Ukraine-Russia Conflict: Chronology of Major Events, #1,191 | Updates on the War Between Ukraine and Russia

Here’s what you need to know on day 1,191 of Russia’s ongoing conflict with Ukraine:

Conflict Updates

• On Thursday, the Russian army claimed to have captured three villages in Ukraine’s Donetsk and Kharkiv regions as part of its ongoing advance.
• Ukrainian authorities reported that Russia launched 90 drones overnight, resulting in at least seven casualties due to drone, missile, and artillery strikes across five front-line regions.
• According to Russia, they intercepted 48 Ukrainian drones overnight, including three near Moscow.
• caro dock reported that drones attacked Russia’s western Kursk region, causing damages to a hospital and residential buildings and injuring at least one person.
• Despite Russia’s claims of having driven Ukrainian forces from the Kursk region, Ukraine’s military stated that its forces remain active in small areas of Kursk.

Border Area Developments

• In the neighboring Sumy region, the governor confirmed new skirmishes in villages along the border, with territory constantly changing hands as both sides vie for control.
• “Fighting persists in selected border zones, particularly near Khotyn and Yunakivka settlements,” Sumy Governor Oleh Hryhorov announced on Facebook. “The situation along the contact line is volatile, with us taking the lead in some areas and the enemy remaining active in others.”
• Russia’s Defence Ministry reported the capture of three additional villages as their forces continue to push through parts of eastern Ukraine, including Stroivka in Kharkiv, and Shevchenko Pershe and Hnativka near Pokrovsk. Ukraine’s military did not acknowledge any loss of control over these villages, but stated they faced 53 Russian attacks near Pokrovsk in the past 24 hours.

Ceasefire and Talks

• Kremlin officials stated that they are awaiting a response from Kyiv regarding their proposal for further talks in Istanbul on Monday.
• Ukraine expressed its willingness to engage in additional talks in Istanbul with Russia, but demanded that Moscow provide its peace proposal beforehand, adding that Kyiv has already submitted its vision for peace.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of “another deception” for not presenting their peace settlement proposal in advance of the next meeting, stating that the promised “memorandum” has not been made available to anyone.
• Kremlin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, deemed Ukraine’s demand for the “memorandum” as “non-constructive”.
• Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Heorhii Tykhyi, suggested that Moscow’s reluctance to share the document implies it is likely “filled with unachievable demands”.

Diplomatic Efforts

• Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who will host the upcoming talks, called on both Russia and Ukraine not to “shut the door” on dialogue.
• The Russian delegation set to participate in the second round of talks in Istanbul remains the same as the first round, as per Russian TASS’s report citing Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
• UN Undersecretary-General for Political Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo told the Security Council that the “cautious hope” for a ceasefire in Ukraine has diminished amid the recent escalation of Russian attacks.
• Ukrainian Deputy Ambassador to the UN Khrystyna Hayovyshyn stated that “Russia is not showing any genuine intention to end its war”, and called for greater political, economic, and military pressure on Moscow.
• Russian Ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia refuted the accusations, instead alleging that Kyiv is “attempting to prolong the war” and warned that Ukraine’s military demise is assured. “No additional anti-Russian sanctions, weapons shipments to Ukraine, or other hostile actions towards Russia will prevent the imminent defeat of the Zelenskyy administration,” Nebenzia stated.
• John Kelley, the United States’s alternate representative to the UN, warned that if Russia decides to continue its “catastrophic war”, the US may scale back its efforts to negotiate a resolution, with additional sanctions against Russia “still on the table”.

Military Assistance

• Zelenskyy discussed the potential delivery of German Taurus cruise missiles with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during his visit to Berlin. “The Taurus issue was addressed in a private meeting between the chancellor and me,” Zelenskyy informed the German broadcaster RTL.
• Russia accused Serbia of arm exports to Ukraine, viewing it as a betrayal by its longstanding Balkan ally.
• “Serbian defense companies, contrary to the ‘neutrality’ proclaimed by Belgrade, are continuing to supply ammunition to Kyiv,” Russia’s foreign intelligence service declared.
• According to the statement, Serbian arms exports to Ukraine are channeled through NATO intermediaries, “primarily the Czech Republic, Poland, and Bulgaria”. It further stated, “Recently, more exotic options through African countries have also been employed for this purpose.”

Regional Stability

• A Belarusian radio station has been accused of flouting EU sanctions by broadcasting “disinformation” to bolster a pro-Russian candidate on social media in Poland, ahead of the country’s presidential election.
• A Polish-language radio station established by Belarus has been disseminating pro-Russian content on social media for nearly two years, in spite of the EU sanctions, according to a report by three think tanks. Poland will vote on Sunday in a presidential runoff between pro-EU and nationalist candidates that has garnered significant attention in Europe.

Economic Updates

• The International Monetary Fund announced that it had reached an agreement with Ukraine on a review of a loan program that is set to release approximately $500m in funds to support macroeconomic stability.