High-level NATO delegation in Ukraine for the first time since 2022

At least one person has been killed during overnight Russian attacks on Ukraine. In parallel, on Sunday, a high-level NATO delegation is in Ukraine for the first time since the 2022 full-scale invasion.

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Russia launched 139 drones of different types, including Shaheds, over Ukraine, however, 127 of them were either shot down or jammed, according to Ukraine’s Armed Forces.

In the southern frontline region of Kherson, one person was reported to have been killed and three injured. The regional administration reported on its Telegram channel that over the past day, 34 of its communities have been subjected to drone attacks, air strikes, or artillery shelling. The targets included residential areas, homes, apartment blocks, and social infrastructure.

More Russian attacks were reported in the frontline regions of Sumy and Donetsk, which were subjected to intense shelling and drone attacks, leaving five people injured in Sumy, according to regional administrations. An attack on emergency workers in Sumy responding to a previous Russian strike was also reported, Ukraine’s Emergency Service said.

On the other hand, Robert “Magyar” Brovdi, Commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, said on Telegram that Ukraine had destroyed two air defence vehicles in Russia’s Bryansk region, including one missile launcher and one vehicle used to transport and reload its missiles.

NATO delegation discusses their future with Ukraine

Meanwhile, on the diplomatic side, a high-level NATO delegation led by French Admiral Pierre Vandier is in Ukraine for the first time since the 2022 full-scale invasion.

Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Pavlo Palisa, wrote in a post on X that they “discussed in detail the involvement of Ukrainian military personnel in future NATO exercises in the role of the conditional adversary,” as well as “the future of JATEC (NATO-Ukraine Joint Analysis, Training and Education Centre),” an initiative supporting coordination and development between Ukraine’s forces and NATO.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday that due to the Trump administration’s easing of sanctions on Russia, Moscow has increased its oil sales, which are funding the war against Ukraine.

On Saturday, a Ukrainian delegation sent by Zelenskyy met with a US delegation in Miami in the hope of restarting peace talks. US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said on X that the talks were “constructive.” He said the meetings, which included US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, were “part of ongoing mediation efforts, with discussions focused on narrowing and resolving remaining items to move closer to a comprehensive peace agreement.”

As the war in Iran dominates international attention, trilateral talks with Russia, which have yet to produce any breakthrough on key issues, have been on hold.