Russia and Ukraine are trading accusations that they had breached US brokerage agreements for attacks in the Black Sea the day after it was announced.
The Ukrainian Air Force said Wednesday that 117 drones had been released from Russia during the overnight attack. At least 56 drones fell, 48 were lost to electronic warfare, and no damage was caused, the Air Force said.
However, the mayor of Mykolaiv said there was a blackout due to the drone.
In the city of Kryvyi Rih, a Russian attack caused fires and damaged buildings, but no casualties have been reported. The building reportedly was damaged in Sammy’s border area, and has been hit hard recently.
The junta of Olexandre Virkul’s Cliviy Lee described the attack as the most important drone attack on the city, adding, “Obviously this is what the occupying people want for ‘peace’.”
Ukrainian President Voldimia Zelenki condemned the attack’s overnight barrage, saying “it’s a clear signal to the whole world that Moscow will not pursue true peace.”
“Since March 11, there has been a US proposal for a complete ceasefire, and a complete halt to strike. And, literally, through that attack, Russia has been saying “no” to its partner’s peace proposal,” Zelensky wrote to X:
Last night, in our sky there was another 117 evidence of how Russia continues to drag this war. A considerable number have been shot down by our Air Force defenders.
Dnipro, Sumy, Cherkasy and other regions were attacked by Russia. There… pic.twitter.com/q4wtj87ihg
– volodymyr Zelenskyy /володимирзеленсka (@zelenskyyua) March 26, 2025
Zelensky met Paris French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday, and on Thursday world leaders will be gathered to be billed as a “rejoiced coalition.”
The Russian Ministry of Defense said Ukraine had carried out a drone attack with gas storage facilities in the Crimea and power facilities in the Bryansk region.
“The Kiev regime continues to damage Russia’s private energy infrastructure, but in reality it is doing everything it can to disrupt the Russian-American agreement,” he wrote.
Ukraine denied targeting Russian energy infrastructure in two regions.
In the meantime, NATO executive director Mark Latte warned in Warsaw on Wednesday that the Western defence alliance would respond with a “devastating” blow to Russia’s attacks by Poland or another alliance.
Accusations make negotiations “difficult”
A report from Moscow, Al Jazeera’s Dosa Jabari said further negotiations were “difficult” as both sides continue to accuse each other of violating a temporary ceasefire.
“This conflict shows us back and forth how difficult and vulnerable the situation is between both sides of this conflict, and how difficult it is for American officials to come before them,” Yabari explained.
Temporary ceasefire
On Tuesday, the US reached separate ceasefire agreements between Ukraine and Russia in talks held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. US negotiators met separately with Ukraine and Russian delegations, both agreeing to cease attacks at sea.
The US has also agreed to promote lifting Western sanctions on Russian food, fertilizer and transport in the Black Sea.
Previously, the Kremlin said “many conditions” must be met before conducting transactions in the Black Sea, including restoring the link between Russian banks and the international financial system.
However, a European Union spokesman said on Wednesday that one of the main conditions for lifting or amending Russia’s sanctions was “the end of Russia’s provocative and unjust invasion in Ukraine and the unconditional withdrawal of all Russian troops.”
Previously, a court in Russia’s city of Rostov on Dong has accused 23 Ukrainians of “terrorism” in a trial that Kiev accused of falsehood and violation of international law.
The defendants include 12 captured members of the Ukrainian elite Azov brigade, who led the defense of Mariupol city in the early months of the Russian war.
