Drone strikes kill two people ahead of U.S.-brokered peace talks

Officials reported drone strikes killed one person in Odesa, Ukraine, and another in Russia; U.S.-brokered talks between Russian and Ukrainian envoys are scheduled next week in Geneva.

Drone strikes were reported in both Ukraine and Russia on Saturday, and officials said two people were killed. Ukrainian authorities said a drone struck a residential building in Odesa and a person died. Russian regional authorities reported a civilian death in the Bryansk border region after a drone strike on a car. These incidents occurred ahead of a scheduled round of U.S.-brokered talks between Russian and Ukrainian envoys. Reported facts: - Ukraine's State Emergency Service reported a drone strike on a residential building in Odesa that they said killed an elderly woman. - Bryansk regional governor Alexander Bogomaz reported a civilian was killed in a drone strike on a car in the border region. - Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov and Ukraine's communications adviser Dmytro Lytvyn confirmed a U.S.-brokered round of talks in Geneva next Tuesday and Wednesday. Summary: The reported strikes added to recent cross-border incidents as diplomatic talks are set to begin in Geneva next week. Undetermined at this time are whether these incidents will affect the scheduled negotiations, and officials have not announced further procedural steps.