Russia-Ukraine Exchange Aerial Attacks After Ceasefire Conditions, Over 100 Drones and Volgograd Attack Overnight

Russia-Ukraine Exchange Aerial Attacks After Ceasefire Conditions, Over 100 Drones and Volgograd Attack Overnight

Kyiv, March 16, 2025 (Sunday): Russia and Ukraine launched intense aerial attacks overnight. Both sides claimed to have carried out over 100 drone strikes on each other's territories.

These attacks came less than 24 hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin set out conditions for a ceasefire.

Putin's Ceasefire Conditions and U.S. Involvement

After meeting with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff on Thursday, Putin stated that he was in principle supportive of a 30-day ceasefire, but certain conditions needed to be clarified before it could be agreed upon.

Kyiv has already endorsed the ceasefire proposal. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed concerns that Russia might disrupt the talks for strategic reasons.

Ukraine’s Response and Western Calls for Pressure

On Saturday, following virtual talks with Western allies, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for continued pressure on Russia. He stated,
"Putin will have to come to the table sooner or later. Ukraine is the true party of peace."

Zelenskyy accused Russia of building up forces along the border to prolong the war. He warned,
"If Russia does not agree with the U.S. proposal, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump will respond with a harsh and direct reply."

Ukrainian Presence in Kursk Region

Regarding Ukraine's military presence in Russia's Kursk region, Zelenskyy said,
"Our troops are still holding positions in designated areas and repelling Russian and North Korean forces."

Trump had claimed on Friday that "thousands of Ukrainian troops were surrounded by Russian forces," but Zelenskyy rejected this claim.

Russia’s Drone Attacks and Damages

On Saturday, Ukraine’s Air Force reported that

• Russia launched 178 drones and two ballistic missiles overnight.
• 130 drones were destroyed by Ukraine's air defense system.
• 38 drones missed their targets.

The drone strikes caused significant damage to energy infrastructure in the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, according to Ukraine's private energy company DTEK.

Volgograd Attack and Fire

In Russia’s Volgograd region, drone debris sparked a fire in the Krasnoarmeysky district, near a Lukoil oil refinery.

Governor Andrei Bocharov stated,
"The Volgograd refinery has been targeted by Ukraine several times before, most recently on February 15."

Local media reported that nearby airports temporarily halted operations due to the attack. However, no casualties were reported.

Analysts' Perspective

Analysts believe that despite ongoing ceasefire discussions, there are no signs that the intensity of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine is decreasing.