Russian drone and missile strikes on Kyiv and its surrounding region killed at least three people early Saturday, local authorities said, just hours before another round of peace talks was due to begin amid intensified international efforts to end the war.
The Kyiv City Military Administration reported that two people were killed in attacks on the capital. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said 29 others were injured, noting that debris from intercepted drones damaged residential buildings and caused power outages in the western districts of the city, reports AP/UNB.
In the wider Kyiv region, which encircles the capital, a separate combined drone-and-missile assault killed one woman and injured eight others, according to regional police.
The latest wave of strikes came as Ukrainian negotiators prepared for weekend talks with U.S. officials, according to an official from the presidential administration who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the discussions. A US delegation is also expected to travel to Moscow next week for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
US President Donald Trump last week unveiled a 28-point plan aimed at ending the nearly four-year conflict. The proposal was widely viewed as leaning in Russia’s favour, prompting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to swiftly engage with American negotiators. European leaders, concerned about the security implications for the region, have also sought to shape the process.
Trump said on Tuesday that the plan had been refined and that envoy Steve Witkoff would travel to Moscow for discussions with Putin, while Army Secretary Dan Driscoll would meet Ukrainian officials. He added that he may meet both Putin and Zelenskyy at a later stage if negotiations progress.
On Friday, Zelenskyy announced the resignation of his chief of staff, Andrii Yermak — who had also been serving as Ukraine’s top negotiator — after anti-corruption investigators searched Yermak’s home.
The unprecedented search at such a senior level has increased pressure on Zelenskyy and raised concerns that Kyiv’s negotiating strategy could face disruption at a critical moment, as the United States pushes for a peace agreement.
