Ukraine's President Zelensky has freshly stated that he's ready for direct talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in order to end the war, but he also warned that the alternative is for Ukraine to increase its retaliatory strikes on Russia, The head of Ukraine's Presidential Office, Kyrylo Budanov, stated this week: "Zelensky has instructed officials to try to end this war as quickly as possible, preferably before winter." But the ground war reality as well the escalating tit-for-tat air campaigns, tell a different story of a brutal and largely stalemated conflict which is likely to just grind on for the foreseeable future.via UkrinformThe last 24 hour period has seen a significant drone wave rain down on Russia's second largest city of St. Petersburg. The attack seemed to be met with little in the way of anti-air defenses, with circulating local footage showing security forces trying to shoot down inbound drones only with small arms. Local authorities later said there were several injuries across the region, but no one was killed.The new attack seemed intentionally timed for the city's major economic forum designed to attract foreign investment into the country. Putin is scheduled to oversee the three-day St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) and will give a keynote address.Amused residents film Russian servicemembers trying and failing to shoot down Ukrainian one-way drones with automatic rifles during this morning’s large-scale attack against the Northwestern Russian city of St. Petersburg. pic.twitter.com/ecHcM54jfK