Russia and Ukraine have intensified drone strikes as potential ceasefire talks loom, with both sides escalating long-range attacks, according to a July 21, 2025, ABC News report. Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed it downed 88 Ukrainian drones over seven regions, including 23 near Moscow, following a weekend where 221 drones were intercepted—the highest daily total since June 6, 2025. Ukraine’s air force reported Russia launched 426 drones and 24 missiles overnight, with 404 drones and all missiles intercepted, though 23 drones caused damage in three locations, and debris fell in 12 others. One person was killed and nine injured in Kyiv.
The surge comes amid U.S.-pushed ceasefire negotiations, with President Zelenskyy urging talks to end Russia’s invasion, ongoing since February 2022. Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s new National Security and Defense Council secretary, proposed a meeting with Russia for the following week. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov acknowledged Trump’s 50-day ultimatum for a ceasefire, noting Putin’s openness to peace but insistence on addressing “root causes,” including Ukraine’s neutrality and military reduction—terms Kyiv rejects as capitulation.
Both sides are scaling up drone capabilities, with Ukraine’s “Operation Trojan Trucks” on June 1, 2025, targeting Russian air bases, reportedly destroying 40 bombers, per CBS News. Russia retaliated with record-breaking barrages, including 550 drones on July 4, 2025, and 700 on July 9, 2025, per BBC and Reuters. These attacks, causing civilian casualties and infrastructure damage, signal mutual defiance as talks falter. Trump’s promise of more weapons to Ukraine, including Patriot systems, and threats of 100% tariffs on Russia if no deal is reached, add pressure but haven’t halted the escalation.
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