Ukraine’s Zelenskyy plans to hit Russia with ‘1,000 drones’ a day

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has instructed his military to significantly increase long-range drone strikes against Russia, aiming for at least 1,000 strikes daily. This decision follows ongoing deadly Russian attacks across Ukraine, which have resulted in casualties. Zelenskyy stated that Kyiv received information from the US regarding meetings between American spy chief John Ratcliffe and Russian intelligence officials in Moscow. While the Kremlin confirmed the meetings, they denied any with the Russian president. The CIA director's visit represents a rare high-level intelligence engagement amidst stalled peace negotiations. The increased drone strikes are intended to counter Russia's continued attacks, which have recently caused deaths and injuries in regions including Kyiv.

Russian forces resumed drone attacks on Ukraine's Kyiv region for a second consecutive day, hitting apartment buildings and storage depots. These attacks, which also targeted the power grid, aim to paralyze the capital and exhaust air defenses and the population. In the southern Kherson region, officials are advising residents to relocate due to the potential for prolonged power and heating outages this winter, as Russia has intensified attacks on critical infrastructure there. The ongoing Russian strikes are also negatively impacting Ukraine's economy, leading to a revised downward forecast for GDP growth in 2026. In response, Ukraine has continued its campaign against Russia's oil sector, striking a refinery in the Yaroslavl region.