KYIV — Nighttime Ukrainian strikes disrupted power and heating in two major Russian cities near the Ukrainian border, local Russian officials said Sunday, as both countries continue near-daily attacks on each other’s energy infrastructure amid stalled diplomatic efforts.

In Voronezh, a drone strike triggered temporary blackouts and cut heating to parts of the city, regional Gov. Alexander Gusev said.

Several drones were electronically jammed, but one sparked a fire at a utility facility that was quickly extinguished.

Russian and Ukrainian Telegram channels reported that a thermal power plant was targeted.

Late Saturday, a missile strike caused “serious damage” to power and heating systems serving the city of Belgorod, Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov said.

About 20,000 households were affected. Belgorod, near the Ukrainian border, had a population of roughly 340,000 in the 2021 census.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces intercepted or destroyed 44 Ukrainian drones overnight across the Bryansk and Rostov regions.

The statement did not mention the strikes in Voronezh or Belgorod or specify how many drones were launched.

Moscow and Kyiv have intensified long-range strikes on each other’s energy networks as winter approaches.

Ukraine has targeted Russian refineries to cut oil revenues that fuel the war, while Russia aims to cripple Ukraine’s power grid to deprive civilians of heat, electricity and water.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Sunday he is prepared to meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss the war and bilateral ties, telling state news agency RIA that “regular communication” is necessary.

Lavrov insisted peace cannot be reached without “taking Russian interests into account” and reiterated that Moscow will not abandon its claim to Crimea, which it annexed in 2014.

His comments come weeks after efforts to organize a summit between the US and Russian presidents were put on hold.

Trump’s hesitation to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin has eased concerns among European leaders, who accuse Moscow of using diplomacy to buy time while seeking gains on the battlefield.

Ukraine has expressed readiness for the ceasefire and direct peace talks proposed by the Trump administration, while Russia has pushed for more favorable conditions.

Trump and Putin last met in Alaska in August, but the talks did not advance efforts to end the war, now approaching its fourth year since 2022. — Agencies