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Russia Escalates Drone Warfare and Rejects Ceasefire Amid Ongoing Conflict

Moscow claims to have intercepted over 300 Ukrainian drones, as intense fighting continues in Donetsk and cross-border operations in Kursk and Belgorod persist.

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Illustration by Noah Hickey/The Dispatch (Getty Images photo of Vladimir Putin).
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Municipal workers remove the cover that protected a monument of Kyiv legendary founders from Russian missile attacks on the fourth year of Russia-Ukraine war on the country's main square in Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, May 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)(

Overview

  • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported no signals of a ceasefire from Russia, emphasizing the need for continued international pressure on Moscow.
  • Russia's Defense Ministry announced it had intercepted or destroyed over 300 Ukrainian drones in the past two days, including dozens near Moscow, disrupting air traffic at major airports.
  • Fighting remains heaviest in the Donetsk region, particularly in the Pokrovsk direction, while Ukrainian forces continue active operations in Kursk and Belgorod to counter Russian advances.
  • Diplomatic efforts, including recent talks in Istanbul and a phone call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, have failed to achieve any breakthroughs toward peace.
  • President Vladimir Putin visited the Kursk region, asserting Russian control, though Ukrainian forces dispute these claims and maintain operations near the border.