A claim that President Vladimir Putin 's helicopter faced a combat incident during his visit to the Kursk region was concocted by Russia's authorities, it has been reported. Russia's Defense Ministry said that during Putin's trip to the border region where Kyiv previously staged an incursion, his aircraft came under fire from Ukrainian drones.

Russian troops launched some 109 drones and five missiles across Ukraine overnight on Friday and into Saturday. Moscow later said it had captured another two Ukrainian villages in the east of the country.

KYIV, Ukraine — Russia's drone and missile attacks on Ukraine on Saturday killed at least two people, including a 9-year-old girl, officials said, as uncertainty remains whether Kyiv diplomats will attend a new round of peace talks proposed by Moscow for early next week in Istanbul.

Ukraine and Russia, earlier this month, agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war and civilian detainees each in a rare moment of cooperation in more than three years of war.

Russia's drone attacks have become more complex, and Ukraine needs shoulder-launched missiles to battle the threat, an air defender told BI.

Russia dramatically intensified missile and drone attacks across Ukraine this month in an effort to sap Ukrainians’ morale – but it is also stepping up ground attacks in many areas along the long frontline,

Explosions in Moscow were heard overnight as air defences targeted Ukrainian drones. As a result of the air attack, a fire broke out in the Elma technopark in Zelenograd, 37 miles from Moscow, with one of its buildings damaged. According to Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, 33 drones were reportedly shot down.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy again appealed to the U.S. to apply more pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin in pursuit of peace talks to end Moscow's war.