Zaporizhzhia Attack: Russian strike kills seven, including three children, as peace talks continue

A Russian attack on the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia killed seven people, including three children, early Saturday, according to regional officials. Ten others were wounded as emergency crews searched the rubble for survivors.

The attack came amid overnight strikes between Russia and Ukraine, even as US, Ukrainian and European negotiators met in Miami to discuss a possible proposal to end the war.

Mykhailo Semikin, head of the regional military administration, said Russian forces struck several locations across Zaporizhzhia simultaneously during the early hours of Saturday.

In a statement posted on Telegram, Semikin confirmed the deaths and injuries. Search-and-rescue operations continued, with authorities warning that people might still be trapped beneath the rubble.

The attack added to the civilian toll of a conflict that has repeatedly damaged residential areas and critical infrastructure across Ukraine.

Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched 160 drones during the overnight attacks. Ukrainian forces intercepted or suppressed 117 of them, according to a statement posted on Telegram.

The figures could not be independently verified.

Ukrainian drone attack injures six in Russia

In Russia, a Ukrainian drone attack injured six people in the southern Rostov region, Governor Yury Slyusar said.

Several apartment buildings and private houses in Rostov-on-Don sustained damage. An unoccupied new building in Bataysk and two vessels in the city of Azov were also hit, according to the governor. No casualties were initially reported aboard the vessels.

Russia’s Defence Ministry separately said its air defences intercepted or destroyed 560 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions, Crimea, the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, a move not recognised by most countries.

The ministry also reported strikes on Ukrainian port infrastructure and vessels it alleged were being used to support Ukraine’s military. One reported target was a cargo ship said to be carrying military-related supplies to the port of Odesa.

The claims made by both sides could not be independently verified.

Flour Prices: Sindh government orders Rs6 per kg reduction

Miami talks seek common proposal

The latest attacks came after US, Ukrainian and European representatives held six hours of discussions in Miami, according to a person familiar with the talks who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The discussions included US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, alongside Ukrainian delegates and representatives from European countries and NATO.

The stated aim was to develop a unified proposal that could be presented to Russia, potentially within the coming weeks, in an effort to advance negotiations before winter.

The meetings formed part of wider diplomatic efforts to find a way to end the war, although fighting and cross-border attacks continued.

Trump’s Russian fuel decision draws criticism

Also on Friday, US President Donald Trump lifted sanctions on Russian fuel and said Moscow had agreed to supply diesel to global markets in an effort to reduce fuel prices.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticised the arrangement, arguing that revenue from Russian diesel sales would help finance Moscow’s war effort.

Zelensky said the money generated from the sales would support Russia’s campaign against Ukraine and questioned the broader implications of the decision for the negotiations.

He also expressed concern about Ukraine’s role in the diplomatic process, saying he believed Kyiv’s representatives were “simply being used as a smokescreen”. He described that prospect as unfair.

His remarks highlighted disagreements over how economic decisions involving Russia could affect Ukraine’s position in efforts to end the conflict.

Putin casts doubt on immediate peace talks

Russian President Vladimir Putin said an immediate resumption of peace talks was unlikely following a phone call with Trump. He cited Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow as one reason for the lack of immediate prospects for renewed negotiations.

The comments came as diplomats continued discussions in Miami, seeking to develop a proposal that could be presented to Russia.

With rescue teams still searching damaged buildings in Zaporizhzhia and both countries reporting overnight attacks, the latest developments underscored the obstacles facing efforts to secure a ceasefire and a lasting settlement.