A Russian drone attack on a residential building in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region has killed a 12-year-old boy and injured two women, according to local officials. The strike occurred amid renewed but largely undisclosed diplomatic contacts involving the United States, Russia, and Ukraine.
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner were expected to meet a Ukrainian delegation in Miami as part of ongoing discussions. While there was no confirmation that the meeting took place, it followed earlier talks between President Vladimir Putin and U.S. representatives in Moscow. Previous negotiations have repeatedly stalled, and officials have kept recent exchanges out of public view.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that his delegation sought clarity on what transpired in Moscow, expressing concern that Russia continues to use diplomacy as a tool to delay substantive progress while pursuing military objectives.
European leaders share similar concerns. They have accused Moscow of signalling interest in negotiations while simultaneously pressing forward on the battlefield. Ukraine’s allies insist that any agreement must include firm security guarantees preventing further Russian aggression.
In a parallel development, French President Emmanuel Macron reported progress in discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping regarding potential support for de-escalation efforts. Macron emphasized that Europe must have a defining role in determining any future security arrangement involving Ukraine.
Ukrainian authorities also reported overnight drone strikes launched by their forces on Russian infrastructure. Targets included the Temriuk port in the Krasnodar region and the Syzran oil refinery in the Samara region, both of which were set ablaze. Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed that its air defences intercepted a significant number of incoming drones across multiple regions and occupied Crimea.
Meanwhile, Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov criticised European positions in the ongoing diplomatic process, alleging that European governments are imposing demands unacceptable to Moscow and complicating discussions between Russia and the United States.
