared to previous aerial attacks. Ukraine was targeted by 83 drones, with 46 targets shot down in seven regions. Another 31 drones disappeared from radar, announced the Ukrainian Air Forces.
- Russia plans attacks with hundreds of drones - Russia plans to carry out attacks with up to 500 drones simultaneously on Ukraine. Major General Vadim Skibitii, the deputy head of Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Service (DIU), stated in an interview with RBC Ukraine that the Russians intend to increase drone production and prepare large-scale attacks on Ukraine. He mentioned that Russia has not changed its targets in missile and drone attacks. The main targets remain the command and control system of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, aviation and airfields, energy and gas transport infrastructure, as well as defense industry enterprises. Skibitii added that Russian forces recently targeted the gas transportation system and mining units, seeking to deprive Ukraine of its own resources. There has also been a shift in attack tactics - Russians are planning attacks aimed at causing maximum damage.
- Attack on the zoo garden - An attack with drones on a residential area in the city of Kharkiv last night resulted in eight injured, including a child. A zoo garden was also hit, leading to the death of several animals, as reported by Nexta.
- A Russian missile hit a training ground - A military training ground near Cherkaska, a locality in the Dnipropetrovsk region located 100-130 km from the front line, was hit by a Russian missile on Saturday, as announced by the Ukrainian Ground Forces. The ground is used by the 157th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian army, and the attack resulted in casualties, but the source did not specify the number. The strike was guided by a Russian reconnaissance drone that was not shot down because the targeted unit lacks a warning system. An investigation is ongoing, reported Ukrainska Pravda.
Developments in Russia
- Refinery in flames - A fire broke out on Monday at the Ufimskii oil refinery, one of the largest in Russia. It was caused by technical issues and occurred near a furnace, but was extinguished, according to the Russian Minister for Emergency Situations. The refinery continued its operations. The press service of Bashneft stated to Interfax that the fire did not affect the main production facilities. The refinery, located about 1,500 km from the Ukrainian border, has a capacity of 168,000 barrels per day, with the main oil supply coming from the surroundings of Bashkortostan and western Siberia. The leader of the Republic of Bashkortostan (Bashkiria), Radii Kabirov, stated that no traces of drones were found, and production continues normally, according to the news agency Interfax. However, the OSINT channel reported on X that the refinery was attacked by Ukrainian drones.
Peace talks
- Kremlin blames Zelensky - Promises made by European leaders at the London summit regarding an increase in funds allocated to Kiev will not contribute to a peaceful resolution of the war, warned the Kremlin on Monday, as reported by AFP. The outcome of this summit - including an agreement with the UK to provide air defense missiles worth two billion dollars - will allow hostilities to continue, stated the Russian presidency's spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov. The Kremlin deems it essential for Zelensky to change his stance and seek peace. "Someone must force Zelensky to change his mind. He doesn't want peace. Someone must compel him to want peace," emphasized Peskov. In his view, the Ukrainian president has shown "a complete lack of diplomatic skills." "What happened Friday at the White House showed how difficult it will be to find a path to resolve the war in Ukraine," he added. "Zelensky has shown a complete lack of diplomacy," Peskov remarked.
Peace talks
- Orban says Europeans don't want peace - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated that European leaders gathered in London on Sunday want to prolong the war instead of seeking peace. "They have decided that Ukraine must continue the war. This is bad, dangerous, and wrong," wrote the Hungarian government leader on the X social network. "Hungary continues to stand for peace," concluded Viktor Orban, considered Putin's main ally in the European Union, as well as Trump's.
- Proposal for a one-month ceasefire - France and the UK propose a one-month ceasefire in Ukraine "in the air, at sea, and in energy infrastructures," announced Emmanuel Macron. The cessation of hostilities would not initially cover ground fighting. Details HERE.
- London denies - However, the UK denies the agreement announced by Macron regarding a one-month ceasefire in Ukraine. "There is no agreement on what a ceasefire should look like," announced the British Minister of State for Defense, Luke Pollard, on Monday. Details HERE.
- Zelensky ready to sign for minerals - Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated his readiness to sign the minerals agreement negotiated with the United States, which was postponed after the incident that occurred on Friday between him and Donald Trump. "The agreement will be signed if all parties are ready. If we agreed to sign the minerals agreement, then we are ready to sign it," Zelensky stated before leaving London, during an interview with British journalists.
- China's reaction after the Trump-Zelensky clash - China reaffirmed its position on the war in Ukraine on Monday and avoided commenting on the tense meeting at the White House on Friday between Trump and Zelensky. "China will continue to play a constructive role in seeking a political solution to the crisis in Ukraine," stated China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Lin Jian. When asked again about the meeting in Washington, the Chinese official repeated the same response and added that China "did not create the crisis in Ukraine and is not involved in the conflict." He emphasized that Beijing supports "all efforts towards a peaceful resolution" and hopes that the parties involved in the conflict will find "a sustainable and lasting solution that addresses each concern."
Other relevant information
- Germany plans huge investments in defense - The two parties negotiating the formation of the future government in Germany are considering a vast plan of investments in defense and infrastructure that could amount to several hundred billion euros. Friedrich Merz's conservatives, who won the recent parliamentary elections, and the social democrats with whom they aim to ally to form a majority coalition are contemplating the rapid establishment of two special investment funds, one for the German army given the urgency of strengthening European defense due to current disagreements with the USA, and the other for the renovation of the country's infrastructure. The amounts discussed for each of the funds are "significantly higher" than the 100 billion euros of the fund for the German army already decided in 2022 after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. Economists estimate the needs of the German army at 400 billion euros and those of the infrastructure at 500 billion euros, according to Bild. The idea would be to create these special funds outside the federal budget, by invoking a state of emergency, in order to bypass the strict German constitutional rules that limit the possibility of generating public deficits. This mechanism, called the "debt brake," prohibits the federal government from having an annual budget deficit exceeding 0.35% of GDP, except in a crisis scenario.
- Zelensky offers himself in exchange - Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with the British press on Sunday evening that he would be willing to give up the position of President of Ukraine if it would lead to his country's accession to NATO. Details HERE.
- Do Americans still support Ukraine? - A survey conducted by CBS News and published on Sunday shows that citizens in the United States are divided on supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression. Details HERE.