Russia, Ukraine trade overnight drone strikes despite talks

Shafaq News- Moscow/ Kyiv

Russia and Ukraine exchanged overnight aerial strikes on Friday, with both sides reporting interceptions and impacts across multiple regions.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said that air defenses downed 149 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones, including 57 over Bryansk and 28 over the Black Sea. The Federal Security Service also thwarted an alleged attack in Stavropol, which authorities linked to Ukrainian intelligence and said was timed for February 23.

Ukraine’s General Staff, meanwhile, stated that Russian forces launched one Iskander-M ballistic missile from Rostov and 128 attack drones from locations in Russia and other areas. Air defenses intercepted or suppressed 107 drones, while strikes were recorded in Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhia.

The strikes come amid ongoing US-brokered talks aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war that began in February 2022. European intelligence officials told Reuters that a settlement is unlikely this year, assessing that Moscow is not seeking a rapid resolution and is instead using discussions with Washington to pursue sanctions relief and broader economic gains. They characterized this week’s Geneva meetings as largely performative, highlighting growing differences between European governments and the White House.