Overnight, Ukraine and Russia exchanged devastating strikes that left civilians dead and amplified fears even as a U.S.-brokered peace effort gathers momentum. According to Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Russia launched a massive assault involving 22 missiles including four hypersonic Kinzhal missiles and around 464 drones, with the main focus of the attack on Kyiv and its surrounding areas. Explosions came in two waves, early in the morning and again later, shaking residential districts, igniting fires in apartment blocks, and damaging high-rise buildings.
Local emergency services reported several deaths and injuries. In Kyiv’s Sviatoshynskyi district, four people were killed and three more wounded, while in the Dniprovskyi district two were killed and five injured. The capital also suffered widespread power and heating outages, as the assault disrupted key infrastructure, leaving some residents without essential services amid the winter chill. One 90-year-old woman, Liubov Petrivna, recounted how “absolutely everything” in her flat shattered under the blast, and how glass fell like rain as terror gripped her community.
Moscow, however, insists it remains open to diplomacy. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that although Russian forces were striking “military infrastructure,” Russia was still interested in peace talks. The timing of these attacks, many analysts say, sends a stark message: despite negotiations, the violence continues and civilians remain deeply exposed.
The latest bombardment once again highlights how the war is playing out on multiple fronts, not just militarily, but politically. Even as talks proceed, both sides are demonstrating that force remains a key part of their bargaining strategy.
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