ISLAMABAD: Russia and Ukraine exchanged fresh overnight drone and missile strikes as peace talks mediated by the United States continued for a second day in Geneva on Wednesday.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defenses shot down 151 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 79 over the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. It later reported intercepting another 27 drones during the morning hours. Authorities in the Krasnodar region said a fire broke out at the Ilsky oil refinery following the attack, covering an area of about 700 square meters.
In the Black Sea resort city of Sochi, Mayor Andrey Proshunin described a “massive” drone assault, saying debris from intercepted drones fell in several districts but caused no casualties or major infrastructure damage. Russia’s aviation authority temporarily imposed flight restrictions at airports in Sochi, Krasnodar, Nizhnekamsk, Gelendzhik, and Izhevsk before lifting them later in the day.
Ukraine reported significant damage from Russian strikes across multiple regions.
In the southern port city of Odesa, local officials said at least two people were injured, and civilian infrastructure was damaged. Private energy company DTEK said power facilities in the city sustained “extremely serious” damage. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said tens of thousands of residents were left without heat and water in Odesa, adding that 12 regions were targeted in the attacks, which injured nine people nationwide.
Authorities in Dnipropetrovsk region reported damage to a private enterprise, administrative buildings, homes, and vehicles. Ukrainian officials also said three people were killed and one power engineer was injured in an attack near the Sloviansk Thermal Power Plant.
Ukraine’s Air Force said air defenses downed 367 out of 396 drones and all 25 missiles launched overnight by Russia. Kyiv’s General Staff confirmed targeting the Ilsky oil refinery, while Russia’s Defense Ministry said it struck Ukrainian military-industrial facilities and energy infrastructure.
The escalation comes as delegations from Russia, Ukraine, and the United States hold a two-day round of negotiations in Geneva. The Kremlin said territorial issues remain central to the discussions.
Two previous rounds of US-brokered talks were held in Abu Dhabi in January and earlier this month. Following the Feb. 4–5 meeting, both sides agreed to their first prisoner exchange in five months, offering a rare sign of limited progress despite ongoing hostilities.
