A new day of combat operations is taking place on the Russian-Ukrainian frontlines on Friday, as the Russian army continues its advance to control Ukrainian territory, while Kyiv's forces resist with military support from Western allies, amid mixed discussions about the possibility of reaching an agreement to stop the war.
One of President Volodymyr Zelensky's senior advisors stated that signing an agreement with Russia to end the war would be like signing a deal with the devil, as pressures mount on the country to end over two years of fighting.
In the latest battlefield developments, the Ukrainian energy company Ukrenergo announced today that Russia attacked energy facilities in two regions with drones last night, causing disruptions to electricity supplies. It added that electricity supplies have already been restored to most consumers in the northern regions of Chernihiv and Zhytomyr.
The commander of the Ukrainian Air Force reported that air defenses had destroyed 20 out of 22 drones launched by Russia during the night. Most of the drones were shot down in the regions of Kherson, Sumy, Zhytomyr, and Chernihiv.
The Chernihiv governor mentioned that some infrastructure and a residential building were damaged during the attack on the town of Nizhyn, without providing further details.
Russia has intensified missile and drone attacks on Ukraine's energy sector since spring, leading to power outages in many areas, which has forced Kyiv to begin importing electricity extensively from the European Union.
In contrast, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that air defense systems intercepted four Ukrainian drones over Rostov region and two over Kursk region.
The acting governor of Kursk region, Alexei Smirnov, stated that Ukrainian forces targeted the Gorshichenoye area of the region using a drone, noting that some homes were damaged as a result of the explosion.
Additionally, Russian media reported an explosion at the East Yurgoy oil and gas condensate field in the Yamal Nenets region in the Arctic, which resulted in the death of one worker and injury to seven others on Friday. Rosneft operates the field and added that the fire has been contained.
