Russia strikes Ukraine after Miami peace talks conclude

Tuesday 23 December 2025 - 11:20

By: Dakir Madiha

Russia strikes Ukraine after Miami peace talks conclude

Ukraine endured a new wave of Russian aerial assaults early Tuesday as more than 650 drones and 30 missiles struck at least 13 regions, killing three civilians, including a small child, and injuring several others. The attacks came only two days after peace talks in Miami aimed at easing nearly four years of war ended without a breakthrough.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy denounced the strikes, calling them a “powerful statement of intent” by Moscow at a moment when diplomatic efforts were underway. “An attack ahead of Christmas, when families were hoping for calm and safety, exposes the priorities of the aggressor,” he said in a statement.

Ukrainian officials reported that most of the strikes targeted power stations and infrastructure, sparking outages and fires across multiple provinces. The national energy operator, Ukrenergo, confirmed emergency cuts as temperatures hovered near freezing, marking one of the largest nationwide attacks in months.

The escalation occurred shortly after US envoys hosted Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Miami for indirect negotiations mediated by White House advisers Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. While the discussions were described as “constructive,” both sides admitted no tangible progress was achieved. Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said talks moved slowly, while Witkoff emphasized the importance of further dialogue.

According to Zelenskiy, the US-brokered proposal on the table included a twenty-point plan focusing on security guarantees, border control, and Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction. “The framework is solid, even if all details are not yet ideal,” he told reporters on Monday.

As missiles neared the country’s western frontier, Poland responded by deploying fighter jets and activating air defense systems to secure its airspace. “Our measures are purely preventive,” Poland’s Operational Command confirmed. The incident underscored heightened tensions along NATO’s eastern flank, with several member states placed on alert.

Ukraine’s energy ministry said work was underway to restore damaged grids. “We are facing deliberate attempts to freeze the civilian population,” an official noted, warning that continued strikes could worsen humanitarian conditions as winter deepens.