Russia and Ukraine Trade Strikes After Witkoff-Putin Talks
publishers 82articles 108first reported 20 Oct, 13:00 UTCdeveloping since 20 Oct · 11 editionstop 25 #4
Russia and Ukraine launched major overnight attacks after U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg on Wednesday to discuss renewed peace negotiations.
Russia fired more than 20 missiles at Kyiv, killing two people and injuring more than 30, according to Ukrainian authorities. The strikes damaged homes, energy facilities, shopping centers, a railway station, metro infrastructure and an ambulance station. Other attacks were reported in several Ukrainian regions, including Kharkiv and Poltava.
Russian officials said Ukraine launched more than 600 drones toward the Moscow region, temporarily disrupting airport operations and injuring three people. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said most were intercepted. Officials also reported damage to apartment buildings and a medical facility in Lipetsk.
The attacks followed Witkoff’s meetings this week with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders in Oslo, and then with Putin. Zelenskyy said Ukraine supports a U.S. proposal for trilateral talks at the negotiator level as soon as possible. Russian officials said Moscow agreed in principle to resume U.S.-mediated discussions.
During his meeting with Putin, Witkoff called the Russian president a “humanitarian” after Russia released 74-year-old American Stephen Hubbard, who had been imprisoned on mercenary charges disputed by his family and lawyer. Zelenskyy and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha invoked the remark while condemning the subsequent strikes. Downing Street rejected Witkoff’s characterization, while U.S. lawmakers from both parties and Fox News host Brian Kilmeade also criticized it.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 5 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 48 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
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- This version written
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