Overnight Russian drone attack kills three, injures dozens in Kyiv as US-Russia talks stall

An overnight Russian drone assault on Kyiv left three people dead and at least 27 others injured, including six children, in one of the most intense attacks on the Ukrainian capital in recent weeks. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed the casualties on Sunday, adding that several residential buildings suffered extensive damage as debris from intercepted drones fell across multiple districts.

According to Kyiv’s military administration, “several” Russian drones were detected flying over the city early Sunday, prompting air raid sirens and warnings for residents to stay in shelters. “Remain in shelters until the threat is over,” officials urged as explosions echoed across the skyline.

Mayor Klitschko later wrote on Telegram that “according to preliminary information, three people died and 27 were wounded” in the assault. Emergency services rushed to the Desnyansky district in northeastern Kyiv, where falling drone fragments struck a nine-storey residential building, igniting fires in several apartments. Another nearby building of similar height was also damaged, with rescuers pulling five people to safety amid the wreckage.

In the northern Obolonsky district, debris from another drone hit a 16-storey residential block, damaging one apartment but causing no reported fatalities. Rescue teams worked through the night to extinguish fires and evacuate trapped residents. Images released by AFP showed firefighters and volunteers searching through debris, highlighting the human toll of Russia’s persistent aerial campaign against Ukraine’s urban centers.

The assault follows another wave of drone and missile strikes on Saturday that killed four people and injured around 20 others in Kyiv, underscoring the sustained intensity of Moscow’s attacks as winter approaches. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly accused Russia of deliberately targeting civilian areas, while Russia insists its strikes are aimed at military and energy infrastructure.

Meanwhile, diplomatic tensions between Washington and Moscow remain high. On Saturday, US President Donald Trump downplayed prospects of a potential summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying he was “not going to be wasting my time.” His remarks came as Kremlin negotiator Kirill Dmitriev reportedly met with members of the Trump administration, including special envoy Steve Witkoff, to discuss possible future engagement. According to a Russian source cited by AFP, these backchannel discussions are expected to continue on Sunday, though no breakthrough appears imminent.

The renewed violence in Kyiv and the diplomatic deadlock in Washington suggest little progress toward de-escalation. As the war grinds on, civilians in Ukraine’s capital once again find themselves sheltering from the skies, caught between relentless drone attacks and a global diplomatic impasse.