Russia unleashed a massive wave of drone and missile attacks on Ukraine early Monday, striking apartment blocks, a supermarket, and even a nursery in Kyiv, just days after President Volodymyr Zelensky signaled readiness for a fresh round of peace talks.
The strikes killed at least two people and wounded more than 15 others, including a 12‑year‑old boy, Zelensky said.
Six districts of Kyiv were hit, sparking fires and leaving rubble-strewn streets as rescuers raced to save survivors.
“This is an assault on humanity,” Zelensky declared in an address, condemning Moscow’s renewed aggression even as diplomatic overtures remain unanswered.
The attacks came as French Foreign Minister Jean‑Noël Barrot arrived in Kyiv, touring bomb‑damaged sites including the Lukyanivka metro station, which has been used as a shelter.
“The shelters themselves are no longer entirely safe, as the metro station behind me, used by civilians, has been targeted.
“This comes even as President Zelensky expressed Ukraine’s willingness to enter new negotiations,” Barrot said.
According to Ukraine’s air force, Russia launched a staggering 450 drones and missiles in the overnight barrage, also hitting the western region of Ivano‑Frankivsk and the eastern regions of Kharkiv and Sumy.
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Meanwhile, Ukrainian drones targeted Moscow over the weekend, briefly shutting down Vnukovo Airport — a key government hub — and adding to growing travel disruption inside Russia.
Efforts to revive peace talks have faltered. The last round of direct negotiations, held over a month ago in Istanbul, produced no progress toward a ceasefire beyond limited prisoner swaps.
Moscow has yet to respond to Zelensky’s latest overture or to U.S. President Donald Trump’s ultimatum giving Russia 50 days to make headway toward peace or face sweeping new sanctions.
On Friday, the European Union approved an 18th package of sanctions, tightening restrictions on Russian banks and lowering the oil export price cap in an effort to increase pressure on the Kremlin.
Russia’s demands at previous talks included further territorial concessions from Ukraine and an end to Western military support — terms Kyiv dismissed as impossible.
For now, the war grinds on into its third year, with both sides trading blows even as the prospect of meaningful peace remains distant.