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Russia Launches Massive Missile‑Drone Barrage as Peace Talks Stall Over Pokrovsk Claims

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Massive Overnight Strike Targets Ukraine’s Energy and Rail Networks 704 missiles and drones bombarded Ukraine on the night of Dec 5‑6, including 653 Shahed‑type drones, 34 cruise missiles and 14 ballistic missiles aimed at railway and energy facilities; Ukrainian forces shot down 585 drones, 29 cruise missiles and one ballistic missile, with debris striking 29 sites and fragments landing in three locations [1].

Peace Negotiations Tied to Russian Demonstrated Good Faith U.S.‑Ukrainian talks on Dec 4‑5 in Miami linked any progress to Russia’s willingness to show long‑term good faith, demanding a ceasefire along current front lines before formal negotiations, a stance echoed by Ukrainian Commander‑in‑Chief Syrskyi [1][2][6][7].

Pokrovsk‑Myrnohrad Pocket Remains Fluid Amid Competing Claims Russia announced the capture of Pokrovsk on Dec 1, releasing flag‑raising footage, while Ukrainian commanders reported ongoing urban fighting and retained control of northern Pokrovsk, confirming the pocket was not fully encircled and logistics lines remained under pressure from Russian drone interdiction within a 50‑km radius [1][2][4][5][6][7].

Ukrainian Counterstrikes Hit Russian Logistics and Energy Assets Kyiv’s artillery struck the Temyruk seaport in Krasnodar, the Syzran oil refinery in Samara, and the Balashovskaya substation in Volgograd, causing fires and operational disruptions; simultaneous Russian drone and missile attacks damaged a school and forced the shutdown of the Kherson Thermal Power Plant, prompting emergency heating measures [2][3].

External Partnerships Bolster Russian War Effort While Chornobyl Safety Falters Moscow signaled openness to unlimited Indian migrant workers and discussed joint production of Lancet drones, while also relying on Chinese drone components and North Korean materiel; a February 2025 Russian drone strike severely damaged the New Safe Confinement at Chernobyl’s Reactor 4, prompting IAEA calls for extensive repairs [1].

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Timeline

Nov 24‑25, 2025 – Russian drones breach Ukrainian airspace and also enter Moldovan airspace, prompting temporary closures and underscoring Russia’s expanding aerial incursions in the region [7].

Nov 28‑29, 2025 – Two Russian drones fly over Moldovan airspace for 1 hour 10 minutes, leading Moldova to suspend its airspace and highlighting cross‑border dimensions of Moscow’s drone campaign [7].

Nov 29‑30, 2025 – Ukrainian forces use the domestically produced Sting interceptor drone to shoot down several Russian Geran‑3 jet‑powered drones, marking the first confirmed interception of this type [7]; simultaneously, Russia launches two Iskander‑M ballistic missiles and 122 Shahed‑type drones, striking 13 Ukrainian locations and causing civilian casualties [7].

Nov 30, 2025 – U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio calls the Hallandale Beach meeting “very productive,” while Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says Putin will meet envoy Steve Witkoff on Dec 2 and likely reject the U.S. peace proposal as a threat to Russian objectives [7]; Russian troops occupy parts of Pokrovsk for over 120 days but have not fully captured the city, with Ukrainian forces pushing them to the southern outskirts of Rodynske [7].

Dec 1, 2025 – U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Ukrainian NSDC secretary Rustem Umerov meet in Florida to refine a peace proposal for Putin, while the Kremlin says it will not comment publicly on the talks until after the meeting [6]; the Russian Ministry of Defense claims it has seized Pokrovsk, yet Ukraine’s 7th Rapid Reaction Corps reports ongoing urban fighting and control of northern Pokrovsk [6]; the Netherlands pledges €250 million to Ukraine and announces joint drone production, and the Russian Pacific Fleet upgrades the 155th Naval Infantry Brigade to the 55th Naval Infantry Division [6].

