Asger Risom
At least two civilians were killed and 60 wounded in a major overnight drone attack on Kharkiv, as both sides intensify drone warfare amid stalled peace talks.
Russia’s war in Ukraine has entered a volatile phase marked by night-time drone strikes and growing civilian casualties.
With peace negotiations showing little progress and diplomatic pressure mounting, both sides are escalating attacks across border regions.
Russian drone strikes killed two people and injured at least 60 in Kharkiv overnight, Ukrainian officials confirmed Wednesday. The attack marks a dangerous continuation of aerial assaults on civilian areas as diplomatic efforts remain stuck in neutral.
Kharkiv Under Fire Once Again
The city of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest and located just 50 kilometers from the Russian border, suffered 17 drone strikes across two residential districts around 12:30 a.m. local time, according to Mayor Ihor Terekhov.
The assault, which used Russian-made Geran-2 drones derived from Iran’s Shahed model, left a 65-year-old woman and a 47-year-old man dead. Among the wounded were at least nine children, local police reported.
As reported by hotnews.ro, the attacks focused primarily on apartment buildings and residential zones, further compounding the toll of a war that has increasingly targeted non-military infrastructure. The local prosecutor’s office emphasized the use of Iranian-style drones, underscoring Russia’s growing reliance on imported drone technology.
Wider Escalation Across Ukraine and Russia
Kharkiv isn’t alone. In the same overnight window, Russia launched additional attacks on the regions of Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Odesa. Ukraine’s military reported that 315 drones were fired nationwide earlier in the week, killing three people and injuring thirteen others.
Ukraine, in turn, has ramped up drone attacks against Russian territory. On Tuesday, a strike reportedly destroyed a minimarket in Belgorod, killing one and injuring four. Russia claims to have intercepted 32 Ukrainian drones in the latest wave of cross-border operations.
Peace Talks Stall Amid Tit-for-Tat Strikes
Despite a second round of prisoner exchanges on Tuesday—the only tangible result from recent negotiations in Istanbul—broader peace efforts remain at a standstill. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for “concrete action” from both the U.S. and Europe, accusing world powers of inaction.
Europe, left largely without U.S. leadership, struggles to find a coherent diplomatic path. Meanwhile, Moscow has rejected any “unconditional” ceasefire proposal, labeling Kyiv’s demands as “ultimatums.”
As the war rages on, the toll on civilians, both in Ukraine and increasingly within Russia, continues to rise with no clear end in sight.