Russia launched a large-scale overnight assault on Ukraine on Dec. 6, 2025, as U.S.-Ukrainian diplomatic efforts continued in Florida. Ukraine’s air force said Moscow fired 653 drones and 51 missiles, hitting 29 locations and injuring eight people.
Officials reported strikes on power infrastructure and transport hubs, including a drone attack that burned the train station in Fastiv near Kyiv. The same night, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant briefly lost external power before supply was restored.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he held a “substantive” call on Saturday with American interlocutors involved in the Miami talks.
Overnight assault and immediate impacts
The barrage triggered air alerts across much of the country from late Friday into Saturday. Regional authorities said three of the eight injured were in the Kyiv area. Energy operators reported fresh damage to substations and generation sites, prompting emergency load management in several regions.
Rail officials said service disruptions were concentrated around Kyiv and Chernihiv following hits to lines and stations, with Fastiv’s terminal sustaining major damage after a drone strike and fire.
Ukraine’s air force said its defenses shot down 585 drones and 30 missiles, crediting a mix of mobile fire teams and layered air defenses. Even with high intercept rates, falling debris and successful penetrations caused localized outages and transport delays.
Emergency workers spent the morning clearing debris, restoring service to critical lines and distributing generators to affected facilities.
Diplomatic channel in Florida
The strikes coincided with a third round of U.S.-Ukrainian talks in the Miami area focused on a potential framework for de-escalation and postwar security. U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff shared a readout Friday that described “constructive discussions” on a credible pathway toward a durable and just peace.
The discussions involved Trump adviser Jared Kushner and Ukraine’s senior negotiators. Zelenskyy said on Saturday that his call with the American side was focused on next steps and formats for continued engagement, and that his team would brief him in person after returning from Florida.
The readout emphasized that any progress depends on reducing the tempo of strikes and creating conditions for a cease-fire. It also referenced a Ukrainian redevelopment plan that would mobilize international capital to rebuild energy, transport and housing, contingent on credible security guarantees.
European response and a London meeting
French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the attacks and said pressure on Moscow must continue. He announced plans to meet Zelenskyy and the British and German leaders in London on Monday, describing the session as an opportunity to coordinate with U.S. mediation efforts and discuss security guarantees.
European capitals have warned that sustained strikes on Ukraine’s grid raise both humanitarian risks and regional energy instability, especially during winter demand peaks.
While European military aid continues, diplomats said the London meeting would also address medium-term needs such as air-defense replenishment, long-lead energy equipment and financing tools to accelerate grid repairs. Officials have repeatedly argued that limiting Russia’s ability to degrade Ukraine’s power sector is central to protecting civilians and stabilizing economic output.
Nuclear safety concerns
The International Atomic Energy Agency reported that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, occupied by Russian forces and not producing electricity, temporarily lost all off-site power overnight before being reconnected.
External power is essential to cool shutdown reactors and spent fuel. The IAEA said Ukraine’s wider grid had come under heavy stress during the barrage, forcing operating nuclear plants elsewhere in the country to cut output as a safety measure until conditions stabilized.
Radiation levels remained within normal ranges, and the plant’s backup systems were not exhausted, but the incident underscored the fragility of nuclear safety during grid disruptions.
Ukrainian officials have urged partners to speed delivery of equipment that hardens substations and high-voltage nodes against repeat strikes. Engineers warned that repeated loss-of-power events, even when brief, increase wear on backup systems and complicate safe operations at nuclear facilities.
