Missile and Drone Attacks on Kyiv Ahead of US-Ukrainian Talks
KYIV, Ukraine – In a significant escalation, Russia launched a missile and drone attack on Kyiv early Saturday, just a day before critical discussions with the United States. Local authorities reported one death and injuries to 27 others, as explosions echoed throughout the city for several hours.
The assault, which began in the early hours and stretched into the evening, involved ballistic missiles and drone strikes targeting various locations across the capital.
This attack coincides with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy meeting with US President Donald Trump in Florida, where they’re aiming to address ongoing wartime issues, particularly concerning security and territorial disputes in Donetsk and Zaporozhye regions.
According to Russia’s Ministry of Defense, the strikes were aimed at facilities supporting the Ukrainian military, utilizing “long-range precision-guided land, air and sea weapons,” including hypersonic missiles and drones. They characterized their actions as a response to Ukrainian strikes on Russian civilian targets.
Earlier on Saturday, the ministry claimed to have intercepted seven Ukrainian drones over Krasnodar and Adygeya regions in Russia.
In a related response, Poland temporarily scrambled fighter jets and closed airports in Lublin and Rzeszow, which are near the Ukrainian border, due to the unfolding situation. However, Polish authorities confirmed there had been no airspace violations, and the airports resumed operations shortly after. The reason for Poland’s alert remains unclear, given that the Russian attacks were directed at Kyiv, significantly farther from the border.
President Zelenskiy reported that about 500 drones and 40 missiles were deployed against Ukraine, with attention focused on energy and civilian infrastructure, leading to outages in several neighborhoods lacking electricity and heating.
“Many are questioning how Russia will respond to peace proposals from the US and the global community,” he noted, adding, “Despite the extensive discussions, it seems that their real message comes through missiles like the Kinzhal and Shahed.”
Interior Minister Ihor Klimenko indicated that over ten homes suffered damage in the attacks, and rescuers worked to evacuate individuals trapped under debris.
Amidst the chaos, 52-year-old Olena Karpenko recounted a harrowing experience, recalling the screams of a man who perished in the assault. She detailed hearing a sudden blast at a nearby thermal power plant, followed by another that shook her windows and struck her building.
Kyiv Military Administration head Timur Tkachenko reported that among the injured were two children, with incidents recorded across seven locations in Kyiv. Klimenko confirmed that a body had been located beneath the rubble of one of the compromised buildings.
A major fire erupted in an 18-story residential building in the Dnipropetrovsk district, prompting emergency services to respond. Tkachenko also mentioned damage to a 24-story building in the Darnitsia district and additional fire outbreaks in the Ovoronsky and Khorosiussky areas.
Ukraine’s emergency services reported airstrikes targeting both industrial and residential structures around Kyiv. In the Vyshhorod region, rescuers managed to save a person trapped under the debris of a destroyed home.
