Overview

• Russia launched an unprecedented swarm of 273 Shahed drones from multiple sites, marking its largest drone raid of the war.
• Ukrainian forces shot down 88 drones and diverted 128 using conventional interceptors combined with electronic jamming, averting greater destruction.
• A woman in Kiev was killed when a drone struck the capital, highlighting the civilian cost of Moscow’s intensified aerial campaign.
• Moscow reported intercepting 25 Ukrainian drones overnight, underscoring the reciprocal escalation of drone warfare.
• Russia has conditioned any direct Zelenski-Putin talks on further prisoner swaps and specific ceasefire terms, dampening prospects for immediate negotiations.