Russia launched one of its heaviest drone attacks on Kyiv in recent weeks, pounding residential districts, triggering fires and injuring civilians. Dozens of Iranian-origin Shahed drones were launched in waves through the night, overwhelming air defences and damaging homes, shops, and infrastructure across the capital.
While Kyiv was still counting the damage, Ukraine attempted a major strike of its own by targeting Russia’s strategic Novorossiysk oil terminal on the Black Sea.
The strikes reflect the widening asymmetry of the war. Ukraine’s ability to hit deep into Russian territory is shrinking, while Russia continues to advance on the frontlines and escalate pressure ahead of any potential negotiations.
As the battlefield tilts in Moscow’s favour, pressure for talks continues to build. 

Russia Pounds Kyiv With Deadly Drones as Lavrov Extends Tactical Olive Branch 

Turkey neutralised at least 2,434 terrorists belonging to the Kurdistan Workers&#39; Party (PYD/PKK) and Islamic State (IS) group in a military operation in Syria&#39;s Afrin region, the Turkish general staff said in a statement on Saturday.

The Turkish army took control of the outer edge of Syria&#39;s Afrin region, state media said, as Ankara said it was readying for a &quot;new battle&quot; by deploying police special forces.&nbsp;

A total of 2,222 militants have been &quot;neutralized&quot; since the commencement of Turkey&#39;s &quot;Operation Olive Branch&quot; in Syria&#39;s Afrin region, the military said in a statement Thursday.&nbsp;

The word &quot;neutralised&quot; is used to imply that the terrorists in question either surrendered or were killed or captured.

On January 20, Turkey began an air and ground offensive supporting Syrian rebels against the US-backed YPG in its western enclave of Afrin. The main aim of the Turkish forces is to establish security and stability along Turkey&#39;s borders as well as to protect Syrians from terrorist oppression and cruelty.

&quot;The operation is being carried out under the framework of Turkey&#39;s rights based on international law, United Nations Security Council resolutions, its self-defence rights under the UN charter, and respect for Syria&#39;s territorial integrity,&quot; the Turkish military added.

Also, 924 terror targets have been destroyed ever since the military operations began in January.

In January 2018, the Turkish military began an operation in the Kurdish-majority Afrin Canton and the Tel Rifaat Area of Shahba Canton in Northern Syria.&nbsp;

The PKK, which is based in Turkey, Iraq and parts of Syria, has been involved in an armed conflict with Turkey for the past few years. Its aim is to achieve the objective of creating an independent Kurdish state.

It has been listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.

The PKK is responsible for the deaths of more than 1,200 Turkish security personnel and civilians.

The Turkish army took control of the outer edge of Syria's Afrin region, state media said, as Ankara said it was readying for a 'new battle' by deploying police special forces

Turkey neutralised at least 2,434 terrorists belonging to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PYD/PKK) and Islamic State (IS) group in a military operation in Syria's Afrin region, the Turkish general staff said in a statement on Saturday. The Turkish army took control of the outer edge of Syria's Afrin region, state media said, as Ankara said it was readying for a "new battle" by deploying police special forces. A total of 2,222 militants have been "neutralized" since the commencement of Turkey's "Operation Olive Branch" in Syria's Afrin region, the military said in a statement Thursday. The word "neutralised" is used to imply that the terrorists in question either surrendered or were killed or captured. On January 20, Turkey began an air and ground offensive supporting Syrian rebels against the US-backed YPG in its western enclave of Afrin. The main aim of the Turkish forces is to establish security and stability along Turkey's borders as well as to protect Syrians from terrorist oppression and cruelty. "The operation is being carried out under the framework of Turkey's rights based on international law, United Nations Security Council resolutions, its self-defence rights under the UN charter, and respect for Syria's territorial integrity," the Turkish military added. Also, 924 terror targets have been destroyed ever since the military operations began in January. In January 2018, the Turkish military began an operation in the Kurdish-majority Afrin Canton and the Tel Rifaat Area of Shahba Canton in Northern Syria. The PKK, which is based in Turkey, Iraq and parts of Syria, has been involved in an armed conflict with Turkey for the past few years. Its aim is to achieve the objective of creating an independent Kurdish state. It has been listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. The PKK is responsible for the deaths of more than 1,200 Turkish security personnel and civilians.

