Zelensky Orders Threefold Increase in Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russia — Up to 1,000 a Day

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has ordered the armed forces to increase the number of long-range drone strikes on targets inside Russia to 1,000 a day, up from the current roughly 300. Zelensky made the statement on Friday, according to Reuters.

Now in its fifth year of repelling Russian aggression, Ukraine has in recent months stepped up strikes deep inside Russian territory, targeting primarily oil refineries and logistics depots. Kyiv's stated goal is to weaken Moscow's ability to wage war and make Russia itself feel the consequences of the conflict.

"We need more of them: we have a clear target, and we will get this job done," Zelensky said in his customary evening address, referring to the number of drones being launched.

Meetings in Moscow and the US role

The same day, the Ukrainian president said the United States had informed Kyiv about "several" meetings that took place in Moscow in recent days. "Today we received information from the American side about meetings in Moscow that took place in these days. There were several meetings," Zelensky wrote on Telegram, without specifying who took part or what was discussed. He thanked the American side for the information and said that in conversations with Russia, "the right tone" had reportedly been struck — again without further details.

It is known that on Tuesday, CIA Director John Ratcliffe held talks in Moscow with Sergei Naryshkin, head of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service. Naryshkin confirmed the meeting on Thursday, calling it a "working format" and saying the two sides had discussed matters within the purview of their intelligence agencies.

Concerns over a possible attack on NATO

According to Western media reports, Ratcliffe traveled to Moscow to dissuade Russia from a possible strike on a NATO member state. The Kremlin dismissed these reports as alarmist, and US President Donald Trump later said he did not believe Vladimir Putin would dare to attack any country in the alliance.

Reuters, citing two sources, reported that Ratcliffe did in fact raise the possibility of a Russian operation against a NATO member during the meeting, though it remains unclear whether this was the main purpose of the visit. According to the sources, the Moscow talks also touched on Russia's support for Iran, against the backdrop of Trump's declaration of economic war on Tehran last week, in which he urged other countries to sever economic ties with Iran.

Around Prague, based on reporting by seznamzpravy.cz