RUSSIA LAUNCHES ATTACKS ON UKRAINE AHEAD OF SECOND DAY OF U.S-LED PEACE TALKS. (PHOTO).

 Russia launches attacks on Ukraine ahead of second day of US-led peace talks

 Russian attacks on Ukraine overnight into Saturday killed at least one person and injured 31 as negotiators from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States prepared for a second day of peace talks in the United Arab Emirates aimed at ending Moscow’s nearly four-year invasion.

In Kyiv, the capital, drone strikes killed one person and wounded four others, according to Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration. In Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, 27 people were wounded in separate drone attacks, Kharkiv regional head Oleh Syniehubov reported.

The attacks coincided with a second day of talks in Abu Dhabi, marking the first known instance of U.S. officials meeting directly with representatives from both Ukraine and Russia in efforts to advance negotiations. The UAE foreign ministry said the discussions aim to “promote dialogue and identify political solutions to the crisis,” while the White House described the first day as productive.

Following the strikes, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha sharply criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling the attacks a cynical attempt to undermine negotiations. “His missiles hit not only our people, but also the negotiation table,” Sybiha wrote on X.

Diplomatic efforts have intensified in recent days, including talks in Switzerland and at the Kremlin, though significant obstacles remain, particularly over territorial disputes. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told delegates in Davos that a potential peace deal is “nearly ready,” but key points remain unresolved.

Hours before the Abu Dhabi talks began, Putin held discussions on a Ukraine settlement with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The Kremlin maintains that a peace agreement would require Kyiv to withdraw forces from areas in eastern Ukraine that Russia annexed but has not fully controlled.