Turkey neutralised at least 2,434 terrorists belonging to PKK, IS

Turkish troops and tanks entered Syria on Sunday to push an offensive against Kurdish militia as rockets hit border towns in apparent retaliation and the United States urged Ankara to show restraint.

Turkey on Saturday launched operation &quot;Olive Branch&quot; seeking to oust from the Afrin region of northern Syria the Peoples&#39; Protection Units (YPG) which Ankara considers a terror group.

But the campaign risks further increasing tensions with Turkey&#39;s NATO ally Washington, which has supported the YPG in the fight against Islamic State (IS) jihadists and warned Ankara about distracting the focus from that fight.

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In its first reaction to the offensive, the US State Department urged Turkey Sunday &quot;to exercise restraint and ensure that its military operations remain limited in scope and duration and scrupulous to avoid civilian casualties&quot;.

&quot;We call on all parties to remain focused on the central goal of defeating&quot; IS, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said troops crossed into YPG-controlled region in Syria at 0805 GMT, the Dogan news agency reported.

Thirty-two Turkish planes destroyed a total of 45 targets including ammunition dumps and refuges used by the YPG on the second day of the operation, the Turkish army said.

Turkish troops were advancing alongside forces from the Ankara-backed rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) and were already five kilometres (three miles) inside Syria, state media said.

An AFP photographer saw more Turkish tanks lined up at the border waiting to cross into Syrian territory.&nbsp;

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in televised comments several villages had already been taken in the advance.

But a YPG spokesman claimed Turkish forces seeking to enter Afrin had been &quot;blocked&quot; and that it had hit two Turkish tanks.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a total of 18 civilians had been killed so far in the two-day operation. Ankara denied any civilian casualties, with Cavusoglu accusing the YPG of sending out &quot;nonsense propaganda and baseless lies&quot;.

&#39;A very short time&#39; 
In his first comments on the offensive since it began, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed hope the &quot;operation will be finished in a very short time&quot; and vowed &quot;we will not take a step back&quot;.

Following calls from some Turkish pro-Kurdish politicians for people to take to the streets, he warned that anyone protesting in Turkey against the operation would pay &quot;a heavy price&quot;.

Police stopped demonstrations against the campaign taking place in the mainly Kurdish southeastern city of Diyarbakir and in Istanbul, making arrests, AFP correspondents said.

In a sign of the risks to Turkey, six rockets fired from Syria hit the Turkish border town of Reyhanli Sunday, killing one Syrian refugee and wounding 32 people, its mayor said.

Earlier, several rockets hit the Turkish border town of Kilis without causing fatalities.&nbsp;

The operation is Turkey&#39;s second major incursion into Syria during the seven-year civil war after the August 2016-March 2017 Euphrates Shield campaign in an area to the east of Afrin, against both the YPG and IS.

Turkey accuses the YPG of being the Syrian offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers&#39; Party (PKK) which has waged a rebellion in Turkey for more than three decades and is regarded as a terror group by Ankara and the EU and US.

Afrin is an enclave of YPG control, cut off from the longer strip of northern Syria that the group controls to the east, extending to the Iraqi border which has a US military presence.

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag ruled out the risk of a clash with American forces, saying they were not present in the Afrin region.

Yildirim was quoted as saying that the Turkish forces aimed to create a security zone some 30 kilometres (18 miles) deep inside Syria.

&#39;Brutal degradation&#39; 
French Defence Minister Florence Parly said the fighting &quot;must stop&quot; as it could deter YPG fighters helping the international coalition against IS.

Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said France was calling the UN Security Council meeting as it was deeply worried by the &quot;brutal degradation of the situation&quot; in flashpoints like Afrin.

Crucial is the attitude of Russia, which has a military presence in the area and is also working with Turkey on a drive to end the civil war.

The Russian foreign ministry voiced concern and urged Turkey to show restraint, while the defence ministry said its troops were withdrawing from the Afrin area to ensure their security and prevent any &quot;provocation&quot;.

The Turkish foreign ministry said it had informed the Syrian regime -- through its Istanbul consulate -- of the operation despite being at odds with Damascus throughout the civil war.

But the Syrian foreign ministry strongly denied this and President Bashar al-Assad slammed the offensive as &quot;support for terrorism&quot;.

