A day after Russia announced the successful test of the nuclear-powered cruise missile Burevestnik, criticism from Donald Trump towards Vladimir Putin has emerged. "He should end the war (in Ukraine). A war that should have lasted a week and is now almost in its fourth year. That's what he should do instead of testing missiles," said the U.S. President on Monday aboard Air Force One.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has claimed responsibility for an attack this weekend that caused damage to a dam in the Russian region of Belgorod. According to a Ukrainian army commander, the drones caused a crack in the structure, resulting in a one-meter drop in water level. Regional authorities revealed that the intention was to "completely destroy" the dam, which would have caused flooding in the adjacent area where a thousand people live.
Additionally, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that it had shot down 193 Ukrainian drones on Monday, 40 of them in the Moscow region. The governor of Bryansk, Alexander Bogomaz, stated on Telegram that a minibus was hit in the village of Pogar, resulting in the death of the driver and injuries to five passengers.
The Kremlin says Dmitriev's visit to the U.S. is a small step on a long road
The Kremlin has assessed the visit of President Vladimir Putin's special envoy for investment and economic cooperation, Kirill Dmitriev, to the United States as a small step on a long road, emphasizing the importance of informal contacts, as reported by Reuters.
Dmitriev was in the U.S. for what he described as a series of long-planned meetings. "Informal contacts, in general, are a very important component of dialogue," Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov told reporters. "This is just a small step on a long road."
Russia claims to have captured three towns in eastern Ukraine
The Russian Ministry of Defense has announced that its forces have captured the towns of Yehorivka in the Ukrainian region of Dnipropetrovsk, as well as Novomykolaivka and Pryvilne in the Zaporizhia region, according to Reuters.
The Kremlin responds to Trump's criticism of missile tests
The Kremlin stated on Monday that Russia would be guided by its own national interests after Donald Trump said that President Vladimir Putin should end the war in Ukraine instead of testing a nuclear-powered cruise missile. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that there was nothing in the Burevestnik missile test that could strain relations with Washington.
Lithuania will shoot down smuggling balloons from Belarus
Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene announced on Monday that her country will start shooting down smuggling balloons crossing the border from Belarus, which have repeatedly disrupted air traffic in the Baltic nation, as reported by Reuters.
Lithuania, a NATO member, closed Vilnius airport four times last week after balloons entered its airspace, each time temporarily closing border crossings with Belarus in response to the incidents.
Russia launches over 100 drones into Ukraine
Since yesterday afternoon, Russia has launched 100 drones into Ukrainian territory, including around 70 'Shaheds,' reported the Ukrainian Air Force on Monday.
A total of 76 of these drones were neutralized by Ukrainian air defenses, while 26 were not intercepted and hit nine different unspecified locations in Ukraine.
The attack was ongoing at the time of the report, with Russian drones still flying over Ukrainian skies, as also reported by Efe.
Russia shoots down 193 Ukrainian drones, 40 in the Moscow region
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported on Monday night that it had shot down 193 Ukrainian drones, with local authorities confirming one fatality in the attack. "During the past night, air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 193 Ukrainian fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles," the ministry posted on Telegram.
The governor of the border region of Bryansk, Alexander Bogomaz, stated on Telegram that a minibus was hit in the village of Pogar, resulting in the death of the driver and injuries to five passengers, as reported by AFP.
Russian forces shot down 47 drones in Bryansk and 40 in the Moscow region, according to the Ministry of Defense.
Ukraine claims responsibility for the attack that damaged a dam in the Russian region of Belgorod
The commander of the Ukrainian Army's Unmanned Systems Forces, Robert 'Madiar' Brovdi, has claimed responsibility for the Ukrainian attack this weekend that caused damage to a dam in the Belgorod region of Russia, bordering Ukraine. Brovdi, whose name means 'Magyar' in Ukrainian, stated that Ukrainian drones caused a crack in the structure, resulting in a one-meter drop in water level, as reported by Efe.
Ukrainian media reported this weekend that the reservoir in the Russian Belgorod region had been hit with HIMARS rockets, a U.S. system that Ukraine has been using since the first year of the invasion.
Belgorod regional authorities revealed on Saturday that the dam - on the Severki Donets River - had been damaged by Ukrainian artillery fire. The intention of the attack, according to Belgorod authorities, was to "completely destroy" the dam, which would have caused flooding in the adjacent area where a thousand people live.
Trump says Russian missile test is not "appropriate"
U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Monday that Vladimir Putin's announcement of a nuclear-powered cruise missile test is not "appropriate." "He should end the war (in Ukraine). A war that should have lasted a week is now almost in its fourth year. That's what he should do instead of testing missiles," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.
Putin announced on Sunday the final test of the Burevestnik missile, claiming it has "unlimited range."