Russia Resumes Attacks On Kyiv After Peace Talks, Killing 5

KYIV — Russia has launched a major overnight barrage of drones and missiles against Kyiv, killing at least five people and injuring nearly 30, Ukrainian officials said.

The attack marked a renewed wave of strikes on the Ukrainian capital after a brief pause that coincided with the visit of U.S. peace negotiators.

Explosions and fires were reported across several parts of Kyiv, with officials saying the attack damaged at least 14 high-rise buildings as well as a school, clinic, dormitory, warehouses and other facilities.

EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Mathernova described the scene on social media as Kyiv was hit by explosions and fires.

Five Killed In Kyiv

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said five people had been killed in the capital.

Two of the deaths occurred after a strike hit a warehouse, according to the mayor.

Nearly 30 people were also reported injured.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a Russian drone partially destroyed a television channel building in Kyiv.

Emergency crews were deployed across the city as firefighters worked to extinguish fires and rescue people from damaged buildings.

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Attack Follows Visit By US Peace Envoys

The latest Russian strikes came shortly after U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff left Kyiv following talks with Zelenskyy.

The visit was part of the Trump administration’s renewed efforts to find a way to end the long-running war between Russia and Ukraine.

The U.S. envoys had also travelled to Moscow for discussions with Russian officials. Following those talks, the Kremlin said it had not ruled out resuming three-way negotiations involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States.

Moscow and Kyiv had temporarily halted attacks on each other’s capitals for three days to help ensure the safety of the visiting U.S. negotiators.

That pause has now ended, with Russia launching another major assault on Kyiv.

Ukraine Calls For More Air Defence Support

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called on the country’s allies to increase pressure on Moscow and provide additional air-defence interceptors.

Ukraine has warned that its supply of interceptors for ballistic missiles has become critically low.

Zelenskyy described the latest attack as a complex operation apparently designed to cause extensive damage.

He said ballistic missiles remain particularly difficult for Ukraine’s air-defence systems to intercept.

Ukraine’s air force said it had shot down almost all of the cruise missiles used in the attack as well as two ballistic missiles.

Passenger Trains Also Hit

The attacks were not limited to Kyiv.

Ukraine’s prime minister said eight other regions were targeted.

In the northern Sumy region, Russian drones struck a train, prompting the evacuation of nearly 100 people.

Another commuter train was also hit, according to the head of Ukraine’s state railway operator. Passengers were evacuated, although some people suffered shrapnel injuries.

In the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, a railway worker was killed when a Russian drone struck a passenger train in what Ukrainian emergency officials described as a double-tap attack.

Passengers were evacuated from the train.

Three people were also wounded when an attack struck a market near the Black Sea port city of Odesa, according to local authorities.

Residents Describe Return Of Fear

Residents of Kyiv said the temporary pause in attacks had given them a brief sense of normality.

One resident told Reuters that the city had felt peaceful while foreign peace negotiators were visiting, before the attacks resumed after their departure.

The renewed strikes have once again disrupted daily life in the capital.

Russia has increasingly used long-range drones and missiles against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, while Ukraine has also intensified its own long-range attacks against targets inside Russia.

Russia Says It Hit Military Targets

Russia’s Defence Ministry said its forces had struck military and logistical targets in Kyiv and the surrounding region.

Russian state media also reported strikes against targets in the Black Sea port of Chornomorsk.

Moscow and Kyiv have repeatedly accused each other of escalating attacks, while both sides deny deliberately targeting civilians.

Long-Range Attacks Intensify

The latest strikes come as the war continues with relatively limited movement along many parts of the front line.

Both Russia and Ukraine have increasingly relied on long-range missiles and drones to attack targets far behind the battlefield.

Ukraine has targeted Russian oil infrastructure, warehouses and other facilities in an effort to increase the economic cost of the war for Moscow.

Russia has continued launching large-scale attacks against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.

Ukrainian officials also reported civilian infrastructure damage from Ukrainian drone attacks in the Russian city of Saratov, while Russian officials said five people were killed in Ukrainian attacks in Crimea, Bryansk and Kursk regions.

Those claims could not immediately be independently verified.

Peace Efforts Face New Test

The latest attack comes at a sensitive moment for diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the war.

The brief reduction in strikes during the visit of U.S. negotiators had raised hopes that further negotiations might produce progress.

However, the return of major attacks highlights the difficulty of achieving a lasting ceasefire while both sides continue military operations.

The United States has been pushing for an agreement that could bring the conflict to an end, but major disagreements between Moscow and Kyiv remain unresolved.

For residents of Kyiv, the latest bombardment is another reminder that despite diplomatic efforts, the war continues to pose a serious threat.

The situation remains developing, with Ukrainian authorities continuing to assess the damage and casualty figures from the latest Russian strikes.