(LONDON) — Russia launched overnight a deadly aerial strike on the Ukrainian capital, killing at least one person, injuring 19 others and damaging residential buildings, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine said early on Sunday.
“Emergency response efforts are currently underway in Vyshhorod, Kyiv region, following the Russian attack,” Zelenskyy said on social media. “Russia struck the city with drones, damaging numerous residential buildings.”
The attack came as Zelenskyy’s top advisers traveled to the United States for high-stakes talks with the Trump administration over its proposed plan for peace between Russian and Ukraine. White House special envoy Steve Witkoff is then expected to travel early next week to Moscow, where he’ll meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Zelenskyy’s advisers are expected on Sunday in Florida, where Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner are due to lead the talks. Ukraine is trying to hammer out its best starting position before Witkoff goes to Putin.
Doubts remain that Putin would actually agree to any plan that’s deemed acceptable to Kyiv. He has already signalled he won’t compromise — saying any talks with Zelenskyy are “pointless.”
Sunday’s talks are the first high-level negotiations between the U.S. and Ukraine since they met in Geneva, Switzerland. Those talks had begun with a 28-point plan proposed by the United States, which through negotiations became a 19-point plan. But even that revised plan had not settled what were perhaps the most difficult issues — including whether Ukraine would cede any territory to Russia and whether Ukraine could in the future apply for NATO membership.
The Ukrainian delegation is being led by Rustem Umerov, the head of the National Security Council. It follows Zelenskyy’s Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak being forced to resign amid a corruption scandal that has rocked the country and left Zelenskyy without his right-hand man at a difficult moment.
Umerov was questioned in connection with the scandal by investigators, according to Reuters and local media, but he has not been formally accused of wrongdoing.
Zelenskyy on Sunday morning said Russia launched a total in the last week of about 1,400 drones and 66 missiles, as well as over a thousand aerial bombs, against Ukraine, underlining the scale of Russia’s increased air campaign as peace talks go on.
“This is exactly why we must strengthen Ukraine’s resilience every single day,” Zelenskyy said. “Missiles and air-defense systems are essential, and just as crucial is active work with our partners for peace. We need real, reliable solutions that will help end this war. I thank everyone who is helping.”
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.