Russia and Ukraine Exchange Drone and Shelling Attacks

Russia and Ukraine traded air attacks on Monday, hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met leaders from the United Kingdom, France and Germany in London. Officials reported that drones and shelling damaged infrastructure, residential buildings and cars.

In Ukraine's Odesa region, Russian strikes on energy infrastructure left more than 1,000 customers without power, regional officials said. The strikes followed Russian targeting of a nuclear fuel storage site near the former Chornobyl plant the previous day.

Ukrainian drones struck a train in Russia-annexed Crimea, killing the assistant driver and injuring the driver, local officials said. Russian air defenses intercepted an overnight drone attack on energy infrastructure in the Volgograd region, where falling debris started a fire at a pumping station but caused no reported casualties.

A drone attack also set fire to a loading complex at Russia's Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, local authorities said. No injuries were reported and about 130 firefighters responded to the blaze.

The attacks followed Zelenskyy's meeting with the United Kingdom, France and Germany, whose leaders issued a joint statement supporting his call for direct ceasefire talks with Russia and active U.S. and European participation. Putin declined the offer, stating there was no point in such a meeting for now.

In a post on X, Zelenskyy said Europe's position and voice in negotiations had always been a priority for Ukraine.