Russia and Ukraine trade accusations after overnight strikes, on the eve of talks in Abu Dhabi

Overnight strikes and casualties

Russia and Ukraine traded accusations on Monday after overnight strikes that, according to statements from both sides, left seven people injured. This came a day before the resumption of mediation talks involving the United States, which are set to begin on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi, Anadolu reports.

Statements from the Ukrainian side

Poltava region governor Vitaliy Dyakivnych said on Telegram that in Kremenchuk Russian drones struck a 16-story residential building and a hotel, leaving seven people injured. He later reported one more hit on private property in the urban-type settlement of Hlobyne in the Kremenchuk district — with no casualties but a fire in an outbuilding. According to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, rescuers evacuated 15 residents and the fires were extinguished. Cherkasy region governor Ihor Taburets reported damage to critical infrastructure in the regional center with no civilian casualties, while Dnipropetrovsk region governor Oleksandr Khanzha said air defenses downed 23 Russian drones over five districts; an enterprise in Dnipro and an infrastructure facility in Kamianske were damaged. The Ukrainian Air Force reported 271 drones shot down out of 317 launched by Russia.

Statements from the Russian side

Russia's Defense Ministry said the strikes targeted facilities 'supporting the operations of the military-industrial complex and the Ukrainian armed forces,' including a plant in Hlobyne, Poltava region, as well as damage to electrical substations in Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Cherkasy and Vinnytsia regions. According to the ministry, Russian air defenses downed 430 Ukrainian drones over 14 regions and Crimea. Leningrad region governor Alexander Drozdenko reported 113 drones intercepted over the region and reports of strikes on an industrial zone in Kirishi; debris, he said, damaged an apartment in Kirishi and the roof of a residential building in Vsevolozhsk, with no casualties. Rostov region governor Yuri Slyusar said several drones were destroyed in three districts, and Voronezh governor Alexander Gusev reported six drones destroyed with no damage according to preliminary data.

Talks context

Independent verification of either side's claims is difficult amid the ongoing war; both countries deny deliberately striking civilian infrastructure. The talks in Abu Dhabi will be the first resumed round after three previous rounds held in January–February of this year: January 23–24 and February 4–5 in Abu Dhabi, and February 17–18 in Geneva. Thus, the exchange of mutual accusations and the strikes came right on the eve of the resumption of the trilateral format involving the United States, which had been suspended for more than nine months.