Kyiv Hit by Russian Air Strike as Zelensky Discusses War with US Envoys

One person was killed and two others were injured in an overnight Russian air strike that hit buildings in Kyiv, including a medical facility, officials confirmed early Monday.

The attack on the Ukrainian capital occurred as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held discussions with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner over the weekend. These meetings aimed to address the ongoing conflict and ease tensions between Ukraine and Russia.

This latest strike comes after a week in which Ukraine reported facing nearly 2,700 attack drones, 1,700 aerial bombs, and 66 missiles from Russia, according to Zelensky. He stated that Russian strikes primarily target energy facilities in an attempt to cause blackouts, and he expressed that Russia has not taken reciprocal steps in response to sanctions relief or agreements.

Zelensky also accused Russia of repeatedly breaking a supposed "energy ceasefire" and warned U.S. officials of Moscow's plans to disrupt Ukrainian heat and electricity supplies before winter. These statements followed clashes between Zelensky and former U.S. President Donald Trump, who has claimed to be negotiating peace between the two nations. Trump has asserted that Zelensky is not interested in ending the war and suggested that Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries are hurting global diesel markets, including in the United States.

Earlier, after meeting with Witkoff and Kushner, Zelensky emphasized the importance of the U.S. position in the war and stated that Ukraine is ready to work constructively to bring the conflict to an end. He expressed expectations for a similar approach from European and American partners.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces carried out their largest drone attack on Saint Petersburg since the war began in 2022, setting an oil refinery ablaze and resulting in one fatality and five hospitalizations in the Russian city. Moscow has stated that Ukrainian attacks on its cities will not alter its war aims, with President Vladimir Putin reiterating Russia's intention to seize the remainder of eastern Ukraine.

The ongoing exchange of strikes has created a sense of "dreadful routine" for residents in both countries, as the conflict enters its fifth year with no clear resolution in sight.