Russia carried out a large-scale missile and drone assault on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure overnight, resulting in six deaths and 14 injuries in Kyiv. The attack coincided with the start of new US-mediated peace talks in Abu Dhabi.

According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the assault involved 22 missiles — including four hypersonic Kinzhal types — and 464 drones. These strikes were concentrated on Kyiv and the surrounding areas.

“Every life matters and must be protected every day,” Zelenskyy stated. “Military support, including weapons and air defense systems, remains essential, as do sanctions against the aggressor. There must be no let-up in these efforts.”

The president emphasized that Russia should not believe it can achieve victory while negotiations are underway. He said: “Our joint diplomatic efforts are key. Pressure on Russia needs to yield clear outcomes.”

Zelenskyy also revealed that four drones entered the airspace of nearby Moldova and Romania. Romania responded by dispatching four fighter jets to monitor two drones early that morning, according to its defense ministry.

This extensive wave of attacks coincided with the reported start of new peace discussions in the United Arab Emirates on Monday night. US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll traveled there to meet with Russian and Ukrainian delegations, including Ukrainian chief negotiator Kyrylo Budanov.

In Kyiv’s Sviatoshynskyi district, four people lost their lives and three were injured. Another two fatalities and five injuries were recorded in the Dniprovskyi district. The capital reported 13 incidents of damage from strikes or falling debris, including destruction to a 22-storey apartment complex.

Liubov Petrivna, a 90-year-old resident directly impacted by the strike in Dniprovskyi, described how the explosion destroyed everything in her apartment. “Glass rained down on me,” she said. Expressing skepticism about the ongoing peace talks, she added, “No one will change anything. Putin won’t stop until we are all gone.”

Loud explosions were heard in Kyiv in two separate waves — first just after 1 a.m., followed by another around 7 a.m. Similar attacks were reported in the Dnipro, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, and Cherkasy regions, further damaging Ukraine's energy systems.

Ukrenergo, the national power provider, announced emergency outages in Kyiv, while heating services across much of the capital were also impacted as cleanup efforts began on Tuesday morning.

“Russia is deliberately striking residential and public infrastructure. This is brutal, targeted aggression,” said Tymur Tkachenko, the head of Kyiv’s military administration, in a statement.