On Wednesday, February 12, Russia dismissed any possibility of swapping occupied Ukrainian territory in a potential peace deal, hours after launching a missile and drone attack on Kyiv that left one person dead and at least four injured.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had proposed exchanging Ukrainian-held parts of Russia’s Kursk region for Russian-occupied areas in eastern and southern Ukraine in an interview published Tuesday. However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov rejected the idea, stating, “This is impossible. Russia has never and will never discuss the topic of exchanging its territory.” He added that Ukrainian forces occupying Russian territory would be “destroyed” or expelled.
The rejection followed an overnight attack on Kyiv that damaged apartment buildings, offices, and other civilian infrastructure. Witnesses reported hearing multiple explosions, and one body was seen covered with a black plastic sheet on a street littered with debris.
Zelensky condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin’s continued aggression, writing on social media, “Putin is not preparing for peace—he continues to kill Ukrainians and destroy cities. Only strong steps and pressure on Russia can stop this terror. We need unity and support from all our partners in the fight for a just end to this war.”
Russia’s defense ministry confirmed a missile strike on Ukrainian military-industrial sites, including drone production facilities, and claimed all targets were hit.
The discussions on potential peace talks come amid rising tensions and rhetoric from Moscow, Washington, and Kyiv. Zelensky is scheduled to meet U.S. Vice President JD Vance at the Munich Security Conference on Friday, where the war will be a primary focus.
Meanwhile, U.S. special envoy Keith Kellogg is set to visit Ukraine next week to help draft a peace proposal, coinciding with the third anniversary of Russia’s February 24 invasion.
President Donald Trump, who campaigned on ending the war, has suggested leveraging billions of dollars in U.S. aid sent under former President Joe Biden to pressure Ukraine into territorial concessions.
On Tuesday, Trump welcomed Marc Fogel—an American detained in Russia since 2021 on drug charges—back to the White House following his release in a prisoner exchange. While Trump described the exchange as “very nice” and expressed hope it could signal the start of peace talks, Peskov downplayed its significance. He confirmed Fogel’s release was part of a swap for a Russian citizen detained in the U.S., whose identity would be revealed upon their return to Russia.
On the ground, Ukraine faces increasing pressure. Emergency services in Kyiv reported deploying 120 rescue workers to three districts hit by the missile strikes. In the Chernigiv region north of Kyiv, Russian forces reportedly targeted critical infrastructure, injuring two people.
Ukraine’s air force reported intercepting six missiles and 71 of 123 drones, including Iranian-designed Shahed drones. As the war approaches its third anniversary, Kyiv’s forces continue to struggle against better-resourced Russian troops in key strategic areas.
