Russia strikes Ukraine with these powerful missiles, drones, ahead of Trump-Zelenskyy meeting, will it affect peace plan?
Russia launched an attack on Ukraine as President Volodymyr Zelensky was scheduled to hold an important meeting with US President Donald Trump. The attack was carried out early Saturday in Kiev and other regions using large-scale missiles and drones. Attack could impact peace plan in many ways
Russia launched attacks in many regions of Ukraine ahead of peace talks
Russia launched an attack on Ukraine as President Volodymyr Zelensky was scheduled to hold an important meeting with US President Donald Trump. The attack was carried out early Saturday in Kiev and other regions using large-scale missiles and drones. The two leaders will meet on a major agreement that will end the four-year war in Ukraine. Speaking to reporters before the attacks, Zelensky said that the meeting would decide which regions would be under the control of which side.
What happened in the attack?
The capital was hit by a large-scale ballistic missile attack as Russia launched several Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, four Iskander ballistic missiles and several Kalibr cruise missiles into the city, Kiev Independent reported, citing monitoring sources.
Multiple explosions were heard throughout the capital, as well as in the surrounding Kiev Oblast, the Kyiv Independent reported. In the town of Brovary, about 20 kilometers northeast of Kiev, strikes caused power outages that affected the town and surrounding areas.
Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed the attack in a post on Telegram and called on residents to stay in shelters. “There are explosions in the capital. Air defense forces are working. Stay in shelters!” he wrote.
The Ukrainian Air Force also issued a series of urgent warnings regarding unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) operating in Kiev and nearby areas. According to the Air Force, the UAVs were detected over Kiev and parts of the Kiev region, near Velyka Dymerka and west of the village of Pereyaslav, heading south.
Additional UAV activity was also reported in the southern part of the Chernihiv region, moving towards Kyiv Oblast. “Kiev, take cover! There is an attack UAV in the air over the city,” the Air Force warned in one of its alerts.
What is expected from the talks?
The meeting on Sunday is expected to discuss important issues such as security guarantees, control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and territorial disputes in the eastern Donbas region. Zelenskyy stated that significant progress could be made by the end of the year.
Zelenskyy is expected to present a revised report 20-point peace framework During his meeting with Trump in Florida. The proposal includes important points such as creating a demilitarized zone and requesting security guarantees from the USA. However, Trump was very skeptical of this offer. “You don’t have anything until I approve it,” Trump said, alluding to his central role in shaping the course of peace talks.
Will these attacks affect the peace plan?
Russia may be signaling that it still has military options and will press its battlefield advantages as negotiations continue. This can harden positions or be used as leverage. Continued attacks could increase the urgency of a ceasefire or, conversely, make the parties more wary of concessions that appear to reward military pressure. Repeated strikes during diplomatic windows deepen distrust — Ukraine and its partners may argue that Russia is not serious about peace unless it stops attacks.
