Russia, Ukraine exchange attacks on capitals as US envoys land in Moscow

On Thursday morning, Russia and Ukraine unleashed retaliatory strikes on each other's capitals, following the conclusion of peace talks the previous day and the arrival of US envoys in Moscow. Kirill Dmitriev, a representative of Putin, met US negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff at Moscow's airport before they proceeded to meet with President Vladimir Putin later that day.

In a post on X, Dmitriev shared a photograph of himself shaking hands with Witkoff near a plane as grey, wintry morning light illuminated the scene.

The two nations had agreed to a prisoner exchange during their two-day peace talks in Abu Dhabi, which concluded on Wednesday. However, US mediators highlighted that significant disagreements persisted on key issues, including territorial disputes. Kushner had previously advocated for European partners to be included in the Russia-Ukraine negotiations.

The Russian Defence Ministry announced via Telegram that they had targeted military installations and energy facilities in Ukraine, as well as a munitions depot in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. In the early hours of Thursday, Kyiv experienced explosions, according to a Reuters witness. These attacks inflicted damage on energy and civilian infrastructure in the Rivne region, according to a local official.

In response to the attacks, Russia successfully intercepted five drones heading towards Moscow, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported on Telegram. Additional drones were neutralized in various Russian regions, including Rostov and Tula, as confirmed by local officials. As they prepare to depart Moscow, the US negotiators intend to fly to Ireland, where they will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Zelenskiy is scheduled to participate in a meeting of European leaders in the country.