Ukraine war live: Russia launches deadly drone attack on Kyiv ahead of ceasefire talks in Saudi Arabia | Ukraine
Russia launches deadly drone attack on Kyiv ahead of ceasefire talks in Saudi Arabia
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the war in Ukraine.
At least three people were killed, including a five-year-old child, after Russia launched an overnight drone attack on Kyiv, according to Ukrainian officials.
Ukraine’s Kyiv city military administration gave the casualty figures and said at least 10 other people were injured, with the drones causing several fires throughout the city.
Two residential buildings in the district of Dnipro caught fire due to falling drone debris, while a fire broke out on the top floors of a 9-storey building in the capital, killing one woman, officials said.
Aftermath of the overnight drone attack on a nine-story residential building in Kyiv. Photograph: Sergey Dolzhenko/EPA
“Today, the Russians are once again demonstrating their ‘desire for peace,’” Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv city military administration, said.
“In reality, terrorists are simply launching deadly weapons at residential buildings.”
The attack came ahead of scheduled ceasefire talks between US and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia later today, which are to be led by Andrew Peek of the national security council and Michael Anton of the state department.
After US officials meet the Ukrainians this evening, they will meet Russian officials in Saudi Arabia on Monday, Reuters reports. Ukrainian officials are expected to be at the talks involving US and Russian officials but would not be in the same room as the Russians.
At the talks, the Ukrainian delegation is expected to supply a list of energy infrastructure that would be off-limits for strikes by the Russian military.
Russian and US experts will also discuss ways to ensure the safety of shipping in the Black Sea, the Kremlin has said.
Russian president Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy have already agreed to a partial ceasefire covering energy and civilian infrastructure – but both Moscow and Kyiv have accused the other of violating the agreement.
Key events
Russia’s ministry of defence said earlier today it had shot down 59 Ukrainian drones across a number of regions in the south, and in Crimea, which is internationally recognised as part of Ukraine, despite Russia’s illegal annexation of it in 2014.
Russian forces launched 147 drones overnight across Ukraine and the country’s air defence shot down 97 drones, Ukraine’s air force has reported. The previous day, the air defence shot down 100 drones launched by Moscow, and 114 drones the day before that.
The Kremlin said last week it had agreed to a US-proposed partial ceasefire, with Vladimir Putin agreeing to halt strikes on Ukrainian energy targets for 30 days, after a lengthy phone call with US President Donald Trump.
Despite the announcement, which was made as officials work towards a more comprehensive deal, Russian missile and drone attacks against Ukraine have continued.
My colleague Pjotr Sauer has written this useful explainer on when the ceasefire is expected to take effect and what happens if Russia or Ukraine breaks their word.
Russia launches deadly drone attack on Kyiv ahead of ceasefire talks in Saudi Arabia
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the war in Ukraine.
At least three people were killed, including a five-year-old child, after Russia launched an overnight drone attack on Kyiv, according to Ukrainian officials.
Ukraine’s Kyiv city military administration gave the casualty figures and said at least 10 other people were injured, with the drones causing several fires throughout the city.
Two residential buildings in the district of Dnipro caught fire due to falling drone debris, while a fire broke out on the top floors of a 9-storey building in the capital, killing one woman, officials said.
Aftermath of the overnight drone attack on a nine-story residential building in Kyiv. Photograph: Sergey Dolzhenko/EPA
“Today, the Russians are once again demonstrating their ‘desire for peace,’” Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv city military administration, said.
“In reality, terrorists are simply launching deadly weapons at residential buildings.”
The attack came ahead of scheduled ceasefire talks between US and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia later today, which are to be led by Andrew Peek of the national security council and Michael Anton of the state department.
After US officials meet the Ukrainians this evening, they will meet Russian officials in Saudi Arabia on Monday, Reuters reports. Ukrainian officials are expected to be at the talks involving US and Russian officials but would not be in the same room as the Russians.
At the talks, the Ukrainian delegation is expected to supply a list of energy infrastructure that would be off-limits for strikes by the Russian military.
Russian and US experts will also discuss ways to ensure the safety of shipping in the Black Sea, the Kremlin has said.
Russian president Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy have already agreed to a partial ceasefire covering energy and civilian infrastructure – but both Moscow and Kyiv have accused the other of violating the agreement.
