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Ukraine has condemned a series of Russian missile attacks that killed one person and injured 23 others overnight, as trilateral peace negotiations involving the U.S. reconvened in Abu Dhabi.
Attacks target civilians and infrastructure
Ukrainian officials reported that the strikes hit multiple cities early Saturday, including the capital Kyiv and the northeastern city of Kharkiv. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said one person died and four were wounded, with three of the injured hospitalized. The assault damaged critical infrastructure, leaving 6,000 buildings without heating amid sub-zero temperatures.
In Kharkiv, Mayor Ihor Terekhov stated that 19 people were injured during the bombardment. A maternity hospital and a shelter for displaced individuals sustained damage, according to local authorities.
"The main target of the Russians was the energy infrastructure," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a statement following the attacks.
Diplomatic efforts continue amid violence
Delegations from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States are meeting in Abu Dhabi for the first trilateral talks since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. A source told the BBC that some progress had been made, though the critical issue of territorial control remains unresolved.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemned the overnight strikes as "brutal," stating they "hit not only our people, but also the negotiation table." He added that the assaults demonstrated Russian President Vladimir Putin's unfitness for peace talks, asserting that Putin's place was "at the dock of the special tribunal" rather than at a negotiating table.
Territorial disputes persist
Russia currently occupies approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory, including parts of the eastern Donbas region. The Kremlin has demanded Ukraine cede significant areas, a demand Kyiv has firmly rejected.
Following the first day of talks, Ukrainian delegation leader Rustem Umerov posted on social media that the discussions centered on "the parameters for ending Russia's war and the further logic of the negotiation process aimed at advancing toward a dignified and lasting peace."
U.S. involvement and mixed signals
U.S. President Donald Trump announced last week that Putin had accepted an invitation to join his "Board of Peace," an initiative focused on resolving global conflicts. However, the Kremlin has not confirmed Putin's participation.
