Russia Launches Massive Air Assault on Ukraine Amid U.S. Peace Talks

Even as diplomatic talks between U.S. and Ukrainian officials unfolded in Florida, Russia launched one of its largest coordinated attacks on Ukraine in months a brutal show of force that left eight civilians injured and dozens of cities reeling.

According to Ukrainian defense officials, Russia unleashed 653 drones and 51 missiles in a single night, pounding 29 separate targets across the country. Ukraine’s air force responded swiftly, claiming to have intercepted 585 drones and 30 missiles, but not before key infrastructure was hit, including power stations and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear facility, which temporarily lost external power a dangerous development that drew immediate concern from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The attack underscores a dangerous contradiction: while Russia participates in ceasefire discussions behind closed doors, it continues open warfare on Ukrainian civilians.

Meanwhile, on U.S. soil, peace negotiations are gaining traction led not by the Biden administration, but by Trump-aligned diplomats and foreign policy specialists.

On Friday, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, former White House advisor and President Trump’s son-in-law, released a joint readout of their Miami-based talks with Ukrainian officials, calling them “constructive discussions on advancing a credible pathway toward a durable and just peace.”

The readout emphasized three core priorities:

• A credible ceasefire framework to prevent further Russian aggression.

• Comprehensive redevelopment planning to rebuild and strengthen Ukraine long-term.

• Stability and security guarantees designed to ensure Ukraine is never left vulnerable again.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged the U.S. talks, noting he had a “substantive phone call” with American officials and expressed hope for meaningful steps forward.

However, hope was shaken hours later as a Russian drone strike torched the train station in Fastiv, just outside Kyiv, and injured civilians in the Kyiv region. Ukraine’s military later confirmed a retaliatory strike on Russia’s Ryazan Oil Refinery, signaling that the war remains hot, even as diplomats try to cool the conflict.

European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, condemned the attacks. Macron, clearly sidelined by the rising influence of the Trump diplomatic bloc, said Europe must “continue to put pressure on Russia to force it towards peace.” He plans to meet with Zelenskyy, as well as British and German leaders, in London on Monday.

The timing of Moscow’s attack was no coincidence. With Trump-aligned diplomats steering a new peace initiative, and Ukraine showing tentative openness to ceasefire terms, Russia appears to be leveraging military pressure to influence negotiations a classic Kremlin tactic.

The war has dragged on for nearly three years. Biden’s team failed to stop it. Billions in aid and arms flowed with no strategic clarity. And still, Americans are asking: Where’s the exit plan?

Now, under Trump’s renewed global leadership, that exit may finally be in sight. But as the latest attack shows, it won’t come without resistance or casualties.

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