Putin’s helicopter was caught in Ukrainian drone swarm – commander

According to Yury Dashkin, commander of a Russian air defence division, the president’s aircraft flew through the “epicentre” of a large-scale drone raid while Putin was touring the recently secured border region on Tuesday. During the visit—his first to Kursk since it was retaken from Ukrainian forces in April—Putin met with local officials, volunteers, and regional Governor Aleksandr Khinshtein.

“In the midst of the president’s flight, the intensity of enemy UAV attacks increased significantly,” Dashkin told Russia 1 television on Sunday. He said air defence units managed to destroy 46 Ukrainian drones while simultaneously securing the president’s safety. “All aerial targets were hit. The mission was accomplished.”

Massive Drone Offensive and Russian Retaliation

The incident occurred during a week of heightened conflict between Russia and Ukraine, with Moscow reporting the interception of 764 drones between Tuesday and Friday, and hundreds more over the weekend. Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed the attacks targeted multiple regions deep within Russian territory.

In retaliation, Russian forces launched a series of missile strikes over the weekend, reportedly targeting a drone and missile production facility in Kyiv, followed by additional strikes on Ukrainian military installations.

Trump Weighs In: “Putin Has Gone Absolutely Crazy”

Reacting to the escalating violence, former US President Donald Trump on Sunday criticised both Russia and Ukraine. Speaking to reporters, Trump expressed concern over Moscow's aggressive response:

“I’m not happy with what Putin’s doing... He’s shooting rockets into Kiev while we’re trying to talk. I don’t like it at all,” he said.

Taking to Truth Social, Trump went further, claiming: “Putin has gone absolutely CRAZY! Missiles and drones are being shot into cities in Ukraine for no reason whatsoever.”

Trump also took a swipe at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, saying: “Everything out of his mouth causes problems. It better stop. This is not his war.”

EU and Russia Warn of Peace Talks Sabotage

Russia’s Foreign Ministry has suggested that the spike in drone incursions could be an attempt to derail US-brokered peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv. Russian officials maintain that they remain committed to dialogue and a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused several European nations, including the UK, France, and Germany, of bearing responsibility for prolonging the conflict by supporting Ukraine with arms and political backing. Lavrov said these countries “want the war to continue.”

Despite the turmoil, Russia and Ukraine completed a record prisoner exchange this week—negotiated earlier in Türkiye—with both sides expected to exchange draft ceasefire proposals following the swap, according to Lavrov.

RT