Russia, Ukraine escalate drone attacks on front lines

Drone attacks have escalated on the front lines in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, with Russia saying on Monday that its air defense systems had intercepted 356 fixed-wing drones over the past 24 hours, while Ukraine said on the same day that Russian forces had launched 165 drones and nine missiles at its territory beginning at 18:00 local time on Sunday.

According to a battlefield report from the Russian Defense Ministry issued on Monday, Russian forces carried out strikes on 148 Ukrainian targets over the past day. These included military-industrial facilities, long-range drone production and assembly workshops, and training centers for drone operators.

The ministry said that between 13:00 and 20:00 local time on Sunday, several regions across Russia were targeted by 253 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones. Several airports, including those in Moscow, temporarily imposed movement restrictions due to threats from drones.

Ukraine’s Air Force said on Monday that Russia had launched strikes on Ukraine with nine missiles and 165 drones since 18:00 on Sunday. As of 08:00 Monday, Ukraine had shot down or suppressed 137 drones launched by Russia, and confirmed that 10 locations were hit by 26 drones and missiles.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that “This week alone, Russia launched more than 1,070 guided aerial bombs, nearly 1,000 attack drones, and six missiles against Ukraine.”

Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez chaired her first cabinet meeting on Sunday, reaffirming the country’s sovereignty amid heightened tensions following U.S. military actions against the country.

The meeting, attended by over 30 ministers and representatives, pledged to defend the nation and its people against external interference.

In a public statement, Rodriguez called for dialogue and mutual respect, urging the United States to engage in cooperation based on international law rather than conflict.

“Our peoples and our region deserve peace and dialogue, not war,” she said, adding “Venezuela has the right to peace, development, sovereignty and a future.”

Meanwhile, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez, in a statement read out on national radio and television, also denounced that the U.S. troops sent to Venezuela early Saturday murdered “in cold blood” a large part of Maduro’s security detail, soldiers and innocent civilians.

Venezuela’s military expressed its full support for the state of external emergency declared by the Venezuelan government following the U.S. strikes on several locations within Venezuela.

“Our institution will continue to employ all its available capabilities for military defense, the maintenance of internal order, and the preservation of peace,” the armed forces statement said.

Padrino said the armed forces had activated “the Full Operational Readiness Plan throughout the entire national territory and in perfect civilian-military-police coordination.”

In the early hours of Saturday, the U.S. military forces carried out attacks and bombings in Caracas and other parts of the country and took Maduro and his wife by force.