Drone strikes and ground advances persist amid Russia-Ukraine peace efforts

Tuesday 27 May 2025 - 14:34

By: Zahouani Ilham

Drone strikes and ground advances persist amid Russia-Ukraine peace efforts

Despite Moscow's recent claims of finalizing a peace proposal to end the war, both Russia and Ukraine have intensified drone attacks overnight, escalating hostilities across several regions.

On Tuesday, Ukraine’s air force reported that 60 Russian drones were deployed, injuring 10 civilians. Of these, 43 were intercepted 35 were shot down, and eight diverted using electronic countermeasures. In central Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, Governor Serhiy Lysak confirmed drone-induced fires damaged homes and an agricultural facility. In the frequently targeted city of Kherson, one man and six municipal workers were injured in another drone strike.

These attacks follow one of the most severe aerial assaults of the conflict, with Ukraine claiming that 355 drones were launched by Russia on Sunday night alone a record figure. In response, U.S. President Donald Trump accused President Vladimir Putin of being “absolutely CRAZY” and proposed new sanctions. The Kremlin dismissed the remarks, attributing them to emotional instability.

Russian officials asserted that the increased aerial bombardments were retaliatory, aimed at countering a surge in Ukrainian drone strikes against Russian civilians. Moscow accused Kyiv of attempting to derail peace initiatives, allegedly with support from certain European nations. The Russian Ministry of Defence stated its forces downed 99 Ukrainian drones on Tuesday, with 56 intercepted over the Belgorod region.

Between May 20 and 27, Russia claims to have neutralized over 2,300 Ukrainian drones, including more than 1,400 outside conflict zones.

On the ground, Russian troops advanced in northeastern Ukraine, taking control of four villages in the Sumy region: Novenke, Basivka, Veselivka, and Zhuravka. Though residents had been evacuated, local governor Oleh Hryhorov warned that Russia is attempting to establish a buffer zone. The Defence Ministry also claimed to have seized Bilovody, suggesting further territorial gains near the border.

Moscow's main assault continues in Donetsk, but its push into Sumy reveals a strategy to stretch Ukrainian defenses thin. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has cautioned about renewed offensives in Sumy, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia. Russian troops, often using motorcycles and drone support, have seized about 62.6 square kilometers in the region, according to the military blog DeepState.

As the conflict deepens, Russia has turned its criticism toward European leaders, blaming them for the stalled peace talks. During a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and later with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, Moscow continued its diplomatic engagements. Lavrov criticized German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, implying that decisions allowing Ukrainian strikes deep into Russian territory had been made earlier than publicly acknowledged.

Merz confirmed during a visit to Finland that Western-supplied weapons to Ukraine were no longer restricted by range, suggesting the war might continue due to Russia’s unwillingness to engage sincerely in peace efforts.

Russia accused Ukraine and its European allies of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure using foreign-supplied arms since May 20. Although direct Russia-Ukraine peace talks resumed on May 16 after over three years, no ceasefire was achieved. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov insisted that Russia is preparing a serious draft agreement that still requires detailed review.

Foreign Ministry representative Maria Zakharova echoed this, stating the draft outlines essential terms for a political resolution. Meanwhile, Moscow claimed Ukraine's recent attacks aim to sabotage negotiations. Responding to speculation about additional U.S. sanctions, Peskov accused Washington of trying to obstruct the peace process.