British, French and German ambassadors to Russia met with a Russian minister on Thursday to urge direct negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv, marking a rare diplomatic engagement since the war began. The meeting followed a summit in London where the leaders of the UK, France and Germany – known as the E3 – met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In a joint statement, the three countries said they conveyed support for Zelenskyy's call for direct talks.
Moscow responded by accusing the E3 of pursuing a “destructive” policy on Ukraine and wanting to “continue the war against Russia on behalf of and at the expense of” European countries. European ambassadors have rarely held talks with Russian officials during the conflict, though they have often been summoned by the foreign ministry. The E3 grouping has been among Ukraine's staunchest allies.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces have intensified strikes on Russian supply lines, particularly along the R-280 highway, dubbed the “highway of death”. The route links Rostov-on-Don in Russia to Melitopol, Mariupol and Crimea. Ukrainian drone operators said military cargo traffic along the highway had fallen by 71% over the past two weeks. Traffic was suspended on the Chonhar Bridge, a key section connecting Russian-occupied Kherson province to Crimea, after a series of drone strikes.
Fuel stations across Crimea were out of petrol on Thursday, with long queues forming at the few working stations. The Russian-backed governor of Sevastopol said Ukrainian strikes on supply routes had disrupted fuel deliveries by road, rail and sea barge. In southern Russia, Ukrainian strikes caused a fire at the Afipsky oil refinery and damage in the Adygea region. The Russian government is now trying to create a forecasting system to deal with fuel shortages, which have been reported in around a dozen regions.
Two people were killed and two injured in shelling in Russia's Bryansk region, which borders Ukraine. In Ukraine, a Russian drone attack on a railway depot in Konotop, Sumy region, killed a railway worker.
