Russia’s Massive Overnight Strike Kills 25 in Ukraine as Diplomacy Falters

A massive overnight barrage of Russian missiles and drones killed at least 25 people across Ukraine — including two children — in one of the largest aerial attacks since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Moscow fired 476 drones and 48 cruise and ballistic missiles. Ukraine’s military reported that six or seven missiles and nearly three dozen drones penetrated the country’s air defenses and struck populated areas and critical infrastructure.

Explosions and fires were reported near the eastern front around Kharkiv and far from the front lines in western cities including Lviv, near Poland. The greatest number of fatalities occurred in the western city of Ternopil, where officials said two high-rise apartment buildings and energy facilities were hit.

Authorities in multiple regions reported power outages as temperatures drop, heightening the humanitarian risk as civilians face a growing need for heat and other essential services.

Zelenskyy, visiting Turkey, said the scale and brazenness of the attack underscore the need for stronger international pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Every brazen attack on ordinary life shows that pressure on Russia is insufficient," he wrote on social media.

While in Ankara, Zelenskyy said he planned to ask Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to use his ties with Moscow to help deepen Russia’s diplomatic isolation and push toward a negotiated settlement. "First and foremost, we will discuss maximum measures to ensure Ukraine secures a just peace," Zelenskyy said, noting he had seen "some positions and signals from the United States" without elaboration.

New U.S. sanctions targeting Russia’s oil sector, intended to increase pressure on Moscow and encourage a return to negotiations, are scheduled to take effect Friday. A U.S. official also confirmed that Army Secretary Dan Driscoll was in Kyiv as part of a delegation attempting to restart peace talks.

Zelenskyy’s trip follows visits earlier in the week to Greece, France and Spain, where he sought additional military and diplomatic support. Turkey has maintained working relationships with both Russia and Western nations throughout the conflict, and Ukrainian officials appear to be hoping Erdogan can help persuade Moscow to re-engage in talks.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there were no immediate plans for President Putin to take part in negotiations as the war moves into its fourth winter, though he reiterated that Putin was "of course open to a conversation," a stance Russia has repeatedly stated since the invasion began.

The attack and its consequences for civilians add urgency to international efforts to both provide humanitarian relief and revive stalled diplomatic channels while Kyiv seeks greater support to defend its people and infrastructure.