**Russia's Most Extensive Drone Strike Since Invasion Hits Ukraine**

**The extensive drone strike marks a significant uptick in hostilities, prompting international concern and highlighting the lack of progress in peace negotiations.**

Russia has conducted what Ukraine describes as its most extensive drone assault since the onset of the invasion, with a barrage targeting various regions including Kyiv, resulting in the death of one woman. The Ukrainian air force reported that 273 drones were launched by 08:00 on Sunday (05:00 GMT), impacting the central Kyiv region as well as Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk regions in the east. This attack comes just a day before an anticipated call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, with Trump advocating for a ceasefire.

Following the first in-person talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials in over three years in Turkey on Friday, a new prisoner exchange agreement was reached, but little else was accomplished. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that he and leaders from Britain, France, and Poland would hold a virtual meeting with Trump prior to his conversation with Putin on Monday morning.

According to Ukraine's air force, the drone strike involved Shahed drones, with 88 intercepted and an additional 128 failing to hit intended targets. The attack resulted in one fatality in the outskirts of Kyiv, while at least three others sustained injuries, according to official reports. The previous record for drone attacks by Russia was set on the third anniversary of the invasion on February 23, when 267 drones were launched.

Ukrainian officials were quick to assert that the strikes reflect Russia's unwillingness to halt the conflict, even amidst mounting international calls for a ceasefire. Andriy Yermak, a senior aide to the Ukrainian president, made a bold statement declaring that the recent negotiations in Istanbul are merely a façade, with Putin primarily seeking to continue the war.

President Volodymyr Zelensky was in Rome on Sunday, meeting with Pope Leo following the inauguration mass, and briefly engaged with US Vice President JD Vance, indicating that diplomatic efforts remain ongoing in the wake of this escalation.