Russia and Ukraine trade long-range strikes before US-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi

Russia and Ukraine exchanged long-range strikes Monday, with Russia targeting Ukraine's power grid and Ukraine hitting a major Russian oil refinery, hours before U.S.-brokered talks were set to begin in Abu Dhabi. Russia's defense ministry said it struck four electrical substations in Ukrainian regions, part of a campaign to cut heating and water during winter, while Ukrainian drones ignited a fire at the KINEF refinery near St. Petersburg. The attacks follow a Russian glide bomb strike last week that killed at least 55 people in Zaporizhzhia. The talks, scheduled for Tuesday, aim to address security guarantees, with President Trump claiming both sides are "very close" to a deal despite ongoing hostilities. Russia seeks to exclude European officials from negotiations, though France says it will attend, while Ukraine's economy and Russia's finances remain strained by the nearly five-year war.