Russia’s Overnight Strikes Kill Four as Ukraine and U.S. Conclude New Round of Peace Efforts

BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA

Russian missile, drone and artillery attacks across several Ukrainian regions late Saturday and into Sunday left at least four civilians dead and deepened concerns about the country’s critical infrastructure as winter approaches. The escalation came just hours after U.S. and Ukrainian officials wrapped up a third day of intensive discussions aimed at charting a path toward ending the war.

Local authorities in Ukraine’s northern Chernihiv region reported that a man was killed when a drone slammed into a residential area on Saturday night. Farther south, the industrial city of Kremenchuk suffered a combined missile-and-drone assault that struck key infrastructure, triggering widespread power and water outages. The city is home to one of Ukraine’s largest oil refineries and has long been a strategic target for Russian forces seeking to disrupt Ukraine’s industrial and energy capabilities.

Ukrainian and Western officials say the renewed attacks are part of Russia’s continuing effort to degrade Ukraine’s power grid and leave civilians without heat, light or running water during the winter months. Kyiv has accused Moscow of deliberately “weaponizing winter” for a fourth straight year, using the cold as a tool to pressure the population and strain the government’s resources.

In the northeastern Kharkiv region—already hard-hit in recent weeks—three people were killed and 10 wounded Sunday as Russian artillery pounded residential districts, according to the regional prosecutor’s office. Emergency crews worked through the afternoon to extinguish fires, evacuate the injured and clear debris from damaged homes.

The strikes occurred as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he had held what he described as a “substantive phone call” with American officials who have been participating in talks with a Ukrainian delegation in Florida. Zelenskyy said he received a detailed briefing on the discussions and stressed that Ukraine remains committed to “good-faith work” toward an eventual peace agreement.

At the Reagan National Defense Forum on Saturday, Keith Kellogg—President Donald Trump’s outgoing envoy for Ukraine—said the diplomatic push was nearing a decisive moment, describing the effort as being in “the last 10 meters.” Still, he emphasized that two major issues remain unresolved: the future status of the Donbas region and control of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

Russia currently holds most of Donbas, encompassing Donetsk and Luhansk, and claims to have annexed the territory along with parts of southern Ukraine in 2022, a move widely rejected by the international community. The Zaporizhzhia plant, Europe’s largest nuclear facility, has been under Russian control since early in the full-scale invasion. Though it is not operating, experts warn it requires a steady supply of power to maintain cooling systems for its six reactors and spent fuel—an essential safeguard against a potential nuclear emergency.

Kellogg, who will leave his position in January, is not directly involved in the Florida talks, but his remarks underscored the complexity and sensitivity of the negotiations.

In a separate development, officials confirmed that leaders of the United Kingdom, France and Germany are slated to meet with Zelenskyy in London on Monday. The gathering is expected to focus on the ongoing diplomatic efforts and on coordinating broader European support for Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin cautiously welcomed the Trump administration’s newly released national security strategy. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the document as “encouraging,” pointing to language advocating dialogue and improved relations rather than confrontation. The strategy outlines a U.S. interest in stabilizing its relationship with Russia and identifies ending the war in Ukraine as essential to restoring broader strategic balance.

As diplomatic channels show new signs of activity, Ukraine continues to brace for a harsh winter under the threat of sustained Russian attacks—an increasingly familiar pattern in a war that has now entered its third year with no clear end in sight.