Russia has launched a massive “demonstrative” attack on Ukraine, bombarding Kyiv with ballistic missiles just hours after Vladimir Putin said he had agreed to resume trilateral negotiations following talks with US envoy Steve Witkoff. Overnight, Moscow struck the Ukrainian capital, killing at least two people and wounding 22, including four children. Targets included the southern bridge over the Dnipro River, civilian homes, energy infrastructure, an ambulance station, office buildings and a monastery. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday that numerous sites across the city had been hit and damaged. Twelve regions across the country were bombed, including the southern city of Odesa, where the port was badly hit. Zelenskyy said the latest devastating strikes showed that Russia was not serious about peace. “Almost immediately after another round of talks, Russia launched a pointed attack. This means there has been no real change in its attitude toward everything that is happening,” he said. Overnight, Moscow struck the Ukrainian capital, killing at least two people and wounding 22, including four children. Photograph: Vladislav Musienko/AFP/Getty Images During negotiations on Wednesday in St Petersburg, Witkoff lavished praise on Vladimir Putin, who was sitting across the table. “You talk so much about my president, President Trump, being a humanitarian. You are a humanitarian also, sir, and I salute that,” Witkoff said. In a social media post after the strikes in the early hours of Thursday, Zelenskyy issued a sardonic reply. “Three waves of ballistic missiles have been launched at Kyiv by Russian ‘humanitarians’ since yesterday evening. They used 21 missiles,” he wrote. Zelenskyy said he was grateful to those among Ukraine’s western partners who saw “the situation for what it is” and “acknowledged the reality” that the Kremlin had little intention of stopping its war. He called for stronger air defences, Patriot interceptors that could bring down enemy missiles, and more sanctions against Moscow. ‘You are a humanitarian also, sir’: the US feeds Putin with lies as Ukraine’s children take cover and die | Andrew Roth Read more Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, added that “appeasement, servility and flattery” would not stop Russian aggression. On Wednesday, Kremlin foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said Putin had agreed “in principle” to resume three-way negotiations involving Russia, the US and Ukraine after 10 November, a week after the US midterm elections. In reality, Russia’s real intention is to destroy Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, leaving millions in the dark and cold, officials in Kyiv believe. According to Zelenskyy, the US has resumed intelligence warnings of Russian missile attacks. But the White House has so far not reversed the slowdown of Starshield, the military version of Elon Musk’s Starlink internet satellite system, leaving Ukraine unable to intercept enemy drones or carry out mid-range battlefield strikes. The New York Times reported that when the slowdown was imposed last week, dozens of armed drones heading to Russian military targets fell from the sky. The video feeds streaming their flight paths suddenly went fuzzy as the connection with Starshield was lost, the paper said. The decision to cripple Ukraine’s successful drone programme came amid the most serious row between Washington and Kyiv since Russia’s full-scale invasion nearly five years ago. It began after Trump announced he was lifting sanctions on Russian diesel to lower US fuel prices, a move Zelenskyy branded “weak”. Witkoff calls Putin a ‘humanitarian’ after release of jailed American – video The Trump administration denies it is deliberately helping the Russians. But European diplomats concede that the US appears to have switched sides. Ukrainian civilians are dying as a result, they say. Russia, meanwhile, said it had shot down hundreds of Ukrainian drones launched in overnight attacks.One man was killed and another wounded in a Ukrainian aerial strike in Russia’s Belgorod region, local authorities said. Details also emerged of a Ukrainian counterattack through a tunnel in the partly Russian-occupied north-eastern city of Kupiansk. As part of Operation Veles, the Khartia corps carried out the world’s first underground counteroffensive, advancing 15km into enemy rear lines. “We observed how the enemy operates underground and studied their methods. The Russians intended to use gas pipelines to infiltrate the rear of our forces. So, we went underground ourselves,” Khartia’s commander, Brig Gen Ihor Obolienskyi, told Ukrainian media. The Ukrainian soldiers crawled 15km through tunnels – without communication, GPS or light – having developed their own navigation and life-support technologies in advance. About 100 Russians were killed in the operation, and 30 taken prisoner, the Khartia corps said.
Frequently Asked Questions
Heres a list of FAQs about the missile strikes on Kyiv shortly after talks were agreed to resume
1 What happened
Russia launched missile and drone strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities just hours after both sides agreed to resume talks
2 When did this happen
The strikes came shortly after the agreement to restart negotiations was announced the timing is what drew international attention
3 Why is the timing significant
It suggests Russia may be using military pressure to strengthen its position at the negotiating table or that it isnt committed to deescalation
4 Did the talks still happen
Talks have resumed at various points despite continued fighting delegations have met even while strikes continued
5 What did Russia say about the strikes
Russia has typically described its strikes as targeting military infrastructure though reports often show damage to civilian areas
6 What did Ukraine say
Ukraine condemned the strikes as proof that Russia isnt serious about peace and called for stronger Western support and sanctions
7 Was anyone hurt
Reports of casualties vary by strike civilian injuries and damage to residential buildings have been reported in several attacks
8 What was hit
Reports have cited damage to residential buildings infrastructure and power facilities depending on the specific attack
9 How did other countries react
Western allies generally condemned the strikes and reiterated support for Ukraine some called for tougher sanctions on Russia
10 Does this mean the talks are canceled
Not necessarily negotiations have continued despite attacks though the strikes undermine trust and slow progress
11 What are these talks about
Broadly a ceasefire humanitarian corridors prisoner exchanges and eventually a political settlement
12 Why does Russia keep striking while talking
Analysts say its a talk and fight strategy applying military pressure to gain leverage and test Ukraines and the Wests resolve
13 What is a missile strike vs a drone strike
A missile strike uses fast powerful projectiles drone strikes use slower unmanned aircraft typically cheaper and easier to shoot down
14 What air defenses does Ukraine use
Systems like Patriot NASAMS and IRIST supplied by Western partners plus Sovietera systems
15 Why cant all missiles be intercepted
Some missiles fly very fast or maneuver and defenses can be
