Russian air and missile strikes across multiple Ukraine cities wounded 23 people, including a child, officials said Thursday, hours before Ukrainian and US negotiators met in Geneva. The bombardment targeted Kyiv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Kryvyi Rih, as Washington pushes to revive stalled peace talks in Moscow’s ongoing war.
In Kyiv, Tymur Tkachenko, head of the city’s military administration, reported drone and ballistic missile strikes, urging residents via Telegram to stay in shelters while air defence systems operated. Debris from the attacks sparked fires and property damage, including high-rise windows and residential structures, though no casualties were reported in the capital.
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In Kharkiv and a nearby village, 14 people were wounded, including a seven-year-old boy, regional chief Oleg Synegubov said. Zaporizhzhia sustained damage to 19 apartment blocks and four houses, wounding seven civilians, according to regional head Ivan Fedorov. In Kryvyi Rih, two more people were injured.
The overnight strikes prompted Poland to scramble fighter jets amid heightened regional alert. Ukrainian emergency crews and investigators worked through the morning to secure the sites and document the damage caused by the attacks.
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The latest wave of Russian strikes comes as Ukrainian negotiators engage US envoys in Geneva ahead of a planned trilateral round with Russia in early March. The attacks highlight ongoing risks and civilian vulnerability amid continued hostilities in eastern and southern Ukraine.