Moscow: Moscow and Kyiv on Sunday accused each other of conducting overnight airstrikes as US President Donald Trump is set to host his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Florida to discuss a 20-point peace plan to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
According to Anadolu Agency, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed in a statement on Telegram that its air defenses intercepted 25 Ukrainian drones, with 12 downed over the Samara region, which borders Kazakhstan. In response, Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency Press Secretary Artem Korenyako announced temporary restrictions on aircraft arrivals and departures at Samara's international airport, which were later lifted. No casualties or infrastructure damage were reported by local authorities in Samara or other regions such as Belgorod, Kursk, Saratov, Volgograd, and Rostov.
Russian state news agency RIA highlighted the disruption at Moscow's airports, with more than 300 flights delayed or canceled at Vnukovo and Sheremetyevo airports. On the other side, Ukraine's Air Force stated that air defenses successfully shot down 30 out of 48 drones launched by Russia.
Ukraine's State Emergency Service reported a fire in an apartment building and damage to a lyceum in Odesa, though no casualties occurred. Odesa Governor Oleh Kiper attributed the fire to a drone strike on the roof of a two-story residential building. Additionally, Ukraine's national oil and gas company Naftogaz announced significant damage to the Kherson Thermal Power Plant, injuring one person.
The Ukrainian General Staff also claimed responsibility for striking the Syzran oil refinery in Russia's Samara region overnight. Amid these tensions, Trump will host Zelenskyy at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, to discuss a US-drafted 20-point peace plan aimed at resolving the near four-year conflict. Zelenskyy, who arrived in the US after visiting Canada, where a CAN$2.5 billion ($1.8 billion) aid package was announced by Ottawa, expressed willingness to hold a national referendum on the peace plan if it necessitates difficult territorial concessions. The peace framework, initially a 28-point proposal, has been refined to a 20-point plan to accommodate all parties involved.