Firefighters put out the fire after a drone hit a multi-storey residential building during Russia’s night drone attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Tuesday.
Efrem Lukatsky/AP
hide caption
toggle caption
Efrem Lukatsky/AP
KYIV, Ukraine — Russia initiated a series of assaults on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, overnight, resulting in at least six casualties in strikes that targeted city buildings and energy infrastructure. In retaliation, a Ukrainian strike on southern Russia led to three fatalities and property damage, according to authorities.
The attacks occurred amidst renewed efforts by the U.S. to bring an end to the nearly four-year conflict and discussions around a U.S. peace proposal. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll engaged in extensive discussions with Russian officials in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, as confirmed by a U.S. official to The Associated Press.
Driscoll, who recently joined the U.S. negotiation team, is leading the latest phase of talks focusing on the terms of a potential peace agreement with Russia.
The U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, refrained from disclosing the duration of the negotiations or the specific topics under discussion. However, it was emphasized that all parties, including the Ukrainians, expressed their desire to swiftly reach a resolution to cease hostilities.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine stated on Monday that progress made in talks between U.S. and Ukrainian delegates in Geneva has paved the way for a potential peace agreement. He expressed intentions to address outstanding issues with President Donald Trump.
Rustem Umerov, a senior adviser to Zelenskyy, indicated on Tuesday via a social media platform that discussions for finalizing a deal with Trump were slated for November.
Russian officials have maintained a reserved stance on the proposed peace plan.
European leaders have cautioned that achieving lasting peace will be a lengthy process.
‘Glass rained down’
According to Zelenskyy, Russia launched 22 missiles and over 460 drones at Ukraine overnight, resulting in disruptions to essential services such as water, electricity, and heating in parts of Kyiv. Videos shared on Telegram depicted a significant fire engulfing a nine-story residential building in Kyiv’s eastern district.
Mayor Vitalii Klitschko reported two fatalities and five injuries in the eastern district, while another residential building in the central district suffered extensive damage.
A 90-year-old resident affected by the attacks described the devastation caused by the strike, stating that her apartment was entirely shattered and glass debris scattered everywhere.
Expressing skepticism towards the peace plan, she voiced concerns about the relentless aggression by Russia, doubting any resolution to the conflict.
In a subsequent wave of attacks, four individuals lost their lives and three sustained injuries in a strike on a nonresidential building in Kyiv’s western district, as confirmed by Tymur Tkachenko, the head of Kyiv city administration.
Neighboring countries Romania and Moldova reported incursions by drones into their airspace.
Strikes hit energy infrastructure
The energy ministry of Ukraine disclosed that energy infrastructure was targeted in the attacks, resulting in disruptions. Additionally, six individuals, including two children, were wounded in a Russian assault on energy and port facilities in the Odesa region.
An overnight drone strike by Ukraine on Russia’s Rostov region resulted in three fatalities and eight injuries in the city of Taganrog near the Ukrainian border, as per Governor Yuri Slyusar’s online statement.
The attack caused damage to private residences, multistory buildings, social amenities, a warehouse, and a paint shop, Slyusar confirmed.
Russian air defenses intercepted 249 Ukrainian drones across various Russian regions and Crimea, with 116 drones being downed over the Black Sea, according to the Russian Defense Ministry on Tuesday. This marked the fourth-largest drone attack by Ukraine on Russia, based on an AP tally.
Peace efforts going in ‘right direction’
The recent attacks followed peace negotiations in Switzerland between U.S. and Ukrainian representatives.
Oleksandr Bevz, a Ukrainian delegate, described the talks as “very constructive,” highlighting productive discussions on key points.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov mentioned on Tuesday that Moscow had not received the updated U.S. peace plan resulting from the recent meeting.
French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged the positive direction of the U.S. plan for Ukraine but cautioned against a peace agreement that could potentially empower Russia to reignite hostilities in the future.
Macron emphasized the importance of comprehensive security guarantees for Ukraine and Europe in any peace agreement. He advocated for the preservation of Ukraine’s military capacity to defend itself during peacetime.
Prior to a video conference meeting led by France and the U.K., Macron reiterated the need for a peace deal that does not compromise Ukraine’s territorial integrity or embolden Russia to pursue further aggression.
Highlighting the significance of Ukrainian input in determining territorial concessions, Macron criticized Russia for obstructing peace efforts.
