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Russia has intensified missile and drone strikes on Ukraine as peace talks stall, with Moscow weighing additional assaults amid a rising air-defence problem for Kyiv.

Russian President Vladimir Putin. (AFP photograph)
Russia bombarded cities throughout Ukraine with missiles and drones in a single day, with the assault persevering with into Thursday morning and explosions reported round Kyiv.
The Russian Defence Ministry stated the “huge” strike focused war-related amenities in 9 Ukrainian cities, together with industrial websites, oil refineries, logistics hubs and port infrastructure. Ukrainian officers stated civilian areas, together with condominium buildings, have been additionally broken.
No less than two folks have been killed a 78-year-old lady within the Zaporizhzhia area and one other individual in Kharkiv whereas at the least 14 others have been wounded, in keeping with Ukrainian officers.
The strikes come as folks near the Kremlin say Russia is contemplating additional intensification of its assaults after negotiations for a peace deal reached a lifeless finish. Moscow is reportedly weighing stronger typical ballistic missile strikes on Kyiv, together with the capital’s centre, together with infrastructure targets elsewhere.
Kyiv Faces Air Defence Scarcity
Ukraine is going through a scarcity of US-made Patriot air-defence missiles able to countering Russian ballistic missiles. Ukrainian officers say Moscow has been constructing missile shares and launching main assaults each few days in an effort to overwhelm Ukrainian defences.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy known as for extra air-defence help from Europe, together with ballistic missile defence packages involving US weapons.
Diplomacy Exhibits Little Progress
US efforts to dealer an finish to the warfare have to date failed to provide a breakthrough. Moscow has additionally moved away from what it believed was an understanding reached between Putin and US President Donald Trump at their Alaska summit final August.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Moscow on Tuesday for talks with Russian officers, whereas US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are anticipated to journey to Moscow, though no dates have been introduced.
Automotive Explosion In St Petersburg
Individually, a automobile carrying a Russian army serviceman and his spouse exploded in St Petersburg on Thursday. Russian media reported that the person, recognized by Fontanka as a lieutenant colonel, was killed and his spouse was injured.
Russia’s Investigative Committee confirmed one individual was killed and one other injured however didn’t establish the deceased as army personnel. There was no quick remark from Ukraine.
Nuclear Considerations Stay
The escalation has renewed dialogue about the opportunity of Russia utilizing tactical nuclear weapons, however there isn’t any signal that Moscow is at the moment making ready to make use of them.
China and India have warned in opposition to using tactical nuclear weapons. Zelenskyy and a senior European official stated China had urged Russia to not contemplate detonating such weapons in Ukraine.
Carnegie Russia Eurasia Middle director Alexander Gabuev stated the danger remained extraordinarily low, arguing that Russia nonetheless has room to escalate by means of typical weapons.
Fast Solutions
Ukraine is growing its personal Freyja missile defence system with European companions to scale back reliance on US-made Patriot interceptors. This undertaking goals for its first profitable ballistic missile interception by mid-2027. Moreover, Ukraine and Germany signed an settlement on anti-ballistic capabilities, with a aim to see concrete outcomes by winter. Ukraine has additionally pressed the US to permit home manufacturing of Patriot programs.
August 27, 2026, 17:59 IST
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