Ukraine's Fight for Peace Amidst Russian Strikes

Ukraine is in the middle of a tough situation. On one hand, they are trying to talk peace with Russia. On the other hand, Russia is launching big attacks with missiles and drones. This happened just as U. S. and Ukrainian officials were meeting for a third day to discuss ending the war that has been going on for nearly four years.

Progress in Talks

The talks have made some progress. They are working on a security plan for Ukraine after the war. But everyone knows that real peace will only happen if Russia is serious about long-term peace. This is what U. S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and Ukrainian negotiators Rustem Umerov and Andriy Hnatov said after their second day of meetings in Florida.

Russia Launches Big Attack

While the talks were happening, Russia launched a big attack. They used 653 drones and 51 missiles. Ukraine's air force said they shot down most of them. But still, 29 places were hit. Eight people were hurt, including three in the Kyiv region. Drones were even seen as far west as Lviv.

Targeting Energy Places

Russia also targeted energy places. This caused Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to lose power. The plant is not working, but it needs power to keep its reactors and spent fuel safe. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said energy places were the main targets. He also mentioned that a drone attack burned down a train station in Fastiv.

Russia's Claims

Russia said it shot down 116 Ukrainian drones. There were reports that Ukraine hit a Russian oil refinery. But this was not confirmed. Ukraine has been attacking Russian refineries to cut their oil money. Meanwhile, Russia is trying to damage Ukraine's power grid. This is making life hard for people in Ukraine.

The Path to Peace

The talks are happening as Ukraine and its allies push for a security deal. But everyone knows that real peace will only happen if Russia is ready to make serious changes.