Russia-Ukraine conflict updates day 1,180

Monday 19 May 2025 - 09:02

By: Zahouani Ilham

Russia-Ukraine conflict updates day 1,180

As of Monday, May 19, the war between Russia and Ukraine continues with significant developments. Russia launched its largest drone assault on Ukrainian territory since the conflict began, destroying residences and causing at least one civilian death. This attack precedes a planned discussion between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin about a possible ceasefire.

Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia deployed 273 drones targeting Ukrainian cities, surpassing their previous highest number recorded in February on the war’s third anniversary. Additionally, Ukrainian military intelligence revealed Russia intended to conduct a combined training and combat test of an intercontinental ballistic missile to intimidate both Ukraine and Western nations amid ongoing ceasefire negotiations.

Russian forces claimed control over the settlement of Bahatyr in the eastern Donetsk region, according to Russia’s Ministry of Defence. The ministry also reported that Russian troops shot down 75 Ukrainian drones on Sunday, as per the state news agency TASS.

Regarding ceasefire talks, the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom urged President Trump to maintain sanctions on Russia during a call before his summit with Putin. Putin, speaking on Russian state television, expressed a desire to remove the causes of the conflict, establish lasting peace conditions, and ensure Russia’s security, following the failure of direct talks with Kyiv to produce a ceasefire agreement.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Rome during Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration. They discussed recent ceasefire efforts; this was their first meeting since a tense encounter at the White House earlier this year. The Pope also held his first private meeting with Zelenskyy as Catholic leader, emphasizing prayers for peace in the “martyred Ukraine.”