Ukraine Launches Nearly 300 Drones in Major Attack on Russia

The drones struck an oil depot in Saratov, a key Russian facility, as peace talks stall.

Mar. 21, 2026 at 10:33pm

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Ukraine launched nearly 300 drones at Russia overnight in one of its largest attacks since the start of the four-year war. The drones struck an oil depot in Saratov that processes nearly 5 million tons of oil annually. Meanwhile, Ukrainian envoy Rustem Umerov was in Miami meeting with US officials as Kyiv tries to revive stalled peace talks with Russia.

Why it matters

This large-scale drone attack on a critical Russian oil facility represents a significant escalation in Ukraine's military campaign against its neighbor. It also underscores the challenges in reaching a diplomatic resolution to the conflict as peace talks remain stalled.

The details

Ukraine's Armed Forces said the drones struck the Saratov oil depot, a major facility that processes nearly 5 million tons of oil annually. Russia responded by launching more than 150 drones into Ukraine overnight, killing at least 9 civilians and wounding 36 others. Meanwhile, Ukrainian envoy Rustem Umerov was in Miami meeting with US officials including Jared Kushner as Kyiv seeks to revive peace talks that have stalled since the start of the war.

  • Ukraine launched the drone attack overnight on March 21, 2026.
  • Russia responded with its own drone strikes on Ukraine the same night, killing at least 9 civilians.

The players

Ukraine's Armed Forces

The military forces of Ukraine responsible for carrying out the drone attack on Russia.

Rustem Umerov

A Ukrainian envoy who traveled to Miami to meet with US officials as part of efforts to revive stalled peace talks with Russia.

Jared Kushner

Former US President Trump's son-in-law, who met with the Ukrainian envoy in Miami as part of ongoing mediation efforts.

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What they’re saying

“'The defense forces of Ukraine will continue to hit important enemy facilities until the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine is completely stopped.'”

— Ukraine's Armed Forces

“'US and Ukrainian delegations held constructive meetings as part of ongoing mediation efforts, with discussions focused on narrowing and resolving remaining items to move closer to a comprehensive peace agreement.'”

— Steve Witkoff, Special Envoy

What’s next

Both sides are expected to continue peace talks on Sunday as Ukraine seeks to firm up a date for trilateral talks with Russia, whose representatives refused to travel to the US for negotiations.

The takeaway

This large-scale drone attack on a critical Russian oil facility represents a significant escalation in the war, even as Ukraine continues diplomatic efforts to revive stalled peace talks. The conflict remains intractable, with both sides unwilling to back down and civilian casualties mounting on both sides.