KYIV, Ukraine — Russian forces unleashed a barrage of ballistic missiles on Kyiv in an overnight assault that lasted several hours, just as diplomatic channels hinted at a possible thaw. The attack came only hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin signaled tentative agreement to resume trilateral negotiations involving Russia, Ukraine, and the United States. Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed its air defenses intercepted more than 800 Ukrainian drones targeting Moscow and other cities.
Ukrainian officials reported at least four civilians killed and dozens wounded across 12 regions. In the northeastern Kharkiv region, a strike on a market in Lozova killed two women, aged 50 and 60, and injured many others, according to regional governor Oleh Syniehubov. Another fatality was recorded in Kharkiv city, the State Emergency Service said. In Kyiv, 21 ballistic missiles arrived in three waves, damaging apartment buildings, energy infrastructure, a railway station, the subway system, shopping centers, and businesses. One person died in the capital.
Serhii Beskrestnov, an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said a missile carrying cluster munitions targeted downtown Kyiv, releasing scores of smaller bomblets mid-air. The escalation comes as Ukrainians brace for winter, with Russia intensifying strikes on the power grid to deprive civilians of heat, light, and water. Zelenskyy has described this as Moscow's annual campaign to "weaponize winter."
The timing of the attack undercuts optimism generated by Putin's Wednesday meeting with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff in St. Petersburg, where the Russian leader agreed "in principle" to resume talks. Witkoff had spoken of "new momentum" after meeting Zelenskyy in Norway. However, no date has been set for the trilateral discussions. Previous rounds of technical talks in the UAE and Switzerland yielded little beyond prisoner exchanges, with both sides far apart on terms.
Zelenskyy, reacting to the overnight strikes, said there has been "no real change" in Moscow's attitude. He has repeatedly urged Washington to supply more Patriot air defense ammunition and impose tougher sanctions on Russia. Instead, President Trump has agreed to import Russian diesel and waived heavy sanctions, while U.S. officials admit Patriot ammunition is in short supply. Western analysts suggest Putin aims to sideline Europe and Kyiv, negotiating directly with Washington—a stance the Trump administration has echoed by disparaging European allies.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters Thursday that Putin has received an invitation to attend the G20 summit in Miami in December but has not decided whether to go. Peskov praised the American administration for its efforts toward a peaceful settlement, while accusing European capitals of doing nothing to promote peace and instead provoking further escalation.
Witkoff's visit drew sharp criticism in Ukraine and the U.S. after he lauded Putin as a "humanitarian" for releasing retired American teacher Stephen Hubbard, who had been imprisoned on charges of fighting as a mercenary. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha responded on social media, saying the latest "brutal" attacks show "what Russian 'humanism' truly sounds like." He added that "appeasement, servility, and flattery will not stop this war. Only strength will."
Russia's Defense Ministry said its air defenses downed 808 Ukrainian drones overnight, with Moscow's Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reporting 630 aimed at the capital. Airports in Moscow temporarily restricted traffic. The ministry also claimed strikes on Ukrainian drone and cruise missile production facilities, as well as transport infrastructure in Kyiv and the port of Odesa.
In a separate development, Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for Prisoners of War announced the return of 252 bodies of Ukrainian soldiers, while Russia received 25 bodies of its soldiers, according to lawmaker Shamsail Saraliyev. As the five-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion approaches, the conflict continues to exact a heavy toll, with thousands of civilian deaths and hundreds of thousands of military casualties.
