Russian strikes kill 2 in Ukraine as uncertainty surrounds Istanbul peace talks
KYIV — Russian forces launched a massive wave of drone and missile attacks across Ukraine early Saturday, killing at least two people, including a 9-year-old girl, and injuring several others, as questions mount over the future of Russian-proposed peace talks in Istanbul.
Ukraine's air force reported that Russian troops fired 109 drones and five missiles overnight. Of those, three missiles and 42 drones were intercepted, while another 30 drones failed to reach their targets.
In the Zaporizhzhia region, a strike on the village of Dolynka killed a young girl and injured a 16-year-old, according to Governor Ivan Fedorov. 'One house was destroyed, and the blast damaged several nearby homes and vehicles,' he said.
Separately, a man was killed by shelling in the Kherson region, according to local authorities. The Russian Ministry of Defense has not issued a statement on either incident.
Meanwhile, Moscow claimed new territorial gains in eastern and northern Ukraine, stating that its forces had captured the villages of Novopil in Donetsk and Vodolahy in the Sumy region.
In response, Ukraine's military issued new mandatory evacuation orders for 11 settlements in Sumy, bringing the total to 213.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that some 50,000 Russian troops have amassed in the border region, possibly in preparation for a fresh offensive aimed at establishing a buffer zone.
Ukrainian military chief Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi said Russia's main efforts are currently concentrated in Pokrovsk, Torets, Lyman, and Sumy. He also claimed Ukrainian troops are still holding ground in Russia's Kursk region, a claim denied by Moscow.
Inside Russia, local officials reported that 14 people—including four children—were injured after Ukrainian drone strikes hit apartment buildings in the town of Rylsk and the village of Artakovo in the Kursk region.
On the diplomatic front, Kyiv signaled readiness to resume direct peace talks with Moscow in Istanbul on Monday.
However, Ukrainian officials say Russia has yet to deliver a promised memorandum outlining its stance on ending the war.
'It's bizarre and undermines diplomacy,' said President Zelenskyy, referring to the Kremlin's failure to share the document. Moscow had previously committed to presenting the memorandum during the next round of talks.
The proposed Istanbul meeting is part of broader efforts to halt the war, now in its fourth year, as Russia pushes on multiple fronts and Ukraine continues to seek international support for its defense. — Agencies
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