Turkey is looking to oust the Peoples' Protection Units or YPG, which it considers a terrorist group, from the Afrin region of northern Syria

Turkish troops and tanks entered Syria on Sunday to push an offensive against Kurdish militia as rockets hit border towns in apparent retaliation and the United States urged Ankara to show restraint. Turkey on Saturday launched operation "Olive Branch" seeking to oust from the Afrin region of northern Syria the Peoples' Protection Units (YPG) which Ankara considers a terror group. But the campaign risks further increasing tensions with Turkey's NATO ally Washington, which has supported the YPG in the fight against Islamic State (IS) jihadists and warned Ankara about distracting the focus from that fight. The United States, which has backed the YPG in the fight against Islamic State, has urged Ankara to show restraint × In its first reaction to the offensive, the US State Department urged Turkey Sunday "to exercise restraint and ensure that its military operations remain limited in scope and duration and scrupulous to avoid civilian casualties". "We call on all parties to remain focused on the central goal of defeating" IS, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said troops crossed into YPG-controlled region in Syria at 0805 GMT, the Dogan news agency reported. Thirty-two Turkish planes destroyed a total of 45 targets including ammunition dumps and refuges used by the YPG on the second day of the operation, the Turkish army said. Turkish troops were advancing alongside forces from the Ankara-backed rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) and were already five kilometres (three miles) inside Syria, state media said. An AFP photographer saw more Turkish tanks lined up at the border waiting to cross into Syrian territory. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in televised comments several villages had already been taken in the advance. But a YPG spokesman claimed Turkish forces seeking to enter Afrin had been "blocked" and that it had hit two Turkish tanks. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a total of 18 civilians had been killed so far in the two-day operation. Ankara denied any civilian casualties, with Cavusoglu accusing the YPG of sending out "nonsense propaganda and baseless lies". 'A very short time' In his first comments on the offensive since it began, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed hope the "operation will be finished in a very short time" and vowed "we will not take a step back". Following calls from some Turkish pro-Kurdish politicians for people to take to the streets, he warned that anyone protesting in Turkey against the operation would pay "a heavy price". Police stopped demonstrations against the campaign taking place in the mainly Kurdish southeastern city of Diyarbakir and in Istanbul, making arrests, AFP correspondents said. In a sign of the risks to Turkey, six rockets fired from Syria hit the Turkish border town of Reyhanli Sunday, killing one Syrian refugee and wounding 32 people, its mayor said. Earlier, several rockets hit the Turkish border town of Kilis without causing fatalities. The operation is Turkey's second major incursion into Syria during the seven-year civil war after the August 2016-March 2017 Euphrates Shield campaign in an area to the east of Afrin, against both the YPG and IS. Turkey accuses the YPG of being the Syrian offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) which has waged a rebellion in Turkey for more than three decades and is regarded as a terror group by Ankara and the EU and US. Afrin is an enclave of YPG control, cut off from the longer strip of northern Syria that the group controls to the east, extending to the Iraqi border which has a US military presence. Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag ruled out the risk of a clash with American forces, saying they were not present in the Afrin region. Yildirim was quoted as saying that the Turkish forces aimed to create a security zone some 30 kilometres (18 miles) deep inside Syria. 'Brutal degradation' French Defence Minister Florence Parly said the fighting "must stop" as it could deter YPG fighters helping the international coalition against IS. Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said France was calling the UN Security Council meeting as it was deeply worried by the "brutal degradation of the situation" in flashpoints like Afrin. Crucial is the attitude of Russia, which has a military presence in the area and is also working with Turkey on a drive to end the civil war. The Russian foreign ministry voiced concern and urged Turkey to show restraint, while the defence ministry said its troops were withdrawing from the Afrin area to ensure their security and prevent any "provocation". The Turkish foreign ministry said it had informed the Syrian regime -- through its Istanbul consulate -- of the operation despite being at odds with Damascus throughout the civil war. But the Syrian foreign ministry strongly denied this and President Bashar al-Assad slammed the offensive as "support for terrorism".

Turkish troops, tanks enter Syria to fight Kurdish militia

Local authorities in Syria`s Afrin called on Sunday for world powers to intervene to halt a Turkish-led assault on their region, accusing Russia of complicity in civilian deaths there.

