Russia launched air strikes on Kyiv early Tuesday, marking the end of a three-day suspension in attacks on Ukrainian and Russian capitals. The halt had been agreed upon following visits by two US envoys, but the diplomatic mission failed to produce tangible progress toward a peace settlement.
According to city officials, Russian drones damaged two residential buildings in the capital, as well as structures in the nearby Boryspil and Fastiv districts. The State Emergency Service of Ukraine confirmed the incidents, while the Kyiv city military administration issued air raid alerts urging residents to seek shelter from further drone threats.
In retaliation, Russian Saratov Governor Roman Busargin reported that Ukrainian drones struck civilian infrastructure in Saratov, a city located nearly 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) from Moscow. Several people were injured, though casualty figures for both incidents remain unconfirmed.
The temporary truce had been initiated by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy following weekend visits to Moscow and Kyiv by US President Donald Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. While the attacks on the capitals paused, fighting continued in other regions.
Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov described the Saturday meeting in Moscow as “highly useful,” lasting more than three hours. After his discussions with President Zelenskyy, Witkoff expressed optimism, stating, “We’ve had a very meaningful discussion, substantive, important, and we are very encouraged, and we look forward to continuing this as long as it takes.” Witkoff also indicated that reviving three-way negotiations could be on the table.
TASS, Russia’s state news agency, confirmed that the suspension ordered by Putin officially expired on Monday evening local time. A White House official informed Reuters that plans for the next steps in the conflict, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, would be announced in the coming weeks.
Leave a Reply