KYIV – Russia launched hundreds of drones and missiles at western Ukraine overnight in one of the heaviest bombardments in recent weeks, Ukrainian officials reported.
Strikes were recorded in Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, and Lviv, where at least one person was killed and others were injured. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the attacks underscored the importance of diplomatic efforts to end the war and the need for stronger air defenses.
The attacks come as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky suggested Switzerland, Austria, or Turkey as potential venues for peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Discussions of a possible trilateral summit mediated by the United States followed a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Putin in Alaska, ahead of Trump hosting Zelensky and other European leaders at the White House. Zelensky emphasized his willingness to meet Putin in “any format.”
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto also offered Budapest as a potential venue on Thursday. However, Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has maintained close ties with Moscow and occasionally frustrated EU support for Ukraine, may not be seen by all as a neutral host.
Zelensky did not comment directly on the Hungarian offer, but said he had asked Trump to pressure Hungary into unblocking negotiations for Ukraine’s EU membership. “Trump promised that his team would work on this,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces reported that Russian troops are massing along the southern front in the Zaporizhzhia region, one of four areas claimed by Russia. “We can see that they continue transferring part of their troops from the Kursk direction to Zaporizhzhia,” Zelensky said.
Ukraine’s air force counted 614 aerial vehicles in the overnight attacks, of which 577 were reportedly intercepted.
Sybiha said the strikes included a mix of drones, hypersonic, ballistic, and cruise missiles. “One of the missiles struck a major American electronics manufacturer in our westernmost region, leading to serious damage and casualties,” he added on social media… see original BBC NEWS