Russia and Ukraine trade strikes as US pushes for peace talks

Russia and Ukraine exchanged missile and drone attacks on Wednesday despite renewed US-led peace efforts, with Russia saying it was ready to resume US-mediated talks next month and Ukraine hoping for negotiations in early November. Russia fired at least 21 ballistic missiles at Kyiv in three waves, with three carrying cluster munitions, while Ukraine launched 630 drones towards Moscow overnight. The sides also exchanged war dead, with Moscow handing over 252 bodies and Ukraine 25, a practice that has accompanied past moves towards talks. US envoy Steve Witkoff met President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg and spoke of "some degree of momentum," but the Kremlin expressed doubts about the proposals, which reportedly included Ukraine ceding all of Donbas in return for Nato security guarantees. Ukraine has dismissed such conditions as a demand for capitulation.