Zelenskyy says Russia is stepping up attacks ahead of U.S. talks

The latest Russian attacks struck across Ukraine on Saturday, targeting critical infrastructure with missiles and drones. At least nine people were wounded. The attacks matter because they came just before a new diplomatic effort involving Russia, Ukraine, and the United States.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia launched 36 missiles and 172 drones. Only four missiles were taken down, he said. Strikes damaged homes, businesses, energy facilities, and a kindergarten in Kyiv. They also caused new power and water outages in several regions.

The next talks are scheduled for Tuesday in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. They would be the fourth round brokered by the Trump administration, after negotiations in Geneva in February. Territorial and security issues remain unresolved, so the attacks could increase pressure on the diplomats.

A missile interceptor is a defensive missile launched to stop an attacking missile in flight. It detects or receives information about the incoming weapon, then travels toward it and destroys or disables it. The goal is to protect people, buildings, and essential infrastructure before impact.

In this attack, Zelenskyy said Russia used 36 missiles against critical infrastructure across Ukraine. He said Ukrainian defenses took down only four. That figure highlights why interceptors matter: each successful interception can prevent damage to power networks, homes, transport routes, or other targets.

The article does not identify the interceptor system Ukraine used or explain why each missile was not stopped. It does report a shortage of interceptors. That shortage leaves more incoming missiles able to reach their targets, increasing risks to energy supplies and civilians as Russia continues attacks ahead of the Abu Dhabi talks.

The attack was large by every measure reported in the article. Zelenskyy said Russia launched 36 missiles and 172 drones against critical infrastructure. The strikes reached Kyiv and 12 other Ukrainian regions. Only four missiles were taken down, according to Zelenskyy, underscoring the pressure on Ukraine’s air defenses.

The human toll reported at the time was at least nine people wounded. In Kyiv, missiles damaged homes and commercial properties and partly destroyed a kindergarten. The strikes also damaged electricity networks and other power facilities. Officials reported outages affecting electricity, heating, and water services.

The article separates this Saturday attack from an earlier disaster in Komyshuvakha. There, recovery continued after Monday’s guided-bomb attack, with the death toll reaching 55 and dozens still missing. The combined figures show both the immediate scale of the latest assault and the continuing cost of earlier strikes.

Power networks move electricity from generating facilities to cities and other users. When missiles damage transmission lines, substations, or power plants, electricity may not reach homes and public services. Water systems often need electricity to pump and treat water, while heating systems can also depend on powered equipment.

The article reports that Saturday’s strikes damaged networks carrying electricity from nuclear power plants to Kyiv and central regions. They also hit multiple power facilities, including a substation. Kyiv experienced new power and water outages, while officials described its energy situation as extremely difficult because heating and water supplies were affected.

The outages were separate from scheduled rolling blackouts intended to protect the grid. The widest unscheduled effects were reported in Kyiv, central Zhytomyr, Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Dnipropetrovsk. Repairs had begun, and Kyiv’s water pressure was stabilized, but damaged networks can continue disrupting basic services.

Military forces may target infrastructure because it supports transportation, energy supply, or weapons production. A bridge can carry people, equipment, or supplies. A power facility can affect factories, communications, water systems, and military operations. Transmission lines connect generation to users, so damage can disrupt a broad area rather than one building.

Russia said it targeted Kyiv’s Northern Bridge because it facilitated the transport of weaponry, military hardware, and specialist equipment. The bridge connects the city with large residential areas east of the Dnipro River. Russia also reported strikes on a power station, substations, an ammunition plant, and an industrial facility producing Flamingo missiles.

Ukraine’s Energy Ministry said missiles damaged networks carrying electricity from nuclear plants to Kyiv and central regions. The result included outages and pressure on heating and water services. Such attacks can weaken civilian resilience and military logistics simultaneously, while forcing authorities to spend time and resources on repairs.

Trilateral talks are negotiations involving three parties. In this case, negotiators from Russia, Ukraine, and the United States are scheduled to meet Tuesday in Abu Dhabi. The talks aim to end the war and would be the fourth round brokered by the Trump administration.

Territorial control is difficult because a settlement must address which side controls contested land. Security questions are also central. The parties must consider how Ukraine would be protected and what commitments could prevent renewed fighting. The article does not give a proposed solution for either issue, but it says both remain unresolved.

Western governments supporting the peace initiative are seeking a new formula to break the impasse. The latest attacks add urgency and tension before the meeting. Zelenskyy accused Russia of treating diplomacy as a form of aggression and urged the United States and other partners to act on principle.

An electricity grid links generators to users through high-voltage transmission networks, substations, and local distribution systems. Power plants produce electricity, but cities receive it only when those connections remain intact. Substations help route and manage electricity as it moves toward homes, businesses, and public services.

The article says Saturday’s strikes damaged networks carrying electricity from nuclear power plants to Kyiv and central regions. It also reports damage to power facilities and substations. That helps explain why Kyiv faced new power and water outages even though the article does not say the nuclear plants themselves stopped operating. A broken route can block delivery.

Water and heating systems rely on electricity for pumping, treatment, control equipment, or circulation. Kyiv’s mayor described the energy situation as extremely difficult, affecting heating and water supplies. Repairs stabilized water pressure, but outages remained widespread in several regions, alongside scheduled rolling blackouts.