Russian forces launched drone and missile strikes on Kyiv overnight Thursday, killing one person and wounding 22 others, according to Ukrainian authorities. The attacks occurred hours after the Kremlin agreed to resume U.S.-brokered peace talks aimed at ending the war. Ukrainian officials reported damage to homes, transportation infrastructure, and civilian sites across multiple districts of the city.
Kremlin signals openness to resumed talks
The Kremlin confirmed on Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed "in principle" to restart three-way negotiations involving Russia, the United States, and Ukraine after November 10, following a meeting between Putin and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff in St. Petersburg. Witkoff had previously met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Oslo on Tuesday to address tensions between the U.S. and Ukraine. Kremlin foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov stated that Putin’s willingness to reengage in talks was contingent on the post-U.S. midterm election timeline.
Strikes target Kyiv amid ongoing hostilities
The overnight attacks on Kyiv included ballistic missiles and drones, with Ukrainian authorities reporting fires and structural damage in the Dniprovskyi district. Among the wounded were six people, including a child, in the same district, where one fatality was confirmed. Ukraine’s State Emergency Service described the strikes as targeting civilian areas, while air raid alerts sounded over the capital. Ukrainian air force officials had earlier warned of additional ballistic missile threats, instructing residents to remain in shelters.
Regional impact and defensive responses
In Russia, officials reported 630 drones launched toward the country, with 163 approaching Moscow. Russian air defenses intercepted 70 drones, though two people were wounded in the barrage. In Ukraine, strikes killed civilians in Sumy, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Donetsk, while 15 people were wounded in Kyiv. Russian attacks also damaged metro infrastructure at Kyiv’s Pivdenny Bridge, restricting traffic between parts of the city.
Ukraine’s air force stated that more ballistic missiles were expected toward Kyiv, reinforcing warnings for civilians to seek shelter. The strikes followed Putin’s meeting with Witkoff, during which Trump described the talks as bringing negotiators ‘maybe now the closest we’ve been’ to ending the war. Zelensky, while cautiously supportive of renewed negotiations, cautioned: ‘We’ll see what happens this time.’