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Russia pummels Ukraine overnight as peace talks stall

Sep 3, 2025, 6:21am EDT
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Firefighters after the strikes on Ukraine
Press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Khmelnytskyi region/Handout via Reuters

Russia hammered Ukraine with 526 drones overnight, a further escalation of Moscow’s aerial assault.

The rate of drone and missile strikes has nearly doubled since Russian President Vladimir Putin’s inconclusive meeting with US President Donald Trump last month, and Moscow’s troops have also advanced on the battlefield — albeit slowly and at significant cost.

Putin is once again flouting Trump’s deadlines for peace: Most recently, Trump called for a meeting between the Russian leader and his Ukrainian counterpart by Friday, but there is no sign of that happening, and Putin is emboldened after strengthening economic ties with India and China, The Wall Street Journal reported. Kyiv is launching attacks of its own, particularly targeting Russia’s oil refineries and other energy infrastructure.

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