Russia launched its largest drone offensive since the invasion of Ukraine began, striking major regions across the country in a weekend barrage that left several civilians dead and injured—including a child—as diplomatic maneuvering intensified ahead of an expected phone call between former US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia deployed a staggering 273 Iranian-made Shahed drones overnight, mainly targeting the Kyiv region. One woman, 28, was killed and at least three others were injured, including a four-year-old child, according to the region’s governor.

Less than 24 hours later, another wave of 112 drones hit multiple areas including Kharkiv, Sumy, Donetsk, Cherkasy and Kirovohrad, bringing the weekend’s total drone count to nearly 400. Local authorities said Monday’s strikes left at least two people dead and over a dozen wounded.

The surge in Russian attacks comes just ahead of a high-profile call between Trump and Putin, confirmed by the Kremlin. Trump has signaled that any progress toward a ceasefire would likely depend on his direct engagement with the Russian leader.

Despite prior calls by Kyiv and Washington for a 30-day ceasefire, the Kremlin has not shown any sign of softening. President Putin recently refused a face-to-face meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Istanbul, sending junior representatives instead.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated Monday that Russia appreciates "American mediation" but reiterated Moscow’s stance: peace will only come on its terms. “If the US can truly help us achieve our goals peacefully, it is a preferable option,” he said.

The mood in Washington, however, appears tense. According to Finland’s President Alexander Stubb, who spoke to Trump over the weekend, the former US leader is growing increasingly frustrated with Putin’s delays. “Zelensky remains patient, but Trump is becoming impatient,” Stubb told reporters in Estonia.

Russia, meanwhile, claimed it downed 75 Ukrainian drones over the weekend, as reported by state media agency TASS.

The attacks followed a deadly incident in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region where a Russian drone struck a civilian bus, killing at least nine and injuring seven others on Saturday. That strike occurred mere hours after the two nations met for rare direct peace talks in Turkey—discussions that ultimately yielded no significant breakthroughs.

While the sides agreed to a limited prisoner exchange, Russia’s insistence that Ukraine relinquish control of certain territories still under Kyiv’s authority was widely condemned. Leaders from the UK, France, Germany, and Poland called Russia’s demands “unacceptable.”

Notably, Putin was absent from the talks despite previously calling for a leader-to-leader summit, sending lower-ranking officials instead. The contrast between rhetoric and action reinforced doubts about Russia’s seriousness in negotiations.

In a televised interview released Sunday—though apparently recorded in March—Putin claimed Russia was committed to addressing the “root causes” of the war, without offering any new positions.

On Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Italy. Zelensky described the meeting as “productive,” with discussions covering sanctions, the battlefield situation, and upcoming prisoner exchanges.

This marked the first face-to-face between Zelensky and Vance since their heated Oval Office exchange earlier this year, when the US Vice President publicly criticized the Ukrainian leader for not showing enough appreciation for Washington’s continued support.

As the war rages on and diplomacy falters, all eyes now turn to the Trump-Putin conversation—seen by some as a potential turning point, and by others as yet another theatrical pause in a war with no clear end in sight.


By WafricNews Desk.