Russia and Ukraine trade overnight aerial attacks after Putin sets out conditions for ceasefire

    In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, a fire engine and school buses burn after a Russian drone hit them when firefighters were putting out the fire at a lyceum following Russian drone attack in Bohodukhiv, Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Saturday, March 15, 2025.

 KYIV, Ukraine — Russia and Ukraine engaged in intense aerial assaults overnight, with both nations reporting over 100 enemy drones over their respective territories on Saturday.

These attacks occurred less than 24 hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin met with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss an American proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in the ongoing war. While Putin expressed conditional support for a truce during a Thursday press conference, he outlined numerous details requiring clarification before an agreement could be reached. Kyiv has already endorsed the proposal but remains skeptical about Moscow’s commitment.

Speaking in Kyiv on Saturday following virtual discussions with Western allies hosted by U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reaffirmed Ukraine’s backing of the ceasefire proposal. However, he cautioned that Russia would likely attempt to obstruct negotiations with additional conditions and stipulations.

Starmer urged allies to maintain pressure on Putin to agree to the ceasefire, emphasizing that Ukraine remains the “party of peace.” He asserted that Putin would eventually have to come to the negotiating table.

Earlier on Saturday, Zelenskyy accused Moscow of amassing forces along the border, interpreting it as a sign of Russia’s intent to prolong the conflict rather than engage in diplomacy.

“The buildup of Russian forces indicates that Moscow intends to keep ignoring diplomacy. It is clear that Russia is prolonging the war,” he said.

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Zelenskyy also stressed that if Russia rejected the U.S. proposal, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump would respond with “specific, harsh, and straightforward” measures.

Addressing reports from Trump on Friday that “thousands” of Ukrainian troops had been encircled by Russian forces, Zelenskyy clarified that Ukrainian forces remained operational in Russia’s Kursk region.

“The operation of our forces in the designated areas of the Kursk region continues,” he stated. “Our troops continue to hold back Russian and North Korean groupings. There is no encirclement of our troops.”

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday. They discussed the next steps following recent meetings in Saudi Arabia and agreed to continue efforts to restore communication between the United States and Russia, according to State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce.

Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched a massive overnight assault involving 178 drones and two ballistic missiles. The attack included Shahed-type drones and imitation drones meant to mislead air defenses. Ukrainian forces successfully shot down 130 drones, while 38 others failed to reach their targets.

Russia targeted critical energy infrastructure, causing substantial damage. Strikes in the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions left some residents without electricity, according to private energy company DTEK.

“The damage is significant. Energy workers are already on-site, doing everything possible to restore power to homes as soon as possible,” the company stated.

In Russia, falling drone debris sparked a fire in Volgograd’s Krasnoarmeysky district near a Lukoil oil refinery, Governor Andrei Bocharov reported. Nearby airports temporarily suspended flights, though no casualties were reported.

The Volgograd refinery has been a repeated target of Ukrainian forces since the full-scale invasion began over three years ago, with the latest drone attack occurring on February 15.