As diplomatic efforts to broker peace stall, Russia and Ukraine have launched a new wave of tit-for-tat drone strikes, escalating the war while world attention is consumed by the Iran-Israel crisis.

Russian Drones Hit Civilians in Ukraine

At least three civilians — including an eight-year-old boy — were killed in Sumy when Russian drones struck a residential street, according to local officials. Additional drone attacks wounded five in Kharkiv and four in Dnipropetrovsk, following a deadly missile and drone assault on Kyiv that claimed at least ten lives the day before.

“The strike took the lives of people from different families,” said the Sumy regional administration. “They went to sleep in their homes. But Russian drones interrupted their sleep — forever.”

Ukraine Strikes Back at Moscow

In retaliation, Ukraine launched drone attacks targeting Moscow. A drone reportedly ignited a fire on the 17th floor of a residential tower in Krasnogorsk, injuring two people, including a pregnant woman. Nearly 100 residents, among them 30 children, were evacuated, according to Moscow Governor Andrei Vorobyov.

Russia's defense ministry claimed to have shot down 20 Ukrainian drones overnight, including two near Moscow.

Ceasefire Talks Stalled Amid Global Distractions

Despite diplomatic efforts led by the United States — which managed to initiate direct talks between the two sides last month — no follow-up meetings have occurred in three weeks. US President Donald Trump had vowed to end the war, but his initiative appears stalled.

Ukrainian officials accused Moscow of sabotaging talks to prolong the conflict and capture more territory. “Russia currently occupies about one-fifth of Ukraine and has claimed four more regions in addition to Crimea,” Al Jazeera reported.