‘No change’ in Russia’s attitude on war shown by deadly attacks, Zelensky says

Russia launched a broad overnight wave of attacks across Ukraine, showing the scale and continuing danger of the war. A dozen Ukrainian regions were hit. The strikes affected civilians and essential places, not only military positions. Ukraine also launched a large drone attack on the Moscow region, where two people were wounded.

In Kyiv, two people died and more than 30 were wounded, according to city authorities. In Lozova, two women, aged 50 and 60, were killed when a crowded market was attacked. Dozens more people were wounded there. Residential houses, energy sites, shops, cafes, and a monastery were damaged in Kyiv.

The attacks came soon after Vladimir Putin met US envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss restarting peace talks. Zelensky said the strikes began almost immediately afterward, suggesting Russia’s conduct had not changed. Authorities also ordered families and children to leave Kramatorsk and Sloviansk after repeated attacks killed civilians.

Trilateral peace talks bring three parties into the same diplomatic process: Russia, Ukraine, and the United States. The format matters because the war directly involves Russia and Ukraine, while the United States is a major diplomatic and military supporter of Ukraine. Joint talks could address fighting, territory, security, and possible terms for ending the conflict.

The Kremlin said it was willing to restart these talks with Kyiv and Washington the following month. That followed hours of discussions between Vladimir Putin and US envoy Steve Witkoff in Saint Petersburg. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has also backed resuming the format, although several rounds during the previous 18 months failed to bring the sides closer to an agreement.

The proposal remains uncertain. Russia dismissed new ideas developed by European countries and Ukraine with Witkoff. Donald Trump nevertheless said negotiators might be closer than ever to ending the war. Kyiv and European capitals remained doubtful, fearing Washington could favor Moscow.

Agreeing to talks is not the same as agreeing to compromise. Russia can return to negotiations while continuing military pressure and seeking terms that reshape Ukraine’s territory, armed forces, and foreign partnerships. That is why the Kremlin’s diplomatic language did not convince Zelensky that Moscow’s attitude had changed.

The clearest example was timing. Russian attacks began almost immediately after Putin met Witkoff. Strikes hit Kyiv and other regions, killing civilians and damaging homes and energy sites. Russia also continued demanding that Ukraine withdraw from territory in Donetsk and accept broad limits on its army and Western alliances.

Ukraine says those terms would amount to capitulation and leave it vulnerable to another attack. Zelensky also warned that Russia was taking advantage of slower air-defence deliveries and eased sanctions pressure. Until attacks stop and the demands change, restarting talks may be a negotiating tactic rather than evidence of a settled peace plan.

Ballistic missiles are weapons that rise and then travel along a fast, arcing path toward a target. Cluster munitions open in the air and scatter many smaller explosive bomblets across a wide area. Patriot interceptors are advanced air-defence missiles used to destroy incoming missiles and other aerial threats. These systems matter because they shape both attack damage and civilian protection.

The article describes Russia firing a wave of ballistic missiles during attacks across Ukraine. Zelensky accused Russia of targeting civilians in Kyiv with cluster munitions. Human Rights Watch reported an apparent increase in their use and said using them could be a war crime. Ukraine has repeatedly asked allies for US-made Patriot interceptors.

Patriots could help defend cities and critical infrastructure from missiles and fast-moving drones, but supplies are limited. Zelensky said Moscow was exploiting a slowdown in air-defence deliveries. NATO responded by allowing Ukraine to buy weapons through its central procurement agency case by case.

Russia’s negotiating position, as described in the article, seeks major concessions from Ukraine. Moscow wants Ukraine to pull out of territory in the eastern Donetsk region that Russia still controls. It also wants broad political and military restrictions on the size of Ukraine’s army and its relationships with Western alliances.

Ukraine has not accepted those terms. Instead, Zelensky has backed restarting trilateral talks while rejecting demands he considers surrender-like. The central mechanism is security: if Ukraine gives up territory and limits its armed forces or alliances, it may have fewer tools to deter or resist future attacks. Ukraine therefore sees the proposed settlement as more than a compromise over borders.

The disagreement makes a peace deal difficult. Russia is pairing diplomatic discussions with continued attacks, while Ukraine and European capitals fear an agreement could be made over their heads. Until the sides bridge these security and territorial differences, talks may continue without producing a settlement.

When attacks hit residential buildings and critical infrastructure, the harm spreads beyond the immediate blast. People can be killed or wounded, homes can become unsafe, and energy damage can disrupt heating and other basic services. The timing matters because Ukraine is preparing for winter, when damaged systems and repeated bombardment can make living conditions especially difficult.

The article gives several examples. Strikes damaged residential houses, energy sites, shops, cafes, and a monastery in Kyiv. Two people died there and more than 30 were wounded. A crowded market in Lozova was attacked, killing two women and wounding dozens. Families and children were ordered to evacuate Kramatorsk and nearby Sloviansk after repeated attacks killed civilians.

These consequences also increase pressure on Ukraine’s air defences and allies. Zelensky warned that more strikes could come and said supplies of air-defence systems were slowing. NATO allowed Ukraine to buy weapons through its central procurement agency case by case, but the article does not say whether this will prevent further winter damage.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 expecting a swift attack that would topple Zelensky and seize land. Instead, the war became Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II. The article describes hundreds of thousands killed, millions displaced, and much of eastern and southern Ukraine destroyed. The prolonged fighting has left diplomacy tied closely to military developments.

Weapons supplies affect whether Ukraine can protect cities and resist attacks. Zelensky urged allies to provide Patriot interceptors and said slower air-defence deliveries were helping Moscow. Sanctions pressure also matters. He argued that Russia was emboldened by easing pressure. Territory remains central because Moscow demands Ukrainian withdrawal from parts of Donetsk.

Military alliances are part of the dispute too. Russia wants restrictions on Ukraine’s Western alliances, while Ukraine rejects limits that could leave it exposed. NATO has allowed case-by-case weapons purchases. Talks may resume, but continued attacks, disputed territory, military capacity, and outside support will influence whether negotiations produce more than another pause.