KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — On Saturday, Russia launched a significant attack on Ukraine's capital, utilizing ballistic missiles and drones, which resulted in the death of at least one person and injuries to 27 others. The assault occurred just a day before a scheduled meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump in Florida aimed at addressing the ongoing conflict.
Explosions rattled Kyiv in the early morning hours and continued for several hours. Zelenskyy and Trump were set to engage in discussions regarding security guarantees and territorial concerns related to the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions, following the nearly four-year war between Russia and Ukraine. Zelenskyy remarked that the attack signifies Russia's lack of interest in seeking peace, implying it was a direct response to Ukraine's peace efforts.
During his travels, Zelenskyy met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who announced economic assistance worth $1.8 billion to Ukraine, aimed at unlocking further financing from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the execution of a "massive strike" using a variety of weapons, including long-range precision-guided missiles and drones, targeting energy infrastructure. However, many residential buildings were also affected by the attack. According to the ministry, the strike was a retaliation for Ukraine's attacks on civilian targets in Russia.
In the wake of these events, air defense systems in Russia claimed to have intercepted a number of Ukrainian drones over various regions, including Krasnodar and Adygeya, as well as in the airspace approaching Moscow. These interceptions resulted in no reported damage or casualties in Russia.
The Kremlin's timing of the attack appeared calculated to apply pressure ahead of the Zelenskyy-Trump discussions. In a released video, Russian President Vladimir Putin was seen in military fatigues while receiving briefings on military operations, with claims from Russian military officials stating that they had gained full control of several locations in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. Ukraine's General Staff, however, dismissed these claims, labeling them unverified and asserting that defensive operations were still active in the areas in question.
Amidst the turmoil, Poland heightened its military readiness, scrambling fighter jets and temporarily closing airports near its border with Ukraine, although no violations of Polish airspace were recorded. By Saturday afternoon, Russian attacks had reportedly aimed at 519 drones and 40 missiles, primarily targeting energy and civilian infrastructure in Kyiv. The aftermath left numerous districts without electricity or heating.
The carnage was palpable, with reports of significant damage to residential buildings in Kyiv. A heartbreaking account surfaced of a woman who heard a man screaming as he burned to death in an explosion. Emergency crews attended to several emergencies across the city, including fires erupting in various housing blocks and residential complexes. The damage extended beyond Kyiv, affecting industrial and residential properties in the surrounding areas.
Zelenskyy emphasized that he would prioritize securing concrete security guarantees for Ukraine during discussions with Trump. He noted that the proposed arrangements from the U.S. would mimic NATO's Article 5, where an attack on Ukraine could prompt a collective defense response from the United States and its allies. However, several sensitive topics, particularly territorial concessions, loom as contentious issues to be addressed during the talks.
