The conflict between Ukraine and Russia continues to intensify, with both sides engaging in drone attacks and exchanging fire. Ukraine’s military has claimed to have struck an oil refinery in Russia’s Saratov region, causing explosions and destruction.
According to Osama Bin Javaid, reporting from Moscow, “drones are targeting deeper into Russian territory than in the past, where previous attacks have been focused on the line of contact in the south and the western parts of Russia.” However, it remains unclear whether Ukraine’s claims of hitting the refinery are true.
In response to the Ukrainian drone attack, Saratov’s governor reported that one person was killed and several residential apartments and an industrial facility were damaged. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s military also claimed to have taken back a village in the Sumy region from the Russian army, which has made significant recent gains there. Ukrainian troops have “liberated and completely cleared” Russian forces from Bezsalivka, the military general staff said in a Telegram post, adding that 18 Russian troops had been “eliminated” in the fighting.
The conflict has also resulted in significant humanitarian concerns, particularly in Ukraine’s southern Odesa region. Three swimmers were killed by unexploded objects in the region’s beaches, where swimming has been banned due to the presence of mines scattered near the coast since Russia’s full-scale invasion. “All of them were blown up by explosive objects while swimming in prohibited recreational zones,” Regional Governor Oleh Kiper said in a statement.
In other parts of Ukraine, Russian drone attacks have caused significant damage and loss of life. A drone attack on a bus in Ukraine’s Kherson region killed at least two people and wounded 16 others. Another drone hit the bus as police were responding to the attack, injuring three officers. Russian attacks on Ukraine’s Zaporizhia region also killed two people traveling in a car and a 61-year-old woman in her home.
Despite the escalating violence, diplomatic efforts to end the war are underway. European leaders have welcomed plans by US President Donald Trump to hold direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on ending the conflict. The leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Finland, together with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, issued a joint statement stressing the need to maintain support for Ukraine and pressure on Russia. “The emphasis [of the European statement was] that this is a war that is in Ukraine, but is in Europe too, and has huge potential ramifications for European security,” said Al Jazeera’s Charles Stratford, reporting from Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv.
A counterproposal for peace, presented by European officials who met US Vice President JD Vance in the UK, includes demands that a ceasefire must take place before any other steps are taken, and any territory exchanges must be reciprocal with firm security guarantees. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected any suggestion of land concessions to Russia, emphasizing the need for a just and lasting peace.
As the conflict enters its fourth year, the international community remains committed to finding a peaceful resolution. The upcoming meeting between Trump and Putin in Alaska may provide an opportunity for the two leaders to discuss a potential deal to end the conflict. However, the path to peace remains uncertain, and the humanitarian crisis continues to worsen.