Moscow unleashed a wave of drone and missile strikes on Ukraine’s power grid and port facilities Saturday, while Kyiv launched a deadly counterstrike on southwestern Russia. The escalation came just one day before senior European and US officials were set to resume peace talks in Berlin.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that he will meet personally with envoys of US President Donald Trump, alongside European leaders, to discuss the foundation of a political agreement to end the war. Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner are traveling to Berlin for the negotiations.
American officials have struggled for months to balance competing demands as Trump pushes for a swift resolution. One of the biggest obstacles remains control of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region, much of which is occupied by Russian forces. Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine seeks a dignified peace and guarantees that Russia will not invade again.
Meanwhile, Russia struck five Ukrainian regions overnight, deploying more than 450 drones and 30 missiles. Ukraine’s interior minister Ihor Klymenko said over a million people were left without electricity as freezing temperatures gripped the country. In Odesa, grain silos caught fire after a strike on the port, wounding two people. Ukrainian officials accused Moscow of “weaponizing” the cold by targeting energy infrastructure for a fourth consecutive winter.
In Russia’s Saratov region, a Ukrainian drone attack killed two people and damaged a residential building, according to local authorities. Windows were shattered at a kindergarten and clinic, while Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed to have shot down 41 Ukrainian drones overnight.
On the battlefield, Ukrainian forces said they retained control of northern Pokrovsk, countering Russian claims of full occupation.
Diplomatic hurdles remain steep. Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov reiterated that Moscow will only agree to a ceasefire if Ukrainian forces withdraw from parts of Donetsk still under their control. He also insisted Russian police and national guard units would remain in eastern Ukraine even if the area becomes a demilitarized zone, a demand Kyiv is unlikely to accept.
+ There are no comments
Add yours