GeopoliticsMedium•9 November 2026•
1 min read
Russia and Ukraine Exchange Strikes Ahead of Abu Dhabi Peace Talks
Key Facts
1Russian forces targeted four electrical substations in Ukraine using 317 drones.
2Ukraine launched long-range drone strikes causing a fire at the KINEF oil refinery near St. Petersburg.
3The strikes occurred hours before scheduled US-brokered talks between Moscow and Kyiv in Abu Dhabi.
Russian forces targeted four electrical substations in Ukraine using 317 drones of various types. ABC News reported that the strikes hit the Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Cherkasy, and Vinnytsia regions, while Ukraine responded with long-range drone strikes that caused a fire at the major KINEF oil refinery near St. Petersburg.
The exchange of strikes occurred hours before scheduled US-brokered talks between Moscow and Kyiv delegations in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. This military escalation is seen as an attempt by both sides to gain leverage ahead of the negotiations regarding security guarantees, as energy markets face increased risk premiums following the targeting of major oil infrastructure.