Zelensky Orders Military to Scale Long-Range Drone Strikes to 1,000 a Day

In his evening address on August 28, President Zelensky said he has ordered Ukraine's armed forces to increase long-range drone strikes against Russia to at least 1,000 per day, more than triple the current average of roughly 300. He said the goal was set at a meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief and is aimed at strengthening deep strikes on Russian military and energy infrastructure while bolstering air defense against jet-powered Shahed-type drones. Separately the same day, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia-Ukraine peace talks remain on a 'deep pause,' with Moscow 'pressing forward with the special military operation' as Russian troops continue offensive operations in eastern Ukraine — even as CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Moscow and a Vatican envoy met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov this week to press for a deal.