Drone strikes kill civilians in Ukraine and Russia ahead of U.S.-brokered Geneva talks

KYIV, Ukraine — Drone attacks killed civilians in both Ukraine and Russia as diplomats prepared for a new round of U.S.-brokered talks in Geneva next week, underscoring how the war continues to grind forward even as negotiators attempt to revive a stalled diplomatic track.

In Ukraine, officials said a Russian drone struck a residential building in the southern port city of Odesa, killing an elderly woman. In Russia, authorities said a Ukrainian drone hit a vehicle in the Bryansk region, killing one person. The attacks came amid continued fighting along the front line and near-daily strikes that have become a defining feature of the conflict as it approaches its fourth year.

The Geneva meetings are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday and are expected to include envoys from Ukraine and Russia in discussions facilitated by the United States. Previous efforts to secure a breakthrough have repeatedly run aground on core disputes, including territorial control and demands for security guarantees. Ukraine has insisted it will not accept terms that require it to cede sovereignty or formalize Russian control over occupied land, while Russia has pressed for concessions Kyiv says are unacceptable.

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine remains focused on strengthening its defenses and securing credible international guarantees before any durable settlement can be reached. Zelenskyy also criticized what he described as a pattern in which Ukraine is asked for concessions more often than Russia, warning that negotiations will fail if pressure is not applied evenly.

The strikes came after other attacks earlier in the week added to the conflict’s toll. AP reported that a Ukrainian missile strike in Russia’s Belgorod region killed two people and wounded five a day before the latest drone incidents, while Russia has continued bombing Ukrainian civilian areas and infrastructure. Ukraine has also expanded its use of long-range drones, a strategy that aims to disrupt logistics and demonstrate that Russia’s territory is not insulated from the war.

Diplomats and analysts have cautioned that even a temporary ceasefire could be difficult to lock in without agreement on monitoring mechanisms, enforcement, and sequencing — questions that have derailed past rounds. Still, officials say the Geneva talks reflect continuing international interest in finding a path that reduces violence and opens space for broader negotiations.

For civilians in both countries, the rhythm of the war remains the same: overnight strikes, funerals, damaged buildings and renewed calls for air defenses. The coming week’s talks may test whether diplomacy can gain traction while the battlefield continues to dictate the tempo.