Russian Strikes Kill at Least Six in Kyiv as U.S.-Backed Peace Talks Advance

Russian forces launched a fresh wave of strikes across Ukraine on Tuesday, killing at least six people and striking residential buildings and energy infrastructure in Kyiv and other regions. Ukrainian forces said a cross-border drone strike in Russia's Rostov region killed three people in Taganrog and damaged homes.

Attacks in Kyiv and the South

Mayor Vitalii Kitschko reported that two people were killed and five were wounded after a strike on a nine‑story residential block in the Dniprovskyi district, where video posted online showed a large fire. A separate residential building in the central Pechersk neighborhood was also badly damaged.

In a subsequent wave of strikes, four people were killed and three injured in an attack on a nonresidential building in Kyiv's western Svyatoshynyi district, according to Tymor Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv city administration. Parts of the capital experienced interruptions to water, electricity and heating.

Ukraine's emergency services said six people, including two children, were injured in strikes on energy and port infrastructure in the Odesa region. The energy ministry confirmed that facilities were hit but did not immediately provide further details on the extent of the damage.

Cross‑border Strike and Damage in Russia

Russia's Rostov regional governor, Yuri Slyusar, said a Ukrainian drone strike overnight killed three people and wounded eight in the border city of Taganrog. The governor reported damage to private homes, multistory residential blocks and several social and commercial facilities, including a warehouse and a paint shop.

Air Defenses and Drone Interceptions

The Russian Defense Ministry said its air defenses intercepted 249 Ukrainian drones overnight over various Russian regions and occupied Crimea, adding that 116 of the drones were shot down over the Black Sea. Independent verification of those figures is not available.

Diplomatic Push and Peace Talks

The attacks came as U.S. and Ukrainian representatives met in Geneva on Sunday to discuss a U.S.-brokered peace plan. Oleksandr Bevz, a Ukrainian delegate, described the Geneva talks as "very constructive," saying the parties were able to address most points on the agenda. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow had not seen an updated version of the proposed plan.

Separately, U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll met with Russian officials for several hours in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks were sensitive. The official said the Ukrainian side was aware of the meeting but gave no details on timing or topics beyond efforts to stop the fighting as quickly as possible.

Reported by Toropin in Washington.