Russia and Ukraine traded major attacks overnight, authorities from both countries said on Thursday, shortly after US envoy Steve Witkoff held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg.

Missiles struck Kyiv in the early hours of Thursday, wounding tens of residents, city authorities said.

Zelenskyy: Russia targeted Kyiv with ballistic missile in deadly attacks

In an update later in the morning, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia had fired 21 missiles towards 12 regions in Ukraine. In the Kyiv region, the strikes killed two people and injured 34 others, including five children.

Zelenskyy also said in another update that Russia used three ballistic missiles with cluster warheads in the attacks and targeted Kyiv's historical center with the weapons. 

The subway infrastructure on the Southern Bridge over the Dnipro river in Kyiv was damaged, Mayor ⁠Vitali ​Klitschko ​said ​on Telegram.

"Overnight, Kyiv residents heard what Russian 'humanism' truly sounds like: a brutal attack with dozens of ballistic missiles striking energy infrastructure, medical facilities, shopping centers, and residential Areas," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on social media.

His post referred to Witkoff recently calling Putin a "humanitarian" for freeing US citizen Stephen Hubbard on Wednesday. Hubbard had been captured by Russian forces and jailed over charges of being a mercenary. 

The Ukrainian foreign minister added: "Appeasement, servility, and flattery will not stop this war. Only strength will."

Another Russian strike killed a woman and injured four others in the Kharkiv region in northeast Ukraine, regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov said on Telegram. A drone also hit Ukrainian energy infrastructure in the Poltava region, local authorities said without providing more details.

Russia faces hundreds of drones

Meanwhile, Russia's Defense Ministry said it downed 808 Ukrainian drones overnight, with many targeting Moscow.

At least two people were killed in the Ukrainian strikes on Russia.

In western Russia's Lipetsk city, a man was injured as drones hit apartment buildings and a medical facility, Governor Igor Artamonov said on Telegram.

Strikes after US attempts mediation

The latest round of strikes came after US special envoy Witkoff held talks with  Zelenskyy in Norway earlier this week, followed by talks with Putin in Russia on Wednesday.

The Trump administration has attempted to mediate between the two sides to end the conflict that began with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Putin agreed "in principle" to resume US-mediated peace talks with Kyiv as soon as next month. Zelenskyy, too, said on Wednesday that Ukraine supported a US proposal for trilateral talks at the negotiators level to be held as soon as possible.

It was "the closest we've been" to ending the war, US President Donald Trump claimed after Witkoff's meeting with Putin. However, that did not stop the neighboring nations from keeping up a barrage of attacks. 

"Almost immediately after another round of talks, Russia launched a pointed attack. This means there has been no real change in its attitude toward everything that is happening," Zelenskyy said in a post on social media on Thursday. 

"It is important to keep trying to find the right solutions to end this war. But when Russia responds to negotiations with ballistic missiles, real pressure on Russia is needed to bring about different steps – steps toward ending the killing," he said, once again advocating for stronger air defense capabilities and a faster supply of missiles from allies.

Ukraine to be able to purchase arms through NATO's central procurement agency  

As Russia launches daily attacks on Ukraine ahead of a fifth winter of war, NATO said Thursday that the Ukrainians will be allowed to purchase weapons via the alliance's central procurement agency.  

Ukraine is now part of a special partnership with NATO members Belgium, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden, the UK and NATO headquarters. The NATO Support and Procurement Agency's  (NSPA) Security Cooperation Support Partnership will faciliate Ukrainian access to NATO contracts.       

"This partnership will help deeper connect Ukrainian industry with opportunities to grow, while enabling allies and partners to learn from Ukraine's battle-tested innovation and operational experience," Jacqueline Borsboom, the NSPA director of support to operations said. "Our aim is to further strengthen Ukraine's industrial base and bring that expertise into the delivery and sustainment of capabilities."

The move means that Ukraine is deepening its cooperation with NATO, despite US President Trump's opposition to Ukrainian entry into the alliance.

Edited by: Zac Crellin

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