Russia and Ukraine Trade Heavy Air Strikes Ahead of US-Brokered Peace Talks in Abu Dhabi

Russia and Ukraine exchanged large-scale missile and drone attacks over the weekend, just days before their delegations are scheduled to meet in Abu Dhabi for a fresh round of US-brokered peace negotiations. The renewed fighting has raised concerns about whether the talks can make progress while hostilities continue on the ground.

According to Ukrainian officials, Russia launched 36 ballistic missiles and 172 Shahed-type drones at Kyiv and the surrounding region overnight. The strikes killed six people, including a seven-year-old child, and wounded at least nine others. Homes, businesses and Kyiv's Northern Bridge were damaged, while the attacks also caused power and water outages across parts of the capital.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said North Korean ballistic missiles were used against energy facilities. Writing on social media, he argued that Moscow was preparing for the trilateral talks by targeting critical infrastructure, and accused Russia of treating diplomacy as a form of aggression. Kyiv has not independently confirmed the claim regarding North Korean missiles.

Ukraine struck back, hitting the Saratov oil refinery in southwestern Russia and triggering major fires at the facility. The refinery, one of the oldest in Russia and operated by state-owned Rosneft, has a processing capacity of roughly 140,000 barrels of crude per day and produces automotive gasoline, diesel, fuel oil and specialised lubricants, including supplies for the Russian armed forces. It has been targeted repeatedly during the conflict.

The escalation comes as negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the United States prepare to meet in Abu Dhabi on November 10 and 11. The session will mark the fourth attempt at negotiations brokered by the Trump administration, following an earlier round in Geneva. The Kremlin said Russia's delegation will for the first time include senior military officials alongside diplomats, with Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov among the participants.

The war, now approaching its fifth year, has repeatedly seen diplomatic efforts overshadowed by intensified fighting. Observers will be watching whether the Abu Dhabi meeting produces any concrete steps toward de-escalation or a broader ceasefire framework.