Deadly strikes continue as peace negotiations stall

Mutual attacks between Ukraine and Russia have resulted in multiple deaths and injuries on both sides as of 13 November 2026. While intensive negotiations regarding an end to the war have taken place, the violence continues to impact civilians and infrastructure.

Attacks on civilians and infrastructure

According to Tagesschau, two people were killed and five others were injured in the southern Ukrainian city of Odessa. In the capital, an attack on a hospital left one person injured, while a strike on a kindergarten in Riwne wounded six people. Due to attacks on energy infrastructure, approximately half of the country's regions are reporting widespread power outages, according to Tagesschau.

Russian authorities reported that at least seven people died during a wave of Ukrainian attacks targeting three Russian regions. Local authorities stated that among the dead was a twelve-year-old child, and 17 others were injured. Tagesschau reports that the Russian Ministry of Defence claimed air defences intercepted almost 1,200 Ukrainian long-range drones between Thursday evening and Friday morning. These strikes reportedly hit an oil refinery in the Volgograd region and an industrial plant in the Samara region.

Diplomatic deadlock in Abu Dhabi

Negotiations held on Tuesday and Wednesday in Abu Dhabi involving Ukraine, Russia, and the US resulted in an agreement for an extensive prisoner exchange, but failed to produce a breakthrough regarding a ceasefire or territorial division, according to Perspektive Online.

While the Ukrainian side had called for security guarantees and an end to the war, the parties remained divided. Perspektive Online reports that while the Ukrainian President stated he saw "changes" on the first day, the Russian chief negotiator noted that agreement was only reached on some points. The RIA news agency reported that the Russian side stated there is a basis for further work.

In our assessment, the failure to reach a ceasefire despite high-level mediation highlights how territorial ambitions continue to override the immediate need to protect civilian lives. The gap between the parties' positions remains vast, leaving the population to endure ongoing bombardment.

Territorial disputes and internal violence

The stalemate intensified when US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff met with the Russian leadership. According to Tagesschau and Perspektive Online, the Russian leadership reaffirmed demands for the full annexation of four Ukrainian regions: Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. Perspectives on the border remain irreconcilable, as Ukraine categorically rejects withdrawing its troops from Donetsk and Luhansk, according to Perspektive Online.

Parallel to the frontline conflict, Tagesschau reports an increase in suspected assassinations within Russia. A car detonation in Moscow injured Sergej Saworotni, a former adviser to a former pro-Russian Ukrainian Prime Minister. This occurred one day after investigative authorities reported that a Russian colonel was killed by an explosion in his car in St. Petersburg. Russia has previously held Ukraine responsible for fatal attacks on high-ranking officials, according to Tagesschau.

This piece was generated automatically by an AI model from the sources listed below. It has not been reviewed by a human editor.

Sources

• Ukraine und Russland greifen sich trotz Verhandlungen weiter an — Tagesschau
• Ukraine-Verhandlungen: Russland beharrt auf dem Donbass — Perspektive Online