A massive Russian drone strike on Kyiv has claimed the lives of three people, including a five-year-old child, according to Ukraine’s Ministry of Internal Affairs on Telegram.
The attack coincides with ongoing negotiations over a potential ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia.
According to Ukrainian authorities, the Russian assault involved a total of 179 drones and decoy drones overnight into Saturday. Of these, 100 drones were shot down by Ukraine’s air defense systems, while another 63 were reportedly neutralized through electronic jamming.
Falling drone debris sparked fires in multiple locations across the Kyiv region and Dnipropetrovsk.
One of Several Russian Attacks
The assault on Kyiv was just one of several Russian attacks during the night. The city of Zaporizhzhia was also struck by 12 Russian drones, resulting in the deaths of three civilians and injuries to another 14 people.
According to regional authorities, the drones targeted residential areas, vehicles, and municipal buildings, several of which caught fire.
The tragedy in Zaporizhzhia was further compounded by the fact that all the victims belonged to the same family. The father and daughter were found dead beneath the rubble, while the mother succumbed to her injuries in the hospital after hours of intensive efforts to save her, said Zaporizhzhia regional governor Ivan Fedorov on Telegram.
The attacks come amid uncertainty surrounding a possible ceasefire. On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump held talks with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, leading to a tentative agreement on a limited ceasefire.
However, the two sides remain divided on which assets should be protected under such an agreement. Zelensky is advocating for a comprehensive ceasefire that includes railways and ports, while Russia is only willing to include energy infrastructure.
On Monday, negotiators from Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia are set to meet in Saudi Arabia to discuss the technical details of the proposed ceasefire. While Zelensky has expressed openness to a 30-day ceasefire, Russia has conditioned its agreement on Ukraine halting troop mobilization and stopping the receipt of weapons from Western allies.
Meanwhile, Russia has accused Ukraine of continuing attacks on its energy infrastructure and is threatening further “symmetric” retaliatory strikes. Ukraine denies the allegations and, in turn, accuses Russia of attacking its own facilities to fuel propaganda against Kyiv.
Our team may have used AI to assist in the creation of this content, which has been reviewed by our editors.