Zelenskyy cites missile surge before talks
Ukraine reported 36 missiles and 172 drones struck infrastructure as negotiators prepared for a meeting in Abu Dhabi.
By Fatima Saleh ·
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of intensifying strikes on critical infrastructure ahead of scheduled peace negotiations. He stated that Russian forces launched 36 missiles and 172 drones at various locations across the country on Saturday. Kyiv authorities reported that air defenses intercepted only four of the missiles. The attacks impacted Kyiv and 12 other regions.
Negotiators from Russia, Ukraine, and the United States are set to meet in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. This gathering marks the fourth round of talks aimed at ending the war. Western partners supporting the initiative are working to find a new approach to break the current stalemate. Officials acknowledge that questions regarding territory and security remain unresolved.
Zelenskyy described Russian diplomacy as a form of aggression in a social media post. He expressed hope that the United States would act on principle alongside other partners. The president noted that the timing of the strikes coincided with the preparation for the upcoming discussions.
In Kyiv, the overnight missile strikes damaged homes and commercial properties. Authorities reported that a kindergarten was partially destroyed. Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv, said repairs had begun on the Northern Bridge. This 892-yard structure connects the city with residential areas on the east bank of the Dnipro River. The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed it targeted the bridge, stating it was used to transport military equipment.
The Ukrainian Energy Ministry said the attacks damaged power networks connecting nuclear plants to Kyiv and central regions. Outages were most severe in the Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Dnipropetrovsk regions. Zelenskyy said preliminary findings indicated Russia used KN-23 missiles at one energy site. He claimed these missiles were manufactured and supplied by North Korea.
In the Zaporizhzhia region, recovery efforts in the village of Komyshuvakha entered their sixth day. Emergency services recovered nine more bodies, raising the death toll to 55. Dozens of people remain missing after multiple guided bombs struck the village on Monday. Mykola Krasnov, a 72-year-old resident, said he was still searching for his wife, who went to collect humanitarian aid.
Ukrainian drones struck targets inside Russia on Saturday. One drone hit a private home in Grayvoron, Belgorod region, killing one person. Russian officials said they shot down 411 drones over ten regions. Smoke rose from the Saratov Oil Refinery after a drone attack damaged civilian infrastructure and residential buildings in the area. State media reported that a fire started at the Proton-Electrotex plant in Oryol, which produces components for military equipment.
