U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Moscow on Saturday for a fresh diplomatic initiative aimed at ending Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to Russian state news reports. The mission unfolds against a backdrop of intensifying aerial hostilities, with both nations launching significant drone and missile campaigns.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine would suspend its airstrikes during the envoys’ visit and called on Moscow to reciprocate. However, Russian officials did not publicly address the proposal. Washington has attempted to restart peace negotiations for the fifth year of the conflict, though momentum has waned as U.S. focus shifted toward its conflict with Iran over the past six months.
Kirill Dmitriev, Russia’s envoy, greeted the Americans at the airport, Tass reported. This marks the first time the duo has visited Moscow since January, when they met President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin. While they have not yet traveled to Kyiv, Zelenskyy expressed expectation that they would arrive in the Ukrainian capital on Sunday.
Tensions remained high as Russia exploited shortages in Ukraine’s air defense systems to conduct daylight bombardments. On Friday, a Russian drone struck the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) headquarters in Kyiv, a key facility involved in deep-strike operations inside Russia. Ukraine has responded with long-range attacks targeting Russian military sites, oil refineries, and commercial hubs to disrupt the war effort and economy.
Zelenskyy linked recent Russian strikes on Kyiv and Boryspil international airports to the U.S. diplomatic visit. He suggested the attacks were intended to prevent the U.S. from using aircraft to travel to Ukraine. “We have taken note of this Russian move… there will be no threats to diplomacy from our side,” Zelenskyy stated, indicating plans to adjust operations regarding Russian airspace next week.
Casualties continued to mount across Ukraine. Oleksandr Hanzha, head of the regional military administration in Dnipropetrovsk, confirmed that five people were killed and five wounded at an industrial facility. Hanzha described the victims as workers in peaceful professions, including a locksmith, electrician, plumber, and machinist. A 62-year-old man was also injured, and residential buildings were damaged in the Nikopol district.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed it targeted two metallurgical plants in the region, labeling them major suppliers for Ukraine’s military production. Meanwhile, Tymur Tkachenko reported two additional injuries in the Kyiv region, where a fire from a strike partially destroyed a nine-story apartment building in the Boryspil district.
In the Mykolaiv region, drone strikes hit a shopping center, injuring a 72-year-old man and a 17-year-old girl. Emergency responders were frequently forced to retreat due to ongoing threats, returning only when safe to do so. Overnight, Russia deployed 167 drones, including jet-powered Shahed models, from the Rostov and Voronezh regions. Ukraine’s air force reported shooting down or suppressing 128 of these drones.
On the other side of the border, Ukrainian attacks wounded three individuals, including a 14-year-old girl, in Russia’s Belgorod region. Russia’s defense ministry stated its forces intercepted 53 Ukrainian drones overnight.
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