Russia's invasion of Ukraine four years ago launched Europe's biggest conflict since World War II. It has caused immense suffering for civilians and harrowing ordeals for soldiers while rewriting the post-Cold War security order. The fighting enters its fifth year on Tuesday. A U.S.-based think tank says that as many as 1.8 million soldiers may have been killed, injured or missing on both sides. Another think tank says Russia controls nearly 20% of Ukrainian land. The U.N. says at least 14,999 civilians have been killed in Ukraine.
A Russian drone has struck a home in Ukraine's Kharkiv region in an attack that killed a father and his three small children. Ukrainian officials said Wednesday that the family's pregnant mother was wounded but survived. The attack destroyed the house and trapped the family under rubble. The drone was identified as a Russian-made Geran-2. Ukraine's air force reported that Russia launched 129 long-range drones at Ukraine last night. Meanwhile, a Ukrainian drone attack caused a fire at an industrial plant in the Russian city of Volgograd. Officials said that eight Russian airports briefly suspended flights because of drone attacks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the air force's performance in parts of the country is "unsatisfactory." He said Friday that steps are being taken to improve defenses against Russian drone attacks. The assaults have targeted Ukraine's power grid, causing blackouts during a harsh winter. As the war nears its fifth year, U.S.-led peace efforts show no progress. Zelenskyy has discussed new air defense measures with military leaders. Recent Russian attacks killed one person and injured others in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Ukraine's strikes have damaged power facilities in Russia. The front line remains active despite freezing temperatures.
Officials say Ukrainian drone strikes killed two people and wounded two others, including a child, in Russia's Belgorod and Kursk regions on Sunday. More peace talks are expected in Paris early this week. In Ukraine, three people were wounded in overnight drone strikes in the Kharkiv region, and the death toll from Friday's missile attack on Kharkiv rose to five. European and other national security advisers met in Kyiv on Saturday to discuss security guarantees and economic support. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said meetings of military officials and European leaders in Paris on Monday and Tuesday could finalize security guarantee documents.
Ukrainian forces claim to have stopped Russia's advance into the northern Sumy region, stabilizing the front line near the border. Ukraine's top military commander said on Thursday that this success has prevented Russia from redeploying 50,000 troops, including elite units, to other areas. Russian officials have not commented on the claim. Fighting continues along the 1,000-kilometer front line, with Ukraine relying on drones to counter Russia's slow but costly advances. In Donetsk, Russia claims to have captured two villages as part of its offensive. Both sides are also launching long-range drone strikes, causing injuries and damage across multiple regions.
Officials say Russian drones, missiles and artillery have killed at least 26 civilians and injured more than 200 others in Ukraine. The attacks coincided with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's push for guarantees of further Western military aid for his country. Zelenskyy met Tuesday with Western leaders attending a NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands. He is keen to lock in additional military support for Ukraine's fight against Russia, as direct peace talks have delivered no progress on a possible settlement. Analysts say key U.S. military commitments to Ukraine left over from the Biden administration are expected to run out within months, and there is uncertainty over whether President Donald Trump will provide more.
