Ukraine bombs Russian cargo ship in show of force before ceasefire summit

Ukraine says it has conducted a long-range drone attack on a supply ship that it claims was carrying drone components from Iran, striking it at a port north of the Caspian Sea, in a show of force hours before Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin met for a summit in Alaska.

- Dan Sabbagh

Photographs showed a partially sunken cargo vessel at Olya, near Astrakhan, more than 500 miles from the frontline. Ukraine's military claimed credit for the bombing of an oil refinery at Samara on the Volga River, deep inside Russia.

Ukraine's general staff said the ship hit, the Port Olya-4, was "loaded with components" for Shahed-type drones "and ammunition from Iran".

Kyiv's forces have repeatedly shown they can strike military logistics and energy targets hundreds of miles inside Russia, although the attacks only appear to have a dampening impact on the Kremlin's long-term war effort.

Trump said he wanted to see a ceasefire "today" as he headed to Alaska for his meeting with Putin to discuss ending the Ukraine war and other bilateral issues. He had earlier posted on Truth Social: 'HIGH STAKES!!!' underlining the importance of the summit.

As he boarded Air Force One, he said he would let Ukraine decide on any possible territorial swaps. "I'm not here to negotiate for Ukraine, I'm here to get them at a table," he said. Asked what would make the meeting a success, Trump told reporters: "I want to see a ceasefire rapidly... I'm not going to be happy if it's not today... I want the killing to stop."