KYIV, Jan 29: A Russian drone attack killed three people in Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhzhia region overnight, officials said, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Moscow is preparing another large-scale aerial assault despite planned US-brokered peace talks this weekend.
The strike sparked a major fire in an apartment building, while separate attacks in the central Dnipropetrovsk region injured two people and caused additional blazes.
Zelenskyy said Ukrainian intelligence indicates Russia is assembling forces for a massive barrage similar to previous attacks that involved hundreds of drones and missiles, many targeting Ukraine’s power infrastructure.
He said continued strikes on civilian areas undermine any peace efforts, noting that “every single Russian strike” discredits negotiations.
Russia’s daily bombardment has continued nearly four years after its full-scale invasion, even as diplomatic efforts intensify. Talks between Kyiv and Moscow are expected to resume on Sunday, though doubts persist over Russia’s commitment to a settlement.
The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, accused Russia of escalating attacks because it cannot advance on the battlefield and called for greater pressure on Moscow.
Ukraine’s defense minister said Russia launched more than 6,000 drones in the past month, forcing Kyiv to adapt its air defense strategy. (AP)
