Additional Coverage:
- Russia launches ‘massive strike’ on Kyiv, killing 1 and wounding many ahead of Ukraine-U.S. talks (pbs.org)
Kyiv Rocked by Russian Missile Barrage Ahead of Crucial US-Ukraine Talks
Kyiv, Ukraine – Ukraine’s capital was targeted by a relentless wave of Russian missiles and drones in the early hours of Saturday morning, leaving one person dead and 27 wounded. The widespread attacks come just a day before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump for critical peace talks in Florida.
Explosions reverberated across Kyiv for hours as ballistic missiles and drones rained down on the city, with the assault continuing past daybreak.
President Zelenskyy, who confirmed he was en route to Florida on Saturday afternoon, with a stop in Canada to meet Prime Minister Mark Carney, stated that discussions with President Trump would focus on crucial issues including security guarantees and territorial disputes in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed a “massive strike” overnight, employing “long-range precision-guided weapons from land, air and sea, including Kinzhal hypersonic aeroballistic missiles” and drones. The ministry claimed the targets were energy infrastructure supporting Ukrainian forces and military-industrial enterprises, framing the offensive as a response to Ukraine’s alleged attacks on “civilian objects” in Russia. Earlier Saturday, Russia also reported shooting down seven Ukrainian drones over Krasnodar and Adygeya regions.
The intensity of the attacks prompted Poland to scramble fighter jets and temporarily close airports in Lublin and Rzeszow, near the Ukrainian border. While Polish airspace was not violated, the alert underscores the regional tension sparked by the conflict.
Ukrainian air force officials reported that Russia launched 519 drones and 40 missiles, primarily targeting energy and civilian infrastructure in Kyiv. President Zelenskyy noted that several districts within the region are now without electricity or heating due to the damage.
“Today Russia demonstrated how it responds to peace talks between Ukraine and the United States on ending Russia’s war against Ukraine,” Zelenskyy remarked via audio message while traveling. “They carried out massive attacks on Ukraine precisely as we move toward peace negotiations. That is Russia’s response.”
“His Scream is Still in My Ears”: Horrific Scenes Unfold
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko confirmed via Telegram that over 10 residential buildings sustained damage, with emergency crews working to evacuate individuals from under collapsed structures.
Olena Karpenko, 52, recounted the harrowing experience of hearing a man burn to death during the assault. “His scream is still in my ears.
I can’t believe it,” she said, visibly distressed. Karpenko described a sudden explosion at a nearby thermal power plant, followed by a more powerful blast that shook her home before her building was hit.
“I saw how the apartment was burning, there was a fire and we heard a man’s screams, begging for help,” she added.
Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv Military Administration, stated that two children were among the wounded, with the attacks hitting seven locations across the capital. A body was discovered beneath the rubble of a damaged building. “In fact, the entire center of Kyiv was under attack by drones,” Tkachenko said, interpreting Russia’s actions as a clear message that “it is raising the stakes in this war.”
Fires erupted in an 18-story residential building in the Dnipro district and a 24-story residential building in Darnytsia. Further blazes were reported in the Obolonskyi and Holosiivsky districts. In the broader Kyiv region, industrial and residential buildings were hit, and one person was rescued from under the rubble of a destroyed house in the Vyshhorod area.
Zelenskyy Heads to Florida for Critical Talks
President Zelenskyy expressed his aim to leave “as few unresolved issues as possible” during his discussions with President Trump, while firmly upholding Ukraine’s “red lines.”
“I am confident there are compromise proposals – we know the Americans – and, obviously, our enemy also always has its own goals, which we know well,” he said, speaking to journalists via an audio note.
Zelenskyy emphasized that security guarantees for Ukraine would be his top priority. While the U.S. has committed to providing guarantees akin to NATO’s Article 5, which would trigger a collective military response in the event of an attack, the specifics still require negotiation.
Territorial concessions, particularly concerning the Donetsk region and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, remain the most sensitive topics. Zelenskyy reiterated Ukraine’s unwavering stance against recognizing any territory as Russian “under any circumstances.”
“But the most important issue I want to stress today is security guarantees. Beyond territorial issues and the ZNPP (nuclear plant), security guarantees are critically important for us,” he asserted.
Following his meeting with President Trump, Zelenskyy is also scheduled to brief European leaders online on the outcomes of the discussions.