As deadly strikes continue across multiple regions, Ukraine secures new military aid while global diplomacy focuses on pushing for a ceasefire.
Fighting Intensifies Across Eastern and Southern Ukraine
On day 1,259 of the Russia-Ukraine war, fierce fighting continued in Ukraine’s Kharkiv and Zaporizhia regions, resulting in multiple civilian casualties. Ukrainian authorities reported that Russian forces launched attacks on six settlements in Kharkiv, killing three people and injuring 10 others in the village of Lyman and the embattled town of Vovchansk. In a separate strike, Russian shelling targeted a railway station in the town of Lozova, killing a duty mechanic and wounding four other railway workers.
In the Zaporizhia region, Russian forces carried out 431 air attacks on 16 settlements, killing four civilians and injuring three, according to regional Governor Ivan Fedorov.
Meanwhile, in the Russian-occupied Luhansk region, a Ukrainian drone attack reportedly killed four employees of the local water utility in the Svatovsky district. A fifth worker, who was critically injured, later died in hospital, according to Leonid Pasechnik, the region’s Russian-installed governor. TASS news agency also reported a Ukrainian drone strike near Nyzhnia Duvanka that killed a 30-year-old man and injured a 51-year-old woman.
Ukraine’s military intelligence claimed its forces repelled a Russian offensive in the Sumy region, killing 334 Russian troops and wounding over 550. These figures could not be independently verified.
In a further twist, Ukrainian officials claimed to have found Indian-manufactured components in Russian drones used during recent attacks—a claim also yet to be verified independently.
Military Aid and Support Grows for Ukraine
Ukraine received a significant boost in international support as Sweden, Norway, and Denmark pledged a joint contribution of approximately 5 billion Norwegian crowns (about $486 million) to fund the purchase of U.S. weapons for Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged the commitment, thanking the Northern European allies for securing what he called “an additional $500 million” in military support.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of State approved a potential deal worth $203.5 million for repair and sustainment services for Ukraine’s M777 howitzer artillery systems. The deal also includes transportation and consolidation services to be provided by BAE Systems and other U.S. contractors.
Regional Tensions and Security Measures Escalate
As the conflict’s ripple effects continue to spread across Europe, NATO allies are taking measures to strengthen their regional defences. In response to a request from Poland, the German Air Force announced it would deploy five Eurofighter combat jets for several weeks to bolster Polish airspace security.
Lithuania also stepped up its security posture, with its Ministry of Foreign Affairs formally requesting NATO assistance to reinforce air defences. The move comes after two military drones reportedly crossed into Lithuanian airspace from Belarus last month, raising serious concerns in the Baltics.
Ceasefire Talks and Energy-Based Diplomacy
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy announced a “productive conversation” with U.S. President Donald Trump, with a focus on ending the war through diplomatic channels. Trump, speaking to CNBC, suggested that falling global energy prices could serve as a strategic lever to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin into halting the invasion.
“If energy goes down enough, Putin is going to stop killing people,” Trump said. “If you get energy down another $10 a barrel, he’s going to have no choice because his economy stinks.”