Day 1,343 of the Russia-Ukraine war sees deadly attacks, shifting diplomacy, and new military aid pledges shaping the next phase of the conflict.
Escalating Attacks Across Southern Ukraine
On day 1,343 of the Russia-Ukraine war, fighting intensified across several regions, leaving civilians dead and wounded.
In Ukraine’s Zaporizhia region, Russian forces carried out 396 attacks across 15 settlements, killing one person and injuring three, according to regional governor Ivan Fedorov.
Further south, in the Kherson region, Russian drone and artillery attacks killed one civilian and wounded six others, said Oleksandr Prokudin, head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration. A woman injured in an earlier strike on Monday also died from her wounds, he added.
In Kharkiv’s Kupiansk city, only 561 residents remain—down from more than 26,000 before the war—after thousands were evacuated amid renewed Russian advances, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov reported.
Meanwhile, in the Russian-occupied part of Kherson, an 85-year-old woman was reportedly killed in Ukrainian strikes, said Russian-installed governor Vladimir Saldo, who also claimed that power line attacks left 5,800 residents without electricity.
Across the border, Ukraine launched drones toward Moscow for a third consecutive night, disrupting air traffic around the Russian capital, while a local official in Bryansk said a Ukrainian strike killed one person.
Russia’s defence ministry claimed its forces shot down 124 Ukrainian drones in a single day, while Moscow’s ambassador-at-large Rodion Miroshnik said nearly 20 people were killed in Ukrainian attacks on Russian regions over the past week.
Zelenskyy Signals Openness to Peace Talks
In a notable diplomatic shift, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv is ready for peace talks with Russia, but ruled out ceding any more territory.
Zelenskyy explained that Ukrainian and European officials will meet later this week to discuss a potential ceasefire plan, which he emphasized is “a plan to begin diplomacy, not to end the war.”
He also called on US President Donald Trump to pressure Chinese leader Xi Jinping to end Beijing’s support for Moscow, urging stronger global coordination to isolate Russia.
The Ukrainian leader stressed that European financial support remains vital for Ukraine’s defense “for another two or three years.”
Global Reactions and Economic Moves
In Europe, Germany’s economy minister Katherina Reiche told Reuters that Washington assured Berlin its seized Rosneft assets would be exempt from new US oil sanctions, as they’re no longer under Russian control.
The Kremlin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledged Trump’s call for nations to halt purchases of Russian oil but said Moscow’s trade partners will “make their own decisions.”
Meanwhile, India’s refiners have paused some Russian oil orders following the latest US sanctions, though state-run Indian Oil confirmed it will continue purchases where legal and compliant.
“Russian crude is not sanctioned,” said Indian Oil finance director Anuj Jain, emphasizing that compliant deals remain active.
Adding to the complex ties, India’s state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd signed an initial agreement with Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation to jointly build civil commuter planes, despite Western sanctions on the Russian firm.
Ukraine’s Weapon Plans and Western Aid
Zelenskyy also revealed that Ukraine will begin exporting weapons as early as next month, signaling confidence in its growing domestic arms production.
At the same time, US Permanent Representative to NATO Matthew Whitaker told Bloomberg that between $12–15 billion will be raised through 2026 to fund Ukraine’s defense—primarily by European countries buying US-made weapons rather than direct US government aid.
“It’s another example of Europe stepping up,” Whitaker said, noting the shift toward shared defense funding within NATO.
The Road Ahead
As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its 1,343rd day, the fighting shows no signs of easing. Yet diplomatic murmurs—paired with mounting Western coordination—suggest that new negotiations may finally be on the horizon.
For now, both sides remain locked in combat as the world watches for signs of real progress toward peace.