- 3 civilians killed and 12 injured in nighttime drone bombardment
- 179 aerial weapons deployed with 100 intercepted by Ukrainian forces
- Conflicting ceasefire interpretations threaten Saudi-mediated peace talks
Eastern Ukraine faced renewed violence Friday as Russian forces launched their largest drone offensive in three weeks, directly challenging the temporary truce brokered by U.S. mediators. Emergency crews worked through the night in Zaporizhzhia where residential blocks sustained catastrophic damage, with thermal imaging equipment locating survivors beneath collapsed concrete structures.
The assault marks Moscow's third major infrastructure strike since Wednesday's diplomatic breakthrough. Ukrainian electronic warfare units successfully disrupted 63 Iranian-made Shahed drones through advanced jamming techniques, though falling debris ignited multiple fires across agricultural regions. Defense analysts note Russia appears to be testing upgraded navigation systems that bypass traditional countermeasures.
Satellite imagery reviewed by NATO intelligence shows unusual troop movements near Crimea's Chongar Bridge, suggesting preparations for combined aerial and naval strikes. Regional energy facilities remain operational despite sustaining 17 direct hits this month, a testament to Ukraine's decentralized power grid architecture implemented after the 2022 blackouts.
Diplomatic tensions escalated Saturday as Kremlin officials claimed the ceasefire exclusively protects oil refineries, while Ukrainian negotiators insist the agreement covers all civilian transportation hubs. This fundamental disagreement casts doubt on Monday's planned negotiations in Jeddah, where Saudi energy ministers hope to stabilize global wheat markets disrupted by Black Sea hostilities.
President Zelenskyy's administration faces mounting pressure to accept Russia's demand for demilitarized zones around nuclear facilities. However, military strategists warn that conceding control of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant could enable Moscow to manipulate Europe's energy markets through coordinated reactor shutdowns.
The International Red Cross reports critical medicine shortages in 23 frontline communities, exacerbated by repeated attacks on humanitarian corridors. Local authorities have begun constructing underground schools and hospitals using repurposed Soviet-era bomb shelters, a grim testament to the conflict's prolonged nature.
