Russia carried out a large-scale missile and drone assault on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, early Saturday morning, killing one person and injuring at least 27 others. The strike came just one day before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump to discuss efforts to end the war.
Explosions were heard across the city for several hours as ballistic missiles and drones hit different areas of Kyiv. The attack began before dawn and continued as daylight arrived.
Ukrainian officials said the strikes targeted key energy and civilian infrastructure, leaving parts of the city without electricity and heating.
Zelenskyy Heads to Florida for High-Level Peace Talks
Despite the attack, President Zelenskyy was on his way to Florida to meet Donald Trump on Sunday. He told reporters that he was flying to the US on Saturday afternoon and would stop in Canada to meet Prime Minister Mark Carney.
The talks with Trump will focus on major unresolved issues, including security guarantees for Ukraine and disputed territories in eastern and southern Ukraine, especially Donetsk and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
Speaking while travelling, Zelenskyy said Russia’s attack showed its real attitude toward peace.
“Today Russia demonstrated how it responds to peace talks between Ukraine and the United States on ending Russia’s war against Ukraine. They carried out massive attacks on Ukraine precisely as we move toward peace negotiations,” he said. “That is Russia’s response.”
Russia Claims It Hit Military and Energy Targets
Russia’s Defence Ministry said it carried out a “massive strike” using “long-range precision-guided weapons from land, air and sea, including Kinzhal hypersonic aeroballistic missiles” along with drones.
Moscow claimed the targets were energy and military-industrial facilities used by Ukraine’s armed forces. It also said the attack was in response to Ukraine’s alleged strikes on “civilian objects” inside Russia.
Earlier, Russia also said it had shot down seven Ukrainian drones over its Krasnodar and Adygeya regions overnight.
Poland Goes on Alert During the Attack
During the strikes, Poland placed its military on high alert. Fighter jets were scrambled, and two airports near the Ukrainian border Lublin and Rzeszow were temporarily closed.
Polish authorities later confirmed there was no violation of Polish airspace, and the airports resumed normal operations. It was not clear why Poland took action, as the Russian attack mainly targeted Kyiv, which is far from the Polish border.
Kyiv Hit by Hundreds of Drones and Missiles
Ukraine’s air force said Russia fired 519 drones and 40 missiles in the overnight assault. Zelenskyy confirmed that the main targets were energy facilities and civilian areas in Kyiv.
Several parts of the city lost power and heating due to the damage.
“In fact, the entire center of Kyiv was under attack by drones,” said Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv Military Administration. He added that Russia was sending a message that “it is raising the stakes in this war.”
Civilian Buildings Destroyed, Fires Break Out
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said more than 10 residential buildings were damaged in the attack. Rescue teams worked through the rubble to save people trapped inside collapsed structures.
A body was found under one of the destroyed buildings. Two children were among the injured.
Fires broke out in several districts, including Dnipro, Darnytsia, Obolonskyi, and Holosiivskyi. In the Dnipro district, an 18-storey building caught fire, while a 24-storey building was hit in Darnytsia.
In the wider Kyiv region, homes and industrial buildings were also damaged. In Vyshhorod, rescuers pulled one person alive from the rubble of a destroyed house.
“His scream is still in my ears”
One of the most heartbreaking moments came from 52-year-old Olena Karpenko, who witnessed a man burning to death.
“His scream is still in my ears. I can’t believe it,” she said while crying.
She described hearing a blast near a thermal power plant before a stronger explosion shook her home.
“I saw how the apartment was burning, there was a fire and we heard a man’s screams, begging for help,” she said.
What Zelenskyy Wants From the Trump Talks
Zelenskyy said his goal in meeting Trump is to resolve as many issues as possible while protecting 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.
He stressed that security guarantees are the most important issue. The United States has promised to provide protection similar to NATO’s Article 5, meaning that if Ukraine is attacked, the US and its allies would respond together. However, the details of this promise still need to be finalised.
Territory remains the most sensitive topic. Zelenskyy made it clear that Ukraine would never accept Russian control of its land.
“Ukraine would never recognize any territory as Russian ‘under any circumstances,’” he said.
“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.”
Zelenskyy is also expected to brief European leaders online after his discussions with Trump.
Also Read: Will Russia Accept Peace Terms? Zelenskyy Prepares for Crucial Talks With Trump
