Russia pounds Ukraine's power grid as talks open in Abu Dhabi

Russian forces struck ​10 Ukrainian regions overnight in ‌air attacks ​that targeted five major electrical substations, sparked widespread power outages and killed two people, officials said on Tuesday.

Moscow's latest ‌strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure — part of a renewed air campaign as winter approaches — came as Russian, Ukrainian and US negotiators began two days of talks in Abu Dhabi on ‌Tuesday. Ukrainian Prime Minister Sergiy Koretskyi said on Telegram that Russia had hit substations ‌in the Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk, Vinnytsia and Kirovohrad regions. The two fatalities occurred in the Vinnytsia region.

Earlier, state grid operator Ukrenergo said Russia had struck energy infrastructure in eight regions overnight and into the morning, ⁠leaving ​homes without power in ⁠six, including Kyiv, Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk. Ukraine has struggled to intercept Russia's mounting attacks amid a shortage of ⁠weapons to down fast-moving ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones.

Civilian infrastructure in the central Kirovohrad region, including ​a major home improvement store, also came under attack, regional governor Andriy Raikovych ⁠said. Moscow has expanded its attacks in recent months to strike Ukrainian businesses, consumer logistics and other economic-related targets ⁠in ​a bid to weaken Kyiv's war effort.

In the southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region, Russia attacked four districts with drones more than 20 times overnight, regional officials said. The ⁠talks in Abu Dhabi represent first three-way meeting since February, and US envoy Jared Kushner ⁠said recent contacts with ⁠both sides had "narrowed the gaps".

Separately, however, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia would not agree to an immediate ceasefire ‌without knowing what ‌would happen next.