One of the Russian artillery units on the Kubyansk Front in northeastern Ukraine (Anatolia-Russian Defense)

Russia and Ukraine exchanged missile and drone strikes, resulting in deaths and injuries, while former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev described US President Joe Biden as “crazy” and “a disgrace to the United States.”

The governor of the Russian Belgorod Province - which borders Ukraine - announced that two people were killed and a third was seriously injured today, Friday, as a result of a Ukrainian attack with 3 drones on the village of Ruedestvenska.

For its part, the Russian Ministry of Defense said that air defenses shot down 15 drones over the Volgograd province in southern Russia from last night until Friday morning, and also shot down a drone over the Belgorod province in the west of the country.

On the other hand, Russian attacks with missiles and missiles yesterday, Thursday, led to the killing of two people in Kharkiv, northeastern Ukraine, and a third person in Chernihiv, north of the capital, Kiev, according to what local officials announced.

Indian smuggling network

In another context, India announced that it had seized a “large human smuggling network,” which it said lured young men to Russia and promised them job opportunities, then forced them to fight against Ukrainian forces.

The Indian Central Bureau of Investigation said late yesterday, Thursday, that about 35 young men have been sent so far to Russia under this scheme, and the Indian Foreign Ministry had previously spoken of only 20 young men.

Reuters quoted family sources as saying that at least two people were killed during fighting on the front in Russia, after they went there to work as “assistants” in the army, and the Indian embassy in Russia confirmed the death of one of them.

Politically, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev - who currently serves as Vice President of the country's Security Council - criticized the US President's "State of the Union" speech, accusing Biden of seeking to ignite a third world war.

In the State of the Union address, Biden compared himself with Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

That's a so-so comparison.

Obviously, not in his favour.

First, even though Roosevelt was an infirm man in a wheelchair, he raised America from the Depression;

Biden, on the other hand, is…

— Dmitry Medvedev (@MedvedevRussiaE) March 8, 2024

Biden began his State of the Union address, yesterday, Thursday, with a quote from a speech delivered by the late US President Franklin Roosevelt to Congress in 1941, in which he said that the nation is facing an unprecedented turning point in history.

Medvedev said in a post on the

He added, "Roosevelt was fighting with his allies, including the Soviet Union, to bring peace, while Biden is working hard to start a third world war."

He continued, "Roosevelt was fighting against the fascists, while Biden is fighting for them... He is a disgrace to the United States."

Zelensky in Istanbul

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Istanbul, where he will meet his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Ukrainian presidency said that Zelensky and Erdogan will discuss "the security of navigation in the Black Sea, global food stability, and the release of Ukrainian prisoners and political prisoners held by the Russian state."

On the other hand, French Defense Minister Sebastien Le Cornu said that his country is encouraging some local companies to produce military equipment on Ukrainian territory to help Kiev in its war with Russia, but he indicated that sending combat forces to Ukraine is not on the table.

Lecornu explained that "three French companies will establish partnerships with Ukrainian companies, specifically in the drone and ground equipment sectors, to produce spare parts on Ukrainian territory, and perhaps ammunition in the future."

Source: Al Jazeera + agencies