Russia confirms delegation headed to Istanbul for Monday talks

Moscow will send a delegation to Istanbul for talks on ending the war in Ukraine, despite the absence of a commitment from Kiev, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.

"It will be ready on Monday morning for the continuation of negotiations, the second round of the talks," Peskov said. He expressed the hope that proposals for an end to the war prepared by both sides would be discussed.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced Monday's meeting on Wednesday. The make-up of the Russian delegation led by presidential adviser and former Russian culture minister Vladimir Medinsky is unchanged.

The head of the Ukrainian delegation, Rustem Umerov, said that Kiev was not opposed to a meeting, but wanted to see the Russian proposals beforehand.

While Kiev says it has presented its list of demands to Moscow, the Kremlin has declined to do the same, on the grounds that they should not be discussed in public ahead of the meeting.

The two warring sides last met in Istanbul in mid-May, their first direct public contact in three years.

The meeting resulted in a large prisoner exchange. According to comments from both camps, the second meeting is to focus on a ceasefire.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said he hopes Russia and Ukraine can resolve the conflict during the talks.

"We are convinced that progress can certainly be made as long as we remain at the negotiating table," he said on Friday in Kiev during a press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha.

Ukrainians block army recruitment vehicle in western city

Meanwhile, some 100 people blocked an army recruitment vehicle and punctured its tyres in the western Ukrainian city of Kamianets-Podilskyi, according to official reports late on Thursday.

"The citizens' actions showed signs of organized resistance," the district military registration and enlistment office in the Khmelnytskyi region said.

The situation could only be brought under control with the help of the police and the military, it added.

The authorities threatened those involved with prosecution for high treason, among other charges, for attacking military personnel during martial law.

Videos showed an angry crowd in a residential area, some of whom were hitting the vehicle. Prior to this, a young man was reportedly dragged from the street into the car by military personnel. Several passers-by rushed to the man's aid, causing the situation to escalate.

In recent weeks, there have been increasing reports of attacks, sometimes violent, on employees of district military recruitment offices.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said between 25,000 and 27,000 men are currently being drafted into the Ukrainian army every month.

Ukraine has been defending itself against Russia's full-scale invasion for more than three years. Men between the ages of 18 and 60 who are eligible for military service are only allowed to leave the country with permission from the district military recruitment office.

Russian drone attack targets Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine

Early on Friday, officials reported a large-scale Russian drone attack on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv.

At least eight people were injured in the attack, including two teenagers, military governor Oleh Syniehubov wrote on Telegram.

The strike, which involved at least eight combat drones, targeted a "municipal enterprise," Mayor Ihor Terekhov said, without providing further details. He added that a major fire broke out on the company premises.

The Russian military has been intensifying its attacks on major Ukrainian cities for several weeks, with civilians bearing the brunt of the violence.