
Russia seizes Ukrainian border villages as its massive bombing campaign slows
The Hindu
Russian bombing campaign slows as Putin orders buffer zone along Ukraine border, escalating conflict despite peace talks.
Russian forces have taken four border villages in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region, a local official said on Tuesday (May 27, 2025), days after Russian President Vladimir Putin said he had issued an order to establish a buffer zone along the border.
Also Read | Russia sent a record number of drones into Ukraine as Trump says Putin has ’gone crazy’
Meanwhile, a Russian bombing campaign that had escalated in recent days slowed overnight as far fewer Russian drones targeted Ukrainian towns and cities.
Moscow's invasion has shown no signs of stopping despite months of intense U.S.-led efforts to secure a ceasefire and get traction for peace talks. Since Russian and Ukrainian delegations met in Turkey earlier this month for their first direct talks in three years, a large prisoner exchange has been the only tangible outcome, but negotiations have brought no significant breakthrough.
Between Friday and Sunday, Russia launched around 900 drones at Ukraine, officials said, amid a spate of large-scale bombardments. On Sunday night, Russia launched its biggest drone attack of the 3-year war against Ukraine, firing 355 drones.
From Monday to Tuesday, Russia fired 60 drones at Ukraine, the Ukrainian air force said Tuesday.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed its air defenses had downed 99 Ukrainian drones overnight over seven Russian regions.













