Deadly Drone Strikes Shadow Renewed Ukraine Peace Efforts

Russia and Ukraine have carried out deadly overnight drone strikes, with attacks affecting both Ukraine’s border with Moldova and the southern Russian city of Novorossiysk. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said two people were killed when Russian drones struck the Starokozache border crossing, about 500km south of Kyiv. The crossing was closed, three people were injured, and a Moldovan driver was among the wounded. Images showed burned-out vehicles and extensive debris at the border post. In a separate Ukrainian drone attack on Novorossiysk, four people were killed and 29 injured, according to the regional governor, Veniamin Kondratiev. Residential buildings, a church and a preschool were reportedly damaged. Russia’s defence ministry said its forces had shot down 596 Ukrainian drones overnight, although the article does not independently verify that figure. The attacks underscore the escalation of long-range strikes by both sides despite renewed diplomatic efforts to end the war. Zelensky called for stronger international support and warned that Russian aggression must be stopped before it spreads. Moldova’s government said the country has increasingly been affected by the conflict, reporting that 17 drones had struck its territory in August, more than in the whole of the previous year. Moldovan Prime Minister Vasile Tofan blamed Russia for the war and criticized those who minimize the threat. The strikes occurred a day after US President Donald Trump spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin about ending the conflict. The Trump administration is pressing for direct Russia-Ukraine talks, which Kyiv says could occur this month, while the Kremlin says it is too early to set a date or location. The call followed meetings in Moscow and Kyiv involving US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, Putin and Zelensky.

U.S. President Donald Trump told Russian President Vladimir Putin that a rapid end to the war in Ukraine could enable the United States and Russia to restore broad trade and economic relations, according to a Kremlin account of their one-hour phone call. The leaders discussed recent visits to Moscow and Kyiv by U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who have attempted to revive peace negotiations that have stalled. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov described the conversation as constructive and candid. He said Trump emphasized that he wanted the war to end as soon as possible, while Putin provided what Russia called an objective analysis of its military operation and outlined steps the United States could take to help end the fighting. Putin also rejected speculation that Russia poses a threat to European countries. The White House had not immediately commented on the Kremlin’s description of the call. The diplomatic discussions come as violence has intensified. Russia has resumed air attacks on major Ukrainian cities following a short pause during the U.S. envoys’ visits. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized what he called the international community’s insufficient response to recent deadly strikes and appealed for more interceptor missiles ahead of winter. Ukraine is facing shortages of air-defense equipment as Russian missile attacks increase. Ukraine has continued conducting long-range drone strikes against Russian oil refineries and logistics hubs, aiming to increase the economic and military costs of the conflict. The call was reportedly Putin’s fifth with Trump this year and the 15th since Trump took office in early 2025. Although the discussion suggested potential economic benefits from a peace agreement, the article presents no evidence of a breakthrough, and the conflict remains active after more than four and a half years.

Ukraine and Russia exchanged overnight drone strikes that killed at least six people, according to officials on both sides. In Russia, a Ukrainian drone attack on the Black Sea port city of Novorossiysk killed at least four people, including a child, and injured 29 others, Krasnodar region Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said. The attack reportedly damaged businesses, started fires, and nearly struck a residential building. Drone debris also damaged three homes and a kindergarten in the nearby town of Anapa, although no one was injured there. Russia’s Defense Ministry said almost 600 Ukrainian drones had been shot down overnight. In Ukraine, Russian drone strikes hit the Starokozace border crossing between Ukraine and Moldova, killing at least two civilians and injuring three others. The attack forced the crossing to close temporarily and caused multiple fires. Kyiv was also targeted overnight, with Ukrainian officials reporting fires but no casualties. The strikes followed a Russian attack on Kyiv the previous day that killed at least five people. The article places the attacks against the backdrop of renewed US-led diplomatic efforts to end the war. Russian strikes on Kyiv resumed after a brief pause while US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner visited Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump also held what Russia described as an “extremely frank” phone call. Ukraine has proposed holding direct talks with Russia in September, but Moscow has said it is too early to discuss details such as dates or locations. Previous negotiations have produced little progress beyond occasional prisoner exchanges.

Russia has expressed hope that U.S.-mediated peace talks with Ukraine will resume soon, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. The statement came after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Washington might be able to develop a roadmap for restarting negotiations and working toward an outcome acceptable to both sides. No direct Russia-Ukraine talks have occurred since February, but President Donald Trump recently sent negotiators to Moscow and Kyiv in an effort to revive the stalled process. Trump also spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin the day before Peskov’s remarks. Peskov said Moscow would not publicly disclose details of any possible settlement, but emphasized that there was a “confirmed political will” to resume negotiations. He added that Russia remained in contact with its American counterparts and hoped talks would restart in the foreseeable future. The negotiations face major obstacles, however, particularly the opposing positions of Russia and Ukraine over how to end the war. Kyiv has rejected Moscow’s demands that it surrender additional territory. Peskov also said prisoner exchanges between Russia and the United States remained a regular issue discussed by both governments and their leaders. He noted that Russia released American prisoner Robert Gilman at Trump’s request the previous month. The article recalls the largest recent prisoner exchange, in August 2024, when Russia received eight prisoners held in Western countries, including an FSB security officer convicted of murder in Germany. In return, 16 people were released from Russian and Belarusian prisons, including Russian dissidents and three U.S. citizens, among them Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.