An overnight Russian drone strike has wounded at least 32 people in Ukraine's Kharkiv, its governor said early this morning, the third such attack on the eastern region in three days.
Moscow has been intensifying its daily drone and missile barrages in recent months, targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure and hitting a number of civilian sites ahead of winter.
Kharkiv governor Oleg Synegubov said at least 32 people were wounded in the latest overnight attack, including two children and an 18-year-old girl.
"A 9-year-old girl was wounded in the enemy shelling of Kharkiv. Doctors are providing the child with all necessary assistance," he wrote on Telegram.
A 13-year-old girl was also wounded, and six people were brought to hospital.
Kharkiv's urban districts of Slobidsky and Osnoviansky were hit by 11 drones, causing fires in a nine-storey building and damaging cars, garages and a supermarket, he said.
State media Suspilne reported four fires in those districts, citing the regional emergency services spokesperson Yevgen Vasylenko.
Rescuers and police evacuated 48 people, including three children, from the smoke-filled entrance of a high-rise building, Mr Vasylenko said.
In October, Moscow launched its biggest bombing campaign against Ukrainian gas facilities since the start of the 2022 invasion.
Facing another gruelling winter and no sign of peace talks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is currently on a European tour trying to garner support for his army and energy infrastructure.
Exhausted and outnumbered Ukrainian troops are struggling to fend off the larger Russian army as it advances on the front in eastern Ukraine, claiming two more villages on Tuesday.
US Army officials visit Kyiv to revive peace talks
Meanwhile, two top US Army officials have made a rare wartime visit to Kyiv by US President Donald Trump's administration, arriving on an unannounced trip for talks with Ukraine's leaders in an attempt to revive stalled peace talks with Russia, Politico reported.
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and Army Chief of Staff General Randy George are due to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky, senior commanders and lawmakers, Politico said, citing people familiar with the planning.
Secretary Driscoll is also expected to meet Russian officials at a later date, the Wall Street Journal reported separately, citing sources.
There was no immediate comment from the White House or the Pentagon.
The Trump administration has been secretly formulating a new plan to end the war in Ukraine in consultation with Russia, Axios reported, citing US and Russian officials.
The Wall Street Journal said the White House turned to Mr Driscoll and senior commanders partly on hopes Moscow might respond better to military intermediaries and out of frustration with earlier, largely fruitless efforts.
The visit to Kyiv comes as Russian forces make gradual advances along parts of the front line and step up missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure, while Kyiv's Western allies look for new ways to sustain weapons and ammunition supplies.
Polish and allied aircraft were deployed early this morning to ensure the safety of Polish airspace after Russia launched airstrikes targeting western Ukraine near the border with Poland, armed forces of the NATO-member country said.
Since Mr Trump took office in January, visits to Kyiv by senior figures from his administration have been rare, with most contacts held in third countries or by video, making Mr Driscoll and Mr George's visit highly unusual.
Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky have already met several times this year, including a contentious Oval Office encounter in February, a brief one-on-one at the Vatican in April, talks at a NATO summit in June and an August summit in Washington on possible security guarantees for Ukraine.
Read more on the war in Ukraine
Yesterday, Mr Zelensky said that he planned to go to Turkey today in an attempt to revive talks with Russia on how to end the war in Ukraine, now nearing the end of its fourth year.
The talks in Kyiv by the US army officers are expected to cover Ukraine's battlefield needs and broader strategy, including efforts to revive a stalled peace process with Moscow, Politico reported.
Mr Trump has repeatedly promised to bring the war to a rapid close and urged his advisers to test ceasefire ideas with Kyiv and Moscow, stirring unease in parts of Europe over any settlement that might entrench Russia’s hold on occupied territory.
