Russian air defenses intercept 151 drones as Geneva peace talks open

12:50

By: Dakir Madiha

Russian air defenses intercept 151 drones as Geneva peace talks open

Russia said its air defense systems shot down 151 Ukrainian drones overnight, hours before Russian and Ukrainian officials met in Geneva for a new round of US mediated peace negotiations. The strikes targeted areas in southern Russia and annexed Crimea, igniting a major oil refinery fire and injuring civilians, including a nine year old boy in Sevastopol.

The Russian Defense Ministry described the barrage as one of the largest drone waves in recent weeks. The scale of the attack recalled early January, when Moscow reported intercepting 168 drones during New Year strikes. The timing, on the eve of February 17 talks in Switzerland, underscored the continued intensity of cross border hostilities even as diplomatic efforts gather momentum.

According to the ministry, 50 drones were intercepted over the Black Sea, 38 over Crimea, 29 over the Sea of Azov, 18 in the Krasnodar region, 11 in the Kaluga region, four in the Bryansk region and one in the Kursk region.

In Krasnodar, falling debris from intercepted drones sparked a fire covering roughly 700 square meters at the Ilsky oil refinery, damaging a tank containing petroleum products. The facility, one of the largest private refineries in the region with a capacity of about 138,000 barrels per day, has been targeted repeatedly in previous drone strikes. Two residents of the nearby village of Ilskoye were hospitalized with injuries caused by debris, and four private homes sustained damage.

In Sevastopol, the Moscow appointed governor said air defenses repelled what he described as one of the longest attacks in recent times, with more than 24 drones shot down. Shockwaves from a destroyed drone shattered windows in a private residence, injuring a nine year old boy with shrapnel wounds to his legs. He was taken to hospital and is reported to be in stable condition.

The drone assault coincided with the opening of two day negotiations in Geneva. The Russian delegation is led by Vladimir Medinsky, an adviser to President Vladimir Putin, while Ukraine is represented by Rustem Umerov, secretary of the National Security and Defense Council.

The Geneva talks follow two earlier rounds held in Abu Dhabi this year and mark the first time negotiations have taken place in Europe since the war began nearly four years ago. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the discussions would address a broader range of issues, including territorial questions that have emerged as the central obstacle to any settlement.

Moscow has demanded that Ukraine withdraw from remaining parts of the Donetsk region still under its control, a condition Kyiv has rejected. US President Donald Trump, whose administration is overseeing mediation efforts, urged Ukraine to move swiftly. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, he said it was in Ukraine’s interest to come to the negotiating table quickly.