Russia unleashed a significant missile and drone barrage on Ukraine in a single day into Saturday, after U.S. and Ukrainian officers stated they’re going to meet on Saturday for a third day of talks aimed toward ending the almost 4-year-old warfare.
Russia used 653 drones and 51 missiles within the wide-reaching assault, which triggered air raid alerts throughout the nation and got here as Ukraine marked Armed Forces Day, the nation’s air pressure stated Saturday morning.
Ukrainian forces shot down and neutralized 585 drones and 30 missiles, the air pressure stated, including that 29 areas had been struck.
At least eight folks had been wounded within the assaults, Ukrainian Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko stated.
Among these, not less than three folks had been wounded within the Kyiv area, in keeping with native officers. Drone sightings had been reported as far west as Ukraine’s Lviv area.
Russia carried out a “large missile-drone assault” on energy stations and different power infrastructure in a number of Ukrainian areas, Ukraine’s nationwide power operator, Ukrenergo, wrote on Telegram.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that power amenities had been the primary targets of the assaults, additionally noting {that a} drone strike had “burned down” the prepare station within the metropolis of Fastiv, positioned within the Kyiv area.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense stated its air defenses had shot down 116 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory in a single day into Saturday.
Efrem Lukatsky / AP 
Russian Telegram information channel Astra stated Ukraine struck Russia’s Ryazan Oil Refinery, sharing footage showing to point out a hearth breaking out and plumes of smoke rising above the refinery. The Associated Press couldn’t independently confirm the video.
Ukraine didn’t instantly touch upon the alleged assault. Ryazan regional Gov. Pavel Malkov stated a residential constructing had been broken in a drone assault and that drone particles had fallen on the grounds of an “industrial facility,” however didn’t point out the refinery.
Months of Ukrainian long-range drone strikes on Russian refineries have aimed to deprive Moscow of the oil export income it must pursue the warfare. Meanwhile, Kyiv and its western allies say Russia is making an attempt to cripple the Ukrainian energy grid and deny civilians entry to warmth, gentle and working water for a fourth consecutive winter, in what Ukrainian officers name “weaponizing” the chilly.
The newest spherical of assaults got here as U.S. President Donald Trump’s advisers and Ukrainian officers stated they’re going to meet for a 3rd day of talks on Saturday, after making progress on discovering settlement on a safety framework for postwar Ukraine.
Following Friday’s talks, the 2 sides additionally provided the sober evaluation that any “actual progress towards any settlement” in the end will rely “on Russia’s readiness to point out critical dedication to long-term peace.”
The assertion from U.S. particular envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner in addition to Ukrainian negotiators Rustem Umerov and Andriy Hnatov got here after they met for a second day in Florida on Friday. They provided solely broad brushstrokes concerning the progress they are saying has been made as Trump pushes Kyiv and Moscow to comply with a U.S.-mediated proposal to finish almost 4 years of warfare.
