KYIV, Ukraine — Nearly 600 Russian drones and missiles swarmed Ukraine’s skies overnight, marking one of the most intense aerial barrages of the Russo-Ukrainian war as Kyiv reeled from explosions and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s delegation prepared to depart for urgent peace talks in Washington. Three people were killed and dozens wounded across multiple regions, with power outages plunging 600,000 households into darkness amid the escalating drone onslaught. This assault on day 1,374 came hours after Ukrainian forces struck a key Russian oil facility, signaling both sides’ determination to pressure negotiations under President Donald Trump’s administration.
The attack unfolded in waves starting late Friday, with Russian Shahed-type drones and ballistic missiles targeting energy infrastructure from Odesa to the capital. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted most threats, but debris ignited fires in Kyiv’s residential districts, killing two and injuring 27. In Dnipro, a third fatality was reported when missile fragments struck an apartment block. “This is terror from the sky before peace talks,” Zelenskyy said, vowing retaliation.
Scale of the Assault
Russia launched close to 600 drones, the largest aerial assault in recent months, alongside 36 missiles, overwhelming Ukraine’s radar for nearly 10 hours. Ukrainian commanders downed 520 drones, but the volume strained Patriot systems. This echoed Russia Ukraine War Day 1373 patterns when Russian forces advanced on the Pokrovsk frontline.
In parallel, Ukraine struck Russia’s Novorossiysk oil terminal, halting Black Sea exports and funding the war. Satellite imagery showed flames visible from space.
Diplomatic Maneuvers
Zelenskyy’s team, led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, heads to Washington carrying a counter-proposal to Moscow’s territorial demands, including Crimea which Trump’s Ukraine peace plan shows openness toward recognizing as Russian. This follows Yermak’s dismissal amid Zelenskyy’s criticism of US-backed concessions.
Trump’s reelection accelerated US-backed peace framework talks via Abu Dhabi shuttles. Putin hosted Hungary’s Viktor Orban discussing a Putin-Orban energy deal via TurkStream.
Frontline & Winter Threat
Russian marines pushed into Kurakhove using glide bombs. In Kursk, Kyiv’s incursion stalls against North Korean reinforcements. Oil prices spiked 3% on Novorossiysk fears. NATO’s Mark Rutte called it “unacceptable escalation.” As delegations converge, drones may dictate terms or diplomats silence the skies.
