**Russia Hits Ukraine with Air Strikes**
On February 16, Russian air strikes hit southern Ukraine. This caused over 100,000 residents in the Mykolaiv Oblast to lose heat. President Volodymyr Zelensky said that these attacks had nothing to do with military action.
Zelensky wrote on his Telegram channel: “This once again proves that Russians are fighting against our people, against life in Ukraine.”
The attack included nine drones from Russia. These caused damage and injured one 64-year-old man. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said the attacks were deliberate, meant to leave people without heat.
Many people were left without heat, with temperatures set to drop below zero. The Ukrainian air force shot down many of the Russian drones, but not all. Some also missed their targets.
**Other Attacks**
The same night, Russia launched a total of 143 drones and two ballistic missiles. Many of these missed their targets, but some people were injured in Kherson and Kharkiv Oblasts.
**Leaders React**
Finnish President Alexander Stubb said that Europe should have a special envoy to negotiate with Russia. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said there would be no joint European Union army to counter Russian aggression.
**Negotiations**
Ukraine is working on negotiations with the U.S. and Russia. President Zelensky said success already feels possible. The G7 countries agreed to link any future tightening of sanctions against Russia to progress in peace talks.
European leaders are meeting in Paris on February 17 for an emergency summit over concerns that the U.S. is advancing peace talks without Europe.
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