Ukraine claimed it struck a Russian airbase on Saturday, while Russia continued to pound Ukraine with hundreds of drones overnight as part of a stepped-up bombing campaign that has further shattered hopes for a breakthrough in negotiations to end the more than three-year-old war.
According to Ukraine’s military General Staff, Ukrainian forces struck the Borisoglebsk airbase in Russia’s Voronezh region, a base it described as the “home base” of Russia’s Su-34, Su-35S, and Su-30SM fighter jets.
Writing on Facebook, the General Staff said it hit a depot containing glide bombs, a training aircraft, and “possibly other aircraft.” Russian officials did not immediately comment on the attack.
The claim came as Russia continued its assault on Ukraine, firing 322 drones and decoys into Ukraine overnight into Saturday. According to Ukraine’s airforce, the Russian attack was primarily directed at the Khmelnytskyi Oblast city of Starokostiantyniv.
It said that 135 UAVs vanished off radar and 157 were shot down, though the impact of the Russian attack was felt in four locations, with debris falling in six places, but no casualties were reported.
Russia has been stepping up its long-range attacks on Ukraine with waves of drones and missiles targeting the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, overnight into Friday, killing at least two people and wounding at least 26 others.
Is Trump’s mediation effort failing?
The fresh wave of attacks came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday that he had a “very important and productive” phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump.
The two leaders discussed how Ukrainian air defences might be strengthened, possible joint weapons production between the US and Ukraine, and broader US-led efforts to end the war with Russia, according to a statement by Zelenksyy.
Asked Friday night by reporters about the call, Trump said, “We had a very good call, I think.”
When asked about finding a way to end the fighting, Trump said, “I don’t know. I can’t tell you whether or not that’s going to happen.”
Trump’s call with Zelenskyy came amid growing concern about the supply of American weapons to Ukraine, and shortly after his call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who offered no hope on Trump’s attempts to end the war.
The US has paused some shipments of military aid to Ukraine, including crucial air defence missiles.
Going by the potential risk, Ukraine’s main European supporters are thinking about how they may assist in making up the difference. According to Zelenskyy, efforts are underway to expand Ukraine’s domestic armaments sector, but it will take time to scale up.
