Russia and Ukraine hold a second day of US-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi

On Wednesday, the small Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia temporarily issued drone alerts as Russia and Ukraine exchanged strikes in the region. NATO fighter jets were activated, but there were no injuries reported and the warnings covered the second-largest city of Kaunas in Lithuania. Finland, also a Russian neighbor, implemented short-term airspace and maritime restrictions in the eastern Gulf of Finland, but lifted them later.

These actions were precautionary measures to maintain operational safety and protect bystanders. The incidents occurred as Ukrainian drones targeted Russian infrastructure, including an oil refinery and the Ust-Luga port, resulting in injuries and the destruction of a facility. The strikes also caused power outages in Ukraine's industrial hub of Kryvyi Rih, and injuries in the cities of Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia.

Despite ongoing negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian officials in Abu Dhabi, the conflict persists. NATO nations attribute the incidents to Russia, while Ukraine claims Russian signal jamming caused drones to veer off course.