Russia Strikes Kyiv and Kharkiv Amid Ongoing Peace Negotiations

Russian forces launched coordinated missile and drone attacks on Ukraine’s two largest cities, Kyiv and Kharkiv, in the early hours of January 24, Ukrainian officials reported. The strikes caused civilian casualties, damaged critical infrastructure, and disrupted essential services as diplomatic efforts to end the nearly four-year-long war were underway in the United Arab Emirates.

In Kyiv, at least one person was killed and over a dozen were injured when missiles and drones struck residential districts and infrastructure, prompting widespread power outages and interruptions to heat and water services during winter conditions. Local authorities reported fires and damage to buildings and facilities across the city.

In Kharkiv, near Ukraine’s northeastern border, sustained drone attacks over more than two hours injured multiple people and hit civilian infrastructure, including a hospital, maternity hospital, and a dormitory sheltering displaced persons.

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Ukrainian officials said hundreds of drones and missiles were involved in the assault. The attacks represent one of the most significant airstrike operations on major Ukrainian population centers in recent weeks.

The bombardment coincided with high-level peace talks in Abu Dhabi involving Ukrainian, Russian, and U.S. delegations aimed at negotiating an end to the conflict. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the strikes as “cynical” given the diplomatic setting, while President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized the urgency of enhancing air defense cooperation as part of any ceasefire framework.

The war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, has seen repeated missile and drone attacks targeting cities and infrastructure across Ukraine. Previous bombardments have disrupted energy grids, especially during winter, and caused civilian casualties and displacement. Control of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region remains a core sticking point in negotiations, with Russia demanding territory that Ukraine rejects relinquishing.

Attacks on major population centers intensify humanitarian pressures on civilians already coping with wartime displacement, infrastructure damage, and winter hardships. If sustained, such operations can further degrade basic services, complicate relief efforts, and undermine diplomatic efforts to secure a negotiated peace. The strikes also underscore the conflict’s broader geopolitical implications for European security and international mediation efforts.

Since 2022, Russian forces have repeatedly used long-range missiles and drones to target Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure, often causing civilian casualties and degrading essential services. Peace negotiations have been intermittent, with territorial disputes—especially over the Donetsk and Luhansk regions—central to failed talks.