President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukrainian military personnel shot down Iranian-designed Shahed drones in multiple Middle Eastern countries during the Iran war, describing the operations as part of a broader effort to help partners counter the same weapons used by Russia in Ukraine. He made his first public acknowledgment of the operations Wednesday in remarks to reporters that were embargoed until Friday. Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces took part in active operations abroad using domestically produced, battle-tested interceptor drones.

Russian strikes on Ukraine have killed at least eight people across the country. The attacks on Friday include a "massive" missile and drone strike near the capital, regional authorities reported. Ukrainian officials claimed the Kremlin is changing its tactics to increase civilian suffering. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signaled Kyiv's openness to a potential Easter truce. The holiday is celebrated on April 12 in both Ukraine and Russia. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said earlier this week that Moscow is not interested in a temporary ceasefire.

With U.S.-brokered Ukraine peace talks on hold due to the war in the Middle East, Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to try to expand his military gains via new offensives against his southern neighbor that will put even more pressure on Kyiv. Windfall revenues from surging global oil prices are filling Moscow's war coffers and U.S. air defense assets are being drained quickly by Iranian attacks across the Gulf, leaving little available for Ukraine in the fifth year of Russia's full-scale invasion. Ukraine's European allies have promised to maintain their steadfast support, but bickering over a major 90 billion euro ($106 billion) European Union loan to cover Kyiv's military and economic needs for two years has reflected the mounting challenges.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called Russia and Iran "brothers in hatred." It came as he visited London to seek support from U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer in his country's fight against Russia's invasion. The talks between the two leaders on Tuesday came as the Iran war revives Russia's ailing economy through increased oil revenue, robs U.S.-brokered talks on ending Russia's invasion of Ukraine of momentum, and could soon limit Kyiv's access to vital Western air defense systems that are needed in the Middle East. Starmer said "We can't lose focus on what's going on in Ukraine and the need for our support." NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte also attended the talks.

Russia has provided Iran with information that could help Tehran strike American warships, aircraft and other assets in the region. That's according to two officials familiar with U.S. intelligence on the matter. The officials, who were not authorized to comment publicly on the sensitive matter and spoke on the condition of anonymity, cautioned that the U.S. intelligence has not uncovered that Russia is directing Iran what to do with the information. Still, it's the first indication that Moscow has sought to get involved in the war that the U.S. and Israel launched on Iran a week ago.

Russia has condemned U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and urged an immediate stop to the campaign and a return to diplomacy. In a Telegram post on Saturday, Russia's Foreign Ministry called the strikes preplanned and unprovoked aggression against a U.N. member state. It said the United States and Israel used Iran's nuclear program as a cover. It claimed they are really seeking regime change. Russia warned the attacks could spark humanitarian and economic disaster. It also warned of a possible radiological catastrophe, saying strikes on safeguarded nuclear sites are unacceptable. It said Moscow is ready to help broker peace.

Russia has attacked Ukrainian cities again overnight as Ukraine accuses Russia of dragging its feet on new U.S.-brokered peace talks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Washington is proposing talks next week in Miami or in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates. He says Ukraine confirms it can attend but Russia is hesitating. Zelenskyy says major disputes still block a deal, including issues of occupied land and security guarantees. He also says Russia is ignoring a proposed ceasefire that impacts the energy sector. Ukraine's air force said on Thursday that Russia fired drones and missiles at Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro and Odesa. Officials report injuries, damaged homes and major heating outages in the Ukrainian capital.

Envoys from Moscow and Kyiv have met in Abu Dhabi for U.S.-brokered talks to end the nearly four-year war. The discussions on Wednesday came as Russian cluster munitions killed seven people at a market in Ukraine. The talks include U.S. officials and aim to address key issues. But previous negotiations last month yielded no breakthroughs. The meeting also coincides with the expiry of the last nuclear arms pact between Russia and the United States. Moscow has continued to target Ukraine's energy infrastructure that has caused widespread damage. Ukrainian officials have expressed outrage. And repair crews are working to restore power amid freezing temperatures.

A new report warns that the number of soldiers killed, injured or missing in Russia's war in Ukraine could reach 2 million by spring. The report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies estimates that Russia has suffered the largest troop deaths for any major power since World War II. It estimates Russia suffered 1.2 million casualties, including up to 325,000 deaths, since February 2022. It said Ukraine has suffered between 500,000 to 600,000 casualties, including up to 140,000 deaths. Officials said Wednesday that two people were killed near Kyiv after Russian strikes and at least nine were injured in attacks across Ukraine.