Escalation in Russia-Ukraine war despite Trump-led peace talks
Russian and Ukrainian officials reported new waves of attacks and countermeasures on Tuesday, despite ongoing diplomatic efforts to broker a settlement.
According to the Russian state-run TASS news agency, Ukraine launched more than 80 drones against targets in Russia's Belgorod region over the past 24 hours. The region's governor said several districts came under attack, leaving at least four civilians injured, including a 13-year-old child.
Russian security services also claimed their forces had nearly destroyed Ukraine's 53rd Mechanized Brigade during clashes in the Serebryansky Forest, asserting that the unit had lost most of its combat capability.
Ukraine's national news agency, Ukrinform, reported that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) uncovered a Russian military intelligence network accused of guiding missile and drone strikes on Kyiv and carrying out sabotage operations in Odesa. Two alleged agents have been detained and face charges including high treason and sabotage, while investigators identified a Russian officer as their handler.
SBU uncovers Russian spy network behind airstrikes on Kyiv and sabotage in Odesa region https://t.co/7AnDUm6fat pic.twitter.com/5XyXila5z1
— Ukrinform-EN (@Ukrinform_News) August 19, 2025
In the northern Chernihiv region, attacks, according to Ukrinform, caused widespread power outages, while in the Poltava region, energy company facilities were damaged, cutting electricity to more than 1,500 customers. Ukrainian air defense forces reported shooting down 230 Russian drones, two Iskander-M ballistic missiles, and four Kh-101 cruise missiles.
In Zaporizhzhia, local authorities said three people were killed and 34 were injured after Russian missile strikes hit residential areas on Monday. Nineteen victims remain in the hospital, with several in serious condition.
The renewed military escalation comes days after international efforts to mediate. US President Donald Trump met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week, and on Monday, he held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky alongside European leaders. The meetings aimed to explore possible pathways to end the war, but no breakthrough has yet been announced.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Shafaq News
8 hours ago
- Shafaq News
US sends 2 military convoys to Syria in 24h
Shafaq News – Hasakah On Wednesday, US forces deployed new military reinforcements to the Al-Shaddadi base south of Hasakah, marking the second convoy to arrive from Iraq within 24 hours. According to a Shafaq News correspondent, the convoy consisted of about 80 trucks carrying logistical supplies, fuel, and armored vehicles, along with soldiers and ammunition. A similar convoy of more than 50 trucks and armored vehicles entered Syria on Tuesday, heading toward the Khrab al-Jir and Qasrak bases in Hasakah province. Earlier, US-led Global Coalition helicopters raided Atmeh in northwest Syria's Idlib countryside, killing an Iraqi national identified by Syrian sources as Salah Nouman, also known as 'Ali,' a seniorISISfigure.
Shafaq News
8 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Iraq security brief: ISIS operatives killed and captured
Shafaq News Below is a summary of key security and public safety incidents reported across Iraq on August 20, 2025. Security forces in al-Nasiriyah detained a fugitive who opened fire on a police officer and three personnel during an attempted arrest, along with the individual who harbored him, while also seizing the escape vehicle. The head of al-Askari police station and three officers were wounded during a raid targeting a drug trafficker's home in Suq al-Shuyukh district. - ISIS Finance Official Captured (Baghdad) Security forces arrested the official responsible for disbursing stipends to ISIS's Diyala 'province' in southern Baghdad, placing him under judicial custody. - Fatal Brawl Leaves Two Dead (Karbala) Two people were killed in a late-night fight in Ain al-Tamr district. Security forces cordoned off the area, detaining five suspects for questioning. - Iraq Assists in Killing ISIS Leader (Baghdad / Idlib) Iraq's Counter-Terrorism Service provided intelligence that enabled the US-led Global Coalition to kill ISIS's fifth self-proclaimed 'caliph,' Abu Hafs al-Hashemi al-Qurashi, during an airdrop operation in Syria. An Iraqi security source confirmed the commander was Salah Nouman Abdul-Naif al-Jubouri, also known as 'Muhannad,' 'Abu Walid,' and 'Abu Saleh,' who had served as ISIS's chief treasurer in 'Wilayat al-Rafidain' and coordinated recruitment across Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Turkiye.
Shafaq News
8 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Security guarantees: A term complicating Ukraine's talks
Shafaq News Russia, Ukraine, and European powers have endorsed the idea of security guarantees as part of a broader framework to end the war, following separate meetings with US President Donald Trump. The initiative has been described as a significant step toward peace, yet meaning of such guarantees remain disputed, Newsweek Magazine reported on Wednesday. The divergence stems from competing interpretations: Ukraine is seeking binding defense commitments, while Russia favors terms closer to neutrality arrangements. 'The key issue with security guarantees lies in the differing understandings of their modalities,' Alexander Chekov, a lecturer at Moscow State Institute of International Relations, told Newsweek. Analysts note that clarifying these definitions will be crucial to any breakthrough, as the guarantees could form the foundation of a postwar settlement but also risk collapsing talks if left ambiguous, according to Newsweek.
