At least one person was killed and 15 injured in Russian attacks on Kyiv and Kharkiv that deepened the humanitarian crisis, while multiple diplomatic tracks remained active. The strikes disrupted essential services including heat and water as negotiators pursued peace from various angles.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko warned Kyiv residents that the capital faced a “massive enemy attack,” instructing them to seek shelter immediately. The strikes targeted residential buildings, resulting in casualties and extensive infrastructure damage. Heat and water systems were knocked offline in several neighborhoods, compounding the humanitarian challenges faced by civilians.
In Kharkiv, Iranian-made Shahed drones attacked multiple residential complexes, as confirmed by Mayor Igor Terekhov. The drone strikes caused significant damage to civilian housing, demonstrating Russia’s continued use of Iranian military technology. The northeastern city has faced persistent bombardment throughout the nearly four-year conflict.
Despite the worsening humanitarian situation, diplomatic efforts proceeded on multiple fronts. In Abu Dhabi, American, Russian, and Ukrainian representatives engaged in two-day talks. Separately, President Putin met with Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, while President Zelensky held discussions with President Trump. The UAE foreign ministry described the Abu Dhabi negotiations as focused on “promoting dialogue and identifying political solutions.”
President Zelensky announced that peace proposals were “nearly ready” and proposed creating a free trade zone in eastern Ukraine under Kyiv’s control. However, fundamental disagreements persist over the Donbas region, where Russia demands Ukrainian military withdrawal as a precondition for peace.