JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — As American and Ukrainian officials met Tuesday in Saudi Arabia for talks on ending Russia’s invasion, Kyiv and Moscow were counting the costs from a night of firing hundreds of missiles and drones at each other.
Russia resumed its almost nightly strikes on Ukraine, whose defenses shot down 114 drones, Ukrainian officials said. But less familiar was the massive wave of drones Kyiv launched on Moscow, which Russian authorities said was the largest such attack on the capital and surrounding area.
The Russian Defense Ministry said it downed 337 Ukrainian drones, 91 of which came down in the Moscow region. Two people were killed and 18 were injured, while air and rail travel faced huge disruptions. Ukraine said among its targets were oil production and pipeline control facilities.
Meanwhile in Saudi Arabia, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Andriy Yermak, head of Ukraine’s presidential office.
“We have to understand the Ukrainian position and just have a general idea of what concessions they would be willing to make,” Rubio told reporters on the plane to Saudi Arabia on Monday. “You’re not going to get a ceasefire and an end to this war unless both sides make concessions.”
Trump last week threatened Moscow with “large scale sanctions” to force it into negotiations. But his administration has received widespread criticism from leaders across Europe for demanding concessions from Ukraine while asking little from Russia in return.
Trump cut off military aid and intelligence following the Oval Office shouting match, which Rubio said Monday “broadly is something I hope we can resolve” in Tuesday’s talks.
Ukraine has attempted to push Russia back militarily, both on the frontlines and in the air.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin called the drone strike on his city as the “largest” such attack on the Russian capital.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine said in a Telegram post that their drones successfully struck the Moscow Oil Refinery, on the southeastern edge of the capital, which it said provides up to half of the city’s gas and diesel needs.
It blamed Russian air defense for damage to civilian infrastructure facilities.”
American podcaster Lex Fridman posted to X on Tuesday that he was in Moscow and that the “mass drone attack hit very close to where I am located.” He added that “when I traveled to Ukraine there were a few close calls. And same in Moscow now. These are not actions of two sides that are pushing for peace.”
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