Russian strikes hit Kyiv region ahead of Abu Dhabi talks, Ukraine says

Russia launched strikes on Kyiv and surrounding areas overnight into Saturday, according to both Russian and Ukrainian authorities. The attack came days before a fourth round of trilateral talks between Kyiv, Moscow and Washington in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Russia's Defense Ministry said the strikes hit the Northern Bridge and the Meridian Plant. Moscow said the Ukrainian military used the bridge to move weapons and equipment, and that the plant produces Flamingo cruise missiles. The ministry also said several energy and industrial facilities in the Kyiv region were damaged, along with an electricity substation in the Zhytomyr region and a cargo vessel in the Black Sea.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed the strikes on the Northern Bridge. He said the capital was in an "extremely difficult" situation with power, heating and water supplies. Overnight temperatures in Kyiv fell to 0 degrees Celsius.

Kyiv region governor Tymur Tkachenko said energy facilities in three districts of the region had been hit. Ukrainian authorities said one person was killed and eight wounded, according to DW. Anadolu Agency reported one killed and six injured, and France 24 reported at least five injured in Kyiv, where residential and commercial buildings were damaged and a bridge over the Dnipro River was closed.

Zelenskyy said in a social media statement that Russia used 172 drones and 36 ballistic missiles. He said Moscow was trying to push Kyiv and the whole country into a blackout, and repeated his call for more support from the United States. According to Arab News, he said Russia was intensifying attacks to lay the groundwork for pressuring Ukraine and its allies at the talks.

CBS News reported that negotiators from Russia, Ukraine and the United States are due to meet on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi. DW noted that earlier US-brokered rounds produced no breakthroughs, with territorial and security questions still unresolved.

On Friday, US President Donald Trump said the war could be close to being settled and that he envisioned a big agreement with Moscow involving all of Europe. DW also reported that a six-day local ceasefire in Russian-occupied Oleshky, brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump, allowed some 800 residents to be evacuated.