Follow Us;Resize=(820,462) "A Leleka 100 Ukrainian drone")
Russia claims to have intercepted 162 Ukrainian drones hours before new peace talks begin in Istanbul amid continued fighting and stalled negotiations.
Russia's Defence Ministry on Monday claimed to have intercepted and destroyed 162 Ukrainian drones overnight, just hours before delegations from Moscow and Kyiv were set to meet in Istanbul for a second round of direct peace negotiations.
"Air defence systems intercepted and destroyed 162 Ukrainian drones between 1710 GMT and 2300 GMT on Sunday," the ministry said in a statement.
The majority of the drones were shot down over regions bordering Ukraine, with 57 intercepted over the Kursk region and 31 over the Belgorod region, it added.
Related Articles
The barrage occurred just hours before Ukrainian and Russian delegations were set to begin a new round of talks in Istanbul — their second direct meeting since the early weeks of Moscow’s February 2022 invasion.
The two delegations are scheduled to meet at Ciragan Palace, an opulent former Ottoman imperial residence that now serves as a luxury hotel on the Bosphorus. This marks the second round of talks in Istanbul, following last month’s initial dialogue which led to a large-scale prisoner exchange and a preliminary exchange of peace proposals.
Zelensky Reiterates Conditions for Peace
On the eve of the talks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky renewed his core demands in a social media statement. "First –- a full and unconditional ceasefire. Second –- the release of prisoners. Third -– the return of abducted children."
Zelensky also floated the possibility of a direct meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, asserting, "The key issues can only be resolved by the leaders."
However, the Kremlin has consistently rejected the idea of a Zelensky-Putin summit until a broader agreement is reached by negotiating teams.
Ukraine Claims Massive Strike on Russian Airbases
The talks come on the heels of what Kyiv has described as one of its most successful long-range strikes to date. Ukraine said it damaged around 40 Russian strategic bombers—worth an estimated 7 billion dollars—in a special operation conducted deep inside Russian territory.
According to Ukraine’s security service, the plan took 18 months to prepare and involved smuggling drones into Russia, where they were launched from positions near key airbases far from the frontlines.
Even as talks unfold, combat remains intense. Russian troops continue to push forward in the northeastern Sumy region, where President Putin has ordered the creation of a “buffer zone”.
In Kharkiv, regional Governor Oleg Synegubov confirmed on Monday that ballistic missile strikes injured at least six people, including a seven-year-old child, damaging a warehouse and a civilian facility.
Peace Deal Remains Elusive
Russia’s delegation in Istanbul is led by Vladimir Medinsky, a hardline aide to Putin known for justifying the invasion and challenging Ukraine's sovereignty. Ukraine is represented by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, regarded as pragmatic but currently facing domestic scrutiny over alleged abuse of power.
Moscow plans to present a “memorandum” of peace terms at the meeting, while Kyiv continues to insist on an immediate ceasefire and international security guarantees, such as NATO protections—terms that Russia has rejected outright.
Western diplomatic observers from Germany, France, and the UK are present in Istanbul, supporting Ukraine’s negotiating team.
Despite the diplomatic flurry, both sides remain far apart on key issues such as territorial concessions, military neutrality, and foreign security guarantees. Kyiv maintains it will not formally surrender any territory still under its control but acknowledges that some regions may only be regained through diplomacy.
