Kyiv: Russia said on Wednesday that its forces struck Ukrainian military factories, including drone production workshops, across 146 areas, while Ukraine reported hitting multiple Russian military targets in the past day as the war continued alongside renewed diplomatic efforts.
In a daily report, the Russian Defense Ministry said its forces had struck Ukrainian drone production workshops and storage sites, ammunition and military supply depots, and temporary deployment points for Ukrainian troops and foreign mercenaries across 146 areas. Russian air defense forces also shot down four guided aerial bombs and 764 fixed-wing drones, the ministry said.
Meanwhile, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said Ukrainian forces had struck multiple Russian military targets in Bryansk, Donetsk and Luhansk on Tuesday and Wednesday morning. The targets included airfields, radar stations, drone command posts, logistics depots and fuel storage facilities.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said 25 people were killed and 100 were injured in what he called a “massive Russian strike” on Ukraine. He said the overnight attack involved ballistic and cruise missiles as well as Shahed drones, and claimed Ukrainian forces had shot down 44 Russian missiles and suppressed 117 Shaheds.
“This is the kind of ‘gift’ Putin gave himself for his birthday,” Zelenskyy said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Zelenskyy also called for additional packages of air defence missiles and other measures to strengthen Ukraine's defence, saying air defence batteries needed missiles ready every day.
The latest fighting came as the United States continued to push for an end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Ukraine's NATO membership was currently not on the table, stressing that Washington's immediate priority was ending the war rather than expanding the military alliance.
“Right now, we're simply focused, when it comes to Ukraine on the ending of this conflict, if that's possible,” Rubio said during a joint press availability alongside Icelandic Foreign Minister Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir. He said the US wanted to play a constructive role in bringing the war to an end.
However, Rubio said developments on the ground were not currently pointing towards an early resolution.
“We're obviously watching the trend lines there and seeing that's not the direction that it's headed right now,” he said.
Zelenskyy, meanwhile, said US negotiators had proposed a trilateral meeting involving Ukraine and Russia at the technical level by the end of October, with Kyiv expressing readiness to participate.
He said the American side was in contact with both Ukraine and Russia, and that Kyiv was open to the United Arab Emirates or another country the US proposed. Ukraine was waiting for Russia's response, he added.
The proposal came amid continued heavy Russian drone and missile strikes across Ukraine.
Earlier last week, US President Donald Trump said he wanted Russia and Ukraine to “settle” the conflict, pointing to the high number of casualties since the war began in 2022.
Meanwhile, India has also offered to help resolve the conflict. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Kyiv was reviewing four international proposals, including those from Turkey, Egypt and the United States, and described India's proposal as “the most comprehensive” among those under consideration.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts to help end the conflict, saying the Indian leader has “good ideas” for a peaceful resolution.
(With agency inputs from Reuters and ANI)