Russia and Ukraine report overnight attacks amid US diplomatic push

Russian officials reported on Friday that a swarm of about 1,200 Ukrainian drones were fired at the country, with oil infrastructure among the targets. Ukraine reported that a hospital was struck and that strikes on the port of Odesa were ongoing, showing hostilities continue unabated despite renewed US diplomatic efforts.

Russia's Ministry of Defence claimed it had intercepted 1,198 Ukrainian drones overnight across more than 15 regions. In Volgograd, southern Russia, attacks killed four people in an industrial area and injured two others, according to regional Governor Andrei Bocharov.

Unverified video posted on social media purported to show a major oil refinery in Volgograd on fire, though there was no immediate official confirmation that the refinery had been attacked. Ukraine has concentrated its fire this year on Russia's oil infrastructure to cut off earnings from energy exports funding the invasion.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said 467 Ukrainian drones had hit the capital overnight, according to the RIA Novosti news agency. Meanwhile, Ukraine reported Russian forces had been attacking the southern port city of Odesa since early Friday morning, with the city's military administration reporting at least two people killed.

The Russian Defence Ministry said it had targeted a cargo ship in the Black Sea transporting weapons and military equipment for Ukrainian forces, according to TASS news agency. Ukrainian emergency officials reported six people injured in Russian attacks in the southeastern Zaporizhia district.

A hospital in Kyiv caught fire overnight after being struck during a Russian drone attack, leaving one person injured. Reporting from the scene, Al Jazeera's Audrey MacAlpine said the building was hit at about 3am local time and was severely damaged.

Diplomatic efforts continue

The attacks occurred amid renewed diplomatic efforts by US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff. Russian and Ukrainian negotiators met in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday and Wednesday, agreeing on a major prisoner exchange but making no progress toward ending the war.

Territory and security guarantees remain crucial obstacles. Russia reportedly repeated uncompromising demands, including its right to control all of Ukraine's Donbas region and calling for Finland to leave NATO, as well as demanding Western military alliance not base troops in the Baltic region.

The US envoys met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday, then briefed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Dublin before a meeting of European leaders in the Irish capital on Friday. Kushner said Putin has agreed to include Europe in the negotiations.

"We cannot conclude this deal without the Europeans being at the table," Kushner stated. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized Europe's inclusion is "self-explanatory" to safeguard interests and support Ukraine.

However, Europe continues to struggle with coordination, disagreeing over naming a lead negotiator before an expected return to talks next week. In Kyiv, Al Jazeera's MacAlpine noted Ukrainians worry Russia is using European inclusion to distract from refusing to concede occupied territory.

Moscow later stated it has not yet agreed to include European mediators. "Once we understand their real intentions and their willingness to contribute to the peace process, then we can make a decision on holding talks in an expanded format," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters.