Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed to retaliate with more attacks inside Russian territory, as civilian casualties rise and Russia continues its offensive in eastern Ukraine. The promise comes after a series of intense Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities and amid a complex diplomatic backdrop involving the U.S. and stalled peace talks.
Intense Fighting and Conflicting Claims
While Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed on July 26 to have captured two more villages—Zeleniy Hai in the Donetsk region and Malyivka in the Dnipropetrovsk region—Ukraine did not immediately comment on these claims.
Zelensky acknowledged the fierce fighting along the front lines in Ukraine’s eastern regions. However, he also highlighted “successful actions of our units” in the Sumy region and said his forces were “eliminating occupiers in the border areas.” The main focus of Russia’s attacks remains near the critical logistical hub of Pokrovsk, a city of over 60,000 that is now largely in ruins.
Diplomatic Push and Frustration
The renewed violence comes just days after Ukrainian and Russian officials held their third direct meeting in Istanbul. The talks led to progress on prisoner and soldier exchange, but there was no visible breakthrough toward a ceasefire.
U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s refusal to agree to a ceasefire. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News that Trump is “losing patience” and has threatened to impose new sanctions on Moscow if a deal with Kyiv is not reached by early September. Rubio noted that without China’s support, particularly its oil purchases, Putin would not have been able to sustain the war.
Ukraine’s Response and Military Strengthening
Zelensky described Russia’s latest strikes as a “response” to Kyiv’s immediate ceasefire proposal. He vowed retaliation, stating that Russian military targets would be hit. “Such attacks, obviously, cannot go unanswered, and Ukrainian long-range drones ensure this,” he posted on X. “Russian military enterprises, Russian logistics, and Russian airports should understand that Russia’s own war is now hitting them with real consequences.”
The Ukrainian President has instructed officials to be more active in securing foreign funds for drones and to more effectively implement existing agreements with international partners. He also announced that Ukraine has secured funding for three U.S. Patriot missile defense systems and is negotiating for seven more, part of a new deal allowing European allies to purchase American weapons for Kyiv.
Following Zelensky’s statements, Russian authorities reported attacks inside their territory. The governor of Russia’s Kursk region, Aleksandr Khinshtein, claimed a Ukrainian drone had killed a person in the village of Obesta. Authorities in the Volgograd region also reported that falling drone debris had damaged the railway power supply and disrupted traffic at the city’s airport.
