Drone Strike in Central Ukraine
KYIV, Ukraine – A Russian drone crashed into a house in central Ukraine, resulting in the tragic death of a 12-year-old boy, according to local officials. Meanwhile, long-range Ukrainian strikes have targeted Russian ports and oil refineries as U.S. diplomatic efforts continue to unfold publicly.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, along with Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, was scheduled to meet with a Ukrainian delegation in Miami on Thursday. However, there hasn’t been any official confirmation about whether the meeting actually occurred.
These planned discussions followed a conversation between President Vladimir Putin and the U.S. envoy in the Kremlin earlier this week. Efforts for diplomacy have largely been unsuccessful so far, and the intense conflict, now nearing four years, shows no signs of abating. While Trump’s initial comprehensive plan was leaked, specific outcomes from the recent discussions remain unclear.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy revealed that his country’s delegation in Miami was looking for insights from the U.S. regarding the Kremlin talks.
Zelenskiy and supporting European leaders have criticized Putin for delaying peace discussions while Russian forces persist with their invasion. In a video address late Thursday, Zelensky expressed the desire to understand “what other excuses Putin has to extend the war and apply pressure on Ukraine.”
In the meantime, Yuri Ushakov, a foreign affairs adviser to Putin who is currently accompanying him on a visit to India, reiterated recent criticisms of Europe’s stance on peace negotiations. European allies of Kyiv express concerns about potential Russian aggression beyond Ukraine and insist that any future peace agreement incorporates robust security guarantees.
Ushakov stated on Russian state television that Kiev’s European allies “are making demands that Moscow finds unacceptable.” He added that European nations are not contributing positively to Washington and Russia’s efforts in resolving the Ukraine crisis, to put it mildly.
On Thursday night, a Russian drone strike devastated a house in the Dnipropetrovsk region of central Ukraine, leading to the death of a boy and injuries to two women, announced regional military governor Vladislav Khayvanenko.
The Ukrainian Air Force indicated that Russia launched 137 drones of different kinds during the night. A Ukrainian drone also struck a port in Russia’s Krasnodar region, causing a fire at the Temryuk port and damaging the infrastructure.
Mayor Sergei Volodchenkov confirmed that Ukrainian drones were reaching deep into Russia, hitting the city of Syzran along the Volga River, although further details were not provided. Unverified media reports suggested that Ukrainian drones targeted a refinery in Syzran, located about 800 kilometers east of the Ukrainian border.
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported its air defense systems intercepted 85 Ukrainian drones overnight over Crimea, which has been illegally annexed to Russian territory.
