While Russian-American discussions began on Monday, the war continues. A rocket attack launched by Russia on the Ukrainian city of Sumy injured over 90 people, including 23 children. Russian forces targeted residential neighborhoods and infrastructure in the city, including a children’s hospital, as announced by the city’s mayor.
Russia launched nearly 140 drones and a ballistic missile last night. Most of them were shot down by anti-aircraft defense in southern, northern, and central Ukraine, but in the Zaporizhia and Poltava regions, they caused injuries to civilians, and in the Kiev and Kharkiv regions, several fires were reported.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian air forces struck a group of Russian soldiers in the village of Kondratovka, in the Kursk region, killing up to 30 Russian soldiers. And in the Lugansk region, three journalists from the Russian state media were killed.
On the diplomatic "front," discussions in Riyadh concluded late Monday evening, and a draft joint statement was sent to Moscow and Washington for approval, with the parties expected to publish it today.
A Kremlin source said that Russia's objective in the negotiations in Saudi Arabia is to gain full control over four occupied Ukrainian regions — Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson. Even though it does not fully control any of these, Moscow aims to incorporate them into its administrative borders, as stipulated in the Russian Constitution following their illegal annexation.
Another Russian government source suggested that Moscow hopes Washington will pressure Kyiv to completely withdraw from the occupied regions, thus allowing Russia to avoid costly military operations in these territories.
And Ukrainian officials remained in Riyadh for another day after their Sunday meeting with an American delegation, said an official from the Kyiv delegation. The Ukrainian and American delegations are set to meet again today, following negotiations between Russia and the USA that took place on Monday and after an initial meeting with the Ukrainian side on Sunday.
Frontline Situation
- Rocket Attack in Sumy - Over 90 people, including 23 children, were injured in a rocket attack targeting the city of Sumy in northeastern Ukraine yesterday, according to the latest toll reported this morning by local authorities. Russian forces attacked residential neighborhoods and infrastructure in the city, including the children's hospital, announced interim mayor Artem Kobzar. In total, at least 30 high-rise buildings, 15 houses, and an unspecified number of warehouses, offices, and medical units were damaged in the attack, as reported by the regional military administration cited by Kyiv Independent. Search and rescue operations continued until 10:00 PM local time and were halted overnight.
- Drone Attacks - Russia launched 139 drones and a ballistic missile last night. 112 drones missed their target, as announced this morning by the Ukrainian Air Forces. 78 were shot down in southern, northern, and central Ukraine, while 34 drones acting as decoys disappeared from radar without negative effects, reported the source, without providing details on the missile. However, the attack caused issues in several regions. Multiple warehouses in the Kyiv region caught fire. In the Zaporizhia district of the eponymous region, two civilians were injured. 14 drones targeted the city of Izium in the Kharkiv region, and a building was engulfed in flames. Additionally, two people were injured, and a fire broke out in the Poltava region following the debris from drones falling, as reported by Ukrainska Pravda.
- Precision Strike by Ukraine - Ukrainian air forces targeted a group of Russian soldiers in the village of Kondratovka, in the Kursk region, killing up to 30, as communicated by the General Staff. "As a result of the strike, the target was completely destroyed, and 30 occupiers were killed or injured," stated the release cited by Ukrainska Pravda. "The pilots from the Air Forces and the rest of the defense forces will continue to strike the enemy to weaken their military potential," mentioned the General Staff.
- Russian Journalists Killed in Lugansk - Three employees of the Russian state media were killed in the Lugansk region. Among the victims were Izvestia correspondent Alexandr Fedorchak, TV cameraman Andrei Panov, and driver Alexander Sirkeli. Izvestia announced that Fedorchak died while reporting from the front line. The journalist often covered the Kharkiv and Lugansk regions, as well as the Kursk region in Russia, as reported by Moscow Times. "His last report was aired a day before," the newspaper wrote. Meanwhile, Zvezda, a channel affiliated with the Russian Ministry of Defense, stated that two of its crew members were killed when their vehicle was hit by enemy fire. The Russian Investigative Committee launched an investigation into the incident, stating that the journalists were killed in the Russian-occupied Lugansk region. Leonid Pasechnik, the Moscow-installed leader in Lugansk, claimed the attack occurred in the Kreminna district, with three civilians also killed.
Peace Negotiations
- Russia's Objectives - Russia is striving to gain full control over four occupied Ukrainian regions — Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson — during negotiations with the United States in Saudi Arabia, as reported by the Moscow Times, citing sources familiar with the Kremlin's strategy. Although Russian forces do not fully control any of these regions, Russia aims to include them within its administrative borders, as outlined in the Russian Constitution following their illegal annexation. A Kremlin official told the cited newspaper that Vladimir Putin cannot afford to lose these territories politically, and Russia intends to consolidate control over them at all costs. "The Constitution has no mechanism for regions to leave Russia. We need all of Zaporizhia and all of Kherson," stated the official. Another Russian government source suggested that Moscow hopes Washington will pressure Kyiv to fully withdraw from the occupied regions. "Either Trump convinces them to leave, or we are told to engage in protracted negotiations, simultaneously using military force to ensure control. This would be the worst-case scenario for us, as river crossings are always costly operations," added the source. Alternatively, Russia may attempt to seize additional Ukrainian territory, such as parts of the Dnipropetrovsk or Sumy regions, and then offer them in exchange for Kherson and Zaporizhia, speculated another Russian official. "We hope to find a way to avoid assaulting Kherson or forcing a crossing of the Dnieper River. That would mean thousands of casualties for us," he acknowledged.
- Ukrainians Stayed an Extra Day in Riyadh - Ukrainian officials remained in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for an additional day after their Sunday meeting with an American delegation, stated an official from the Suspilne. The Ukrainian and American delegations are scheduled to meet again on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia, following negotiations between Russia and the USA on Monday and after an initial meeting with the Ukrainian side on Sunday. Initially, the USA planned to hold discussions with both Ukraine and Russia on the same day. Talks between the USA and Ukraine focus on territories, demarcation lines, and control of Ukraine's nuclear power plant, Donald Trump stated on Monday. The two teams also discussed a possible cessation of attacks on maritime ports.