Three Days After Ceasing Mutual Attacks on the Capital, Intense Fighting Between Russia and Ukraine! Ukrainian Media: The U.S. Returning to the Negotiation Process is More About Appearances.

[Global Times Special Correspondent in Russia, Xiao Xinxin; Global Times Special Correspondent, Wang Yi] Three days after Russia and Ukraine briefly halted mutual attacks on each other's capitals, the two countries resumed their assaults. The Russian Ministry of Defense stated on the 8th that the Russian military launched large-scale attacks on defense industrial facilities in Kyiv and its surrounding areas on the night of the 7th and the early morning of the 8th. The Ukrainian side claimed that the large-scale drone and missile attacks by Russia on Kyiv and its surrounding areas resulted in at least 2 deaths and 10 injuries. The Ukrainian newspaper Kyiv Independent reported on the 8th that this marked the end of the brief respite granted by Russia during the visit of the U.S. envoy to Kyiv.

According to a report by RIA Novosti on the 8th, the Russian Ministry of Defense issued a statement that day, stating that the Russian armed forces conducted intensive strikes at night using land-based, air-based, and sea-based precision weapons and long-range attack drones, hitting military industrial facilities used for the production and storage of drones and cruise missiles in Kyiv city, Kyiv region, and the port of Chernomorsk in Odesa region, as well as military logistics centers and distribution centers. Additionally, the Russian military targeted the infrastructure at Chernomorsk port used for unloading military supplies, as well as a tanker carrying fuel and lubricants for the Ukrainian armed forces.

The Ukrainian Kyiv Post reported on the 8th that on the evening of the 7th, the Ukrainian military warned of a Russian drone appearing over Kyiv, while several other drones were approaching the city. On the morning of the 8th, as Russia launched missile and drone attacks on Kyiv and its surrounding areas, a series of explosions were heard in multiple locations in Kyiv. According to the Kyiv Independent on the 8th, at least 12 ballistic missiles targeted the city within an hour. The attacks resulted in at least 2 deaths and 10 injuries. The Ukrainian State Emergency Service confirmed on the 8th that areas such as Boryspil and Fastiv in Kyiv region also suffered drone attacks from Russia. Industrial facilities in Boryspil region caught fire, 7 trucks were destroyed, and a logistics center was attacked twice.

"The brief Russia-Ukraine ceasefire agreement ended with missile strikes," the Kyiv Independent stated. On the 5th, Moscow announced a 3-day suspension of attacks on Kyiv to allow U.S. President Trump's envoy, Vitkov, and his son-in-law Kushner to visit the city to promote Russia-Ukraine negotiations. Russia immediately began launching drones and missiles at Kyiv after their departure on the 7th.

The Kyiv Post noted that Moscow resumed attacks on Kyiv more than 3 hours earlier than previously announced, stating, "The Russian side failed to comply with the brief 3-day ceasefire agreement." However, on the 8th, the Russian news agency TASS emphasized that the 3-day pause in strikes against Kyiv due to the visit of U.S. negotiators had expired. Russian President Putin previously stated that the Ukrainian side issued a statement calling for a broader ceasefire, but the Russian side had never reached any agreement with them on this. The Ukrainian National News Agency reported on the 8th that the U.S. return to the negotiation process was more for show. Analysts indicated that only when Russia's position is significantly weakened can systematic negotiations be genuinely advanced, and Moscow is not yet in such a position.

According to the Russian RuNews24 website on the 8th, the tranquility over Kyiv has been shattered, and Moscow did not extend the 3-day suspension of strikes. During the suspension, the Russian armed forces continued to strike other regions of Ukraine. The Ukrainian National News Agency reported on the 8th that in the past 24 hours, a total of 244 exchanges of fire were recorded between Ukrainian and Russian forces. The Russian military launched 99 airstrikes, using 8,495 suicide drones and dropping 285 guided aerial bombs. The Ukrainian Air Force, missile troops, and artillery targeted 5 Russian troop concentration areas, 4 drone control points, and 2 artillery positions.

According to RIA Novosti, the Russian Ministry of Defense stated on the 8th that from 8 PM on the 7th to 8 AM on the 8th, the Russian military intercepted and destroyed 384 Ukrainian drones in Russian airspace, which had launched attacks on multiple locations including Moscow region, Voronezh region, and Volgograd region.

The BBC reported on the 8th that Russia launched all-weather airstrikes, with the number of air raid alerts in Kyiv reaching a historic high. Furthermore, the continuous attacks by Russia may leave the Ukrainian side unprepared, with many expected to struggle to cope with the impending harsh winter, as Russia is redirecting its attack targets towards Ukraine's energy infrastructure. The Kyiv Independent reported that U.S. and Ukrainian intelligence agencies are increasingly convinced that Russia is preparing to escalate the conflict, with potential measures including a new round of mobilization and attempts to once again crush Ukraine during the winter.

Ukrainian President Zelensky told Axios on the 7th that Russian President Putin may be trying to avoid angering Trump and may be willing to provide Trump with a "diplomatic victory" before the upcoming U.S. midterm elections. According to ABC News on the 7th, sources revealed that the U.S. hopes to end the war before winter arrives, while the head of the Ukrainian President's Office, Budanov, believes this is unachievable, pointing out that Russia will only be truly ready for negotiations in the spring or summer of 2027.

RIA Novosti reported on the 8th that former Ukrainian President Kuchma's assistant Soskin stated on social media on the 7th that the U.S. demands Ukraine end its conflict with Russia before the upcoming winter has put Zelensky in a desperate situation, stating, "The U.S. has left him no choice."