Russian forces resumed a heavy missile and drone assault on Kyiv early Tuesday, killing at least two to three people and injuring dozens, just hours after a brief ceasefire ended that had allowed U.S. peace envoys to visit the capitals of Russia and Ukraine. The renewed strikes caused fires across multiple districts of the Ukrainian capital, damaging residential buildings, a school, a clinic, warehouses, and a Ukrainian television station.
The temporary pause in attacks was arranged to facilitate the diplomatic visits of President Donald Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who traveled to Moscow and Kyiv over the weekend to seek ways to advance peace efforts in the ongoing conflict. Both sides had agreed to refrain from targeting the opposing capitals during the three-day window. The ceasefire offered Kyiv’s residents a brief respite from nearly continuous overnight bombardments that had severely disrupted daily life since Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
Ukrainian officials reported that Moscow launched a complex and sustained offensive involving ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and jet-propelled drones aimed at causing maximum destruction. Kyiv’s air defenses claimed to have intercepted most of the incoming cruise missiles and some ballistic missiles, but several strikes still inflicted significant damage. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the attack as an attempt to inflict “maximum damage to life and infrastructure.” Among the targets were a market in the Black Sea port city of Odesa, commuter trains in the northern Sumy region, and a railway station in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, where at least one railway worker was killed.
Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, confirmed that three people were killed in the capital and that many buildings, including apartments and public facilities, sustained serious damage. Rescue teams evacuated dozens from damaged structures. Residents reported the return of sirens and explosions shortly after the envoys departed, underscoring the fragile nature of the ceasefire.
Following the attacks, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with President Trump, with Kremlin officials describing the conversation as “constructive and frank.” Putin reportedly denied having aggressive intentions toward Europe while emphasizing progress toward his military objectives in Ukraine. The Kremlin also indicated that it remains open to further tripartite negotiations involving Russia, Ukraine, and the United States, though no specific dates or venues were announced.
Despite the visit signaling renewed U.S. engagement in peace efforts, no immediate breakthrough emerged. Zelensky stated that discussions with the U.S. envoys touched on Ukraine’s urgent need for additional air defense systems, particularly to counter ballistic missiles, and ongoing efforts to enable local production of Patriot missile systems. Plans for further talks are reportedly under consideration, focusing on humanitarian issues, grain exports, and energy security.
Russian officials rejected a Turkish proposal for a ceasefire in the Black Sea region, calling it unrealistic and difficult to monitor, prolonging doubts about near-term conflict de-escalation. Civilian casualties remain high, with United Nations-verified reports indicating some of the deadliest conditions since the invasion began. Ukrainian counterstrikes continued, including drone attacks on southwestern Russian cities.
As winter approaches, Ukrainian leadership has highlighted concerns over Russia’s historical pattern of targeting energy infrastructure to exacerbate humanitarian crises, underscoring the urgency of diplomatic negotiations amid ongoing hostilities.