Russia claims it downed 7 own drones to uphold energy ceasefire; Kyiv says Moscow launched 145
Russia's Defense Ministry claimed on March 19 that its forces downed seven Russian drones sent to attack Ukrainian energy facilities after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a temporary pause on such strikes.
In turn, Ukraine said that Moscow had launched as many as 145 attack and decoy drones, as well as six missiles, against Ukraine, of which 72 were shot down and 56 disappeared from radars.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the drones targeted energy facilities, hospitals, and civilian infrastructure. Outages were reported in the Donetsk Oblast city of Sloviansk.
Putin publicly agreed to a 30-day halt on attacks against energy facilities following his phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump on March 18. The Kremlin nevertheless refused Washington's proposal for a full temporary ceasefire as it insisted on a complete halt of military support flowing to Ukraine.
"Putin’s words are very different from reality," Zelensky said during a press conference with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, urging continued military support for Ukraine.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, seven drones were in the air and sent to attack Ukrainian energy facilities in Mykolaiv Oblast. Six were allegedly downed by a Pantsir air defense system and one by a Russian fighter jet.
The ministry also accused Ukraine of launching three drones against a Russian energy facility in Krasnodar Krai, resulting in a fire. Moscow called the attack a "provocation" aimed at disrupting Trump's peace efforts.
The Ukrainian military has not commented on the reported attack in Krasnodar Krai.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
