Kyiv: Russia launched a missile and drone attack on Kyiv early Tuesday, killing at least two people and injuring at least seven others, according to Ukrainian officials. The attack came shortly after US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner left the Ukrainian capital following talks aimed at helping end the war.
The attack brought renewed strikes on Kyiv after a three day pause in attacks on the Russian and Ukrainian capitals. The pause was linked to the visit of the US envoys, who travelled to Moscow and Kyiv as part of efforts by US President Donald Trump to revive negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said six people were initially reported injured during the overnight attack. Ukrainian officials later raised the number to seven, while two people were confirmed dead. The casualty figures could change as emergency workers continue operations and authorities assess the damage.
Russian ballistic missiles and drones attacked several parts of Kyiv, causing fires and damage to residential and other buildings. The Kyiv Military Administration said a five storey apartment building and a three storey residential block were damaged by falling debris.
The State Emergency Service of Ukraine reported fires and damage in several districts of the capital. In one area, rescuers evacuated people from a damaged apartment building. Other reports described fires involving garages, warehouses, vehicles and other buildings.
The attack also affected areas around Kyiv. Ukrainian authorities reported drone attacks in the Boryspil and Fastiv districts, while officials in the wider Kyiv region reported damage to residential buildings, businesses, warehouses and vehicles.
The renewed strikes followed the departure of Witkoff and Kushner from Kyiv. The two US envoys had met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday after travelling from Moscow, where they held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The meetings were part of a renewed US diplomatic effort to move Russia and Ukraine towards negotiations. The discussions were described by the participants as important and substantive, but no peace agreement or major breakthrough was announced.
The temporary pause in attacks was limited. It did not amount to a nationwide ceasefire or an end to fighting across the war zone. Fighting continued in other areas while the pause on attacks involving the two capitals was in effect.
There is no confirmed evidence that Russia launched Tuesday's attack specifically because the US envoys had left Kyiv. The sequence of events is clear, but the reason for the timing of the Russian strikes remains unclear.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha criticised Russia after the attack, saying the strikes contradicted Moscow's diplomatic statements.
The Kremlin has said it does not rule out resuming three way negotiations involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that it was too early to discuss when or where such talks could take place.
The latest attack has highlighted the difficulty of the diplomatic effort. While Washington is seeking to encourage negotiations, Russian and Ukrainian forces continue to exchange attacks.
Ukraine also carried out drone attacks inside Russia during the same period. Roman Busargin, governor of Russia's Saratov region, said Ukrainian drones damaged civilian infrastructure and injured people in the city of Saratov.
Saratov is about 730 kilometres southeast of Moscow. The area is home to a large oil refinery operated by Russian state oil company Rosneft, along with other industrial and military facilities. Reports also emerged of a fire at the refinery, but the full extent of any damage was not immediately clear.
Poland also activated military aircraft in response to the Russian attack on Ukraine. The Polish armed forces said the measures were taken to protect the country's airspace against the risk of a violation. There was no indication that Poland itself had been attacked.
The latest violence comes more than four and a half years after Russia launched its full scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The United States diplomatic effort has raised hopes of renewed negotiations, but major disagreements between Russia and Ukraine remain. The latest strikes show that military operations continue even as diplomatic contacts take place.
The number of casualties and the extent of damage from Tuesday's attacks could still change as emergency services continue their work and authorities assess the affected areas.