Key developments on day 1,129 of Russia’s ongoing conflict with Ukraine include:

Fighting

• On Friday, a Russian drone attack in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro resulted in the loss of four lives; 19 others were injured, and a hotel and restaurant complex went up in flames, consuming a high-rise apartment building and 10 homes.
• Ukraine’s military claims it has struck a border post in Russia’s Bryansk region, targeting infrastructure allegedly used for drone launches in retaliation for “dozens of daily strikes” by attack drones.
• Reports from Russian military bloggers indicate that Ukrainian troops have made moves into Russia’s Belgorod region. This has yet to be officially confirmed by Kyiv or Moscow; Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that his military has taken certain actions in Russia outside the Kursk region to alleviate pressure on Ukrainian forces.
• The Russian Ministry of Defence asserts that its forces have regained control of Hoholivka, one of the handful of villages seized by Ukraine last August. According to Ukraine’s General Staff, 18 Russian assaults were repelled in Kursk over the past day.
• Ukraine has managed to shoot down 89 out of 163 Russian drones launched overnight, with an additional 51 drones failing to reach their targets due to technical malfunctions.
• The Russian Defence Ministry reports the interception of 19 Ukrainian drones targeting an oil refinery in Saratov.

Ceasefire

• Volodymyr Kohut, governor of Ukraine’s Poltava region, accuses Russia of breaching a US-brokered ceasefire regarding energy infrastructure by damaging warehouses owned by Naftogaz, Ukraine’s state gas producer. The Russian Defence Ministry counters these accusations, claiming that Ukrainian forces struck a gas measuring station in Sudzha city, Kursk, and another location in Bryansk with US-made HIMARS rockets, causing a power outage.
• UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk urges an end to the “horrific suffering” inflicted by attacks on Ukrainian civilians and welcomes the possibility of a comprehensive ceasefire.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin proposes temporary external governance for Ukraine to facilitate democratic elections, suggesting that Zelenskyy lacks legitimacy. He indicates that Ukraine might revoke any negotiated peace at will.
• In response, Zelenskyy asserts that Putin’s statements provide “reasons not to end the war”, reflecting that Ukraine is hesitant to engage in negotiations “fearing direct conversations with me personally”.
• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres promptly dismisses Putin’s suggestion, affirming Ukraine’s government as legitimate and deserving of respect.

Politics and Diplomacy

• Following a summit hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, which explored deploying troops to Ukraine, Macron states that “several” nations are open to joining a peacekeeping force alongside France and Britain.
• Zelenskyy acknowledges receipt of a draft for a new minerals deal from the US, emphasizing it differs from previous proposals but declines to discuss details before further review and discussion.
• The Ukrainian president confirms formalization of agreements regarding European military aid and intelligence sharing prior to the upcoming summit at Ramstein airbase in Germany.