Russia on Thursday announced that its forces shot down more than 200 Ukrainian drones, while the Ukrainian side reported attack on a Russian military airfield over the past 24 hours.
According to a statement released by the Russian Ministry of Defense on Thursday, Russian troops targeted Ukrainian military airfield infrastructure, command posts, drone storage facilities, military trains carrying ammunition and weapons, and troop and equipment concentrations across 153 areas in the past 24 hours. It also noted that the Russian army repelled Ukrainian attacks in directions of Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhia, and struck on the Ukrainian personnel and equipment.
The ministry also highlighted the Russian air defense forces interception of 225 Ukrainian drones. In the Kursk region, Russian forces claimed to have destroyed Ukrainian weaponry and two drone control points.
On the same day, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces announced that a special forces unit of the Ukrainian Security Service launched a drone attack in cooperation with other defense agencies on the Engels military airfield in Russia's Saratov region earlier the day.
The very airfield is a crucial hub for Russia's strategic aviation deployment with Tu-95MS and Tu-160 strategic bombers to launch strikes against targets inside Ukraine. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported that the attack caused an explosion and a fire at the airfield, followed by a secondary explosion.
Governor of Russia's Saratov region Roman Busargin confirmed Thursday that the cities of Saratov and Engels had experienced the most intense drone attack overnight. He stated that 10 people were injured as a result of the attacks. A fire was reported near an airport in Engels, and nearby residents were evacuated.
Russia downs Ukrainian drones, Ukraine hits Russian military airfield
Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on Monday called for advancing full and rigorous Party self-governance with higher standards and more concrete measures.
Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks while addressing the fifth plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) in Beijing.
Xi urged efforts to confine power to an institutional cage in a more well-conceived and effective manner, and press ahead with the anti-corruption fight with a clearer understanding and stronger resolve, thus providing a strong guarantee for achieving the goals and tasks of the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030).
Xi pointed out that in 2025, the CPC Central Committee had intensified efforts to improve Party conduct, uphold integrity and combat corruption, achieving notable results. Xi said efforts were made to maintain a tough stance against corruption and eradicate the breeding grounds and conditions for corruption.
Xi emphasized that implementing the major decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee is a fundamental requirement for upholding its authority and its centralized, unified leadership.
Party organizations at all levels and Party members and officials should implement the decisions and plans of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee with concrete actions, he said.
Xi noted that confining power to an institutional cage is an important task in exercising full and rigorous Party self-governance.
He stressed that all are equal before the law and regulations, that compliance with them admits no privilege, and that enforcement of the law and regulations allows no exception.
Xi underscored that the fight against corruption is a major struggle that the Party cannot afford to lose, and must never lose.
He said that the current anti-corruption situation remains grave and complex, and that the task of eliminating the soil and conditions breeding corruption remains arduous. Xi added that it is essential to maintain a firm stance to leave corrupt officials with no place to hide.
Stressing the need to stay attuned to new trends and features of corruption, Xi urged efforts to innovate methods and approaches, promptly detect and accurately identify corrupt practices, and effectively address all forms of corruption, so as to continuously enhance the penetrating power of anti-corruption efforts.
He also urged strengthening coordination among all forms of oversight to advance integrated governance through whole-process collaboration, and called for sustained efforts to forge a loyal, upright and responsible disciplinary inspection and supervision force that dares to and is good at fighting against corruption.
Members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi and Ding Xuexiang attended the meeting.
Li Xi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the CCDI, presided over the meeting. On Monday afternoon, on behalf of the standing committee of the CCDI, Li also delivered a work report.
Xi urges advancing Party self-governance with higher standards, more concrete measures
