Russia Launches New Strikes on Ukraine Amid US Optimism in Negotiations. Russia has carried out one of its largest aerial assaults of the Russia Ukraine war, targeting key infrastructure across the country as negotiations between the United States and Ukraine continue in Florida for a third consecutive day. Ukrainian officials reported that overnight Russian forces launched hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles aimed at critical infrastructure. According to authorities, Ukrainian air defenses intercepted most of the 653 drones and 51 missiles fired, although several managed to break through. One strike hit the railway hub in the town of Fastiv near Kyiv, destroying the main station building and damaging several train cars.
President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the bombardment, describing it as meaningless from a military perspective and saying that Russian commanders were fully aware of this. He argued that the attack was designed to create fear and undermine daily life rather than gain battlefield advantage. The strike came as representatives from Washington and Kyiv urged Moscow to show a genuine willingness to pursue long term peace after recent discussions in the Russian capital failed to produce any concrete progress.
Ukraine Hit by Russian Strikes While US Notes Breakthrough in Talks
Russian forces have increasingly targeted Ukraine’s energy system as the Russia Ukraine war enters another winter. The Ukrainian energy ministry announced that strikes had hit power facilities in at least eight regions, triggering widespread blackouts. The repeated damage has placed additional strain on the already fragile grid.
The International Atomic Energy Agency reported that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant temporarily lost external electricity supply during the latest wave of attacks. It was the eleventh time this has happened since Russia launched its full scale invasion. Ukrainian officials warn that each outage increases the risk of a nuclear safety incident.
The Russian defense ministry said its bombardment was a response to what it described as Ukrainian attacks on civilian sites. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha rejected the claim, saying Russia continues to ignore peace efforts and instead focuses on striking vital civilian infrastructure. He added that decisions to reinforce Ukraine and increase pressure on Russia should not be delayed under the pretext of negotiations.
Meanwhile in Florida, US special envoy Steve Witkoff said two days of talks with Rustem Umerov, the secretary of Ukraine’s national security council, had been constructive. Both sides agreed on a general framework for potential security arrangements that could support a lasting peace. They also discussed what capabilities Ukraine would need to ensure that Russia cannot resume large scale aggression in the future.
US Claims Progress in Kyiv Talks as Russia Escalates Attacks on Ukraine
The talks come after Witkoff held a nearly five hour meeting in Moscow with President Vladimir Putin earlier in the week. Although the Kremlin stated that no compromise had been reached on the draft US peace proposal, it said Putin was willing to continue discussions. Ukraine and several European governments remain skeptical of Russian intentions, pointing to continued attacks as evidence that Moscow is not serious about ending the Russia Ukraine war.
Zelensky said he expects full information on the Moscow discussions and on what he described as new excuses from Putin to prolong the conflict. Major differences remain including the future of Ukraine’s security guarantees and the status of territories currently under Russian control. Russia holds roughly one fifth of Ukraine’s land including large areas of the Donbas region.
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Source: BBC
