In a significant escalation of hostilities, Russia and Ukraine exchanged deadly strikes overnight, resulting in multiple casualties on both sides as international negotiators worked to refine a controversial US peace proposal.
Wave of Overnight Attacks
Russian forces targeted Kyiv with missiles and drones, killing six people according to Ukrainian authorities. Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's military administration, confirmed that four people died and at least three were wounded in the Svyatoshynsky district. Emergency services reported two additional fatalities from a strike on an apartment building in the eastern Dniprovsky quarter.
Meanwhile, Ukraine launched one of its most substantial counterattacks against Russian territory. Russia's defence ministry claimed to have intercepted and destroyed 249 Ukrainian drones - among the highest figures reported since the conflict began. In Russia's Rostov region, acting governor Yuri Sliusar announced at least three fatalities, describing the attack as bringing "great grief" to the region.
Trump's Peace Proposal Under Fire
The heightened military action comes amid diplomatic tensions surrounding US President Donald Trump's peace initiative. The original 28-point plan required Ukraine to cede territory, reduce its military capacity, and abandon NATO aspirations - terms that closely mirrored Russian demands and drew sharp criticism from European allies.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed grave concerns about the proposal, stating his country faces a "critical moment" where it risks losing either its "dignity" or Washington as an ally. He warned that "Russia will not ease its pressure on Ukraine" regardless of negotiation outcomes.
Revised Peace Framework Emerges
Following emergency talks in Geneva over the weekend, American, Ukrainian, and European officials developed an updated peace framework that aims to "uphold Ukraine's sovereignty." While the revised draft hasn't been published publicly, Kyiv's delegation indicated it "already reflects most of Ukraine's key priorities."
The White House pushed back against criticism that Trump was favoring Russia, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stating that the notion the United States "is not engaging with both sides equally in this war to bring it to an end is a complete and total fallacy." However, a senior official speaking anonymously revealed that Washington had pressed Ukraine to accept the proposal, with the understanding that aid could be jeopardized if Kyiv rejected it.
European leaders remain skeptical about reaching any agreement by Trump's November 27 deadline, with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz characterizing the discussions as a "lengthy, long-lasting process." The conflict has claimed tens of thousands of military and civilian lives since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022, with Moscow currently occupying approximately one-fifth of Ukrainian territory.
