Russia-Ukraine war – Ukraine faced another night of devastation as a series of Russian airstrikes struck Kyiv and surrounding regions, killing at least six people, including two children, and leaving 21 others injured, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed early Wednesday. The strikes mark the first large-scale attack on the capital since late September, shattering a period of uneasy calm.
The assault came only hours after former U.S. President Donald Trump announced he was shelving his planned summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying he did not want to hold a “wasted meeting.” The timing of these strikes has reignited debate over Moscow’s willingness to engage in diplomacy as its military campaign continues into a third year.
A Night of Fear in Kyiv
Residents of Kyiv endured hours of explosions and air raid sirens as Russian drones and missiles pounded residential areas overnight. Emergency teams battled fires that broke out across multiple districts, with entire buildings reduced to rubble. A couple in their 60s were among the first casualties when a drone hit their high-rise apartment block.
In the wider Kyiv region, four more people were killed, including a six-month-old baby, a 12-year-old girl, and their mother. The capital remained under ballistic missile warnings for most of the night as rescue crews worked through the early morning to put out fires and search for survivors.
Kyiv lawmaker Inna Sovsun told the BBC that the attack left large portions of the city without basic utilities. “For the majority, like myself, it means we don’t have electricity and we don’t have water,” she said.
Trump Shelves Talks with Putin
Just hours before the strikes, Donald Trump announced that his highly anticipated Budapest meeting with Vladimir Putin had been postponed indefinitely. “I don’t want a wasted meeting,” Trump said, hinting at frustration with Moscow’s ongoing aggression and unwillingness to discuss a ceasefire.
The Kremlin swiftly dismissed renewed calls for peace from both Trump and European leaders, refusing to commit to any form of ceasefire along current front lines. President Zelensky, who recently met Trump in an effort to secure additional U.S. support, expressed disappointment at the lack of progress.
“As soon as the issue of long-range missiles became more distant for us, Russia became less interested in diplomacy,” Zelensky said, referring to Ukraine’s unsuccessful bid to obtain Tomahawk missiles.
Ukraine Strikes Back Inside Russia
In a significant escalation, Ukraine’s military claimed responsibility for a missile strike inside Russia’s Bryansk region, targeting a chemical facility that reportedly manufactures gunpowder, explosives, and rocket fuel used in Russian munitions.
The strike, conducted with UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles, was described by Ukrainian officials as “a successful hit” that penetrated Russian air defenses. Kyiv said the operation was aimed at disrupting Moscow’s weapons supply chain and reducing its capacity for future attacks.
Russian state media has not confirmed the extent of the damage, but local residents reported explosions and visible plumes of smoke rising from the site.
Infrastructure and Energy Systems Targeted
Across Ukraine, the strikes also targeted critical energy infrastructure, leading to emergency power outages in several regions. The Ukrainian Energy Ministry confirmed that substations and power lines were damaged, warning that millions could face blackouts as winter approaches.
Rescue operations continued into the morning as emergency crews extinguished fires and pulled residents from debris. Zelensky described the attacks as “another act of terror designed to break Ukraine’s will,” while vowing that his country would “never surrender to Russian intimidation.”
International Response
The latest escalation has drawn swift condemnation from European leaders and NATO officials, who called the attacks on civilian areas “barbaric and unjustifiable.” The renewed violence comes as Western governments debate additional aid packages for Ukraine, including air defense systems and humanitarian assistance.
Political analysts say Trump’s decision to delay talks with Putin reflects growing frustration over Moscow’s intransigence. “This shows that diplomacy cannot progress while Russia continues to bomb civilian areas,” said Dr. Olena Mykhailova, a Kyiv-based political scientist. “It’s a message to both sides — peace requires accountability.”
Meanwhile, Lord Leong, speaking for the UK government in the House of Lords, confirmed that officials were “in contact with AWS about how it would mitigate outages in future” and emphasized ongoing efforts to diversify Europe’s digital and energy ecosystems — a reflection of how the war’s impacts continue to ripple far beyond Ukraine’s borders.
Kyiv’s Defiance Remains Strong
Despite the devastation, President Zelensky struck a defiant tone in his nightly address, emphasizing that Ukraine’s resolve remains unshaken. “We will not surrender. Every strike only strengthens our determination to defend our land, our people, and our freedom,” he said.
Zelensky is scheduled to visit Swedish defense company Saab, a major arms manufacturer, to discuss the production of advanced air defense systems capable of intercepting long-range Russian missiles.
As the Russia-Ukraine war grinds on, the humanitarian toll continues to mount, and the prospects for diplomacy remain bleak. Yet amid destruction and political deadlock, Ukraine’s resilience — and the world’s attention — endures.
Source: BBC
