Russia Shoots Down 36 Ukrainian Drones Amid Fighting in Ukraine's East, Threatens to Seize EU Assets Over Funding Row

Ukraine's Air Force also reports shooting down Russian drones while Moscow warns of "symmetrical response" if EU carries out plan to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine's post-war reconstruction, amid heightened tension and increasing casualties.

Over the weekend, Russian air defenses shot down 36 Ukrainian drones over the Black Sea and the Crimean Peninsula, according to a statement from Russia’s Defense Ministry.
Ukraine's air force also reported shooting down five Iranian-made Shahed exploding drones launched by Russia.
Heavy fighting continues in eastern Ukraine, with a particularly intense battle occurring around the town of Avdiivka in the Donetsk province, where Russia has deployed up to eight brigades.
Four police officers were injured in the city of Siversk, located in the partly occupied Donetsk province, following a shell explosion by their car, believed to have been fired by Russian troops.
Russia threatens a 'symmetrical response' over the proposal by Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, to use frozen Russian state assets to fund Ukraine's post-war reconstruction, possibly leading to a seizure of assets belonging to EU member states.