Russia, Ukraine exchange attacks on capitals as US envoys land in Moscow

Russia and Ukraine exchanged attacks on each other’s capitals early on Thursday, a day after peace talks ended and shortly before US envoys arrived in Moscow to meet President Vladimir Putin. Kirill Dmitriev, Putin’s envoy, greeted US negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff at a Moscow airport, ahead of their meeting with the Kremlin chief later in the day. “Welcoming Steve and Jared to Moscow,” Dmitriev said on X, posting a picture of himself shaking hands with Witkoff near a plane on a grey wintery morning, Kushner standing alongside. Russian and Ukrainian negotiators agreed to a prisoner exchange during two days of peace talks in Abu Dhabi that ended on Wednesday, but US mediators said differences remained on major issues, including territorial questions. Kushner has said European partners must be at the Russia-Ukraine negotiating table. The Russian Defence Ministry said on Telegram it had hit military and energy facilities in Ukraine as well as a munitions warehouse in the capital Kyiv. Explosions were heard in Kyiv in the early hours of Thursday, a Reuters witness said. The attacks damaged energy and civilian infrastructure in the Rivne region, a local official said on Telegram. Russia downed five drones that were heading for Moscow, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram on Thursday. Other drones were downed in a number of Russian regions, including Rostov and Tula, local officials said. When they leave Moscow, the US negotiators plan to fly to Ireland to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who is due to attend a meeting of European leaders there.