Russia’s Putin and Turkey’s Erdogan will meet subsequent week after Ukraine grain deal unraveled

Russian President Vladimir Putin will host Turkish chief Recep Tayyip Erdogan for talks within the Black Sea resort of Sochi on Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned Friday.

His remarks got here after weeks of hypothesis about when and the place the 2 leaders may meet subsequent. Earlier this week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov hosted his Turkish counterpart for talks in Moscow.

Turkey, along with the United Nations, brokered a deal in July 2022 that allowed Ukraine to ship grain and different foodstuffs from three Black Sea ports.

A separate memorandum between the U.N. and Russia, agreed on the identical time, pledged to beat obstacles to Moscow’s cargo of meals and fertilizer to world markets.

However, Russia pulled out of the offers earlier this yr, claiming that its situations hadn’t been met.

Meanwhile, Russian officers mentioned Friday that air defenses intercepted drones heading towards three of the nation’s western areas, whereas satellite tv for pc pictures indicated {that a} main drone barrage earlier within the week destroyed at the least two Ilyushin Il-76 navy transport planes at a Russian air base.

Regional governors mentioned protection programs stopped three drones within the Kursk, Belgorod and Moscow areas.

Moscow airports briefly halted flights however no main injury or accidents have been reported, based on Russian authorities.

Drones aimed toward targets inside Russia – and blamed by Moscow on Ukraine – have change into virtually a each day prevalence because the battle has entered its nineteenth month and Kyiv’s forces pursue a counteroffensive. Recently, the drones have reached deeper into Russia.

Kyiv officers usually neither declare nor deny accountability for assaults on Russian soil.

The obvious Ukrainian technique is to unnerve Russia and pile stress on Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Associated Press was unable to find out whether or not the drones are launched from Ukraine or inside Russia.

Meanwhile, satellite tv for pc pictures analyzed by AP present that suspected Ukrainian drone assaults late Tuesday destroyed at the least two Ilyushin Il-76 navy transport planes at a Russian air base.

The pictures taken Thursday present Princess Olga Pskov International Airport, which is a twin military-civilian airport about 700 kilometers (400 miles) north of the Ukrainian border and close to Estonia and Latvia.

The four-engine Il-76 is the workhorse of the Russian navy’s airlift capability, capable of land and take off in rugged situations. The Russian navy is believed to have over 100 of them in its fleet.

The AP evaluation, carried out Friday, confirmed what appeared to the blackened hulks of two Il-76s on separate parking pads on the air base’s apron. One included the aircraft’s tail, the opposite appeared to indicate items of one other plane. Fire injury might be seen across the pad.

Eleven different Il-76s had been moved off their parking pads into totally different positions on the airport’s taxiways, probably in an try and make it harder for them to be struck once more. One was on the runway itself. Another Il-76 remained on the pad, although it wasn’t clear why.

Local studies mentioned Ukrainian drone assaults on the air base had broken 4 Il-76s.

The satellite tv for pc picture was taken at 1303 GMT Thursday. Videos on social media Thursday evening confirmed anti-aircraft hearth going across the air base once more, although it remained unclear whether or not it was one other assault.

The air base at Pskov was initially focused Tuesday evening, however cloud cowl prevented satellites from getting an unobstructed image.

On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned his nation had developed a weapon that hit a goal 700 kilometers (400 miles) away, apparently referencing the air base assault. He described the weapon as being produced by Ukraine’s Ministry of Strategic Industries however gave no different particulars.

The Kremlin’s forces have focused Ukraine with quite a few salvos of Iranian-made exploding drones within the battle over the previous yr.

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