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Ukraine war briefing: Russia ramping up attacks to ‘pressure’ Kyiv at trilateral talks, Zelenskyy says
The Guardian • • general
Key Points:
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of intensifying missile and drone strikes on energy infrastructure to pressure Kyiv ahead of upcoming peace talks, resulting in widespread power outages amid dropping temperatures.
- Russia launched 172 drones and 36 ballistic missiles overnight, including North Korean-made KN-23 missiles, targeting multiple regions and causing significant electricity disruptions in Kyiv and surrounding areas.
- The attacks precede a US-brokered trilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi next week, where Ukrainian, Russian, and US officials will hold the first peace negotiations in months, aiming to revive stalled diplomatic efforts.
- Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani reported being targeted by pro-Russian hackers due to his support for Ukraine, with personal data leaked online; Italian leaders condemned the cyberattack as a serious concern.
- In Russia, a Ukrainian drone strike killed one person in Belgorod, while Russian forces claimed to have shot down hundreds of Ukrainian drones across multiple regions, including Crimea; meanwhile, a Russian oil refinery was reportedly hit, causing visible smoke over Saratov.
