Massive strikes hit Ukraine’s capital hours after Putin agrees to recent peace talks

Russia launched a large missile and drone assault on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv in a single day into Thursday, simply hours after President Vladimir Putin expressed readiness to renew trilateral peace talks subsequent month.

The recent diplomatic push adopted a three-hour assembly in St. Petersburg between Putin and US particular envoy Steve Witkoff.

During the assembly, the place Witkoff requested the resumption of negotiations and praised Putin for releasing 74-year-old detained American citizen Stephen Hubbard, Putin agreed to renew talks involving Ukraine and the United States after November 10.

However, the diplomatic gesture was instantly adopted by a barrage of 21 missiles and 210 drones focusing on Ukraine. The assault killed two individuals and injured 34 others, with Ukrainian officers confirming that central Kyiv was hit with a cluster warhead.

“Russian ‘humanitarians’ have launched three waves of ballistic strikes against Kyiv since this evening,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned.

“This means there has been no real change in its attitude toward everything that is happening.””When Russian ballistic missiles are the response to negotiations, real pressure must be applied on Russia to take other steps – steps to stop the killings,” Zelensky added, reiterating his name for pressing deliveries of air protection techniques.

According to the Ukrainian Air Force, not one of the ballistic missiles focusing on Kyiv had been intercepted, highlighting a vital scarcity of US-made Patriot interceptor missiles.

A separate strike on a central market in Lozova, Kharkiv area, left a minimum of two individuals useless and dozens injured.

In Russia, Moscow’s mayor reported that air defenses intercepted a lot of the 630 drones flying towards the area in a single day, although two individuals had been injured within the rural Voronovo space.

Despite the proposed talks, which Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov indicated might happen in Abu Dhabi, UAE, there are not any indicators that Moscow has softened its core calls for. Russia continues to insist on near-total concessions, together with Ukraine relinquishing the complete Donbas area, considerably downsizing its navy, and abandoning its ambition to hitch NATO.

Zelensky, who met with Witkoff in Norway previous to the envoy’s journey to Russia, expressed skepticism about Moscow’s intentions.

“Russia said many times it is ready for a meeting and then things changed and got canceled,” Zelensky famous. “Let’s see what happens this time.”

Zelensky reaffirmed that whereas Ukraine stays open to negotiations, ideally together with European allies alongside the US and Russia, it won’t settle for selections made with out its direct participation.

“I always said that we are open to negotiate in any format, any topics, but don’t speak about us without us, please,” Zelensky acknowledged.

Russia fired 21 ballistic missiles and 210 drones at Ukraine in a single day, with Kyiv the principle goal.

One particular person was killed in Kyiv and 22 had been injured, together with 4 kids.

Zelenskyy says the assault started “almost immediately” after Witkoff’s assembly with Putin in Saint Petersburg. #Ukraine

— Keenan Hutka (@Keenan_Hutka) October 23, 2026