'29 missiles, 396 drones': Russia launches massive strike on Ukraine ahead of peace talks in Geneva

Ukraine said on Tuesday that Russia launched 29 missiles and 396 drones targeting critical infrastructure. Kyiv said the strikes were aimed at undermining peace efforts ahead of talks in Geneva to end the four-year war."The extent to which Russia disregards peace efforts: a massive missile and drone strike against Ukraine right before the next round of talks in Geneva," foreign Mminister Andriy Sybiga said through a post on social media. Russian and Ukrainian delegations were in Geneva on Tuesday for another round of talks as part of a US-led effort to end the four-year war. The Kremlin said the discussions would be held behind closed doors, with no media access, following two earlier rounds this year in Abu Dhabi, as cited by AFP.Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his team arrived in Geneva on Monday, while a source in the Russian delegation confirmed their team arrived early on Tuesday. The Ukrainian air force confirmed the scale of the strikes, while local officials reported damage across multiple regions.US President Donald Trump has sought to position himself as a mediator in the conflict that began with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, but the previous White House-mediated talks have produced no breakthrough.

"Ukraine better come to the table, fast," Trump told reporters on Monday."Even on the eve of the trilateral meetings in Geneva, the Russian army has no orders other than to continue striking Ukraine. This speaks volumes about how Russia regards the partners' diplomatic efforts," Zelenskyy said through a post on social media on Monday.Ukraine said Russia was unwilling to compromise on its territorial and political demands and intended to continue the fighting."Only with sufficient pressure on Russia and clear security guarantees for Ukraine can this war realistically be brought to an end," he added.The war has become Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II, with hundreds of thousands killed and millions displaced, while large parts of eastern and southern Ukraine have been devastated.Russia controls about one-fifth of Ukraine, including Crimea and territories seized before and after the 2022 invasion, and is demanding Kyiv withdraw its forces from key fortified areas as part of any peace deal.Ukraine has rejected the demand and is seeking strong security guarantees from Western allies before agreeing to any settlement.