Russia unleashes huge drone and missile assault on Ukraine amid diplomatic talks

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Russia unleashed a serious missile and drone barrage on Ukraine in a single day into Saturday, after U.S. and Ukrainian officers stated they’ll meet for a 3rd day of talks geared toward ending the practically four-year-old battle.

The newest spherical of assaults got here as U.S. President Donald Trump’s advisers and Ukrainian officers stated they’ll meet on Saturday, after making progress on discovering settlement on a safety framework for postwar Ukraine.

Following talks that made progress on a safety framework for postwar Ukraine, the 2 sides additionally provided the sober evaluation that any “actual progress towards any settlement” in the end will rely “on Russia’s readiness to indicate severe dedication to long-term peace."

The assertion from U.S. particular envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, in addition to Ukrainian negotiators Rustem Umerov and Andriy Hnatov, got here after they met for a second day in Florida on Friday.

They provided solely broad brushstrokes concerning the progress they are saying has been made as Trump pushes Kyiv and Moscow to conform to a U.S.-mediated proposal to finish the battle.

<img loading="lazy" alt="People stand near a ruined building and amid rubble " srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/39b306b3-ee4c-4eb3-ad0f-aa2fbbe46875,1765029905740/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C4401%2C3008%29%3BResize%3D805 805w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/39b306b3-ee4c-4eb3-ad0f-aa2fbbe46875,1765029905740/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C4401%2C3008%29%3BResize%3D1104 1104w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/39b306b3-ee4c-4eb3-ad0f-aa2fbbe46875,1765029905740/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C4401%2C3008%29%3BResize%3D1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) 93.6vw,730px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/39b306b3-ee4c-4eb3-ad0f-aa2fbbe46875,1765029905740/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C4401%2C3008%29%3B" style="aspect-ratio:1.4630984042553192" data-cy="image-img"/> Individuals within the city of Slobozhanske, in Ukraine's Dnipro area, take within the wreckage on Saturday following Russia's assault. (Mykola Synelnykov/Reuters) Russia used 653 drones and 51 missiles within the wide-reaching in a single day assault on Ukraine, which triggered air raid alerts throughout the nation and got here as Ukraine marked Armed Forces Day, the nation’s air pressure stated Saturday morning.

Ukrainian forces shot down and neutralized 585 drones and 30 missiles, the air pressure stated, including that 29 places have been struck.

At the least eight individuals have been wounded within the assaults, Ukrainian Minister of Inside Affairs Ihor Klymenko stated. Amongst these, at the least three individuals have been wounded within the Kyiv area, in response to native officers.

Drone sightings have been reported as far west as Ukraine’s Lviv area.

Nuclear plant quickly reduce off from energy Russia carried out a “huge missile-drone assault” on energy stations and different power infrastructure in a number of Ukrainian areas, Ukraine’s nationwide power operator, Ukrenergo, wrote on Telegram.

Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear energy plant quickly misplaced all off-site energy in a single day, the Worldwide Atomic Power Company stated on Saturday, citing its director common, Rafael Grossi.

The plant is in an space that has been below Russian management since early in Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and is not in service, but it surely wants dependable energy to chill its six shutdown reactors and spent gasoline to keep away from any catastrophic nuclear incidents.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that power amenities have been the principle targets of the assaults, additionally noting {that a} drone strike had “burned down” the prepare station within the metropolis of Fastiv, situated within the Kyiv area.

Russia’s Defence Ministry stated its air defences had shot down 116 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory in a single day into Saturday.

<img loading="lazy" alt="A man clutching a painting stands amid rubble and ruins" srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/b1aa79c8-c8dd-4555-8c0a-3357ad29b295,1765029997462/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C4184%2C3003%29%3BResize%3D805 805w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/b1aa79c8-c8dd-4555-8c0a-3357ad29b295,1765029997462/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C4184%2C3003%29%3BResize%3D1104 1104w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/b1aa79c8-c8dd-4555-8c0a-3357ad29b295,1765029997462/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C4184%2C3003%29%3BResize%3D1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) 93.6vw,730px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/b1aa79c8-c8dd-4555-8c0a-3357ad29b295,1765029997462/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C4184%2C3003%29%3B" style="aspect-ratio:1.3932733932733932" data-cy="image-img"/> A person within the Ukrainian city of Slobozhanke, within the Dinpro area, collects issues left in a constructing that was hit by the Russian barrage of missiles and drone strikes, on Saturday. (Mykola Synelnykov/Reuters) Russian Telegram information channel Astra stated Ukraine struck Russia’s Ryazan oil refinery, sharing footage showing to indicate a hearth breaking out and plumes of smoke rising above the refinery. The Related Press couldn't independently confirm the video.

The Common Employees of the Ukrainian Armed Forces later stated Ukrainian forces had struck the refinery. Ryazan regional Gov. Pavel Malkov stated a residential constructing had been broken in a drone assault and that drone particles had fallen on the grounds of an “industrial facility,” however he didn't point out the refinery.

Months of Ukrainian long-range drone strikes on Russian refineries have aimed to deprive Moscow of the oil export income it must pursue the battle.

In the meantime, Kyiv and its Western allies say Russia is attempting to cripple the Ukrainian energy grid and deny civilians entry to warmth, mild and operating water for a fourth consecutive winter, in what Ukrainian officers name “weaponizing” the chilly.