Russia claims capturing two settlements, Ukraine attacks Russian military-industrial complexes

Russia claimed on Wednesday that it captured two more settlements over the past 24 hours, while Ukraine said it launched drone attacks on three key military-industrial complexes in Russia.

The Russian Defense Ministry reported that Russian forces took control the village of Kostiantynivka in the Sumy region and the village of Zelene Pole in Donetsk.

On the same day, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said its special operations forces and security service had launched an joint operation, striking three key military-industrial complexes in Russian with drones to weaken the country's arms production capabilities.

Russia and Ukraine have launched large-scale drone attacks against each other in recent days, with both claiming Wednesday that they had shot down a large number of drones since Tuesday night.

The Russian Defense Ministry said its air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 296 Ukrainian drones over Moscow, Bryansk, Belgorod and other regions from 21:00 Tuesday to 07:00 Wednesday.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Wednesday that Russian air defense systems had shot down 33 drones heading for the capital city since midnight.

Meanwhile, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said the same day that Russia launched six missiles and 88 drones at Ukraine on Tuesday night, of which 71 drones had been shot down or otherwise neutralized as of 09:00 local time.

Despite the resumption of direct talks earlier this month, the Russian Defense Ministry on Tuesday accused Kiev of making provocations backed by some European countries to derail peace negotiations.

Ukrainian forces had launched large-scale attacks on civilian facilities in Russia using Western-made drones and rockets over the past week, the ministry said in a statement, adding it had destroyed 2,331 Ukrainian drones as of Tuesday.

In response to Ukrainian attacks, Russian forces have conducted cluster strikes using air-based, sea-based, and land-based high-precision weapons and drones on Ukrainian military installations and military-industrial enterprises, including missile and artillery depots, military airports, and radar stations, the ministry said.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on social media on Monday that Russian forces had launched nearly 1,000 missiles and drones into Ukrainian territory in three days, demonstrating that Russia is not seeking peace but rather continuing the war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that he had instructed a significant increase in the production of interceptor drones and ordered dedicated funding for Ukraine's ballistic missile program to accelerate missile production.

Russia claims capturing two settlements, Ukraine attacks Russian military-industrial complexes

The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.

In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.

"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.

Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.

The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."

Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.

President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.

Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.

Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.

The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.

Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests