A Russian drone attack targeted a private home in the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia early Saturday, killing two civilians and injuring two children, according to local authorities. Zaporizhzhia regional head Ivan Fedorov reported that a man and a woman died in the strike, with children aged 11 and 15 among the wounded.
The incident unfolded hours before a Ukrainian delegation arrived in the United States for talks with American negotiators aimed at reviving stalled peace efforts. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced late Thursday that he had sent officials to push for the resumption of trilateral U.S.-Ukraine-Russia negotiations, which have been on hold since the escalation of conflict in Iran. The delegation's main objectives include ensuring the trilateral format restarts and securing Washington's approval for NATO allies to purchase U.S. weapons for transfer to Ukraine.
Ukrainian state media indicated the meeting would occur later Saturday in Miami. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated Friday that Moscow considers the pause temporary and hopes for a continuation of the trilateral discussions.
Zaporizhzhia lies in one of four southeastern regions Russia annexed in 2022 but does not fully control. Russian forces have frequently struck the area since the full-scale invasion began. The city remains under Ukrainian administration despite Moscow's claims.
The attack drew expressions of grief from locals. A friend of one victim questioned the ongoing negotiations, saying, "I stopped believing long ago. When will this all just end?" The mother of an injured person described seeing the damage via Telegram after the strike.
Broader peace efforts have yielded little progress. U.S.-mediated talks previously held in Geneva earlier this year stalled amid distractions from the Middle East war, which Zelenskyy said has caused a missile shortage for Ukraine. Zelenskyy seeks discussions on a recent U.S. one-month waiver easing sanctions on Russian oil, implemented to stabilize global energy prices but criticized in Kyiv as benefiting Moscow.
Tensions between Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump have complicated diplomacy, with Trump accusing the Ukrainian leader of obstructing peace. Ukraine has offered its drone technology to assist U.S. defenses against Iran. Russian forces currently hold nearly 20% of Ukrainian territory.
The White House has not confirmed the Miami meeting. No immediate comment came from Russian officials on the Zaporizhzhia strike.
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts.