Russian Strikes Kill At Least Five In Kyiv After US Envoys Leave

Russia launched a major overnight assault on Kyiv, killing at least five people and injuring at least 16 others, just hours after senior US officials left the Ukrainian capital following talks aimed at reviving efforts to end the war.

The September 8 attack involved more than 160 drones as well as dozens of ballistic and cruise missiles, according to Ukraine's military.

Emergency crews worked through the aftermath in several parts of the capital, recovering bodies from damaged buildings and fighting fires sparked by the strikes. The attack also involved jet-powered drones, a relatively new weapon that Ukrainian forces have found difficult to intercept.

Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko confirmed the death toll and said emergency services were continuing rescue and recovery operations.

The assault came shortly after US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who serves as a senior adviser to President Donald Trump, concluded meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other officials.

The two US representatives had travelled to Kyiv after visiting Moscow, where they held discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin. It was the first visit to Kyiv by the pair, while Witkoff has met Putin repeatedly since the beginning of 2025.

Their meetings came as Washington seeks to restart diplomatic efforts aimed at bringing the nearly four-and-a-half-year-old conflict to an end.

Following the talks, Witkoff described the discussions with Ukrainian officials as constructive and said Washington had received what he called new proposals from Moscow. Kushner said the United States was working towards a wider peace framework.

Zelenskyy said his discussions with the American representatives had been substantial and indicated that Ukraine was prepared to consider trilateral negotiations involving Ukraine, the United States and Russia.

National security advisers from Britain, France and Germany also participated in part of the discussions.

However, the latest Russian attack highlighted the significant challenges facing any renewed peace initiative.

Ukraine has increasingly struggled to protect its cities from Russian missile and drone strikes because of shortages of air-defence interceptors, particularly US-made Patriot systems, which are among the few weapons capable of countering Russia's most advanced ballistic and hypersonic missiles.

The shortage has been worsened by the wider demands of the conflict in the Middle East, which have placed additional pressure on global stocks of Patriot interceptors.

In response to the latest attack, European leaders announced additional assistance for Ukraine's air defences.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union would provide $3.7 billion to help Ukraine acquire critical equipment for Patriot air-defence systems. Britain separately announced $135 million in assistance aimed at strengthening Ukrainian air defences, including support for Patriot capabilities.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha urged international partners to respond by increasing pressure on Moscow.

The scale of the overnight attack also drew strong reactions from European officials in Kyiv. EU Ambassador Katarina Mathernova said she spent the night in a shelter as explosions, fires and strikes hit the capital.

Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces had targeted Ukrainian defence-related facilities and military logistics infrastructure.

The strikes followed a telephone conversation between Trump and Putin on September 8. Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yury Ushakov said Putin briefed the US president on developments on the battlefield and insisted Russia had no plans to threaten Europe.

Trump, according to Ushakov, told Putin that he wanted the conflict brought to an end quickly and said a peace agreement could pave the way for improved relations between Washington and Moscow.

The White House did not immediately comment on the conversation.

Despite renewed diplomatic activity, there has been little evidence that Moscow has significantly changed its position on the war.

Ushakov has previously said Russia remains committed to addressing what the Kremlin describes as the "root causes" of the conflict. Moscow uses the phrase to describe a range of longstanding grievances, including its opposition to Ukraine's political direction and claims concerning the treatment of Russian-speaking communities.

The latest bombardment of Kyiv suggests that, while diplomatic contacts continue, Russia remains prepared to maintain intense military pressure on Ukraine.