Russia Kilos Kyiv With Missiles As Moscow Says 808 Drones Downed In Russian Cities

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia bombarded Kyiv with ballistic missiles in an hourslong nighttime barrage, and the Russian army stated Thursday that its air defenses intercepted 808 drones fired by Ukraine at Moscow and different cities, in assaults that dampened new hopes of progress in ending the war. At least two folks had been killed in Ukraine and dozens of others wounded, officers stated.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday agreed “in precept” to renew three-way negotiations involving officers from Russia, Ukraine and the United States, however no date was set for a gathering. Putin’s consent got here in talks in St. Petersburg with U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, who the day before today had met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Norway.

Representatives of these three international locations held three rounds of negotiations early this yr, assembly twice in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in January and February, adopted by additional talks in Geneva in February.

However, little progress was reported past exchanges of prisoners of struggle, and lethal assaults continued. Russia and Ukraine stay far aside in their terms for stopping the preventing.

Zelenskyy, who says solely a gathering of leaders can finish the impasse, commented on the prospect of “technical talks” between delegations: “We’ll see what occurs this time.”

Russia’s aerial assaults hit 12 areas of Ukraine in a single day, killing not less than two folks and wounding 34 others, together with 5 youngsters, Zelenskyy stated on social media Thursday.

The Ukrainian capital endured a loud night time as 21 ballistic missiles got here in three waves, he stated, smashing condo buildings, vitality services, a railway station and the Kyiv subway system, purchasing malls and companies. One particular person was killed in Kyiv.

Multiple assaults on the jap metropolis of Kharkiv and the encircling space left one particular person lifeless and not less than 13 wounded, the State Emergency Service stated.

Ukrainians are bracing for the winter, as a current escalation in Russian assaults targets the facility grid to disclaim civilians warmth, mild and operating water throughout the bitterly chilly months. Ukraine says Russia is stockpiling ballistic missiles for an annual marketing campaign that Ukrainians describe as “ weaponizing winter. ”

The Russian bombardment confirmed “there was no actual change in (Moscow’s) angle towards the whole lot that’s taking place,” Zelenskyy stated.

The Ukrainian chief has pleaded with Washington to provide extra Patriot air defense ammunition that may cease ballistic missiles and to heap extra sanctions on Russia which may make Moscow pursue peace.

But Trump has agreed to a cope with Putin to import diesel from Russia and waived heavy sanctions on Moscow, whereas U.S. officers say Patriot ammunition is in brief provide.

Witkoff, the Trump envoy who met with Putin in St. Petersburg on Wednesday, was harshly criticized in Ukraine and within the U.S. for praising the Russian chief as a “humanitarian” for ordering the discharge of a retired American instructor imprisoned on costs of preventing as a mercenary in Ukraine.

The five-year anniversary of Russia’s all-out invasion of its neighbor comes on Feb. 24. The preventing has resulted in lots of of hundreds of troop casualties on the battlefield and hundreds of civilians killed in aerial strikes.

Also, assassination attempts against foes of Putin have been frequent throughout his greater than twenty years in energy. Those near the victims and the few survivors have blamed Russian authorities, however the Kremlin has routinely denied involvement.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated the “brutal” Russian assaults demonstrated “what Russian ‘humanism’ actually feels like.”

“Appeasement, servility, and flattery won’t cease this struggle. Only energy will,” Sybiha stated on social media.

Russia’s Defense Ministry stated that air defenses in a single day downed 808 Ukrainian drones, with two folks reported wounded.

Moscow’s Mayor Sergei Sobyanin stated that 630 of the drones had been fired towards the Russian capital between late Wednesday and early Thursday. Moscow airports briefly restricted air visitors in a single day.

The Russian army hit the services concerned in making and storing drones and cruise missiles and transport development projects in Kyiv in in a single day strikes, the Defense Ministry stated. Infrastructure within the southern port of Odesa and vessels used for the Ukrainian armed forces had been additionally hit, it stated.

Follow the AP’s protection of the struggle in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine