Russian anti-aircraft defenses shot down 217 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones between 20:00 Moscow time this Sunday (17:00 GMT) and 08:00 Moscow time (05:00 GMT), 18 of which were intercepted near the Russian capital, as reported today by the Russian Ministry of Defense.
The most affected region was Rostov, which suffered an attack of 60 drones. The attacks in the last 12 hours also affected the regions of Astrakhan (38), Bryansk (35), and Belgorod (11), among others. Drones were also shot down over the Azov and Caspian seas.
The Moscow region was attacked by 29 drones, fifteen of which were heading towards the capital of Russia, leading to the temporary closure of the Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports south of the city.
Zelensky Starts Another Day of Meetings with the US and Europe Alongside Stubb
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met on Monday with his Finnish counterpart, Alexander Stubb, to prepare for the peace plan discussions they will have throughout the day with US negotiators and European leaders, some of whom are already in the German capital, as reported by Efe.
"Right now, there is a lot of diplomatic work underway, and we have discussed the results. We have also coordinated our joint positions before today's meetings with our partners in Berlin and agreed on the next steps," Zelensky wrote on social media.
The Ukrainian president met on Sunday in Berlin with the rest of the Ukrainian delegation and White House envoys for negotiations with Ukrainians and Russians, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Putin Rejects an "Artificial Truce" and Seeks a "Real Peace"
Russian President Vladimir Putin rejects an "artificial truce" and instead supports a "real peace" for Ukraine, as reported by the Kremlin today, according to Efe.
"President Putin is open to peace, to a real peace, and is totally against schemes to buy time and create artificial truces," said Dmitry Peskov, the presidential spokesperson, during his daily phone press conference.
Ukraine's Non-Adherence to NATO is a "Cornerstone" of the Negotiations, Kremlin States
Ukraine's non-adherence to NATO is a "cornerstone" of the negotiations to end the conflict in Ukraine, mediated by the United States, affirmed Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Monday.
This issue is the subject of "specific discussions," Peskov stated during a press briefing attended by AFP.
The spokesperson also specified that Russia expects Washington to inform them of the results of the discussions between European, American, and Ukrainian representatives gathered in Berlin to discuss a possible plan to end the conflict.
Russian Court Declares Punk Group Pussy Riot Extremist
A Moscow court granted the request made by the Russian Prosecutor General's Office today and declared the Russian punk group Pussy Riot extremist, known for its critical stance against President Vladimir Putin's government, as reported by Efe.
"The Tverskoi Court of Moscow granted the administrative demands of the Russian Deputy Prosecutor General to declare the punk group Pussy Riot an extremist organization and prohibit its activities on Russian territory," stated the press service of the Moscow courts on Telegram.
One of the incidents for which Pussy Riot was convicted revolves around a song released by the group in 2022, following the start of the war in Ukraine, in which, according to the court, false information about Ukrainian civilian casualties was provided.
Ukraine Neutralizes 133 of the Over 150 Drones Launched by Russia Against Its Territory
Ukrainian air defenses neutralized 133 of the 153 long-range unmanned aerial vehicles launched by Russia against Ukrainian territory since yesterday afternoon, as reported by the Ukrainian Air Force on Monday, according to Efe.
Another 17 drones were not intercepted and hit ten different unspecified locations in Ukraine.
Several drones launched by Russia were still flying over Ukrainian territory at the time the report was published.
Russia Declares German Channel Deutsche Welle as "Undesirable"
Russian authorities declared the German news channel Deutsche Welle (DW) as an "undesirable organization" on Sunday, accusing it of spreading "hostile propaganda" towards Moscow, as reported by Europa Press.
The Russian General Prosecutor's Office made this decision at the request of the Duma (Russian Parliament), considering the media outlet as a "pioneer of hostile anti-Russian propaganda," stated Vasili Piskaryov, a member of the ruling United Russia party, who indicated that cooperation with DW will be punished as a violation of the law.
"Despite censorship and the blocking of our services by the Russian government, DW reaches more people today with its Russian-language offerings than before. We will continue to report independently on the aggression against Ukraine and other topics that are scarcely covered in Russia. So that people can form their own opinion," explained DW.
Since February 2022, when the large-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces began, there has been a broadcasting ban, and the DW website is blocked, while since March of the same year, the German channel has been considered a "foreign agent" by Moscow.
Kallas Emphasizes that Using Russian Assets is the "Most Credible" Way to Finance Kiev
The EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, stated on Monday that using immobilized Russian assets to provide a loan to Ukraine is the "most credible" way to finance Kiev, but admitted that without the support of Belgium, where most of these assets are located in Europe, reaching an agreement on this matter will not be "very easy."
"The most credible option is the repair loan (loan from immobilized Russian assets), and that is what we are working on. We are not there yet, and it is getting increasingly difficult, but we are doing the work; we still have a few days left," she declared upon arriving at the EU Foreign Ministers' meeting held today in Brussels.
The Donbas Region "Is Not Putin's Final Goal"
The EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, stated on Monday that taking control of the Donbas region "will not be Putin's final goal," as reported by Reuters.
"We have to understand that if he gets Donbas, then the stronghold falls, and then undoubtedly they will advance to take over all of Ukraine," Kallas told reporters. "If Ukraine falls, then other regions will also be in danger," she added.
The status of Donbas, comprising the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, has become a key point of contention in discussions about a peaceful agreement in Ukraine.