Ankara and allied rebels launched operation &quot;Olive Branch&quot; on January 20 against the Kurdish People`s Protection Units (YPG), which Turkey has blacklisted as &quot;terrorists&quot;.

Afrin`s local administration -- the semi-autonomous government in place since 2013 -- shot back the accusation on Sunday and urged Moscow to take a firm stand.

&quot;We ask the Russian federation in particular to rescind its support for the Turkish state`s terrorism against the people of Afrin,&quot; it said in a statement.

&quot;It bears responsibility for the massacres the fascist Turkish state is carrying out against innocent civilians.&quot;

Russia, which intervened militarily in Syria`s war in 2015, had troops positioned in Afrin but withdrew them as Turkey launched the assault.

The YPG and Afrin officials say that withdrawal amounted to tacit approval of the Turkish offensive.

Officials on Sunday also called for the United States, European Union, United Nations Security Council and the US-led coalition fighting jihadists to &quot;immediately intervene to stop Turkey`s aggression&quot;.

Ankara says it launched the operation to protect its southern border and insists that it is doing everything it can to avoid civilian casualties.

But the campaign has sparked mass protests, including in Afrin on Sunday.

Thousands of people marched in downtown Afrin with YPG flags and posters of Abdullah Ocalan, the jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers` Party (PKK).

Turkey is vehemently opposed to the YPG because of its ties to the PKK, which has waged a three-decade insurgency against Turkish forces.

&quot;We`re holding the whole world responsible because we fought terrorism on behalf of everyone, but today the world agreed to kill Syrians,&quot; said Ali Mahmoud, 45.

Other demonstrators clutched olive branches, a symbol of Afrin which is known for its abundant olive groves but also now associated with the name Turkey gave its offensive.

&quot;They named their attack `Olive Branch`. It`s a thorn in their hand, but in our hands, it`s a gun,&quot; said Fikrat Afdal, 33.

At least 68 civilians, including 21 children, have died in Turkish shelling as part of the assault, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

More than 100 pro-Ankara rebels and a similar number of YPG fighters have also died, the British-based monitor says. 
&nbsp;

Ankara and allied rebels launched operation 'Olive Branch' on January 20 against the Kurdish People`s Protection Units (YPG), which Turkey has blacklisted as 'terrorists'

Local authorities in Syria`s Afrin called on Sunday for world powers to intervene to halt a Turkish-led assault on their region, accusing Russia of complicity in civilian deaths there. Ankara and allied rebels launched operation "Olive Branch" on January 20 against the Kurdish People`s Protection Units (YPG), which Turkey has blacklisted as "terrorists". Afrin`s local administration -- the semi-autonomous government in place since 2013 -- shot back the accusation on Sunday and urged Moscow to take a firm stand. "We ask the Russian federation in particular to rescind its support for the Turkish state`s terrorism against the people of Afrin," it said in a statement. "It bears responsibility for the massacres the fascist Turkish state is carrying out against innocent civilians." Russia, which intervened militarily in Syria`s war in 2015, had troops positioned in Afrin but withdrew them as Turkey launched the assault. The YPG and Afrin officials say that withdrawal amounted to tacit approval of the Turkish offensive. Officials on Sunday also called for the United States, European Union, United Nations Security Council and the US-led coalition fighting jihadists to "immediately intervene to stop Turkey`s aggression". Ankara says it launched the operation to protect its southern border and insists that it is doing everything it can to avoid civilian casualties. But the campaign has sparked mass protests, including in Afrin on Sunday. Thousands of people marched in downtown Afrin with YPG flags and posters of Abdullah Ocalan, the jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers` Party (PKK). Turkey is vehemently opposed to the YPG because of its ties to the PKK, which has waged a three-decade insurgency against Turkish forces. "We`re holding the whole world responsible because we fought terrorism on behalf of everyone, but today the world agreed to kill Syrians," said Ali Mahmoud, 45. Other demonstrators clutched olive branches, a symbol of Afrin which is known for its abundant olive groves but also now associated with the name Turkey gave its offensive. "They named their attack `Olive Branch`. It`s a thorn in their hand, but in our hands, it`s a gun," said Fikrat Afdal, 33. At least 68 civilians, including 21 children, have died in Turkish shelling as part of the assault, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. More than 100 pro-Ankara rebels and a similar number of YPG fighters have also died, the British-based monitor says.

