Russia launched a large-scale drone and missile attack on Ukraine during the night, as Kyiv prepares to hold discussions with the United States. This comes amid ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving a peace agreement.
According to the Ukrainian air force, Moscow deployed 653 drones and 51 missiles, which triggered air raid alerts across the country. Ukrainian forces managed to shoot down and neutralize 585 drones and 30 missiles. The attacks targeted 29 locations, resulting in at least eight injuries, including three in Kyiv.
President Zelenskyy mentioned on X that there were strikes on industrial facilities and residential buildings in the Kyiv region. He also noted that areas such as Dnipro, Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Lviv, Volyn, and Mykolaiv were affected.
Zelenskyy highlighted that energy facilities were the main targets of the attack. He also pointed out that a main railway station building in Fastiv was struck, calling the attack “meaningless from a military point of view” and suggesting that Moscow must have been aware of this.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Ministry of Defence reported that its air defenses shot down 116 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory overnight into Saturday. According to the Russian Telegram news channel Astra, Ukraine attacked the Ryazan Oil Refinery. Regional governor Pavel Malkov stated that a residential building was damaged due to the drone attack and noted that drone debris fell at an industrial facility. However, he did not mention the refinery.
Ukraine has increased its campaign against Russia’s energy infrastructure, claiming it is a key source for funding Moscow’s full-scale invasion. The goal is to pressure the Kremlin into stopping hostilities and engaging in peace efforts.
On the other hand, Russia frequently targets Ukraine’s energy grid, aiming to deprive the country of heat, electricity, and running water during the harsh winter months.
Peace negotiations are currently underway. The wave of attacks coincides with the meeting between Ukrainian and US officials on Saturday for a third day of talks on ending the war in Ukraine. The United States has been involved in discussions between Ukraine and Russia, attempting to broker a peace deal. However, Kyiv and its European allies have accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of feigning interest in peace efforts. Previous talks with the US last week resulted in little progress or compromise.