US envoy Steve Witkoff has arrived in St Petersburg ahead of a closely watched meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as Russian military strikes across Ukraine continue.
According to Russia's state news agency TASS, Witkoff arrived in Russia on Wednesday and is expected to meet Putin later in the day.
Russian strikes reported
Russia's Defence Ministry said its drones struck a cargo vessel carrying military supplies to Ukraine as it was heading towards the port of Odessa.
The ministry also said Russian forces targeted:
- A drone storage complex in Poltava.
- An electricity substation supplying Ukraine's defence and industrial sectors.
- Logistics facilities in Kyiv.
Casualties reported on both sides
In Russia, the governor of the Bryansk region said a 19-year-old man was killed and two others were injured in what he described as a Ukrainian drone strike on a vehicle.
Reuters said it was unable to independently verify the claim.
In Ukraine, Kharkiv regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said two people were killed overnight in Russian drone attacks near the country's second-largest city.
He added that a further 11 people suffered stress-related symptoms and that private homes were damaged.
Damage in Kyiv and Poltava
Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said a Russian air strike hit a residential apartment building and transport infrastructure in the Ukrainian capital, causing fires.
Meanwhile, local authorities in Poltava said two people were injured after a strike on a university building in Kremenchuk.
Diplomatic focus shifts to Putin meeting
The latest attacks come as attention turns to Witkoff's meeting with Putin, which is expected to test ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the war.
The talks follow recent discussions involving Ukrainian, American and European officials on possible avenues towards a broader peace framework.
Source: ANA-MPA
