Putin unleashes waves of Ukraine drone attacks as Russian troop death toll revealed
Russia has lost 1,300 frontline troops in the past 24 hours - taking its Ukraine invasion toll to more than 1.3 million soldiers killed or injured in battle.The death blow to the Kremlin was revealed after Russia launched withering attacks on Ukraine civilians, killing five in the past 48 hours with drone swarms. More than 850 drones have been fired into Ukraine in three days as Russia desperately tries to exert leverage over any ceasefire settlement - claiming it has more land than it does.The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) claimed Russian forces seized tall of Luhansk Oblast for the third time over the course of Russia’s full-scale invasion. But sources said the Kremlin’s inflated claims about the seizure of Luhansk Oblast are part of a disinformation campaign to force Ukraine to cede unoccupied territory.READ MORE: UK ground forces down Iranian drones - as search for kidnap victim launchedREAD MORE: Russian war machine blasted by missiles and drones as insiders slam Kremlin armyOvernight waves of drones were fired into Ukraine killing one person, adding to four killed in a massive onslaught throughout Tuesday. Early this morning on Thursday morning the city of Synelnykove in the Dnipropetrovsk region came under a massive attack.A man was killed, while a woman and a 12-year-old boy were injured. Injuries were also imposed on civilians under attack in the Kharkiv region. The latest drone assault hit the north, south and east of Ukraine as Kremlin war chiefs try to leverage any future peace deal by claiming a strong position.At least 172 drones were fired at Ukraine, most of them intercepted by Ukraine’s anti-drone teams but falling debris caused terror on the ground. Russia’s total troop losses, according to latest figures from Kyiv intelligence amount to 1, 300030 plus 11,830 tanks destroyed in four years of war.The Russians have lost 435 warplanes, 350 helicopters and 33 warships since the war began and Ukraine is appealing for an Easter ceasefire. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked US mediators to pass on a request to Russia for cessation of attacks over the festive period.He said: “I will definitely ask them to pass it on to the Russian side. We are ready for a ceasefire for the Easter holidays … We are ready for any compromises, except compromises involving our dignity and sovereignty.”There have been reports that US President Donald Trump threatened NATO allies he would cut off military aid to Ukraine if they did not help unblock the Strait of Hormuz. That led to NATO chief Mark Rutte appealing to European countries to step up and organise a campaign to help secure the key oil trade chokepoint.UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has agreed to host talks among 35 countries aimed at forming a coalition to secure the strait after US-Israeli led hostilities end. But the conflict in the Middle East is putting immense pressure on supplies of Patriot air defence interceptors, which may mean a shortage spreading to Ukraine.
