Kyiv hit by fresh missile and drone attack ahead of Zelenskyy–Trump talks

Kyiv was shaken by a series of powerful explosions early on Saturday after Ukrainian authorities warned that the capital was under threat of a missile attack, amid a broader wave of Russian strikes across the country.

The Ukrainian Air Force said drones and missiles were detected in several regions, including Kyiv, prompting air defence systems to swing into action. Residents were urged to take shelter as blasts echoed across the city.

Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed the strikes in a message on Telegram, saying air defence forces were operating and advising people to remain in shelters. Witnesses quoted by international news agencies reported hearing multiple loud explosions, some accompanied by bright flashes that lit up the night sky.

Unofficial military-linked Telegram channels suggested that both cruise and ballistic missiles were used in the attack, as air defences attempted to intercept incoming targets over the capital.

The escalation comes just days before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is due to travel to the United States for talks with former US president Donald Trump. The meeting, expected to take place in Florida, is aimed at finalising the details of a proposed 20-point peace plan intended to bring an end to the nearly four-year-long war between Russia and Ukraine.

Sunday’s discussions are part of renewed diplomatic efforts by Trump to broker a settlement to what is widely regarded as Europe’s most devastating conflict since the Second World War. The war, which began with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions.

Meanwhile, Moscow has accused Zelensky and his European allies of undermining US-led attempts to halt the fighting. Russia’s deputy foreign minister said on national television that the prospects of reaching an agreement would depend on political will on both sides.

“Our ability to make the final push and reach an agreement will depend on our own efforts and the willingness of the other party,” he said, adding that Kyiv and some of its supporters within the European Union were seeking to derail the peace process.

As air raid sirens continued to sound across Ukraine, the latest attack underscored the fragile backdrop against which diplomatic efforts to end the conflict are now unfolding.

With agency inputs