Putin unleashes glide bomb terror on Ukraine, Russia's key oil refinery hit by drone barrage | Gravitas

Even as Russia confirmed trilateral talks with Ukraine and U.S. in Abu Dhabi on November 10 and 11, the war continues unabated.

Russia reportedly launched 289 attack drones, 17 ballistic missiles and 59 cruise missiles on Ukraine's vital infrastructure overnight.

Just a while back, U.S. announced that First Lady Melania Trump will bring representatives of Russia and Ukraine together at the White House on Thursday.

She had earlier brokered a brief ceasefire in the city of Oleshky.

Meanwhile, in Zaporizhia, a school being used as an aid distribution centre was reduced to ruins in multiple glide bomb attacks by Russia.

The death toll has now risen to 33.

Five others were wounded, while 50 others are still trapped under the rubble.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described it as a 'vile terrorist attack'.

Search and rescue operations continue at the site.

Visuals showed rescuers carrying an injured dog from the rubble and giving it first aid.

According to Zelensky, Russia attacked multiple power generation facilities and substations, resulting in damage to ten facilities.

In Zhytomyr for instance, about one hundred eighty thousand people were left without power after a Russian strike.

Three thermal plants were forced to shut down.

Additionally, a hospital came under attack in Kharkiv, leaving 73 people injured.

Ukrainian authorities also reported a Russian missile attack on Dnipro, which destroyed residential and administrative buildings.

At least two persons were killed whereas 17 others were injured.

Rescuers pulled nine people alive from the rubble, and all fires have been now extinguished.

Kherson administration released footage, which shows the scars of war across this southern Ukrainian city.

Years of shelling and drone attacks have damaged residential buildings, parks and shopping malls.

Zelensky also warned of another impending Russian attack.

Now, last month itself, Ukraine witnessed some of the deadliest attacks on its soil.

On October 7, 22 people including five children were killed as a Russian missile struck a residential building in the city of Pryluky.

This was followed by a glide bomb attack on a bus stop in the city of Kramatorsk that killed 33 people.

Two days later, 23 innocent civilians lost their lives in another glide bomb strike, this time in Zaporizhia.

On the other hand, Russia claimed to have intercepted 856 Ukrainian drones from Monday onwards.

Despite Trump telling Zelensky to stop striking Russian refineries ahead of the midterms, Ukraine reportedly carried out a drone attack on an oil refinery in the city of Yaroslavl, which is located around 250 kilometres northeast of Moscow.

This attack assumes significance as it is one of Russia's largest oil refineries, processing three hundred thousand barrels every day.

Now, Russia too has borne the brunt of Ukraine's fierce retaliation.

In August, seven people died across Rostov, Moscow and Belgorod, in what Russia described as the largest attack launched by Ukraine this year.

A warehouse belonging to Russian online retailer Wildberries was also hit.

On the final day of the polling for the parliamentary elections, Russia downed over 1,600 drones out of which 450 were headed for Moscow.

While three people were killed, a key oil refinery in the Russian capital was also damaged.

Last week, Russia intercepted over 1,200 Ukrainian drones when Moscow was hosting the Russia-Africa summit, which was attended by over 22 foreign leaders.

Meanwhile, diplomacy continues in full swing.

On Wednesday, negotiators from U.S, EU and NATO will meet to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine.

While U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff pinned hopes on the trilateral talks to achieve a comprehensive durable peace agreement, the current spate of attacks makes truce a very tricky prospect.