Russia launched a fresh wave of air attacks on Kyiv early on Tuesday, using drones and missiles to strike the city. The assault, which resumed after a brief pause for the visit of U.S. peace negotiators, resulted in two fatalities and sparked fires throughout the Ukrainian capital. According to Mayor Vitali Klitschko, an additional 10 individuals were injured in the attacks. Debris falling in one district caused fires in a five-storey apartment building and a three-storey residential block. At least 14 highrise buildings, a dormitory, a school, a clinic, warehouses, and other locations sustained damage.
The airstrikes resumed after U.S. peace envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff departed Kyiv following discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The Trump administration’s efforts to end Russia’s 4-1/2-year war in Ukraine were renewed. The envoys had come from meetings in Moscow, where the Kremlin indicated the possibility of resuming three-way negotiations.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin for launching another aggressive attack against Kyiv immediately after the U.S. envoys’ departure. Sybiha emphasized the need for allies to increase pressure on Moscow and provide interceptors to counter ballistic missiles, as Kyiv’s supplies were running critically low. Kyiv resident Iryna Barisenkova described the chaos caused by the explosions, noting a significant fire near the Darnytskyi Vehicle Repair Plant.
Prior to the recent talks, Russia intensified its air assaults on Kyiv and nearby areas, extending them to nearly round-the-clock operations for several days instead of limiting them to nighttime strikes. The Russian defense ministry reported targeting military and logistic sites in Kyiv and its surroundings, as well as in the Black Sea port of Chornomorsk.
As the explosions reverberated in Kyiv, Poland, a NATO and European Union member, launched preventive actions against potential Russian missile attacks on Ukraine. The Polish army announced temporary flight suspensions at Lublin airport due to the ongoing military operations. In retaliation, Ukrainian drones caused damage and injuries in Saratov, Russia, located around 730 kilometers southeast of Moscow. Meanwhile, a Ukrainian assault on the Crimean peninsula, annexed by Russia in 2014, resulted in two deaths and one injury, according to Sergey Aksyonov, the Moscow-appointed regional governor.