Russia and Ukraine exchanged heavy strikes overnight, killing at least nine people, as negotiators from Kyiv and Washington continued efforts to revise a ceasefire proposal.
In Ukraine, Russian missiles and drones struck Kyiv once again, leaving six people dead. Tymur Tkachenko, head of the city’s military administration, reported four deaths and three injuries in the Svyatoshynsky district, while two others were killed after a strike hit an apartment building in the Dniprovsky area.
“The Russians are deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure and housing,” Tkachenko said, calling the attacks “cynical terror.”
Russia also reported casualties, saying three people were killed and at least 16 injured in a large Ukrainian drone attack on southern regions including Novorossiysk, Rostov-on-Don, and Krasnodar.
Residents in Kharkiv expressed deep skepticism toward ongoing peace efforts. “While they sit at the negotiating table, we are hit by missiles and bombs,” local resident Oleksandr Voropaev told Al Jazeera.
Peace Plan Talks Narrow Down Disputes
The surge in violence comes as US and Ukrainian officials met in Geneva to revise Washington’s controversial 28-point peace plan, which Kyiv and several European allies initially criticized as overly favorable to Moscow.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the Geneva discussions resulted in a shorter list with “many of the right elements” included, though some “sensitive issues” remain—issues he plans to raise directly with US President Donald Trump.
“Ukraine will never be an obstacle to peace… our people deserve a dignified peace,” Zelenskyy said.
Trump hinted at progress, saying “something good just may be happening,” though no meeting with Zelenskyy has been scheduled yet. Washington acknowledged that a few disagreements remain but expressed confidence they could be resolved.
The revised peace framework has not been published, but European partners have proposed a counter-plan that would freeze fighting along current front lines and include a US security guarantee for Ukraine—while deferring territorial issues for future negotiations.
Moscow Signals Firm Stance
The Kremlin said it has not yet received the updated proposal.
Presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed no US-Russia talks are planned this week but insisted Moscow remains open to dialogue.
However, Russian officials indicated they are unwilling to compromise on longstanding demands.
“If all Russian conditions are not met, Russia is ready to continue its fight on the battlefield,” Al Jazeera’s Yulia Shapovalova reported from Moscow.
International efforts are set to continue, with members of the “coalition of the willing” scheduled to hold a video conference, and Turkiye reaffirming its intention to help mediate direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv.
