Russia’s Massive Aerial Assault on Ukraine Signals Escalation Amid Stalled Peace Talks

Russia unleashed its most ferocious aerial assault on Ukraine overnight, marking a grim milestone in the ongoing conflict. According to Ukraine’s air force, Moscow deployed a staggering 537 aerial weapons, including 477 drones and decoys alongside 60 missiles. Of these, 249 were intercepted, and 226 were likely disrupted by electronic jamming. This barrage, described by air force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat as the "most massive airstrike" since Russia’s invasion began in February 2022, underscores the relentless intensity of the war.

The onslaught spared no corner of Ukraine, with strikes hitting regions as far as western Lviv, where a drone attack sparked a massive fire at an industrial site in Drohobych, plunging parts of the city into darkness. Tragically, the assault claimed lives: one person was killed in a drone strike in Kherson, another perished when a drone struck a car in Kharkiv, and six people, including a child, were wounded in Cherkasy.

Adding to the toll, a Ukrainian F-16, supplied by Western allies, crashed after sustaining damage while engaging targets, resulting in the pilot’s death. Meanwhile, Poland and its allies scrambled aircraft to secure their airspace, a stark reminder of the conflict’s regional ripple effects.

Russia’s escalation comes just days after President Vladimir Putin expressed openness to peace talks in Istanbul. Yet, with two recent rounds of negotiations yielding no progress and international mediation efforts stalling, the path to peace remains elusive. This latest attack not only highlights the war’s brutality but also raises questions about the sincerity of diplomatic overtures.