Russian forces launched a mass strike on Ukraine’s Poltava region in the early hours of 19 August, damaging energy-sector facilities in the Kremenchuk and Lubny districts and cutting electricity to more than 1,500 customers, regional authorities said.
The attack came as discussions in Washington produced an announcement by US President Donald Trump that he is preparing a bilateral meeting between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Volodymyr Kohut, head of the Poltava Regional Military Administration, said missile impacts and falling debris were recorded in two districts. Administrative buildings of local energy enterprises were hit. No casualties were reported. In Lubny district, 1,471 household subscribers and 119 legal entities lost power. Emergency workers from the State Emergency Service and regional energy companies began repairs and clearance operations.
Ukraine’s Air Force had earlier reported the launch of two Tu-95MS strategic bombers, followed by warnings that cruise missiles were on a course towards Kremenchuk. Local authorities issued shelter alerts until the all-clear. The strike formed part of Russia’s continuing campaign against Ukrainian energy infrastructure, which has targeted generation and transmission assets since the full-scale invasion in 2022.
The damage in Poltava coincided with high-level meetings in Washington between President Zelenskyy, President Trump and European leaders. During a break in those talks, Mr Trump held a telephone call with Mr Putin. He later said he was preparing a meeting between the Ukrainian and Russian presidents. Mr Zelenskyy confirmed that such a bilateral encounter was being discussed and indicated that a subsequent trilateral summit with US participation could follow.
If held, a Zelenskyy–Putin meeting would be the first since the Normandy Format summit in Paris in 2019. Talks that year did not yield a pathway to peace. Subsequent contacts between delegations, including rounds in Istanbul in 2022, did not produce agreement. There has been no official comment from Moscow on the Washington announcement.
Questions now centre on feasibility and sequencing. Ukrainian officials have stated that issues of territorial sovereignty are a matter for presidential-level talks. Mr Zelenskyy has said discussions on territory can only take place directly between himself and the Russian president. Reports circulating in Kyiv suggest a meeting could occur within two weeks, though this has not been confirmed. Russian officials have previously said any summit would require extensive preparatory work by negotiating teams, which have not met since the early stages of the war.
Positions remain far apart. Mr Putin has repeatedly linked any discussion of a ceasefire to Ukrainian withdrawals from occupied parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, along with wider demands concerning Ukraine’s security posture and internal arrangements. There are no indications that Moscow has altered these conditions. Ukraine, for its part, has rejected preconditions that would formalise territorial losses or constrain its sovereignty.
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The overlap between renewed strikes and talk of a possible leaders’ meeting has drawn attention to timing. While Washington discussions explored diplomatic options, Russian forces targeted energy infrastructure in central Ukraine, causing fresh outages for households and businesses. Repair crews in Poltava began work to restore supplies; authorities did not specify when full service would resume.
Further procedural questions also arise from the Washington outcome. It is unclear whether preparatory talks between delegations will be convened before any leaders’ meeting, what agenda items would be prioritised, and whether a trilateral format involving the United States would follow a bilateral session. No venue or date has been set publicly. References in recent commentary to an earlier Alaska gathering indicate that prior contacts have not, to date, produced concrete measures beyond an exchange of positions.
For residents of Poltava region, the immediate concern on Tuesday was power restoration and safety during ongoing air alerts. Administrative facilities suffered damage but there were no reported injuries. Local authorities urged adherence to warning protocols given the continued risk of further launches.
Diplomatically, the prospect of a Zelenskyy–Putin encounter marks a notable development after a prolonged absence of direct contact between the two leaders. Whether it can move beyond signalling to substantive negotiation will depend on any narrowing of positions and the practical arrangements that precede it. In the meantime, Ukraine continues to face regular air attacks aimed at its energy network and other critical infrastructure.
Photo: Vitalii Maletskyi / Telegram
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