Russia announced on Wednesday that it has suspended its attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure following a phone call between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump.

The Kremlin also stated that it had shot down its own Ukraine-bound drones while they were in the air.

During their call on Tuesday, Putin agreed to temporarily halt attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities but declined to approve a full 30-day ceasefire, as proposed by the US president.

“They were just lining up in combat order—six of them were shot down by ‘Pantsirs’ (a surface-to-air missile system), and another one was destroyed by a (Russian) military aircraft,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Peskov accused Ukraine of failing to honour the proposed 30-day moratorium on strikes against each other’s energy infrastructure, claiming that Kyiv had attempted to attack Russian energy facilities overnight.

Meanwhile, the Russian military earlier on Wednesday accused Ukraine of deliberately attempting to sabotage the temporary moratorium by launching a drone attack on an oil depot in southern Russia.

Families of more than 20 people still missing following last Monday night’s boat mishap in Delta State remain anxious.

While at least five people have been confirmed dead, 20 others are still unaccounted for.

The accident occurred when two speedboats, carrying passengers returning from a burial ceremony, collided along the waterways.

Most of the passengers in the ill-fated boats were reportedly not wearing life jackets at the time of the incident.

Local volunteers are combing the river in search of the missing victims, hoping to rescue any survivors.

Eyewitnesses, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described hearing desperate cries for help. Some passengers managed to swim to safety, while many others disappeared in the water.

A local resident, David Umunede, attributed the fatal crash to poor visibility, describing the scene as tragic.

As of the time of filing this report, only five bodies had been recovered.

The Delta State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Edafe Bright, confirmed the incident, stating that six survivors had been rescued, though not without injuries.

According to him, the injured are receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in Warri.

“This is a tragic accident, and we are working with marine units and local divers to locate the missing passengers,” Edafe said.

Former President, Muhammadu Buhari’s spokesperson, Malam Garba Shehu, has explained the reason behind Buhari’s absence from the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held in Abuja on Wednesday.

The high-profile gathering, presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, brought together key APC figures, including Vice President Kashim Shettima, governors, National Chairman Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, members of the National Working Committee (NWC), and other stakeholders.

However, notable absentees included Buhari, former Kaduna State governor Malam Nasir El-Rufai, and former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi.

Speaking to BBC Hausa, Shehu clarified that Buhari was invited to the meeting on short notice, making it impractical for him to travel from his hometown, Daura, to Abuja in time.

“President Muhammadu Buhari is not a caucus member of the party. He was supposed to attend the NEC meeting, but unfortunately, the invitation reached him only a day before the event. Even if he owned a private jet, he could not have made it in time,” Shehu stated.

Despite his absence, Shehu emphasized that Buhari remains deeply connected to the APC, highlighting his role as a founding member and two-time presidential candidate under the party’s banner.

“Buhari may not have been physically present, but his spirit was with the attendees. He is and will always be a dedicated member of the APC,” Shehu added.