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Russia and Ukraine both launched record drone attacks on each other overnight, as the Kremlin said it saw “positive signals” from United States president-elect Donald Trump over his desire to strike a deal to end the conflict.
Trump’s election to the White House has the potential to upend the almost three-year conflict and has thrown into question Washington’s multi-billion dollar support for Kyiv, crucial to its defence.
The Republican said on the campaign trail that he could end the fighting within hours and has indicated he will talk directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin—a major break from the approach struck by President Joe Biden.
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Trump will not be inaugurated until January and for the moment on the battlefield and in the skies, the conflict shows no signs of subsiding.
Russia fired 145 drones at Ukraine overnight, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said—more than in any single night-time attack of the conflict so far.
“Last night, Russia launched a record 145 Shaheds and other strike drones against Ukraine,” Zelensky said on social media, urging Kyiv’s Western allies to do more to help Ukraine’s defence.
Russia also said it had downed 34 Ukrainian attack drones targeting Moscow on Sunday, the largest attempted attack on the capital since the start of the offensive in 2022.
While having publicly claimed to be backing Kamala Harris in the US election, the Kremlin is widely believed to have actually wanted to see Trump return to the White House, welcoming his scepticism over American aid to Ukraine and his chaotic leadership style.
“The signals are positive. Trump during his election campaign talked about how he perceives everything through deals, that he can make a deal that can lead to peace,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with state media published Sunday.
“At least he’s talking about peace, and not about confrontation. He isn’t talking about his wish to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia—that distinguishes him from the current administration,” Peskov added.
But he warned about Trump’s unpredictability, and said time would tell whether his victory could bring about an end to the Ukraine conflict.
