- Russia launched a massive overnight drone strike on Kharkiv, killing 3 and injuring over 60.
- The attack is part of a wider escalation, with over 300 drones launched across Ukraine.
- US-Russia diplomatic talks set to resume in Moscow as tensions rise.
In the early hours of Wednesday, Kharkiv endured one of its worst attacks in recent months as 17 Russian UAVs targeted residential areas, leaving three dead and at least 60 wounded.
This wave of drone strikes follows Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb, which targeted Russian airbases, prompting what Kyiv describes as retaliatory saturation attacks.
Deadly Drone Barrage Hits Kharkiv as US and Russia Prepare for High-Stakes Talks
The Russian military launched one of its most extensive drone campaigns against Ukraine, striking Kharkiv with 17 UAVs and killing three civilians, including a senior resident. Over 60 were injured, among them children, in what officials describe as a deliberate attack on residential neighborhoods. Fires, structural collapses, and panic followed as families fled for cover.
Kyiv, Odesa, and the Dnipro region were also hit, with over 300 drones reported across the country. This represents an alarming uptick in aerial assaults, just days after Russia launched nearly 500 drones in a single night. Ukrainian air defense systems intercepted many, but dozens still reached civilian infrastructure.
While Ukraine demands harsher economic sanctions and continued military support, Washington is recalibrating. With aid reductions underway, the U.S. is also returning to diplomatic talks with Russia, moving the next round of negotiations from Istanbul to Moscow.
The upcoming talks will address broader geopolitical tensions, including direct flights, the Middle East, and Iran’s nuclear program. However, many in Ukraine remain skeptical, warning that diplomacy without accountability may only embolden further aggression.
As the war enters yet another volatile phase, Kharkiv’s devastation highlights both the human cost and the geopolitical complexity of the conflict, with diplomacy and deterrence now racing against time.
“Every night, instead of a ceasefire, there have been massive strikes with Shaheds, cruise missiles and ballistics.” – President Volodymyr Zelensky