Syria's Afrin urges Russia to oppose Turkish-led assault

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has rejected proposals of a partnership with the EU, insisting full membership to the bloc is the only option, in an interview published Sunday.

Hosting Erdogan on a visit to Paris in January, French President Emmanuel Macron said it was &quot;hypocrisy&quot; to say progress could be made on Turkish EU membership, floating the idea of a partnership instead.

The EU must &quot;keep its promises&quot; to Turkey, Erdogan told Italy&#39;s Stampa newspaper, ahead of his arrival in Rome on Sunday evening for a 24-hour visit.&nbsp;

&quot;The EU is blocking access to negotiations and suggests that lack of progress is because of us. It&#39;s unfair. Just like it is that other countries are pushing for options other than membership,&quot; he said.

&quot;We want full membership. Other options are not satisfactory,&quot; he added.

He stressed the country&#39;s &quot;important&quot; role stemming the flow of migrants to Europe, which he said offered &quot;security and stability&quot; to the continent.&nbsp;

Turkish ambitions to join the EU date back over half a century but accession talks started in October 2005.&nbsp;

Out of the total of 35 chapters needed to be closed to join the EU, 16 have been opened with just one closed. No new chapter has been opened since financial and budgetary provisions was opened in June 2016.

The Turkish leader also defended his recently-launched &quot;Olive Branch&quot; operation in the northern Syrian region of Afrin, fighting Syrian Kurdish People`s Protection Units (YPG) militia which Ankara sees as a terror group.

&quot;The Turkish armed forces are not in Afrin to fight armed Kurdish groups. We don&#39;t have problems with the Kurdish Syrians, we are only fighting terrorists, and we have the right to do it,&quot; insisted Erdogan, repeating that Turkey was not seeking territorial gains.&nbsp;

Erdogan&#39;s flying visit to Italy will include a meeting with his Italian counterpart Italian Sergio Mattarella.

He will also be the first Turkish president to visit the Vatican in 59 years, where he will thank Pope Francis for challenging US President Donald Trump&#39;s decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a city also claimed by Palestinians.&nbsp;

&quot;We are both in favour of the status quo and we have the will to protect it,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

Hosting Erdogan on a visit to Paris in January, French President Emmanuel Macron said it was 'hypocrisy' to say progress could be made on Turkish EU membership

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has rejected proposals of a partnership with the EU, insisting full membership to the bloc is the only option, in an interview published Sunday. Hosting Erdogan on a visit to Paris in January, French President Emmanuel Macron said it was "hypocrisy" to say progress could be made on Turkish EU membership, floating the idea of a partnership instead. The EU must "keep its promises" to Turkey, Erdogan told Italy's Stampa newspaper, ahead of his arrival in Rome on Sunday evening for a 24-hour visit. "The EU is blocking access to negotiations and suggests that lack of progress is because of us. It's unfair. Just like it is that other countries are pushing for options other than membership," he said. "We want full membership. Other options are not satisfactory," he added. He stressed the country's "important" role stemming the flow of migrants to Europe, which he said offered "security and stability" to the continent. Turkish ambitions to join the EU date back over half a century but accession talks started in October 2005. Out of the total of 35 chapters needed to be closed to join the EU, 16 have been opened with just one closed. No new chapter has been opened since financial and budgetary provisions was opened in June 2016. The Turkish leader also defended his recently-launched "Olive Branch" operation in the northern Syrian region of Afrin, fighting Syrian Kurdish People`s Protection Units (YPG) militia which Ankara sees as a terror group. "The Turkish armed forces are not in Afrin to fight armed Kurdish groups. We don't have problems with the Kurdish Syrians, we are only fighting terrorists, and we have the right to do it," insisted Erdogan, repeating that Turkey was not seeking territorial gains. Erdogan's flying visit to Italy will include a meeting with his Italian counterpart Italian Sergio Mattarella. He will also be the first Turkish president to visit the Vatican in 59 years, where he will thank Pope Francis for challenging US President Donald Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a city also claimed by Palestinians. "We are both in favour of the status quo and we have the will to protect it," he said.

Erdogan rejects option of partnership with European Union

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