At least three energy workers were killed near the frontline city of Slovyansk in Monday’s overnight attacks, Ukraine’s deputy Energy Minister Artem Nekrasov said.
A further nine people – including children – were injured across the country, President Zelensky said. More than 10 residential buildings and railway infrastructure damaged.
“Russia must be held to account for its aggression,” he wrote on X, adding: “For peace to be real and just, action must target the sole source of this aggression”.
Kyiv said 12 regions were hit, damaging infrastructure and leaving thousands without power in the southern port city of Odesa.
DTEK, the country’s largest private energy firm, said power infrastructure in the city had suffered “incredibly serious” damage, adding it would take a long time to return to a working condition.
Ukraine is facing an acute energy crisis after months of relentless Russian attacks on its infrastructure and as it struggles through a freezing winter.
It launched its own volley of attacks on Russia overnight. Officials said a fire broke out at the Ilsky oil refinery in the southern Krasnodar region after a drone strike. A reservoir storing oil products also caught fire.
The border region of Belgorod continued to come under attack, with Ukraine launching dozens of drones and causing significant damage of power infrastructure.
These latest discussions follow last month’s trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, which were the first three-way between Russia, Ukraine and the US since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of its neighbour in February 2022.
They ended with no breakthrough – although the first prisoner of war exchanges in months took place shortly after.