KYIV — Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, was struck by one of the most intense Russian missile and drone barrages in months early Saturday, causing widespread damage, casualties and infrastructure outages as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy prepared to meet U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss peace efforts. The strikes began in the early hours and continued for many hours, according to Ukrainian officials.
President Zelenskyy said Russian forces launched a large number of drones and missiles, including advanced weapons, with many aimed at power stations and neighbourhoods across the city. At least 22 people were injured, including two children, and several residential buildings were struck, officials reported. More than 320,000 homes in the Kyiv region lost electricity and heating amid freezing winter temperatures, and fires broke out as rescue workers searched for those trapped in the rubble.
In the wider Kyiv area, at least one woman was killed and multiple apartment buildings were damaged. The strikes also hit major energy infrastructure, including the TPP-5 power plant and the BilaTserkva plant, in what Ukrainian authorities described as a deliberate attempt to weaken the city’s winter resilience and disrupt daily life.
Zelenskyy said the attack was Russia’s response to ongoing peace negotiations and called on Western nations to provide stronger air defence systems to protect Ukraine. He reiterated that Ukraine is willing to seek peace, but only with firm legal security guarantees from the United States and Europe.
The heavy strike occurred as Zelenskyy was en route to the United States for talks in Florida, where he and Trump were expected to address ways to end nearly four years of war after Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion. The meeting is seen as a key diplomatic effort amid continued hostilities on the ground.