Shafaq News – Kyiv / Moscow

Ukraine reported an increase in fighting over the past day, while Russia indicated it intercepted dozens of Ukrainian drones overnight, according to statements from the two sides on Saturday.

Ukraine’s General Staff reported that Russian forces carried out a wide-ranging missile and drone assault on Kyiv, targeting energy facilities and critical infrastructure. Artillery and rocket fire also struck Ukrainian positions and settlements more than 4,000 times.

Russian losses reached around 1,200 personnel over the past day, the General Staff noted, along with five tanks, 19 armored vehicles, 33 artillery systems, 205 operational-tactical drones, and more than 150 vehicles.

At the same time, Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed that its air defenses destroyed 62 Ukrainian drones overnight across several regions, including Saratov, Voronezh, Rostov, and Belgorod, as well as over Crimea and the Volgograd region.

The spike in violence coincided with political signals from Washington pointing in a different direction. US President Donald Trump projected an optimistic tone, stressing that a peace agreement to end the war remains within reach despite repeated setbacks.

Speaking to the New York Post, Trump described the conflict as the most challenging of the wars he has sought to resolve, noting that progress has often faltered because when one side shows readiness for a deal, the other pulls back. He maintained that Russia is interested in a settlement and that the moment for progress has not passed.

Earlier this week, the White House confirmed plans for a meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, scheduled for Sunday at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.

Zelenskyy previously indicated that the talks will focus on security guarantees for Ukraine and a proposed 20-point peace plan. While the White House acknowledged the meeting in principle, it has yet to release details on the format.