Russia again battered Kyiv, killing at least six people, as US officials were reportedly in Abu Dhabi for separate meetings with Russian and Ukrainian officials to try to hammer out agreement on a US-proposed peace deal whose initial draft was seen as heavily favorable to Moscow.
The November 25 attacks, which emergency officials said also wounded at least 13, were the latest in a series of near daily barrages on civilians in Ukrainian cities and towns – an indication that despite renewed efforts at reaching a cease-fire or a full peace deal, Moscow is confident it has the upper hand.
Ukrainian emergency workers battled blazes in several districts in the Ukrainian capital, as they rescued people and searched for bodies in the aftermath of the pre-dawn attacks. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said at least six people were reported killed.
The State Emergency Service reported that among the buildings hit by the Russian military were nine-story and 22-story residential blocks. City officials also said that power and water supplies were disrupted in several districts of Kyiv.
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Deadly Overnight Strikes Hit Kyiv
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Telegram that Russian forces used 22 missiles of various types, including air-launched ballistic missiles, as well as more than 460 drones. He added that four of the Russian drones flew into the airspace of Moldova and Romania, “with the exact time of their flights known.”
“That is why all partners must not forget that every day we need to save lives. Weapons and air defense are important, as is strong sanctions pressure on the aggressor. There must be no pauses in assistance. The key now is for all partners to move toward diplomacy together, through joint efforts. Pressure on Russia must definitely work,” Zelenskyy said.
Zelenskyy stressed that Russian air strikes also targeted the regions of Odesa, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, and Cherkasy.
“The main targets are energy facilities and everything that ensures normal life,” he noted.
Exhausted Ukrainians were already facing a difficult winter, as months of Russian attacks on its electricity grid and energy infrastructure strained workers racing to do repairs and bolster defenses.
In the northeastern city of Sumy, a firefighting vehicle was targeted in a Russian drone strike, according to Ukraine's State Emergency Service. It claimed the vehicle was struck as rescuers were responding to an earlier drone. No firefighters were injured.
Romania’s Defense Ministry reported that early on November 25, two drones violated the country’s airspace. One later returned to Ukraine, while the other remained over Romanian territory. The Romanian military kept aircraft in the air to monitor the situation.
Moldova’s Defense Ministry said it had detected six drones inside Moldovan airspace without authorization, one of which with a "Z'" painted on its tail fell intact in the northern town of Cuhurestii de Jos. The letter "Z'" has become a sign by Russians, expressing support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
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The ministry added that other drones flew over other regions of the country, and some continued flying toward neighboring Romania.
Meanwhile, Russian officials said on November 25 that Ukrainian drones had attacked Russia’s Rostov and Krasnodar regions. Rostov regional Governor Yury Slyusar said three people were killed in an overnight strike.
Authorities in the Krasnodar region said drone attacks on the city of Novorossiysk injured four people and damaged five apartment buildings and two private houses.
On the battlefield, Ukrainian forces are stretched thin, struggling to keep Russian forces from capturing key eastern cities including Pokrovsk, Kostyantynivka, and Kupyansk.
Last week, Ukrainians and their European allies were blindsided by a new 28-point US peace plan, the leaked draft of which contained several points Russia has pushed for since the start of the all-out invasion in February 2022. The plan was presented to Zelenskyy and his advisers in Kyiv by visiting US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll.
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Ukrainian officials then flew to Geneva over the weekend to meet with US representatives, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, to try and hammer out a draft that would require fewer concessions from Ukraine and not result in what some in Kyiv saw as near capitulation.
In a joint statement on November 23, the White House and Zelenskyy's office said the talks in the Swiss city showed "meaningful progress" toward ending the war and led to an "updated and refined" framework that would "fully uphold" Ukraine's sovereignty and deliver a just peace.
"As of now, after Geneva, there are fewer points -– no longer 28 –- and many of the right elements have been taken into account in this framework," Zelenskyy said on social media on November 24. He said he would "discuss the sensitive issues" with Trump.
On November 25, more Ukrainian officials flew to Abu Dhabi for more talks with Driscoll and other US officials, CBS News and the Financial Times reported.
News outlets including the Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, Politico, and CNN reported that Driscoll was also meeting with Russian officials in Abu Dhabi. All the reports cited unnamed officials.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on November 25 that he had "nothing to say" about the reported meetings, but that Russia believes the US proposal "could become a very good basis for negotiations."