Dec 2, 2025 – Moscow announces that Russian forces have captured Pokrovsk, releases a geolocated video of soldiers raising a flag in the city centre, and claims control of its road and rail links, while Ukraine’s General Staff says its forces have halted dozens of assaults and continue fighting inside the city [2]; Steve Witkoff is slated to meet Putin in Moscow the following day, and Ukrainian counter‑disinformation adviser Andriy Kovalenko warns Russia will use “loud statements” to pressure the front line and raise diplomatic stakes for the West [2].

Dec 3, 2025 – President Vladimir Putin tells his commanders that Russian troops have “liberated” Pokrovsk, praises the generals, and warns Kyiv that it must “cede territory or face force,” using the claim to bolster domestic and international narratives [1]; a five‑hour meeting with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner ends without a breakthrough, which adviser Yuri Ushakov describes as “constructive but without a breakthrough” [1]; analysts note the messaging aims to sow doubt among Ukraine’s Western allies [1].

Dec 4‑5, 2025 – Ukrainian NSDC secretary Rustem Umerov and Chief of the General Staff Maj. Andriy Hnatov meet with Witkoff and Kushner in Miami to discuss a settlement, following a briefing on the Dec 2 Putin‑Witkoff meeting, while a tentative Shell Bay Club session between Kushner and Ukrainian delegate Rustem Umerov is scheduled for 5 p.m. EST but remains unconfirmed [5][3]; on Dec 4, five unidentified drones fly over France’s Île Longue nuclear submarine base and are intercepted or jammed, illustrating the spread of drone activity beyond the Ukrainian front [5]; overnight Russian missile and drone attacks strike Kryvyi Rih, Kherson and Odesa, damaging a school and forcing the Kherson Thermal Power Plant offline, prompting emergency heating for over 40,000 residents [3]; European leaders criticize Putin’s lack of interest in the U.S. peace drive, while China says it supports all peace efforts [3].

Dec 5, 2025 – The Pokrovsk‑Myrnohrad pocket remains open, with Ukrainian forces holding northern Pokrovsk and widening ground lines of communication, while Russian drones conduct battlefield air interdiction within a 50‑km radius of Pokrovsk [5]; Ukrainian strikes hit Russian logistics targets at the Temyruk seaport, Syzran oil refinery and Balashovskaya substation, causing fires and disruptions [5]; footage from Dec 2 shows a Russian 88th Motorized Rifle Brigade soldier executing a Ukrainian POW in Svyato‑Pokrovske, constituting a war crime [5]; Russia trims its 28‑point peace proposal to 27 points, splits it into four packages, and Putin rejects key elements, indicating a deal remains far off [3].

Dec 6, 2025 – Russia launches 704 missiles and drones overnight, targeting Ukraine’s railway and energy infrastructure; Ukrainian air defenses down 585 drones, 29 cruise missiles and one ballistic missile, with debris hitting 29 sites [4]; peace talks on Dec 4‑5 condition progress on Russian good faith, and Ukrainian Commander‑in‑Chief Syrskyi says a ceasefire along current front lines must precede negotiations [4]; the Pokrovsk‑Myrnohrad logistics corridor stays under pressure as Russian forces threaten Ukrainian supply lines, while ISW notes Ukraine maintains limited positions in the pocket [4]; a February 2025 Russian drone strike severely damages the Chernobyl New Safe Confinement, prompting IAEA calls for repairs [4]; Russia signals willingness to accept unlimited Indian migrant workers and discusses joint production of Lancet drones with India, highlighting expanding support from India, North Korea and China [4].

Future (post‑Dec 6, 2025) – Putin’s scheduled trip to India follows his Dec 2 meeting with Witkoff, indicating a diplomatic pivot toward Asian partners after stalled U.S. talks [7]; the tentative Shell Bay Club meeting between Kushner and Ukrainian delegate Rustem Umerov may proceed later in December, potentially shaping the next round of negotiations [3].

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