Russia’s overnight barrage hit Ukraine at a politically sensitive moment. While U.S. officials are preparing for a renewed diplomatic push in Geneva, Moscow has escalated its long-range strikes once again, targeting civilian infrastructure and homes in what Ukrainian authorities described as a “calculated pressure tactic” ahead of the talks. The attacks left families displaced, neighbourhoods in ruins and emergency crews scrambling through the night.
Ukrainian emergency services confirmed that three people were killed in Kyiv after a missile struck a cluster of apartment buildings on the outskirts of the capital, igniting multiple fires and cutting power to hundreds of homes. Another three were killed in the Sumy region, where Russian drones and missiles hit an energy substation and a nearby residential block. Local officials reported dozens of injuries across both regions and warned that casualty figures may rise as rescue workers continue clearing debris.
Residents described one of the most intense nighttime bombardments in recent weeks. Sirens sounded across Kyiv around 2 a.m., followed by a series of explosions that rattled the capital. Firefighters battled flames in sub-zero temperatures, while medics evacuated survivors from collapsing structures. Ukrainian officials said Russia used a combination of ballistic missiles and Iranian-designed drones, continuing a pattern intended to overload air defence systems.
The renewed strikes came as U.S. diplomats convened in Europe to brief allies on Washington’s latest proposal for a political settlement to the war. The plan, previously described by President Donald Trump as “not my final offer”, has already sparked debate across Kyiv and among NATO partners. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has publicly rejected elements of the proposal, arguing that it would force Ukraine to choose between sovereignty and territorial concessions.
